EOFY - It's tax time, and health fund reset time as well.

June 30 marks the end of another financial year, and also the reset period for AHM, Defence Health among others. It’s a good time to hit the reset button and update your bike position, replace your ageing orthotics or manage those aches and pains with a physiotherapy session.

We now have 3 fitters on staff who can set your bike up to your needs. We also have 3 physiotherapists who can work on strengthening your body to help hold and drive that position on the bike.

Remember, as always we offer a 2nd set ‘no gap’ policy for existing clients using their existing foot molds/scans so contact us to see if we can set up a new pair for cycling shoes, runners or those special pair of work slippers.

Contact us online or give us a call and we can get you sorted before you get busy sending in those tax returns.

Lake CX239 - How does it compare to the CX238?

A new incarnation has landed. The Lake CX239 arrives after over 5 years of CX238 comfort. The old CX238 had the width and leather softness that made it a favorite of bike fitters and retailers alike. Does the upgrade keep the dream alive?

When you change a much loved shoe, there is a lot on the line. ‘I like your old stuff better than your new stuff’ is a genuine theme that runs through retail (and music for that matter!). There were some features of the CX238 that needed a tweak and thankfully Lake has addressed those emphatically.

The parts we loved are still there. The soft leather options remain and allow this shoe to bed in beautifully over time. The sexy Li2 Boas remain and they are great at mirco-tuning your fit. The wide carbon race sole remains - stiff enough and wide enough for most feet and riding styles. It’s the new additions that add a lot to the series.

Aesthetics - whilst most users of the CX238s were not at all fussed with how the shoes looked, for some the design features and branding looked a little dated. Because the shoe is designed to be wide, it makes it trickier to not emphasise this feature for those who wish to have Italian looking feet.

The new CX239 has managed to recreate the upper design which makes the shoe look a lot sleeker and less ‘agricultural’. More judicious use of mesh inlays and a prettier patterning in the leather make the entire shoe look a lot more contemporary. After seeing hundreds of pairs of CX238s in the last few years, spying the new CX239 immediately made you realise that some heavy groundwork had been performed in the design department. Does it change the shoes comfort? - probably not, but it certainly will convince a few 50/50 users to commit.

Heel Closure - This was probably the one feature on the old shoe that from a function perspective needed to improve. The new heel retention feel aided by the one piece tongue design really grabs the foot and supports it in a way not before felt in this series of shoes. The one piece tongue also looks a lot more minimalist than previous designs. I’d expect that the leather fatigue on the trim of the tongue will fare a lot better than previous models. Finding the correct fit though is crucial, as the new tongue sensation will take a little getting used to. As the lip softens, the fit improves, but the edge can feel more obvious in those with less prominent arch profiles to begin with. We also find that with adequate arch support added into the shoe (which can be done with the addition of the Cobra9 SemiPro) the throat of the shoe feels more comfortable. That said, some with super sensitive dorsal (upper) foot anatomy may need some help initially to bed this feature in.

In the same vein as the CX239, the new MX239 borrows most of the same features as the road shoe and also improves its aesthetics as well. This review essentially could relate to both offerings.

Overall, the Lake CX239 remains the go to shoe for those who want a sense of leather support (clarino is still offered) and a wide, spacious toe box. We have found that the early adopters really like the new visuals and still love the space within. It’s great when a company (or a band!) brings out a great follow up offering. In this case, Lake have managed to slide into the 25’s with the best of both worlds.

Pros

Wide - yeah!!

Soft Leather and Clarino uppers

Carbon soles

Awesome Boas

Great closure system with tongue

Way better on the eye

Better lasting tongue design

Cons

Still a little heavier than some advanced shoe offerings (the CX302 fills this void)

Tongue may need a little time to soften for some

Overall - 9/10 - Getting it done!!

Want to try a pair on? We have some stock on hand so you can book a shoe fitting and we can make sure the new Lake CX239 is the shoe for you!

Photos @fatpidgeon

Should I be doing strength exercises as a cyclist?

Get strong in a dynamic position. Rider Christian Tuminello.

We’ve been busy increasing our workforce over the past few months and Physio Jake Melvin joined us at the start of 2025. With a strong background in strength and conditioning, his focus is getting cyclists to get more out of their bodies and build strength to overcome pain.

We asked him to set us up with some basic starter exercises for most cyclists and he has! You can read about it below.

Jake is available every Wednesday and can tailor and strength and conditioning program for you so you too can get the most from your riding,

Enjoy!!

YES!

As cyclists, we are used to training for hours and hours, racking up the kms and chasing segments. But what if I told you that strength training can take as little as 20-30 minutes 2-3 times per week and will reduce your risk of injury as well as improve your performance.

Here at The Pedaler we have been treating cyclists for over 10 years with Physiotherapists who specialise in getting cyclists stronger and moving better.

So why isn’t everyone doing it?

In essence, the stronger our bodies are for the task we are completing, the better we will be at doing it and the lower the risk of injury. So, why isn’t everyone doing it? It’s likely that most people have tried strength and conditioning or heard of it at some stage, but what we do at The Pedaler is tailor the exercises to you depending on your injury, cycling goals and body. What I tend to get asked by patients who are in pain or looking for guidance is “I think it’s my hamstring but I’m not sure what to do about it.” Or “I tried stretching and it helped a bit but it’s still not better.” This is where our experienced Physiotherapists ask more questions and complete the right tests during an assessment to get the correct answer.

We can help identify imbalances between muscle groups, leg to leg or overworked muscles and then create a plan to address this. This plan will be specific exercises to improve your cycling endurance, muscle strength or efficiency. For example: Below is a Bulgarian split squat. A challenging exercise to any who have tried it, but it is incredible for improving hip and leg strength / stability, and most importantly very cycling specific.

Coupling this with some other targeted exercises 2-3 times per week progressing in difficulty each week, is just one example of what your personal plan may look like. If you are interested in getting advice regarding an injury or if you’re interested in completing some strength training to improve your cycling then please get in touch and book an appointment with us!

2024 is almost over - opening hours and anniversary giveaway!

It’s that time of year again and we’re almost booked out!! Just a quick reminder that it’ll be a little harder to see us over the festive period - fully closed 25th, 26th and 1st with reduced availability around these dates. If in doubt, give us a call or head online and check the diary and we’ll work something out!

For those of you looking to make the most of your private health rebates before the big 2025 reset, the clock is ticking on our no gap orthotics offer. We have been offering our ‘no gap’ second set option for existing customers every year since we kicked off here in 2015. To recognise that 10 years in business is worth celebrating, every client taking up their second set offering this year will go into the running to win one of three prizes! Due to high demand, please contact us directly if you can’t find an appointment spot before the end of 2024 and we’ll make sure no one misses out.

🚨30% OFF COBRA9 SITE-WIDE🚨
Looking for the perfect Christmas gift for a cycling-mad relative? Take 30% off site-wide over at COBRA9. That’s right, 30% off your favourite handmade carbon cycling orthotics in addition to a free pair of Attaquer socks.

The Pedaler Team

Make the most of your health fund before Dec 31 rolls around and win a little something something!!

The Pedaler community knows we love to give back at this time of year. We have been offering our ‘no gap’ second set option for every year since we kicked off here in 2015. This year marks the 10th anniversary of The Pedaler at Milton. So, to add to the usual offer and to recognise that 10 years in business is worth celebrating, every client taking up their second set offering this year will go into the running to win one of three prizes.

Prize 1. Full Custom Bike Fit or Running Assessment

Prize 2. One pair of Bont Riot or Lake CX238 road shoes (the option that fits best for you).

Prize 3. Full Race Team Attaquer Kit - 2025 ed.

You can book online here or give us a call on 0731296331 to organise your ‘no gap’ set for 2024. If your foot molds are damaged, we will get you in asap for a recast and the offer is still applied.

Remember ‘no gap’ applies to clients with applicable health insurance that covers orthotics. If you don’t have health insurance that covers orthotics or your insurance doesn’t cover enough, we can still make you a second set for half price.

Time flys and it gets very busy in December so book now to avoid missing out. Prizes drawn Jan 2nd 2025.

Are my cycling shoes too tight?

This is a question we get every week at The Pedaler. With an increase in online information reporting the benefits of wider shoes for feet, we thought we’d inject a little industry driven information on the subject.

At The Pedaler, we have been looking after the feet of cyclists for over 10 years. We also have been working with cyclists as Podiatrists for around 20 years. In that time, cycling shoes have changed enormously. The shoe options are far more varied than previously and there are styles and brands that are much newer to the industry.

With all these extra shoes on the market, you’d think that the days of wearing tight shoes would be over. Think again!! As a sporting cohort, cyclists also fall victim to the aesthetics over function dilemma (regularly). So what actually happens when we wear shoes that are too tight?

Tight fitting shoes can cause a few problems. As with the use of a tourniquet, consistent foot compression can lend itself to some numbness. This may manifest with comprehensive foot numbness, patchy toe numbness or in some cases only mild symptoms. Each case is incredibly individual and some riders wearing shoes that look far too tight escape with zero symptoms. Others who wear far more appropriate shoes can end up with severe numbness. As usual, applying a generalist approach to any condition is entirely inappropriate and fraught with danger.

Prolonged use of tight-fitting shoes can also lead to more prolonged neural change and numbness. In this instance, symptoms may remain for hours or even days after the shoes come off. In very rare cases, there will be underlying change that remains hard to reverse.

Apart from numbness, tight fitting shoes are also more prone to causing pressure points and soft tissue lumps to develop. These soft tissue lumps can appear on toes and on other boney prominences on the feet. If left unchecked, these lumps can become very difficult to solve even when more appropriate shoes are used. This is a significant problem and not to be underestimated. Once a protuberance develops, even well fitting shoes can become uncomfortable. This is because the shoe will always ‘touch’ the widest more prominent part of the foot first.

Apart from these two issues that are consistently and accurately related to tight fitting shoes, the dreaded ‘neuroma’ emergence is often linked to this scenario as well. Now this outcome is not as linear as general information would suggest. Neuroma/bursal complexes are not purely caused by compression. There are a range of underlying soft tissue challenges and disease processes that create this outcome. Certainly, tight fitting shoes can often amplify the symptoms, but it’s overly simplistic to believe that they are the causative factor. We often see neuroma/bursal pathologies in narrow feet as well. We certainly see them in those who have never ridden a bike in their lives.

There certainly is an increased risk of flaring neuroma/bursal problems whilst cycling as this activity generates repeated plantar pressures on the foot for extended periods of time. The location of the soft tissue inflammation in neuroma type conditions extends from between the metatarsal heads and inferiorly towards the sole of the foot (adjacent to the plantar ligaments). Purely going to a wide fitting shoe will routinely not solve the pain. Some direct pressure relief (and occasionally a well directed cortisone shot) will usually be more helpful in sorting out these issues. It’s certainly a lot more complex than just going into wider shoes and we will cover this territory in a more comprehensive fashion at a later date.

So to sum it up, don’t risk wearing tight shoes! Eveyone responds differently, and you might get away with it but it’s certainly more rational to wear shoes that fit appropriately. If you have wide feet, look to Lake, Nimbl and Bont as some safer options. That said, don’t wear shoes that are too long to get the width, or shoes that are plain just too wide. This too can create fitment issues that generate problems as well.

Who figured cycling would be so tricky!

If any of these problems sound like you and your cycling shoes? You might benefit from seeing one of our cycling Podiatrists for a shoe fitting assessment. These appointments can help work out if your current cycling shoes are the problem and which shoes you might find more comfortable. You can book these appointments online or by giving us a call on 0731296331.

The New Bont Riot 24 has landed - is it too good?

Shoe tested - ‘All new’ Bont Riot 24

Price - rrp $329 (cheapest online - $299)

When we first saw the prototype for the all new Riot from Bont, we new that something special was on the way. The Riot has always been a popular shoe in the range for Bont, but its features and aesthetics sometimes set it aside from the premier shoes in the Bont collection. When the real deal landed on our desk, the upgrades and stylings had everyone convinced this may be the best Riot yet.

The new Bont Vaypor which we reviewed here, was a game changer for Bont. An all day shoe with superior comfort and a strictly lightweight race design. The new Riot has borrowed heavily from the design features on the new Vaypor but kept the price down at a ludicrously good level. Lets look a little closer at the Bont Riot 24 and see where the differences lie and who we feel this shoe is suitable for.

Visually, the new Riot looks very similar to the Vaypor. There are some minor differences in the patterning on the shoes upper, and the tongue is slightly thicker and firmer. The L6 BOA fit system dials are unidirectional and don’t have the feel of the top level Li2 BOAs on the Vaypor. The white on white and black on black visuals remain very clean and the closure system works very well for securing the foot in the shoe evenly.

The upper design on the new Riot is generally deeper and offers more forefoot and mid foot space than the Vaypor. In this regard, this is one of the deepest shoes on the market which is great for wider feet or those with high arch profiles that tend to struggle to fit into the waist of some shoes. The heel cup is super deep and firm which is typical of all Bont’s offerings. I’d love the Bont logo on the heel to be gloss white rather then black, but I guess its important to separate the visuals across the range (I’m a white on white with more white fan generally).

The sole of the shoe is a carbon composite that is a little thicker than the Vaypor version (4.8mm vs 3.6mm) but is seriously stiff. There is no penalty here verses the Vaypor and the new carbon weave appearance is superb. The same comfortable low carbon tub fitment system is at play here as well which was a design feature we first saw on the new Vaypor. This means less chance of pressure points on feet with ‘lumps’.

There is the standard road 3 bolt cleat fitment system on the sole of the new Riot. There is no scope for bolt movement on the new Riot so you will need to use the travel in your cleat system to finesse the final fitment. The cleat holes are situated more towards the rear of the shoe rather then towards the toe box. With this in mind, you should easily be able to slide your cleats far enough back for a more rearward position. We know this can be a challenge with other shoe brands, but we have fitted a number of these shoes already and have zero problems fitting cleats.

The insole is the base level Bont option and ticks the boxes. The upgrade insoles are always available to further tailor your fit. The new Riot is also heat moldable but I would caution users from molding the shoe until entirely necessary. Give it at least 4 weeks before you approach an oven!

The overall weight remains incredibly light only giving away 40-50 grams over the top level Vaypor. This is an amazing outcome for a supposed mid tier shoe. Many shoes in this price category are far weightier.

Overall, this shoe looks, feels and rides almost like the Vaypor (a little less supple perhaps), at a hugely competitive price point. It’s certainly a great shoe for big feet and those with wide or high arches. Within this category of shoe pricing (RC7 etc), this shoe is amazing value for money. For those wanting slightly cleaner aesthetics and an even lighter shoe, the Vaypor still reigns supreme, but damn its close.

Pros

Improved aesthetics

Lightweight

Low carbon tub construction makes it zero risk

Stiff and reponsive

Spacious for the wide feet (2 fit option)

Deep secure heel cup

Cheap!!

Cons

May be too roomy and deep for narrow slim feet

Unidirectional BOAs

Overall - 9/10

End of Financial year checklist.

Not words you’d normally hear from a health practice but we are all about getting organised ahead of tax time. For a select few insurance companies, EOFY is also their reset button for your extras.

As many of our loyal clients know, we remain able and willing to organise ‘no gap’ second sets for those using EOFY health funds before June 30. This includes AHM, Defence health, Navy Health and a few others. We need to get the ball rolling though so if you’re thinking of replicating or updating, please let us know as soon as possible just in case we decide to take a fresh casting as well. We run our own lab so we can tackle any insole issue from heel pain during soccer to burning feet after long rides.

Call our HQ at Milton or email us for more info. This offer is open to all our clients at all our locations including our co-locations at Nundah, Lutwyche, Everton Park, Keperra and Eatons Hill.

Keep those kilometres up as the weather gets cooler!

The Pedaler