Finding a shoe that fits can be cyclists’ worst nightmare. No foot is alike, nor are most shoe brands, and even models of shoes within said brand. Lintaman has what they think is a solution for all, no matter what the shape of your foot is.
Check out the unique system they came up with and a video on how it works…
First, lets take a look at the shoe they debuted a last year’s Taipei Show. The $280 Lintaman Pro with carbon sole (Comp with nylon sole runs $160), looks like your ordinary everyday high-end carbon shoe, but with an anti-slip heel liner and unique top shell & lacing system using Atop tensioners. What makes their shoes different is that the toe box’s length & width is adjusted independently from the rest of the shoe and you can “lace” the shoes in several ways to best fit the width and shape of your foot.
The three basic configurations above show how the shoe can be configured using a combination of the Atop cable and/or an elastic band. Essentially what this does is place the cable exactly where you need things to be “pulled” in at. The side and outer front corner of the shoe have independent “wings” made of TPU, (thermoplastic polyurethane) that are attached with a flexible mesh that can be adjusted to your foot’s width and let you fine tune the length. The shoes don’t come in half-sizes because the adjustment will easily make up for that half size.
There are several configurations you can set the lacing system up in to best fit the dimensions of your foot. An elastic band comes with the shoe so it can provide elasticity rather than a “fixed”width to the shoe whereas the parts controlled by the cable would have more of a “fixed” position.
Taking things up a notch fitwise, the Lintaman Pro Plus ($350), adds an adjustable heal cup. Using a third Atop rotary tensioner on the back of the shoe in addition to the standard two on top, the heal cup can be tightened or loosened.
Shown in the pictures above, let out (right), the shoe is easy to get into, and when tightened up, the heal cup is brought in to tighten the shoe. The heal cup isn’t pulled straight forward, but rather in a downward forward direction to better keep the heel in place rather than just smash it into the toebox.
I tried the shoe on, and the fit was pretty good! It did seem to have a slight amount of slip until I really cranked it down to where it did then smash my toe into the toebox, BUT I tried on a 45 which is one size too small so that likely contributed to it.
Another feature they’re playing with is making the shoe available with a Speedplay specific sole. They had one on had that was made for founder Chris Lintaman. A Speedplay fan himself, he stated: “If you’re going to own a shoe company, you should at the very least make what you want.” They also offer mountain bike versions of the Lintaman Pro.
Check out the video below for a close up of how the Lintaman shoes work, and let us know your thoughts…
