Bont Cycling Footwear, Anatomically Designed for Maximum Performance

Bont Cycling have been refining the cycling shoe for years, with roots in carbon fibre ice skate and speed skate manufacturing, the company has developed a range of shoes suitable for riders of every level.

From humble beginnings as a family-based organisation producing carbon-based footwear since 1989 the cycling division is now run by CEO Steven Nemeth who has been a part of the Bont cycling division almost since day one.

Steven has been the driving force of the extensive research and design process at Bont Cycling, the real key for Steven is to create an anatomically correct piece of footwear that provides the required support for cycling, ensuring that all cyclist irrespective of whether they are racers or non racers have the ideal platform. It’s why Bont build the same anatomical features into all their models irrespective of price level. The materials and closure systems may change, but the core design principles don’t.

We spoke to Steven about the process of developing a Bont Cycling shoe and the emphasis on creating a neutral riding position from the ground up.

There are a number of shoes in the Bont Cycling product range that cater for different price ranges and disciplines, but the top tier shoes feature the unique monocoque carbon fibre sole that is anatomically designed to allow the foot to function in its most efficient position.

Embedded in the uni-directional carbon fibre sourced from Toray in Japan is an epoxy thermo-setting resin that allows a full custom fit through the heating and moulding of the entire carbon sole carcass with an infinite amount of reshapes without losing the overall shape over the life of the shoe. Bont shoes can be reshaped using a conventional household oven on low heat. View the moulding process here.

Where the Bont shoe excels is its ability to provide a neutral riding position. It is of the utmost importance to Steven that the point of contact between your foot and the bike is stable enough to create an anatomically correct riding position from the ground up to maximise efficiency and power transfer and reduce fatigue and discomfort.

The last used in the Bont shoes.

The Specific design for cyclists comes from years of research of the biomechanics of the foot. With over 20,000 scans of feet the culmination of the R&D has produced a last (plastic foot) that the entire shoe is built around from the inside out. The carbon fibre sole wraps itself up and over the side of the foot and the heel, creating a very supportive fit.

Forefoot design of the Bont Shoes.

The sole is then shaped to include medial longitudinal arch support, heel support and an anatomically correct forefoot design that allows the foot to spread and create a larger surface area allowing the metatarsal joints relax, decrease the pressure on nerves between the metatarsal joints and also promote improved blood circulation. Foot pain and hot foot sensations in the foot usually come from the compression of the nerves between the metatarsal joints so Bont has focused on reducing this compression with wider forefoot design. Coupled with a high quality closed-cell memory foam that doesn’t absorb moisture and offers increased comfort.

Heel cup design of the Bont shoes.

For a maximum cooling effect there are ventilation holes across the tongue, on the forefoot, in the arch and in the one-piece front bumper that features on most of their range.

The medial longitudinal arch support also stops the over-pronation of the foot that can cause the tibia and femur to internally rotate often leading to lower back pain.

Arch support in the Bont shoes.

Only the top end road and mtb models are monocoque construction. These models have an upper material (under the outer Durolite skin) with properties similar to Kevlar that is bonded between the layers of the carbon base to create the one piece shell. The outer skin is then bonded and stitched to the one piece shell. To further improve the strength integrity of the upper, a non stretch tape is also bonded between the layers of the carbon and up through the upper base layer.

Forefoot support design of the Bont range.

The Boa retention system then tops off the package.

Bont Cycling shoes are a collaboration of components that together work seamlessly in a relationship of comfort, efficiency and lossless power transfer. With the one-piece carbon sole incorporating a number of supportive features that encourage the most natural foot position, Bont aims to offer a lightweight and durable shoe that focuses on one of the most important contact points between your body and the bike.

Check out the whole range at bontcycling.com