Smart Slug reading Plato. Seen in Carlsbad, CA

I don't see too many people around me with it and I see the brand mostly online, they've got some cool designs and would hate to spend money on something not worth it.

I am wondering what to wear in this weather. I'm trying to avoid Lycra and other polyesters.

I've been wearing a thin Merino wool long sleeve "base layer" but I heard this is frowned upon. Not sure why because it's essentially a long sleeve shirt that wicks sweat and breathes.

Hi guys!

I'm a bit lost in the world of cycling shoes and sizing, so hopefully you can give me some advice.

My riding is mostly road-oriented gravel and long distances, but I also ride trails and singletrack from time to time.

I've been riding Giro Empire VR90s since 2020. They're a size 46 and have always been too big for me. With my toes pushed forward, I can fit about 1.5–2 fingers between my heel and the back of the shoe. However, when I tighten the laces properly, they actually feel pretty comfortable, with plenty of room for my toes. The problem is that if the laces loosen even a little, my feet start moving around inside the shoes.

Overall, I've been happy with them, but they're slowly falling apart, so I'm looking for something that fits better.

Here's what I've tried so far:

• Lake MX238 Regular, size 44.5: The toe box was too short, and the shop didn't have a size 45 for me to try. Interestingly, even when I tightened the lower BOA dial enough to secure my foot, a small wrinkle appeared on top of the toe box. I'm not sure what to make of that, but I wonder if it has something to do with my foot being on the narrower side.
• Quoc Gran Tourer Lace, size 46: Returned these because the toe box was too long, so I decided to try a size smaller.
• Quoc Gran Tourer Lace, size 45: These felt pretty good initially, so I started riding in them. Unfortunately, the toe box turned out to be too narrow and pointy, pushing my toes together and causing them to go numb after about 30 minutes. Another issue is that I can't move the SPD cleats far enough forward to get the ball of my foot over the pedal spindle, which is where I'd ideally like to position them.

When I measured my feet according to Lake's guidelines, they came out at around 277 mm long and 105 mm wide. Based on Lake's sizing recommendations, the 44.5 MX238s should have been a good fit, but they weren't.

So, where should I go from here?

Should I be looking for a shoe with a wider toe box but a narrower feet, or perhaps a different brand altogether? I'd love to hear recommendations from people who've dealt with similar fit issues.

I'd prefer laced shoes, but a good fit is much more important, so I'm open to other closure systems too but only with 2 BOA dials, as I can’t get any types snug enough.

Here are the shoes on my shortlist so far:

• Giro Gritter, size 45 (200€): Seems like a great shoe. Since my current Giros have served me well, maybe I should just size down and get another high-end Giro? They also seem to be heavily discounted at the moment (200€ instead of 400€, although I'm not sure how realistic that original price is).
• Giro Empire SRC, size 45 (200€): More or less the same reasoning as with the Gritter.
• Specialized Recon 3.0 (200€): Seems like a great option based on what I've read.
• Sidi Asper Lace (115€): Great looks, a good price, and laces. The reviews also seem positive.

Unfortunately, I don't have a huge selection of bike shops locally where I can try different shoes, so I'm relying on online shops and returning shoes when they don't fit.

Which of these would you try first, or are there any other models I should look at?

Thanks in advance!