Masters Racer, Bike Fitter, and LoreOne tester John Higgins recently posted about his experience with the LoreOne. Read on below and check out John's blog.

Are you a fitter or retailer interested in representing and selling Lore? Send an email to dealer@lore.cc to request a dealer information kit. You can also email John directly with questions or interest: john@lore.cc

"As a multidisciplinary Masters cyclist and racer and LoreOne product tester, I’ve logged more miles in the LoreOne than any other tester, reporting on feel and function through side by side comparisons (different shoes on different feet), power testing, and training and racing on road and gravel.

The cycling shoe has not fundamentally changed in many, many decades. Although materials and fastening systems have changed, the basic design concept is still anchored in outdated concepts of applying running biomechanics to cycling, coupled with Italian dress shoe design looks. This design approach works well for some, is adequate and accepted by many, and is a source of diminished riding joy and performance for others.

There has been more change in the “shoe to bike” interface (pedal systems) than the “foot to shoe” interface. Think about it for a moment – the primary transfer point of biological energy to mechanical energy is the shoe, and significant energy is lost at this transfer interface. In addition, those losses are magnified by any reduction in pedaling forces to cope with discomfort in the feet like painful pressure points, hot feet, foot numbness, overheating, and shoes that are simply the wrong shape and too tight or loose. Complaints about cycling shoes are numerous, and there has not been sufficient innovation to adequately address all the problems, until now.

A convergence of bio-mechanical research and insights, coupled with engineering advancements in software, material science, and 3D and robotic printing has enabled a fresh take on what a cycling shoe is and how it performs. Enter the LoreOne, a 3D Printed Custom Cycling Shoe. This shoe has been under development for over 3 years and is now available. Lore has thrown everything at this project, harnessing an enormous amount of intellectual effort from a talented multidisciplinary team to reinvent the cycling shoe and how it is made in a quest for the best shoe possible.

I’ve been involved with the development of the LoreOne for over 3 years now, contributing as a bike fit advisor and product tester, along with bike fitter and coach Colby Pearce. As a bike fitter, I’ve provided awareness and input on the multitude of issues cyclists experience with their feet and cycling shoes, observations about current cycling shoe designs, and thoughts on cleat placement and pedaling techniques.

As a multidisciplinary masters cyclist and racer and LoreOne product tester, I’ve logged more miles in the LoreOne than any other tester, reporting on feel and function through side-by-side comparisons (different shoes on different feet), power testing, and training and racing on road and gravel.

As a cyclist, I’ve had my own share of foot issues in cycling shoes, resulting in unnecessary pain and suffering, lost time, and missed podiums. As a fitter, I’ve had a good understanding of the issues and also sought assistance from other fitters to help resolve my own feet problems (shoe problems really – my feet are fine). The LoreOne is a game changer, offering up the holy grail of both unparalleled comfort and high performance. They also feel completely different compared to anything else I have worn to pedal a bicycle.

• Breakthrough #1: Completely Customized to You. They are designed to fit whatever your foot shape is, not someone else’s idea of what your foot shape is. And my foot shape is at odds with what almost every other shoe designer thinks it should be. The fundamental issue underlying my own foot problems while cycling has been the shape of the shoes. For me, typical cycling shoes put pressure in the wrong places, causing painful “hot feet”. The LoreOne has completely eliminated those problems. The LoreOne fits like a glove. This is due to two things: the shoe is built off a scan of the the cyclist’s feet, and then the fit is finessed through the selection and heat molding of pads inside the shoe. The result is a shoe absolutely form fitted to the feet, with support in the appropriate places so there is no foot slop in the shoe, but nor is there any pressure where it is not needed. There is a feeling of a very uniform and yet active and positive hold on the foot.
• Breakthrough #2: Energy capture and force transfer. There are some sophisticated biomechanical explanations for how they capture and transfer energy, but I will keep it simple by describing them as an exoskeleton for your feet. In part, they allow for more of the power generated by your large muscles to get to the pedal, and in part, they are capturing more of your ankle articulation and driving that force to the pedal as well. The increased force transfer is particularly noticeable in short accelerations to close a gap or attack out of a group. While it is very easy to get used to the completely different feel of riding in the LoreOne, what is hard is riding in “normal” cycling shoes again. When doing so there is the profound sense that something is missing.

Are you a passionate cyclist looking for performance gains; or shoes that fit (and will give performance gains); or are keenly interested in the latest breakthrough technology in the world of cycling? You can order a pair yourself using a DIY foot scanning method, but the best result will come by ordering and having your foot scanned at a Lore authorized Morphic Scanning Center. It’s early days for building out a worldwide network, but options are currently available at BikeFitr in Salt Lake City, Utah and at Pearce Coaching and Fitting in Boulder, Colorado, both in the USA. More Morphic Scanning Centers will be available soon in the UK, Europe, Asia, and Australia.

Are you a fitter or retailer interested in representing and selling Lore? Send an email to dealer@lore.cc to request a dealer information kit. Genuine inquiries only.

You can also email me directly with questions or interest: john@lore.cc"