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I have been a Shimano shoe user for 25+ years, although they have generally been a bit tighter in width.
With my feet becoming flatter I need something with a bit more width. Been on M085/M085/M089.
It will be used for mtb, gravel and road. Needs proper grips and firm enough to not feel cleat, without being full carbonz stiff. Used for 3/4 of the year, with a pair of winter boots for the worst days.
Under £100.
Shimano user here, and I've noticed the toe box is tighter with current shoes. I have RW5 (road boot), MW7 and M089. Just bought some nice Shimano XC3's for the CX bike, but the toe is tighter - it's more like a tight road shoe (and looks like a road shoe). Not sure if there is a wide fitting in these ? Cost was £59 in a sale. I'm commuting in them to wear them in before any bigger rides.
I have for the last few longer rides found that my existing M089's are just too tight - and I have tried a few newer Shimano's on and found them from the off to be too tight. I do know this is also an age thing - my feet are spreading.
What are the cheapest Lake SPDs you can find? Both my sets of road shoes were Lake, both <£100, both nice and wide (and these aren't even the 'wide' versions). Seem to have stood up well to road use, no complaints. The expensive Lake SPDs look lovely, too lovely for gravel or MTB use though 🙄
Sorry, I have narrow feet but recently I bought some Five Ten Kestrel lace ups with the cleat holes. They look really wide in comparison with my older Giro Privateer shoes but are very comfortable. My wife has quite wide feet and she likes her Five Tens. I got them for about £65 from sportshoes.com
Lake. Especially as they do real wide fit (built on a wider last, and not just a bit more fabric on a shoe that's fundamentally too narrow as other Companies do)
Spesh are wider at the toe area than Shimano, generally
Another vote for Lake.
Have a look at the Specialized Recon shoes - had a customer in the shop that needed a wide fit, the Shimano ones we ordered in and were way too narrow for him, thought I'd take a punt and get him to pop a set of the Recon's on and hey presto, lovely fit with plenty of room.
I have been using some Giro Ventanas that have been a pleasant fit to my hoof-like feet. I got them in the sale from Giro for £80.
I posted a picture of some shoes and cycling shoes on this thread, so the difference in toe box shapes can be seen.
https://singletrackmag.com/forum/topic/wide-mtb-shoea/
Lake MX 238 - pretty wide.
EDIT - Not under £100 though…😬
Another vote for Lake, I've tried Shimano but found them to narrow, my Lakes on the other hand have plenty of room in the toe box.
My mate also swears by Lake, although he wears the road version.
Shimano shoes come in various lasts.
https://bike.shimano.com/en-AU/technologies/apparel-accessories/footwear/last-technology.html
I've got some AM9s ("Volume Tour") that are verging on too wide for my fairly wide forefoot, which might fit your "stiff enough but not too stiff" requirements.
Specialized Recon have a wider toe box and are very comfortable. Choice of colours and price brackets. They have a flex thing to help with hike a bike which does not impede on stiffness when pedaling. I have some with the double boa and they are great.
my feet are spreading.
Dairylea?
Update: after research following this thread, in discovered Shimano did do a couple of lasts.
My M089's are narrower/ racier cut.
My MW5's are wider in the forefoot - and I also bought a size up.
I've split the difference and ordered a pair of MT7's...
I have wide feet and weird shaped toes (slight hammertoe at the front); I've got on well with my Giro Rincons for gravel and road. I'm a real 45, and wear them in a 46, but other than that, they're not too "clown shoe". Lake is, as mentioned, the go to Real Wide Shoe.
Incidentally - if your feet are flattening - the biggest change I've made to shoes post-bike fit is some thirty quid insoles from Amazon; raising my arches has solved a ton of knee pain. So don't discount that if your arches are also flattening.
Happy with my Shimano X3 wide fit 49. Seems identical fit to my old MO87 wide fit.
Length and width perfect. Possibly a touch too much volume. Will try a second insole which was what I used with my 87s.
Not much stock about. Best price and availability was Tredz. Shown as available from supplier. Arrived within a week. £89.