Best Bike-Toe
Most bike-toe shoes are more elongated than I'm used to and I was sold on this model when I saw the view from the soles in the listing photos - the toes are so mildly squared off they're almost the same as a regular shoe, and they're not ridiculously pulled out to make a snout like some of the more exaggerated versions of this style. This is why I call them the best bike-toe shoe. They're not going to curl up like elf booties and make me hate myself for buying them. What I'm trying to say is they have pretty much the proportions of a normal shoe but with that distinctive panel that drops down over the nose and defines the bike-toe style. Because they're waterproof, the outsole is entirely synthetic and is fused to the uppers without any stitching around the welt, though for the sake of tradition I wish there were, even non-functional stitching, but at least the sole is thick enough to look like a classic Florsheim. The outsole is made of a very flexible substance, not rubber but not quite silicone and these shoes are super comfortable from the get-go. Two small but appreciated details: the tongue is a double layer of leather with sponge padding inside, and the laces are heavily waxed so they're likely to stand up against tugging & tight knotting without getting all shredded. More important, they also have a leather insole (with what I think is memory foam underneath for the cushioning that we want in a modern shoe). Leather is still the best stuff for the inside of a shoe and not only does it have leather for the insole but the back half of the shoe is leather lined. This is only what you'd expect of a storied brand like Florsheim. Bike-toes are among my favourite styles of dress shoes and I've been looking for just the right take on it for a long time. I think Florsheim knocked it out of the park with this restrained, classy model. I only have one critical point: the waterproofing seems to leave the leather with a kind of depthless finish. I'd rather have them without waterproofing so they could be improved by treatments like saddle soap that absorb into the leather and give it a deeper surface. I did treat the shoes with saddle soap and found that the waterproofing is just a clear acrylic spray on the surface that comes off with enough work. Then I applied a dark brown cream polish that gives the shoes a bit of a patina. I like them even better now. Read more
