Lake Cycling has taken all their experience in shoe design and material science to develop the CX 242 shoes. With a split upper design and unique pressure relief zones, the CX 242 shoes are the perfect shoes for riders with special fit issues or non-standard shapes. The Lake CX 242 are an evolution of the CX 241 shoes with the major changes being the updated closure system, Carbitex carbon fiber support panels and wider toe box shape. The shoes retail for $389.99 and are offered in a few monotone color options as well as the reflective finish shown in this review. What sets the CX 242 apart from most shoes on the market is the split upper construction and adjustable cable routing that allows for custom fit. These shoes also have the CX/TX competition last which is specially designed for high cadence riding and higher pressures.
The Lake CX 242 utilizes a split upper and pressure relief cutouts to accommodate nearly any shoe shape or foot issue.
| Retail Price | $389.99 |
| Rating | Design: A- Closures: A Comfort: A Value: A |
| Measured Weight (in g) | 455 (EUR 44 Wide) |
| Likes | + Reflective finish keeps you visible at night + Split upper material eliminates pressure points + Stiff and comfortable carbon fiber sole |
| Dislikes | – Color options currently limited to black or gray |
| Where to Buy (US) | Lake |
UNBOXING
The Lake CX 242 comes in a standard cardboard shoe box with high contrast white and black coloring and a Lake logo. Inside the box you’ll find:
- CX 242 shoes
- Informational tags
There is no included fabric travel bag or hardware included with the shoes which is surprising given the price point.
FIT & FINISH
The Lake CX 242 is an evolution of their CX 241 shoes with the big changes being the updated closure system, Carbitex support panels and wider toe box shape. Not only do the shoes look better than the previous version with modern BOA Li2 dials and carbon fiber but it should also fit better. Lake offers the CX 242 in multiple monotone color options: white/black, black/silver, matte gray/black microfiber and the reflective silver / gray microfiber we have here. Note, the white/black and black/silver options have a full grain leather finish while the other two colors use a microfiber material. The reflective finish is similar to Bont Cycling Vapor Reflex and provides a highly reflective finish on all the gray panels to keep you visible at night. Although we wish Lake offered some of their iridescent and other bright color options on the CX 242, it’s hard to go wrong with these reflective shoes as they pair well with any cycling kit or bike color scheme.
While most high-end cycling shoes have gone for one-piece designs, like the Shimano S-PHYRE RC9, the CX 242 embraces a split design. The upper material is broken up into six different zones with each connection point on the bottom lacing being a separate piece. This allows the shoes to conform to a variety of foot shapes and customize the pressure in each zone. There are also NuFoam linings to pad the inside of the shoes as well as pressure relief cutouts which prevent pressure on bunions while providing ventilation. Along the upper portion of the shoe you’ll find the Carbitex carbon fiber material which is a lightweight, flexible and non-stretch material that supports the closure system. It’s a cool feature Lake and other brands have used to fine tune the fit of the shoes without adding hard edges or bulky materials.
The CX242 shoes have a dual Li2 dial BOA Fit System with four row cable routing. These are BOA’s top-of-the-line dials and have micro adjustments for tightening and loosening. Pulling up on the dial does a full tension release with more than enough cable length to easily put the shoes on or take them off. What’s interesting about these dials is that they have a translucent cap which lets you actually see the ratcheting mechanisms engage as you rotate the dial. Not only is the lacing pattern unique but you can also adjust the wire positions by pulling up the Velcro tab. This gives you even more adjustability on the fit of the shoes and avoid any pressure points or sensitive regions.
Lake only offers the CX 242 shoes with a 3-bolt cleat compatibility with adjustable fore and aft positioning. Although there is no center LOOK Keo Memory eyelet hole, Lake has added a variety of markings to help position cleats consistently. These are a full carbon fiber sole with a beautiful glossy exposed carbon fiber finish. There is an air inlet on the front and rear along with a toe bumper and replaceable heel pad to protect the carbon fiber finish. Although we have the wide variation in this review, even the standard version has a wide shape that provides ample space which is reflected in the outsole design.
ON THE ROAD
We wore the EUR 44 wide variations which fit similarly to our Bont Vaypor S EUR 44 Wide and Shimano S-PHYRE RC9 EUR 44 wide shoes. With the split upper design and inner foam liner, the CX 242 shoes fit like a glove right out of the box. The updated toe box shape is wide and anatomically correct which eliminates any pressure points. We found the CX 242 shoes to be well ventilated and easy to adjust for short or all-day rides. The stiff carbon fiber sole provides direct power transfer to the bike without any flex or lost watts while still being comfortable. Once you’re done with the ride, it’s also very easy to put the shoes on and off as the split upper and tongue design offer ample space. Compared to other shoes which require forcing your foot in, the CX 242 opens wide allowing you to easily slide your foot in and out. Note, we did find the included insole to lack arch support for our feet and swapped in our Bont Vaypor x Cobra9 insoles in its place.
THE VERDICT
Overall, we found the Lake CX 242 to be attractive and well designed cycling shoes. With their clever split upper design and dual BOA Li2 setup the CX 242 shoes have nearly infinite adjustability. Each dial connects to individual stripes of the upper material with pressure cutouts and a foam liner to eliminate the possibility of any pressure points. We were impressed with the comfort and adjustability of the shoes and found them to be perfect for short or long rides. The stiff carbon fiber also ensures you don’t lose any watts and the use of Carbitex carbon fiber material means you don’t pay a weight penalty for the split upper construction. The only downside of the shoes is that Lake currently only offers them in gray and black color options instead of the brighter options offered on the other models. That said, if you’re looking for highly adjustable cycling shoes that can accommodate nearly any foot shape the Lake CX 242 are hard to beat.
Disclaimer: The product for this review was provided by Lake Cycling. The views expressed on this website are solely those of the authors and are here to help people make an informed choice before a purchase. The authors or the blog itself does not get any monetary compensation from the product manufacturer or third-party websites/vendor links that are posted here.
Do you feel the toebox on these is as generous as the Bont Wide? The previous CX241 had a much more tapered toebox.
If currently running Bont Wide, woud you order exactly the same size in CX242?
How did you find these as a performance shoe compared to the Bont Vaypor?
We have the Bont Vaypor S and Bont Vaypor 2023 shoes in the same EUR 44 Wide as the CX242. They feel very similar to me, with the CX242 offering even more flexibility with the split upper design. My only complaint about the Lake shoes is that the arch support didn’t feel as nice so I did swap in the Bont Vaypor insoles which helped with comfort. Lake has specifically updated the CX242 with a wider toe box and improvements to address issues with the CX241 so I would recommend giving it a try.
I just upgraded from the 241 to 242’s and I wasn’t sure I would notice that much of a change but the subtle differences are important. Toe box shape for one and now more of a slipper feel. The Micro Adjustability of the new Boa dials is sweet. For someone with bone spurs, these are a godsend.