In the early days, all cycling shoes came from Europe. They were stiff, sleek, and stylish—but comfort? That was an afterthought. Lee Katz, our founder and a distributor of one of these brands, saw an opportunity to do better. Whenthe response to his request for comfort-focused design was dismissed, he decided to take matters into his own hands. The solution was simple but revolutionary: add foam insoles. Just like that, Lake was born—combining performance with the kind of comfort that lets you ride longer, harder, and happier.

From the very beginning, Lake has been defined by firsts. We were the first American cycling shoe brand to set up a factory outside of Europe—inBusan, South Korea—in 1982. We introduced the first true mountain bike shoe in 1983. We were first to launch a triathlon-specific shoe worn by legends likeMark Allen. In 1987, we even brought the first fully white cycling shoe to thepeloton—not for fashion, but to keep feet cooler in the heat.

We’ve pedaled billions of revolutions and studied thousands of feet. We’ve slogged through mud in cyclocross races, frozen through Midwestern winters, and raced over gravel that shook every bolt loose. Every one of our shoes—like the winter-ready MXZ304 or the precision-fit CX/MX 242—is born from those miles. Built to solve real-world problems with engineering that supports the human foot, not just the perfect one.We offer one of the most extensive size and shape ranges in the industry, with multiple lasts, widths, and volumes to accommodate every rider. Because your shoes shouldn’t just fit—they should feel like an extension of your body.

Take the CX241 and its successor, the CX242. We pioneered thermoformableheel cups so you can mold your shoe to your shape. Our dual-BOA closures,segmented upper panels, and Carbitex carbon-fiber reinforcements all worktogether to give you unmatched foot stability and reduced fatigue—so you can focus on power, not pain.From our all-mountain MX333 to our gravel-ready MX20G, every Lake shoehas been designed with intention. Not for show, not for hype—but becauseperformance starts with comfort, and comfort starts with fit.

Through every change in the cycling industry—from the rise of mountainbiking in the ’80s, to the triathlon boom, to the digital shift in how we reach our riders—Lake has stayed true to its founding values. We have kept our focus narrow and our goals clear: deliver the best-fitting, highest-quality cycling shoes on the market.Every update we make, every shoe we design, is driven by real rider feedback and a relentless pursuit of improvement.