We caught up with him at NRG Cycles, at Thornaby, on the edge of the North York Moors National Park, during his recent retailer trip to the UK.

When you think about it, we spend a lot of time choosing the bike, making sure it has the right gearing, the right wheels and the right finishing kit; but it’s powered by our feet, the hardest working part of the cyclist, never resting. We put them through a physical ordeal in all weathers, and yet, most of us really don’t spend as much time as we ought to when choosing our cycling shoes. The irony is that all of our feet are individual, so no one pair of shoes will fit everyone the same.

Not only do Lake provide a size guide on the website, but they also provide a fitting service through their retailers, to make sure that you get the right shoes. Listening to Christian, he talked the audience at NRG through the myriad of shoe lasts that Lake produce, and how the foot can vary, and how the measuring process works. Then, carefully selecting individual ranges, it’s time to look at the shoes in more detail as Christian talks the audience through the carbon soles, the molded insoles and the heat molding that really refines the final fitting. Everyone here is sitting forward or leaning in, wanting to take in the wealth of information and knowledge about cycling foot love. Christian details the importance of the fit, the issues with wide feet, not so wide feet, average feet and the various pedals and how they interact with the rider, the foot and the bike, providing the stable base for creating power.

In the meantime, we’re guided though the variety of materials used across each shoe style, and how weatherproofing isn’t always best served with leather, and how you’re able to forget the use of overshoes with the CX/MX145 Waterproof Boot model, on both road and mountain bike, from for serious cycling winter foot love. Christian guides us though how the clever people at Lake have designed the ultimate warm weather cycling boot, to keep you riding in comfort through the cold winter days – and yes, it truly is an awesome winter riding boot, designed to keep the feet warm and protected from biting winds and chilled temperatures.

However, far too often we can retreat to the internet for impulse purchases, without considering the needs we actually have. Our feet are truly an important area of business on the bike, and we need to consider them more often. Too often brands change foot beds, change designs, and make decisions based on style rather than performance. Your local bike shop can guide you through the foot love process, and that’s ultimately why Christian takes these sessions. He and Lake understand that vital bond with cyclists and the LBS, and nobody has more passion for the comfort of your feet than this amazing guy.

Yes, there are many good brands out there, but only one that will happily share a beer and pizza on a cold autumn night in the North of England, as they share their knowledge with you – and maybe that’s what makes them special. That’s what makes them Lake.