Heating up new insoles - question

[ny biker]

I bought some Louis Garneau thermo cool insoles recently for my bike shoes. They're the kind that you heat up and then put in your shoes to mold them to your feet.

The instructions say: Preheat oven to 150F. Place shoes in oven. See temperature sticker on the insole -- take insoles out of oven when circle that says 176F turns dark gray.

But here's the thing -- my oven can't be preheated to 150, because the lowest setting is 170. But that's lower than the 176 that turns the indicator dark gray. So do you think I can use my oven for this?

The alternative is to pay the bike shop $25 to do it for me.

The instructions do warn not to overheat -- there is another indicator that turns gray if you overheat them.

What do you alls think?

[redrhodie]

I was going to suggest getting an oven thermometer so you could monitor the temp, but they cost more than I thought. I'd probably warm the oven up to the lowest setting (170), turn it off, then put the soles in and see what happens. Probably just opening the door will bring the temp down pretty close to 150. Then, if the color didn't change, I'd turn it back on and watch them until it did.

[indysteel]

Do you know anybody with a toaster oven you could borrow? I would assume they have a low enough heat setting for your needs.

[ny biker]

I used to have a toaster oven but it broke.

I gave it a shot tonight -- preheated the oven to 170 and heated the insoles until the sticker turned gray. It took surprisingly long.

Now I'm wearing the shoes with the insoles in them and I don't feel like they're changing shape very much. And they're not getting any cooler so I don't know how long to wear them.

Anyway I'm planning to wear the insoles tomorrow for a short ride. I hope they're comfortable. I've been having toe numbness and I want to see if my old insoles are the cause.

[ny biker]

I used to have a toaster oven but it broke.

I gave it a shot tonight -- preheated the oven to 170 and heated the insoles until the sticker turned gray. It took surprisingly long.

Now I'm wearing the shoes with the insoles in them and I don't feel like they're changing shape very much. And they're not getting any cooler so I don't know how long to wear them.

Anyway I'm planning to wear the insoles tomorrow for a short ride. I hope they're comfortable. I've been having toe numbness and I want to see if my old insoles are the cause.

Update -- I wore the shoes with the heated-up insoles for about an hour, and over that time they did conform to my feet. I've worn them on two rides now, one short and one long, and the insoles are pretty comfortable.

[malkin]

Good to know and glad it worked out for you!