I'll just give you all what has worked for me as for about the 1st year I started riding it was a big issue.

I have hammer toes and flat feet (age and running). Because of this, I have to make other adjustments in other areas. (I had already adjusted my cleats. I have Look style cleats and pedals, by the way- larger platform to disperse the weight of my foot.)

The first thing I did was get Specialized Carbon Sole shoes. I needed a hard sole and I liked the special heel fit they have designed for their shoes.

I tried this arrangement-still needed more adjustments. So, I got Superfeet arch supports from REI, tossed the original liners and stuck those in. That helped. Then, I got metatarsal buttons (mine are leather) and taped those in. That made a big difference! I also got lightweight WOOL socks from REI as wool breathes. Now, the only time I have to do anything more is when I ride centuries OR if it is warm outside. On those types of days, I wrap wool strips around the tips of my toes starting with the toe NEXT to my big toe. I use ballet wool that Dr. Scholl makes. By wrapping those middle toes, I keep them separate from each other, AND they don't get hot anymore. I also pedal with my heels DOWN- this keeps the weight and pressure off the front of my feet to some extent.

On a century ride last year, another cyclist pointed out that I was pronating with my right foot. I got an extra pair of small leather arch supports which I put in my right shoe. Now when I climb, I can feel the difference as I push down on the pedals. That tip gave me more strength for climbing.

This method has made my riding pleasurable. I remember putting ice on my toes on my first century ride in May of 2004. I'll be doing that same ride next weekend, and I'm anxious to see how it all turns out!!!!!!

The moral of this story is - be creative and try anything you think might work. It is a process of trial and error, that's for sure. Also, since your feet swell, you should be able to loosen the toe area of your shoes a bit as it warms up outside. Don't get shoes that are too big, as that will cause hot feet as well!