Advice on shoes - one boa+velcro, or 2 boas ? Shimano RC5 ? RC7 ? Mavic CosmicEliteSL
 

I’m not happy with my current shoes (too much play/space in front area - mistake with buying, when i was comparing comfort and size to MTB flat shoes, single BOA, when i tightem them a lot, it's tight at the top, but bottom of the shoes is still 'loose', no straps )
I’m thinking about these:
(100-110e) - with one BOA and Velcro
Fizik R5 Tempo Overcurve BOA
Mavic Cosmic Elite SL BOA (i was able to try it and the fit was nice)
Shimano RC5a bit more expensive with 2 BOA (150-160e):
Northwave Revolution 2
Shimano RC7
Does second BOA make big difference? reviewers say they can’t see big diff. about velcro/boa (comparing shimano RC5 to RC7)

i know it's not only about BOA or 2, but higher shoe has better stiffness as well.
Any advices ? :)

This may be a bit heretical, but I’m not really a Boa fan. I have Bont Riot+ with single Boa, and besides the fact that they loosen over time, the need to pull the Boa out to release is inconvenient because it takes some force and there’s not a lot to get an easy grip on. Another, more minor gripe is that the protruding Boa knob makes sitting crosslegged on the ground almost impossible, because of the pressure point. I don’t do that often, but at a break stop on long group ride I might, so it would cool if I could.

Honestly, I’d be happy with the old school 3 strap velcro, or better yet, DuoTec would be ideal because unlike Velcro, it doesn’t absorb water or get blown out and frayed. Velcro and the like are light, infinitely and easy adjustment, don’t come loose, don’t break, easy to make aero, easy to clean, and gift of gifts, you can sit crosslegged on the ground!

Finding all-velcro closures ain’t happening in the high-end segment anymore (right now), though, so let me say this: there are dial-adjust alternatives to Boa, and they may be better. I just picked up some Mavic Crossmax Elite shoes which use a different type of dial-and-cord buckle, one which doesn’t come loose and only needs a counterclockwise twist to release instead of a pull. Better than Boa to my tastes.

I think any kind of dial is only useful insofar as you need to make adjustments, and I wouldn’t pay a premium for two since I can fit my shoes comfortably just using the upper adjustment. I certainly wouldn’t pay a premium for a second Boa.

https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...1306e5f13.jpeg
Mavic Crossmax Elite MTB shoe in orange

EDIT: it’s called Mavic ErgoDial:

https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...65c5e6e34.jpeg
Mavic ErgoDial

Some might feel that only one BOA squeezes the top more and never gets the bottom as tight as they want. After tightening I just take my finger and pull at the next cross below to make those lower crosses feel snug enough. Might be just perception though whether they actually are or aren't.

I can see were a second BOA will give you more choice by letting you have your upper instep looser and lower instep and toes tighter. But I do fine with just one.

I never cared for velcro on my shoes whether bike shoes or other shoes. If I wasn't with a BOA, I'd be laces. But that's the great thing, you have a choice.

Go try some on and make sure you get some that fit you no matter what their closure method is.

There are different BOA dials. The ones that can tighten and loosen are higher-end and better. That said, I've never had an issue with any of mine loosening. Generally my feet prefer stiffer soles, which are usually specced with higher-end, dual BOA dials. YMMV.

If given the choice, I'd go dual boa, but I've lived with boa uppers and velcro lowers (Specialized) for years. And ratchet straps and velo before that (Sidi).

I have Shimano RC7 (dual Boa) and Fizik R4 Tempo Overcurve (single Boa). For sure the double Boa gives you more fine tuning over your instep, but I much prefer the Fizik shoes in every other respect. Note that the RC7 has the cheaper 1-way Boa adjustment. So if you over-tighten it you have to pull it to fully release and start again. The Fizik has a 2-way Boa adjuster, so you can fine tune the tension either way without fully releasing. I find that quite useful. I think the R5 has the same 2-way Boa, but has a velcro fastener at the bottom, while the R4 uses a longer Boa wire for both. The R5 might actually work better.

I know it is not on your list, but I have the Shimano XC-7's it has the 2 boa's and I love them. So this is a recommendation for a shoe with the 2 Boa's

It's going to depend on your feet, and how your feet behave while riding.

Every shoe I've ever tried with a single boat has been a disaster. For my foot, I have to have two. With one, it tightens up too tight on the toes when I get my heel secured. When I ride, I first need to tighten down while riding then after about an hour, I need to unloosen. Any boa that has macro release is a mess only because I can't loosen just a little bit. So I need two adjustment points although it's ok if one of them is a velcro strap.

I really like Sidi's take on the boa thing. You can tighten a click at a time (1mm) and release a half click at a time. I haven't found anything that I like as much at that. The Boa IPI's are probably the closest. Or maybe the Northwave version which is similar in functionality to Sidi. Those work pretty well too.

2 boas all day. At least for me. My feet are very low volume at the forefoot.

I'm trying to move away from velco, because it has a short lifespan when continually used.
My future shoes will either be dual boa or buckle and speed lace, but not velcro for anything substantial.

I have a pair of Fizik shoes with one boa and a velcro strap at the bottom. I never adjust the velcro strap. When I first got the shoes I adjusted it tight enough to be comfortable when riding, and my feet still easily slide in and out of the shoes by just unlatching the boa, so it's a non factor.

On my dual boa Sidi's (or whatever Sidi calls their ratchet/dial system which IMO isn't as good as an actual Boa) I have to unlatch both dials to get my foot in/out.

I have dual boa S-Works shoes and have nothing but trouble with them loosening or failing. My son has the same issue with his. Buckle and Velcro has never failed and is the way to go. If one wants a real treat to customizing the tension on the foot, find a pair of laced shoes. They really are remarkable.

Hehe! Right?! I gotta say though, laces have too many downsides for me to ever go back to them; I’ll take my chances with dials, buckles, and velcro (if I could get it).

Regarding buckles, while they may be more reliable than a Boa or similar— I dunno— but I have had a buckle system fail, specifically on an older pair of Bont A1s, which had the notched plastic tongue crack in two. Bont had offered replacement bits for awhile, but has stopped supporting that model which uses a longer tongue than later models, which is a bummer. I have a vague memory of a Shimano buckle failing back in the early ‘00s, like the ratchet failing, but it was so long ago I do not recall clearly.

It’s very hard to imagine velcro failing suddenly and catastrophically, to the point I think it’s fair to say, in effect, that it will not fail.

I love Fizik's powerstrap system, have it on my road and gravel shoes, works great. I was concerned about the lifespan of the velcro with heavy usage, but have over 10k miles on them with no signs of abnormal wear. I've never had to adjust them while riding, and they are tight enough for racing/sprinting.

That's good to know. I like the look and simplicity of those.

What is BOA? Thanks

The dial on the side of the shoe for adjustment. Usually either one or two dials. See:

https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...8900bff883.jpg

I've got Shimano RC7's and also XC7's, both the earlier style with a single BOA dial.

They're fine, but given the choice (and when I replace) I'd definitely go with dual BOA dials for the better adjustment and fitting.

Those are my shoes. Very comfortable they are too!

I've got mixed feelings about dial shoes:

I've busted the BOA dial on 2 pairs of shoes. One was an easy fix - lifetime warranty from BOA for replacement dial/wire and easy to do.

The other was the part of the BOA dial that was glued to the shoe. BOA said not their problem, the shoe was 2 years old and manufacturer said out of warranty.

To replace that pair, I got a pair of SIDI single dial shoes with SIDIs own approach, seems stronger than BOA and I haven't broken them yet. Gets the toe tight enough for me.

Those are SPD-SL shoes. But, for multi day tours I use SPD pedals and shoes on the bike I tour on, and I bought the really ugly Shimano XC5 one BOA, one velcro strap shoes. For touring I'd rather have no BOA but as someone mentioned, not easy to find anymore in decent shoes! So, I just carry 2 cargo straps that I could use to hold the top of the shoes tight if the BOA ever did die on those shoes.

Shimano RC7
 

Have a pair of Shimano RC7. Wore shoes for around 400/500 Km’s they have developed a squeaky sound more like a dull rubbing sound. Mostly when I’m putting a little pressure on the peddles going up hill. Don’t know if it’s the pedal or the shoe. Have ridden the bike with flat running shoes and no noise. Trek SL 6 etap Look pedals and cleats. Any thoughts before I go into my LBS? Cheers

I like velcro as well.
It eventually gets to the point where it does not gripo as tightly, easy to undo; but still retains strength in tension and doesn't loosen.
Adjusting takes 2 seconds.
Nothing mechanical to break.

Side note on the Mavics - don't buy any of the Mavics with this style toe protector - the boomerang-shaped rubber piece at the toe. They fall over very easily. Then you wear through the carbon in a matter of days. I've ruined four pair (bought them at roughly the same time) like this. And no - I do not drag my toe or push off. I literally unclip after I stop - that 1/2 second stall... then foot down. (been clipping in for 30 yrs). It sucks because, otherwise, I love Mavic shoes. I switched to Scott recently - so far so good.


https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...beafaaf483.jpg

Whichever one fits your feet better. All the retention systems work fine. However, all else being equal, 2 Boas is probably best for convenience and micro-adjustment, and the 2-way Boa is better than the 1-way.