shoes with laces...
#26
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Yeah, I get that. Most people love 'em. But I'm growing weary of them. The funny thing is that, even though they are on my spd shoes, they are only occasionally ridden on dirty and mucky roads. For the most part, I wear them on dry pavement.
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Does the ratchet strap near the top with 2 Velcro straps below count as Velcro or are we being Velcro purists here? I have a pair of shoes with laces and rather enjoy wearing them, I have needed to pull over and make adjustments from time to time. I must confess I prefer the BOA dials better.
I have 5 with BOA’s
i have 2 pairs of Shimano sandals with velcro
I have 1 with the ratchet strap Velcro combo
I have 2 with laces
I signal right turns with my left hand.
oh and I wax my chain.
I have 5 with BOA’s
i have 2 pairs of Shimano sandals with velcro
I have 1 with the ratchet strap Velcro combo
I have 2 with laces
I signal right turns with my left hand.
oh and I wax my chain.
who are you really...Imelda?
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One of the new models of Specialized S-Works shoes has laces instead of the Boa closures used previously.
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Lace ups are a pain to adjust on the fly. My lace up MTB shoes with Velcro straps to secure the laces under the tongue are absolutely impossible. Love my BOA road shoes because of the ease of adjustments while riding.
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#32
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I have a pair with boas and another with laces, once they're on, I've never needed to adjust either pair, the boas are quicker to put on. The pair with laces have a elastic strap on the tongue to tuck the laces under one they're done up, not had an issue with them coming undone.
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My road shoes have Boas
My MTB shoes have laces
I definitely prefer the Boas for ease and precision of adjustment. I wouldn’t consider anything else for road riding.
I only have laces for mountain biking because that’s what my favourite shoes happen to have. Only slight concern I would have with Boas for mtb is potential for damage or getting clogged with mud.
My MTB shoes have laces
I definitely prefer the Boas for ease and precision of adjustment. I wouldn’t consider anything else for road riding.
I only have laces for mountain biking because that’s what my favourite shoes happen to have. Only slight concern I would have with Boas for mtb is potential for damage or getting clogged with mud.
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Most laced shoes today I've seen have a little elastic loop on the tongue you can tuck the laces into. I have two pairs of Giro's like that. I still have an old pair of leather Vittoria's I bought in the early 90's. They're laced but have a big leather flap that covers the laces and secured with velcro. Those are my favorite style.
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Most laced shoes today I've seen have a little elastic loop on the tongue you can tuck the laces into. I have two pairs of Giro's like that. I still have an old pair of leather Vittoria's I bought in the early 90's. They're laced but have a big leather flap that covers the laces and secured with velcro. Those are my favorite style.
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Have Speed Laces been mentioned yet?
I have Lake MX 1s. Laces are relatively short. A double knot does the trick.
I have Lake MX 1s. Laces are relatively short. A double knot does the trick.
Last edited by seypat; 08-03-21 at 02:02 PM.
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#42
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I recently ditched my spd-sl pedals and shoes on my road bike and went with flat pedals with the spikes and Puma cross trainers. It's working out splendidly even out of the saddle climbing, albeit, my climbs are short. Still, I don't see going back. These are standard laces btw.
Last edited by Outrider1; 08-03-21 at 03:39 PM.
#43
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I prefer Boa, but also have a pair of cycling sandals with velcro straps.
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#45
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I commute in my regular work shoes - with laces - 12.5mi each way. Never had a problem with laces getting sucked into the chain...
On longer rides, I still wear my Specialized touring shoes from ~30 years ago. again, no problem with laces...
On longer rides, I still wear my Specialized touring shoes from ~30 years ago. again, no problem with laces...
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Laces, platform pedals. For walking my feet are picky about the tension. Looser in front, little tighter in back. Had velcro, wasn't working.
Modern shoe laces come untied unless I double knot them. So double knotted bow knot. When I started riding again in '08 I rediscovered the ole shoe lace in the sprocket joy. So the bow knots are tucked under the laces in front.
Reasonably stable. If I only walk a couple of miles a day they don't have to be retied. Usually. Three or more miles figure on retying them periodically.
Modern shoe laces come untied unless I double knot them. So double knotted bow knot. When I started riding again in '08 I rediscovered the ole shoe lace in the sprocket joy. So the bow knots are tucked under the laces in front.
Reasonably stable. If I only walk a couple of miles a day they don't have to be retied. Usually. Three or more miles figure on retying them periodically.
#47
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I have a vintage pair of Cannondale C-soles that are my go to cycling shoes. They are lace up and HAD a Velcro flaps to cover the knots but I removed them long ago. I use appropriate length laces and “double knot” the bow. I’ve NEVER had them get caught between the chain and chainwheel or get wrapped around the pedal spindle.
Those having issues (like getting caught in moving parts) with laces, need to ensure appropriate length and learn how to knot securely.
Velcro will eventually lose its “gription” and isn’t easy to replace. Laces too, will wear out but are cheap and and easy to replace!
Those having issues (like getting caught in moving parts) with laces, need to ensure appropriate length and learn how to knot securely.
Velcro will eventually lose its “gription” and isn’t easy to replace. Laces too, will wear out but are cheap and and easy to replace!
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I have a vintage pair of Cannondale C-soles that are my go to cycling shoes. They are lace up and HAD a Velcro flaps to cover the knots but I removed them long ago. I use appropriate length laces and “double knot” the bow. I’ve NEVER had them get caught between the chain and chainwheel or get wrapped around the pedal spindle.
Those having issues (like getting caught in moving parts) with laces, need to ensure appropriate length and learn how to knot securely.
Velcro will eventually lose its “gription” and isn’t easy to replace. Laces too, will wear out but are cheap and and easy to replace!
Those having issues (like getting caught in moving parts) with laces, need to ensure appropriate length and learn how to knot securely.
Velcro will eventually lose its “gription” and isn’t easy to replace. Laces too, will wear out but are cheap and and easy to replace!
2012, I started riding the Cycle Oregon's fix gear. Even though I brought along all the available cogs for the mountain days, I still had to go up some very hard hills with serious pulling on the straps. Toestraps took the pedal pull but my feet felt the velcro shoe straps. Also, getting the straps just right to prevent crunching my toenails or sliding in the shoe and creating blisters was a dance. Finished the week with blisters, a bone mid-foot that felt broken and a toe that developed an infection. The next time I brought sandals to wear at rest stops. (The red bag under the DT in my logo photo.) Big relief but the same issues riding.
All this time I knew that these issues never happened when I was a racer (and also a fix gear fool - while I was on the east coast and didn't have the Cycle Oregon hills I did used to ride Boston's Blue Hill regularly fixed in huge gears with zero foot issues). Now that was years before velcro and shoe straps.
So, I got thinking. I loved the Lake shoes I was riding; the lasts worked really well for my feet. So why don't I cut the straps off and install grommets and laces? Went to Tandy Leather and bought the grommets and tools. Installed them. (Badly - I used one piece aluminum ones. Don't! Get the better two piece brass ones.) What a difference! Went on to lacing two more pairs, getting more skilled each time. What a difference! Years later, those shoes are still in use and get 95% of my riding.
I love the uniform fit over the tops of my feet. I have zero interest in Boas and their far fewer crossings. And those cords don't look very soft. (I put in 7 pairs of grommets. When I lace them, I skip pairs on some shoes to miss bone high points.) Yes, in-ride adjustability would be nice (on my geared bikes - any system's a challenge to adjust on the fly on fix gears!) but I find the window of "right" is far bigger with laces and almost always the slightly snug ride start and slightly loose ride end are both well withing that window. (In my racing days that included some very long days on the bike. I rarely adjusted the laces. One race, I laced them tight because I knew the race would be "made" at mile 90. Start got delayed for two hours. Two hours into the ride home I saw that I was still wearing my race shoes laced tight. They were still comfortable.)
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