I picked up a pair of clearance lace-up shoes (Supacaz), specifically to give laced shoes a try. I’ve always used Boa, velcro, or ratchet shoes so this is my first go with laces. The shoes seem comfortable, but there’s the issue of no on-bike adjustment. Does anyone have tips for how to get them set up and tied so that they’re set-and-forget while riding? I would consider having to stop to adjust them a deal breaker, so any tips are appreciated.
For whatever reason, I don’t feel the need to adjust my lace shoes when I am riding. Just tie them when I leave and they are good for the ride.
That said, I still largely prefer a Boa system shoe.
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I am a big lace shoe guy, mainly because boa placement on every shoe I tried always irritates my feet.
I’ve found the quality of the actual laces (vs. the shoes) can play into how well they stay tied. Some laces have more ‘grippiness’ to them that helps.
My method for tying laces securely is to tighten towards the forefoot (bottom of the laces), leave a bit of give throughout the midfoot, and then really clamp down at the very top below the knot and in the knot itself. The best way I have found to do that is to prop the foot I’m tying up on a step, ledge, chair, etc. That tends to get the proper tight fit that still holds on the bike.
Sometimes I’ll tie my shoes a little before leaving for a ride, so I walk around my house for a minute or so getting ready, and then I’ll notice if one of the shoes is a bit loose so I I’ll re-tighten.
I tend not to need to stop and re-tighten ever, even if they get a bet loose during a ride. If there is a cafe stop, I usually will re-tie the laces then if I think of it. Otherwise I usually don’t need to.
I actually just bought a pair of Supacaz lace ups myself, and the laces do seem a bit grippier. But I haven’t actually tried them on the bike yet. I run S-Works Torch and Rapha Classics as my main shoes, and both of those hold quite well. I also got a pair of Quoc Escape Lace Ups but so far I have found I need to pay extra attention to lacing them tight before a ride. Conversely, I have the Quoc XC lace ups for gravel and I have no issues there.
And for added context, I found whenever I had boa shoes I couldn’t stop adjusting them and never found the right fit. I think part of why I like laces is you just set and forget it, but I also can’t adjust on the fly even if I want to.
Try lace locks, which are not terrible to adjust on the fly. Though it depends on the exact lace locks you use—my commuting shoes came with some low-profile lace locks that are difficult to manipulate. There are also elastic laces that might reduce the need to mess with tension.
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Thanks for the tips @Warren_Haas. I may be weird when it comes to shoes - I want relatively loose forefoot and plenty of space in the toe box but a secure hindfoot (which is a term I just learned). I almost always have to tighten that part at some point during a ride. I’m not sure if that has to do with things shifting around, or if the shoes warming up loosen things a bit (kind of like with ski boots). I’ll give some of your suggestions a try.
One important thing I forgot: I’ve started tying my shoe laces differently. Basically the way you would normally but you switch which lace goes over top. I found the tip online somewhere but it actually does make a difference in retention. I’ll see if I can find the link.
Found the video. Might seem ridiculous but I have found it makes a genuine difference to keep the ‘hindfoot’ secure
This is universal advice. It’s the difference between a square knot and a granny knot.
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Hat tip for Boa dials and Boa’s insanely amazing customer service. Failed/broken dials?
Hop on over to the website, answer 3 questions, and in a week or so, you’ll have them replacement dials in your hands. Easy peasy, zero fuss.
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This is a big reason why I prefer Boas. I’ve only had a couple of failures and have gotten replacements easily and quickly. I’m always tempted to get the spares as soon as I get new shoes, just so I don’t have to wait in case I bust one.
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Don’t think you’d need to, as the Boa folks always have stock available. But it’s just them dials though, and not the mountings, which would require engagement with the shoe manufacturers.