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toodles

ridiculously corgi proportioned
Aug 24, 2004
5,840
5,215
Australia
first one is clipless?
Oh you're right - my bad. I thought I saw they did the Union flat with a BOA mechanism. I guess not.

Crankbrothers does the stamp in laces and BOA and even a lace and velcro combo for flats though. Dunno if they work for actual grip however.
 

SylentK

Turbo Monkey
Feb 25, 2004
2,642
1,092
coloRADo
Specifically, my issue with Boa, apart from reliability and inability to easily fix, is:

Since it's one big long strand running through, it's impossible to tighten areas individually. Great example is my snowboard boots. I can crank the Boa thing down all day long and make it real tight, to the point where it seems like it's about to break, but it doesn't specifically tighten my instep, if that was the loose area. Like if my toes are tight and my shin cuff is tight and I want to cinch down the instep more. Or really, any part independently. It leaves the boots much more loose and I get less control IME. I don't always do this with laces, but when it comes to things like ski and snowboard boots...it is exactly where I want that control.
Yeah, I really prefer the ratchet type thing, like on ski boots or dare I say it: road shoes. Not boa. Not sure what it's called. Some of the Shimano mtb shoes still have them. So much better than boa IMO. Everyone is different, anatomy and all that jazz...
 

Flo33

Turbo Monkey
Mar 3, 2015
2,139
1,367
Styria
Since we're on the subject of shoes... what SPD/clipless shoes these days have wide toeboxes? Been working on unfucking my feet up and finding that my toes no longer fit my 5.10s.
Shimano has a 'wide' option on a lot of their shoes. I got really slim feet and the new, like after 2019, Shimanos are relatively wide for me, especially at the toe area. So I guess their wide options might fit your feet.
 

HardtailHack

used an iron once
Jan 20, 2009
7,737
7,079
It looks like Chain Reaction have some good deals going on now, but still some full MSRP stuff too.
I looked at freight forwarding but it is too expensive for a cheap bike frame.
If the frame was 60% off two weeks ago I would have been fine.
 
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slyfink

Turbo Monkey
Sep 16, 2008
9,795
5,625
Ottawa, Canada
Since we're on the subject of shoes... what SPD/clipless shoes these days have wide toeboxes? Been working on unfucking my feet up and finding that my toes no longer fit my 5.10s.
I have wide toes too. Shimano had been my go-to for a while, but my latest pair of shoes were the Fizik Gravita Tensor. The bonus is how robust they've been, and I like the reinforced toe bumper. I've had them two seasons and they barely look broken in. My shimano shoes would be on their last legs after two seasons.
 

sethimus

neu bizutch
Feb 5, 2006
5,326
2,422
not in Whistler anymore :/
For those in the US who need (or not) a FOX fork, Planet Cyclery has 34s, 36s and 38s for less than 50% retail.
same for euros:

 

jrewing

Monkey
Aug 22, 2010
421
289
Maydena Oz
Ah. I have nerve damage in my left foot after a complicated break and dislocation 23 years ago. After surgery and being completely re-built it also became a different shoe size to my right foot. Sorry to hear you couldn't get laces to work for your injury. They actually allow me the freedom to alter tightness between each set of eyelets giving me far more ability to ease off pressure where required. good ol' fashioned laces also allow me to wear two shoes of the same size. in a way the BOA system simply couldn't.
Thanks for educating me
I wear laces out at least once to a set of mtb shoes. I crank on them tighter than the proverbial. Id give boa’s a go. Bit pricey. Ill stick to my favoured unparallel westridges.
 

Gary

my pronouns are hag/gis
Aug 27, 2002
8,515
6,425
UK
I wear laces out at least once to a set of mtb shoes. I crank on them tighter than the proverbial.
I'm the complete opposite. I own around 15 pairs of riding shoes and 15 pairs of civvys but not a single pair is laced tight enough I can't take them on and off without touching the lacing.
Adjusted to perfection when new, lace ends hidden (sometimes cut) tied neatly behind the tongue for zero bow flap.
I don't like sticky soles on a flat pedal either. Preferring a flexible shoe to give grip and allow far more feel and feedback. Feedback through a 5:10 sole is dead in comparison. Kinda similar to gloveless vs gloved up. But even worse.
[edit] also got 5 pairs of SPD shoes. (shimano, Etnies, Scott, 661 and 1 proper roadie pair) Each has laces which I also tie loose the same way allowing me to never have to undo them but each have a velcro strap to allow slight tightening so my foot doesn't twist too much to stop me being able to clip out.
 
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Toshi

butthole powerwashing evangelist
Oct 23, 2001
39,744
8,745
Evo sale

 

djjohnr

Turbo Monkey
Apr 21, 2002
3,112
1,799
Northern California
Wide Concept?
I had that wrong, they're AM7s not AM9s. The fit is the same though as I remember trying both. Neither were available in wide as far as I know - none of their documentation online states either was offered in anything other than standard. The Shimano site shows only the XC shoes being offered in wide - https://ride.shimano.com/collections/mountain?gclid=Cj0KCQiA4Y-sBhC6ARIsAGXF1g7J-Edfz8KMiRag0BjipN8Z5Wpp8sNi9vY0nsfdZ43CCnaAoqVrQe8aAnwfEALw_wcB&tw_campaign=19180383318&filter.p.m.custom.prd_fw_width=Wide.
 

djjohnr

Turbo Monkey
Apr 21, 2002
3,112
1,799
Northern California
The best wide flat pedal shoes I've found are the Giro Riddance, which is being discontinued. I bought 2 pairs to get me through a couple of seasons until I find something else. The Giro Chamber is their SPD shoe from the same era, I never tried them but they're probably worth checking out.

 

toodles

ridiculously corgi proportioned
Aug 24, 2004
5,840
5,215
Australia
I wear laces out at least once to a set of mtb shoes. I crank on them tighter than the proverbial. Id give boa’s a go. Bit pricey. Ill stick to my favoured unparallel westridges.
I usually tie my laces once the first time I put the shoes on, then slip them on and off. Maybe tightening them again as the shoe beats in a bit. Possibly why my laces last ages.
 

jrewing

Monkey
Aug 22, 2010
421
289
Maydena Oz
I'm the complete opposite. I own around 15 pairs of riding shoes and 15 pairs of civvys but not a single pair is laced tight enough I can't take them on and off without touching the lacing.
Adjusted to perfection when new, lace ends hidden (sometimes cut) tied neatly behind the tongue for zero bow flap.
I don't like sticky soles on a flat pedal either. Preferring a flexible shoe to give grip and allow far more feel and feedback. Feedback through a 5:10 sole is dead in comparison. Kinda similar to loveless vs gloved up. But even worse.
The westridge run a flap over the laces. Ive had 2 races where ive pedalled my laces locking my foot haha, so the flaps great and more water resistant. And the soles arent gummy. Soft but not gummy. Lots of feel/feedback bordering on needing a bit more cushioning/support. But to me thats perfect and i add an extra insole to tune so to speak.
I like midtop shoes as they feel to me more secure and offer some ankle protection.
We sound similar in wants except for the relaxed lacing part… T
I usually tie my laces once the first time I put the shoes on, then slip them on and off. Maybe tightening them again as the shoe beats in a bit. Possibly why my laces last ages.
yeah for sure. I keep spares in my helmet bag. Can Boas be cranked on quite tight reliably?
 

toodles

ridiculously corgi proportioned
Aug 24, 2004
5,840
5,215
Australia
yeah for sure. I keep spares in my helmet bag. Can Boas be cranked on quite tight reliably?
The one guy in our group who runs the BOA shoes has broken a couple of them over the years. The first time it snapped they sent him a new one for warranty (apparently lifetime) so he purchased an extra spare one to keep in his Camelbak. They don't take long to swap if you have to do it on the trail, like a minute or so. I've seen him do it super quick, so they're not too much hassle.

I haven't worn shoes with BOAs but the snowboard boots I used had them and you can crank those fuckers tiiiiiight so I assume its the same for the shoes?
 

Flo33

Turbo Monkey
Mar 3, 2015
2,139
1,367
Styria
The one guy in our group who runs the BOA shoes has broken a couple of them over the years. The first time it snapped they sent him a new one for warranty (apparently lifetime) so he purchased an extra spare one to keep in his Camelbak. They don't take long to swap if you have to do it on the trail, like a minute or so. I've seen him do it super quick, so they're not too much hassle.

I haven't worn shoes with BOAs but the snowboard boots I used had them and you can crank those fuckers tiiiiiight so I assume its the same for the shoes?
Yes it is. I have them on my Shimano roadie shoes and you can squeeze your blood out your feet if that's your style.
 

jstuhlman

bagpipe wanker
Dec 3, 2009
17,336
14,164
Cackalacka du Nord
have they started making boa cables that don't break after two years?

serious question, I just ignored anything with them after everything I had from snowboard boots to bike shoes failed between 5 minutes and 20 months

they feel great on pretty much everything when trying them on and using them at first. But I'm pretty sure that was the only design goal


......like rockshox forks
only boa i've had is on my burton snowboard boots. has been fine for 2 years so far...so now they'll break next time out

I usually tie my laces once the first time I put the shoes on, then slip them on and off. Maybe tightening them again as the shoe beats in a bit. Possibly why my laces last ages.
this. tie once. slip on thereafter on my impacts.
 
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daisycutter

Turbo Monkey
Apr 8, 2006
1,689
178
New York City
same for euros:


Thanks, I bought 2 38's for my N+1 Kona Process bikes. :banana:
 

sethimus

neu bizutch
Feb 5, 2006
5,326
2,422
not in Whistler anymore :/
the prices are extremely low. i ordered a new force 1 derailleur for 26eur. thats 1/7 of the amount i would pay if i order one at cost from the local importer. carbon dub 172.5 cranks without spider were 70eur, front/rear shifter with brakes 120 and 140. all came in original packaging, no oem stuff. i knew that i get the stuff later but i’m not in a hurry for my planned rebuild of the bike. that shop os around for a very long time and i know them for a long time. they just never had something in stock that i needed. i think they just collect the orders for a certain time to know how much they really need to buy from their sources to make their cut in the end and don’t overstock, that’s fair as long as i get the advertised price?