The recent Fox shoe announcement has reminded me of one of my pet peeves for biking shoes:
BOA sucks.
I decided to "invest" in pricier shoes, rather than getting the entry level €60-80 range I usually go for, both my last shoes have had the BOA system. I don't get it, my best fitting pair of shoes has just one BOA system for the entire shoe, after about a year the system kinda refused to release the cable at the ankle level, so everytime I need to loosen the cable all the way through the toe area to extract my foot. I slid out once and was convinced the BOA thingy had broken a bone in my foot, it extrudes way too much and obviously has 0 give. Other thing: I typically tighten my shoes considerably and head off, then a few kilometres into the ride my shoes feel loose as F because only certain parts of the wire were taught, and pedalling has evened out the tension making the overall shoe feel quite loose and requiring a second tightening. What drives me mad is that Fox (and most manufacturers) consider getting a pair of these fragile POS buckles is worth €100 over the price of a lace system.
Am I the only one who just doesn't get BOA? My absolute favourite system would be the old cheap shimano double velcro for the mid foot and toes, and a ratchet strap system of the ankle: that way the shoe completely opens up at the ankle and ratchet straps take 5 minutes to replace if broken.
https://www.adidas.ca/en/five-ten-freerider-pro-mid-vcs-mountain-bike-s…
I'd really like a flat pedal version of my Shimano ME7s. Quick lace for the lower foot and ratchet up top with a lace cover.
Second to that I really like the combo of laces on the lower with velcro on the top on my Etnies Culvert Mids.
I can't wear road shoes that don't have 3 velcro closures. Makes dialling in the perfect tension along all the whole foot 1000x easier.
I have RC TNT2s, with laces and a top velcro for MTB, which also works pretty well. Not sure I would trust full velcro in the dirt tbh.
you read my mind. Put 5-10 rubber or equivilant grip on that shoe and I'd buy 5 pairs.
The 5-10 Freerider pro Mid VCS is as close to flat shoe excellence I have found, 9.8/10 but prefer the lacing system of the shimano.
Laces, but actually Xpand stretch laces. Since returning to flat pedal riding I never have my shoes overly tight. I tie the stretch laces once, secure them from flopping around and my shoes become slip-ons. Easy cheesy. Plus the Xpands come in plenty of colors from the sublime to the ridiculous.
I fully appreciate this, and raise it with a wide width release as well. (Any flat pedal shoe with a wide width would be nice)
I don't ever wanna go back to any thing other than boa style mechanism-but I need someone to make a proper foot bed shoe (like an altra running shoe) for cycling-lake gets close.
Clipped in or on flats, I like my shoes to be fairly loose, so I'm good with Boa or Velcro with un-tied laces. I've enjoyed the Crank Bros shoes with Boa more than I ever thought. The Giro Chamber has been my other go-to shoe for the past few years. Like others stated, proper fit is more important.
My issue with systems like BOA or single-velcro shoes is that I like to be able to adjust tension across my foot. I tend to experiment with lacing patterns, and for longer rides I like to have a looser toe-box than for pedal-and-plunge rides.
Velcro needs to be 3 straps, otherwise laces are my top pick.
I tend to have issues with BOA for all the reasons stated in OP, but also in longevity as the BOA wire cut through the parts of the shoe meant to hold it on. Finally, the BOA shoes I had were made with some sort of plastic for the dial which I managed to crack in an unfortunate collision with a rock. Shoes shouldn't crack
Laces are the only option I will consider. I don’t care if it takes me 2 minutes longer to put my shoes on at the trailhead; I can get them just tight enough in the exact right places every time and don’t have to adjust them once throughout a ride of any length.
Boas only solve one problem, which they also created: being able to micro adjust tightness on the fly when you’ve over-tightened them or they have lost tension as you ride.
They also break easily, are annoying to replace, and they frequently send the wrong parts. They can hurt your feet in a fall and leave you stuck with a loose shoe if you break one mid-ride. One of the worst inventions ever, IMO.
Laces are durable, cheap, ubiquitous and easy to replace.
On the contrary. Kill the stupid single Velcro on all laced clip shoes! Since 5-10 dropped the District, there is basically none.
Pull cinch like hydradry 7.0 leatt for flats. Otherwise laces.
5ten Kestrel lace...you got some velcro with them. As for that BOA...it blows. I literally blew up a pair after a very massive crash. They did me right at the time and sent me the lace ones. Been on em ever since.
Laces are good enough for Messi, Ronaldo, and Neymar, and they're good enough for me. Laces on my Giro road shoes, laces on my 2FO clip shoes, and laces on my 5.10 Impacts.
Never had a BOA shoe, but I did run velcro and velcro+ratchet in my XC days. As I have a VERY narrow and low foot, I can have bigger issues with tightening shoes when running anything other than laces as opposed to laces (double insoles in a pair of Sidi shoes, which are known to be narrow and low) for the ratchet to even do something.
Since quitting XC I'm a laces guy through some skate shoes at first, then via 5.10 Impacts (the good old ones, looking like working boots) to two pairs of Adidas Terex Cross Trails (a bit different to what FiveTen now offers under the same model name, but largerly similar). Laces just work. My very low foot is also the reason any velcro additives to laces (the top strap thingie) simply do not work for me. And shoes are rarely designed in a way where you can remove said strap at all, let alone have it look decent (here's an idea, removable velcro straps?).
FWIW, regarding BOA, it apparently looks like it might be a gamechanger (in a burlier form though) on ski boots compared to standard clips. I will be following this development closely as they mention a much better foot retention, which is something I also struggle with in a narrow fit ski boot (my heel likes to be raised during skinning which of course causes blisters...): https://www.outsideonline.com/outdoor-gear/snow-sports-gear/four-buckle…
Laces with a velcro flap (5.10 ELCs) - best of both worlds!
Bont Cycling does follow a very similar design as Altra running shoes, I've used them on road, gravel and xc for 7 or more years. Just wish they made a slightly more flexible version so when you have to walk on adventures its more comfortable.
Laces with something to secure the loose ends, even just an elastic loop on the tongue.
Id never run a lace shoe again for anything ever if I could. Boa is the goat, but even a little simple speed lace like the crank bros is much preferable to laces.
Adidas version of the Cross Trail has those, but they do stretch out and the laces tend to start falling out, FWIW.
Good to know. So far so good with my Ride Concepts, but they're only a few months old.
Laces. Velcro is usually fine but I find any kind of mechanism (ratchet or BOA) is just something to break or jam with mud.
Yeah same, I have Boa on my snowboard boots and they are great, not sure how the Boa system would go getting blasted with mud and dust. Simple laces are fine with my for anything outside and super cheap to fix if anything happens to them.
In case Five Ten (or anyone else) is listening, I'd like to request the Mid VCS in a clip version please and thank you
Laces for the win, but I must have some kind of securing device (a Velcro strap is ideal.)
I've never worn a Boa-equipped shoe, but I feel like it's an expensive solution to a problem which didn't exist.
Bring this shoe back! Dh shank in the lighter shoe. Laces with a cover for the win. Have one pair 6 seasons strong. 3 year old pair brand new in the box still.
@AmesEvan This! But they could loose the dazzle camo
For my flats (Freerider Pro), really wish they'd implement the heel lock holes like on running shoes. Include a 2nd set of longer laces for me to have the option to run the heel lock loop.
My Shimano AM901 clipless is great with the quick pull lace & you can tension the mud flap down over the toe box just a hair then lock your ankle in with the Velcro strap.
So usually, I just lurk these types of threads and make notes for "businessing"; you know, like what people are looking for, what they like and don't, but I saw this and had quite a good chuckle.
This is our shoe from the year 2000. Roughly 16? years before the ELC and I'm not sure (14?) how many before the OG Element. Sure its 20 years of fading, but man is that cut similar. Sure there's no lace saver on this shoe, but come on' it was the year 2000!
On a more current note... These (We ran the v1 prototypes of these without the laces in for almost a year)
Also, if you ever see BOA on our shoes, they paid us so much money, and we sold the fuck out. Fuck those things.
EDIT: We also have two shoes in the works with velcro, not counting the one above with the velcro lace saver.
Laces with a velcro strap to hold them down....bought 4 pairs of the Teva Pivots when they discontinued them...still have one new pair left and two with 25% left in rotation..not sure what I'll replace them with when it's time
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