Shoes with laces, why not?

[Clare]

I have an appointment with the Bike Whisperer in a couple of weeks, we have just been told that my bike shoes (Shimano MT33L) will not be suitable and should be replaced. Corinne is adamant that my new shoes should be:

mountain bike race shoe (which can be walked in - but does look like a biking shoe) - I would start with Specialized as they are well made, good value and very nice & stiff.  The shoe needs to have velcro straps and or ratchet straps - not laces.

Ignoring the Specialized rec (I can't wear them they are the wrong shape for my foot) what is the problem with laces and how does one define what a biking shoe looks like?

[PeteB99]

Worried that the laces may get caught in the chainring or on another part of the bike I guess. Of course nobody could ride a bike before the invention of velcro

Tuck the laces under the knot or down the outside of the shoe - my specialised sonomas have a bit of elastic cord for this very purpose.

If you're paying for this I'd say you decide what a cycling shoe looks like and Corinne either likes it or lumps it.

[Kim]

Reproducibility of foot position during repeated cleat fettlings?

[Clare]

Reproducibility of foot position during repeated cleat fettlings?

How?

If the shoe fits properly and is laced up correctly your foot shouldn't move.

[LittleWheelsandBig]

The amount of time to take shoes off and put them back on while tweaking cleat position.

Personally I prefer laced shoes with a meaty velcro strap.

[Clare]

The amount of time to take shoes off and put them back on while tweaking cleat position.

I seriously hope that's not the reason, I'm buggered if I'm going to spend out on new shoes for somebody else's convenience.

[Biggsy]

Also, straps allow you to adjust the tightness of the shoes as you ride, but of course you can have laces if the shoes you want happen to have laces.

[Cudzoziemiec]

I don't know who or what a "bike whisperer" is but note she(?) says "can be walked in - but does look like a biking shoe". If for some reason bikey appearance is important, you certainly you get that with ratchets or velcro straps. Personally, I prefer shoes which look a little more "normal" (hmm, yeah, to emphasise the abnormality of my other clothes!)

[Jacomus]

I have an appointment with the Bike Whisperer in a couple of weeks, we have just been told that my bike shoes (Shimano MT33L) will not be suitable and should be replaced. Corinne is adamant that my new shoes should be:

mountain bike race shoe (which can be walked in - but does look like a biking shoe) - I would start with Specialized as they are well made, good value and very nice & stiff.  The shoe needs to have velcro straps and or ratchet straps - not laces.

Ignoring the Specialized rec (I can't wear them they are the wrong shape for my foot) what is the problem with laces and how does one define what a biking shoe looks like?

I would suggest that as you are the customer, you get to query why they have said this. If they give you a reason you judge to be worth the cost of a new pair of shoes, go for it, if they can't satisfy you, they will have to set you up with your current shoes.

The rider foot-bike interface is critical to bike fit. We focus a significiant amount of time on sorting out your cleat position so the cleat is correct front/back and side to side; and also with the appropriate twist so your foot is in the centre of your pedal’s float. If necessary we will use wedges to correct the cant of your foot, and shims to correct structural or functional leg length discrepancies. Generally, wedging & shimming your cleats is a much more effective way of correcting alignment & leg length problems than using an insole or an orthotic.

They seem to put a lot of importance on feet, which makes me wonder if they are concerned that your current shoes do not have enough space around the cleat to allow them to do their thing.

[giropaul]

Shoes are at least as personal as saddles. What suits one person will be hell for another.

A good bike fit might suggest a change of SHAPE of shoe (sole shape and stiffness, width of last etc) after a fit, even sometimes when the sole fittings don't allow for the cleat to be in the right place.

However, it's far more usual for the bike fit to suggest a different insole (to allow for arch height, orientation etc), and the best bike fits often include custom foot beds.

I know that some on here rate the Bike Whisperer, but personally I'd question why someone can decide what shoes you should be using before the consultation.

[giropaul]

PS - many of the track shoes, such as DMT, still feature laces under a velcro cover. Laces are, in my view, still one of the most infinitely adjustable ways of closing a shoe.

Does this mean that the Bike Whisperer would refuse to set up someone using, e.g. Dromarti shoes?

[marcusjb]

All I can suggest is to question it with Corinne.

They do spend a lot of time on your shoes/cleats (at least an hour) - but I don't see any reason why laces are not going to work.

They do good work, they've set me up on my main bike very nicely.  Scherrit is a little manic and likes to talk (a LOT!), but knows what he's up to.

[Sergeant Pluck]

I'm sure Scherritt and Corinne will be fine if you have a particular preference in shoes. Give them a call -  emails can come across as a bit prescriptive.

They work with all sorts of shoes, road and MTB, any brand, but for people that need to walk a little in their bike shoes, SPD MTB shoes are a pretty good general suggestion.

I would guess that the lace thing is just a general bit of advice due to the risk of laces getting caught up. I wouldn't worry about the "looks" bit - any half-decent MTB / SPD shoe would be ok I am sure.

What is needed for the bike fit are shoes that will allow a good cleat position to be set up. Some shoes don't allow enough cleat  movement to the rear (e.g. Northwaves).

Specialized have an inbuilt varus (I think that's correct; canted out to the outside) wedging that tends to be better for a lot of people. Shoes that don't have that sole orientation will need more shims / heel wedges etc. and some brands (like Sidi) just don't have the room.

[Chris S]

Ingestion of one's laces into a fixed gear drive train can be a serious situation. If you're lucky, it'll just break the laces. Unlucky, and you can derail the chain, and do damage to one's ankle.

That said, I've worn my Shimano winter boots (avec laces) on many winter fixed audaxes, without mishap. You just get in the habit of tucking them away (elastic strap provided).

[giropaul]

Again, it's very personal. Northwaves are fine for most people, and fit a British foot well for most. It's all about finding what works for the individual.

PS - I'm glad I don't live in that London - £235 for a bike fit?  Around here we have Adrian Timmis, with experience with more pro bike riders than anyone in the UK, at £150 including a £60+ pair of custom footbeds. (I've no connection to financial or business connection to Adrian).

[Biggsy]

I have one pair of cycling shoes with laces, though I prefer straps - and the best shoes for cycling tend to come with straps anyway - but I wouldn't let anyone tell me what shoes to wear.  Laces don't get caught when not too long.  For the right foot: it's best to cut them short, then you don't forget to double knot them.  Laces also have the advantage of being easy to replace when they wear out.  Velcro does deteriorate.

[Ian H]

My experience is that it's perfectly possible to have laces that are easy to tie but short enough that they don't get caught, even riding fixed. This may not apply if you have hands like spades.

[giropaul]

When I started cycling there were always laces. I don't recall vast numbers (or even any) lace-related incidents. Reg Harris wasn't dogged by lace-related falls.

The main reason laces went out of fashion was, in my view, the developing obsession with aerodynamics.

[Kim]

I would guess that the lace thing is just a general bit of advice due to the risk of laces getting caught up. I wouldn't worry about the "looks" bit - any half-decent MTB / SPD shoe would be ok I am sure.

But surely any bike shoe is going to include some method of restraining the laces to prevent them getting caught?  Our laced shoes have, variously: velcro straps, slidy straps, little plastic clip things.  They all work fine.

[Sergeant Pluck]

But surely any bike shoe is going to include some method of restraining the laces to prevent them getting caught?

True - including the ones in the OP. I'm just hazarding a guess as to why they might advise someone in that way. I certainly don't think it could be anything to do with time taken to put on / remove.

[Biggsy]

But surely any bike shoe is going to include some method of restraining the laces to prevent them getting caught?

My Shimano MO21s don't.  I did get the right-foot lace caught in the chain.  Fortunately, it broke.  That's what shortened it for me. 

[Biggsy]

ps.  I tried to make a new tag on the end of the lace with superglue.  This resulted in a lot of smoke!  What the frack?  Some wicked chemical reaction.

[hbunnet]

See this slightly geeky but useful site for a lacing method to put the bow at the side. http://www.fieggen.com/shoelace/hikingbikinglacing.htm

[Wowbagger]

Lace-up cycling shoes have devices for keeping the laces under control,in my experience.

Because I no longer clip in, for medical reasons, I cycle mostly in ordinary shoes laced with double bows. I have, in the past, caught a lace in the chain ring, but it's rare. The last time I can recall was on the Cambridge to Southend ride last March and a lace from an almost new pair of trainers actually broke.

[Andrew]

Didn't Bilbo Wiggins have lace ups when riding the TdF? Bont was the make I seem to recall....

http://www.bikeradar.com/news/article/wiggos-whisper-light-shoes-34696/

I recall he did alright.