New shoes - laces vs boa

joeyhalloran
joeyhalloran Posts: 1,080
in Road buying advice
After trying a number of difference shoes and and sizes (honestly, I had to keep a spreadsheet with notes) I have narrowed down some new shoes to lake CX218 or CX1-C. They are essentially the same shoe, the same last and carbon sole, the same 'action leather' upper. Despite a slight difference in padding in the tongue and around the heel they both feel ok (at least, while trying them on at home). The difference is the CX218 uses a single boa dial and the CX1C uses laces. I've never had lace cycling shoes so wanted to get some opinions. They do hold my foot a bit better as I can tighten and loosen where I needed it more but I am still hesitant. Any thoughts; laces vs boa?

Comments

  • singleton
    singleton Posts: 2,523
    I have laces on my MTB shoes which I wear on flat pedals, and boas on my good road shoes: the only issues I have are:
    1. What to do with the laces when they are tied - tuck them into the shoes?
    2. They can take longer to put on and take off - especially of they get very muddy.
    3. Laces will get dirty over time and mine are hard to clean
  • pblakeney
    pblakeney Posts: 27,160
    Adjusting lace tension while on the move is tricky. 😉
    The above may be fact, or fiction, I may be serious, I may be jesting.
    I am not sure. You have no chance.
    Veronese68 wrote:
    PB is the most sensible person on here.
  • joeyhalloran
    joeyhalloran Posts: 1,080
    pblakeney said:

    Adjusting lace tension while on the move is tricky. 😉

    This is often quoted by the cycling media but other than at the end of a race I can't remember ever adjusting my shoes on the go. And I don't race anymore.
  • pblakeney
    pblakeney Posts: 27,160
    joeyhalloran said:

    pblakeney said:

    Adjusting lace tension while on the move is tricky. 😉

    This is often quoted by the cycling media but other than at the end of a race I can't remember ever adjusting my shoes on the go. And I don't race anymore.
    I quite often adjust if going through cold mornings going into hot afternoons.
    The above may be fact, or fiction, I may be serious, I may be jesting.
    I am not sure. You have no chance.
    Veronese68 wrote:
    PB is the most sensible person on here.
  • MattFalle
    MattFalle Posts: 11,644
    joeyhalloran said:

    pblakeney said:

    Adjusting lace tension while on the move is tricky. 😉

    This is often quoted by the cycling media but other than at the end of a race I can't remember ever adjusting my shoes on the go. And I don't race anymore.
    I agree with this.

    i also agree that, generally, the cycling media speakbollocks.

    i personally think laces look cooler but Boas more practical, so for a peoper pair of riding shoes, Bos, for cruising, lsces.
    .
    The camera down the willy isn't anything like as bad as it sounds.
  • ibr17xvii
    ibr17xvii Posts: 1,065
    I've never had any lace up shoes for cycling but I honestly think they would just be hard work. Not able to loosen or tighten them on the fly would be a dealbreaker for me.

    Boa's all the way.
  • daniel_b
    daniel_b Posts: 11,946
    edited April 2022
    Boas here as well - I have laceups, and yes they look very nice, and work ok, but practicality and longevity wise (Especially as BOA have a lifetime (?) guarantee, for me BOA is the winner.
    Felt F70 05 (Turbo)
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  • webboo
    webboo Posts: 6,087
    Laces belong along side such things as toe clips and straps and down tube levers.
  • DeVlaeminck
    DeVlaeminck Posts: 9,060
    I've got some lace up giros, love them, maybe the fact you can adjust the fit better to start with or maybe just that as you can't adjust on the fly so you don't think about whether they need it but I've not found that an issue.
    [Castle Donington Ladies FC - going up in '22]
  • pblakeney
    pblakeney Posts: 27,160
    edited April 2022
    webboo said:

    Laces belong along side such things as toe clips and straps and down tube levers.

    Last pair of laced cycling shoes I had. Shimano as it happens, 1993.
    PS - You forgot frame mount pumps. 😉


    The above may be fact, or fiction, I may be serious, I may be jesting.
    I am not sure. You have no chance.
    Veronese68 wrote:
    PB is the most sensible person on here.
  • thistle_
    thistle_ Posts: 7,217
    MattFalle said:

    i personally think laces look cooler but Boas more practical, so for a peoper pair of riding shoes, Bos, for cruising, lsces.

    I've only ever had laces and I'm happy with them, although the Boas should be more practical.

    I say should because I had something similar on some trail running shoes and it was pretty rubbish: the laces frayed really easily and they kept coming loose.

  • Defblade
    Defblade Posts: 142
    I had boas on some walking shoes, and was forever having to nip them back up tight. My cycling shoes are all laces... the gravel ones have a little elasticated holder to keep the bow neat; the old touring ones have a big velcro strap across the bow to keep it neat; the old Saloman hiking trainers I'm using on my mtb's flats I just tuck the floppy bits under some of the criss-cross further down.
    I like everything done up nice and snug... occasionally I have to retie the laces, but not nearly as much as I had to re-pull the boas.
  • masjer
    masjer Posts: 2,613
    No love for velcro straps or ratchet straps?
  • webboo
    webboo Posts: 6,087
    masjer said:

    No love for velcro straps or ratchet straps?

    I have those on my Sidi’s never had a problem other than a broken strap and I can adjust them on the move. They were on previous two pairs as well both of which I managed to sell on even though they were at least 5 years old.
    So there a bit of love out there for them.
  • pblakeney
    pblakeney Posts: 27,160
    masjer said:

    No love for velcro straps or ratchet straps?

    Yes. My previous Sidis were velcro and it works very well. Less to go wrong too.
    Current Sidis are ratchet rather than Boa but I group them as similar.
    The above may be fact, or fiction, I may be serious, I may be jesting.
    I am not sure. You have no chance.
    Veronese68 wrote:
    PB is the most sensible person on here.
  • lochindaal
    lochindaal Posts: 475
    I've got the Giro Empire knit shoe with laces and they are the most comfortable one I've worn. I never adjust them once I ride so no issue on that. They are also more comfortable when wearing winter shoe covers as you don't get a pressure point as I did from the Boa's previously.
    Tri Coaching
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  • joeyhalloran
    joeyhalloran Posts: 1,080
    I've gone for laces, it seems opinion is pretty split, i've had some boas in the past so time for something new and they were £30 cheaper.
  • HilaryAmin
    HilaryAmin Posts: 160
    Recently bought Boardman carbon shoes that have dials like boa. My first non-lace shoes and I am very pleased with the change. For some reason the shoes fit well enough not to need much tension. On a test run I got a cadence of 156 and nearly 500 watts so I'd say there wasn't much slack going to waste.

  • imposter2.0
    imposter2.0 Posts: 12,028
    webboo said:

    Laces belong along side such things as toe clips and straps and down tube levers.

    Agreed. Although the fact that we've gone from laces, to velcro straps, to ratchet straps, to boa dials and back to laces again in the space of 30-40 years suggests that we'll all probably be back using toe clips again soon...
  • vincesummerskRoxcBTr
    vincesummerskRoxcBTr Posts: 993
    I recently bought a pair of Shimano shoes with Boa, mainly because they were a good fit, I find the Boa system really good, easy to adjust and no laces to snag anywhere.
  • thegreatdivide
    thegreatdivide Posts: 5,807
    masjer said:

    No love for velcro straps or ratchet straps?

    I've got BOA on my MTB/Gravel winter boots (Fizik jobs)
    I've got laces on my MTB/Gravel shoes (Giro jobs)
    But I've also got three pairs of Rapha (aka Giro) Climbers Shoes which are velcro. They're the BEST shoes I've ever owned for comfort and adjustability - they look the damage too!

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