Shoes with Boa/ Atop Dials

[jpw]

I think new shoes will be in order for the new year.

I'm looking at the Boa and Atop dial closure systems, and I've compiled a little list of shoe manufacturers making models incorporating the dials. In no particular order;

Specialized
Gaerne
Lake
Scott
DMT
North Wave
Vittoria

are there any more to add, and if you've been using the dials how's that been for you?

[Bruce K]

I am pretty sure Sidi has them too.

The old Ergos used a similar dial system to close the middle portion of the shoe but they are showing something different for 2013.

All my freinds that have the Specialized rave about the comfort/fit. I just got the winter MTB shoe but haven't has a chance to ride them yet.

BK

[jpw]

I am pretty sure Sidi has them too.

The old Ergos used a similar dial system to close the middle portion of the shoe but they are showing something different for 2013.

All my freinds that have the Specialized rave about the comfort/fit. I just got the winter MTB shoe but haven't has a chance to ride them yet.

BK

I'll take a look at Sidi.

The Specialized Defroster shoes?

[oldguy00]

Sidi Wire has them. However you already have the best on your list - Specialized S Works.

[FlashUNC]

The Boas work great. Big fan.

[Climb01742]

i've been happy with my specialized shoes. the top boa closure works incredibly well, allowing you to minutely, precisely dial in just the tightness you want. the lower closure, IMO, works less well. my theory is that it tries to close too much real estate on the shoe. but it works well enough to, on the whole, give me the best adjustment i've found on a pair of shoes. looking at photos of the 2013 s works shoes, it appears that specialized agrees that the old boa system wasn't ideal. they've tweaked it and it looks much better. so i'd suggest that if you try s works shoes, look at the new 2013 version.

[schwa86]

Have a pair of Lake winter boots. I have had no mechanical problems (ie they work well) with the Boa, but I do get an annoying clicking sounding when I pedal. I can reproduced by walking around in them -- so if you are buying in a store would at least try on, walk around, and see if they click. YMMV.

[oldguy00]

i've been happy with my specialized shoes. the top boa closure works incredibly well, allowing you to minutely, precisely dial in just the tightness you want. the lower closure, IMO, works less well. my theory is that it tries to close too much real estate on the shoe. but it works well enough to, on the whole, give me the best adjustment i've found on a pair of shoes. looking at photos of the 2013 s works shoes, it appears that specialized agrees that the old boa system wasn't ideal. they've tweaked it and it looks much better. so i'd suggest that if you try s works shoes, look at the new 2013 version.

Climb,
If yours have the bottom strap, then they are a couple generations old. The new ones have had the Boa x 2 for 2 Summers I believe. I agree, that bottom strap is more of a decoration.

[jpw]

it appears that specialized agrees that the old boa system wasn't ideal.

has S changed the boa dials it's using, or tweaked the design of the upper? thx

[thegunner]

am i the only person who hates the dials? yes they're great for retention -- but i've always preferred the ratchet + velcro system on the sidis.

jpw -- if you're in the market for 42's, i've got some s-works i've been itching to swap out :p

[professerr]

has S changed the boa dials it's using, or tweaked the design of the upper? thx

Yes. The 2012 version of the S works and the leather version thereof (the 74s) have two Boa dials. The lower one extends down the toe longer (the laces cross twice). The 2013 version of the S works (but not the 74s) have replaced the second lower cross with a velcro strap. I don't know if it works better.

I like my 74s (and just picked up a pair of the 2012 S-works because it was being sold at a big discount locally).

One thing about the Boa system I've not seen anyone comment on is that over time the laces get dirty and sticky with junk and they slide less smoothly through the plastic channels. This can cause uneven tightening, especially if there are two sets of channels for the laces to flow through, like in the 2012 version of the S works. Might be why they eliminated the second cross on the 2012 version.

[thegunner]

as an FYI to other owners, BOA will actually replace any dials that break (strands that break) FOR FREE. you don't have to buy the replacement kit from spec'd

[professerr]

am i the only person who hates the dials? yes they're great for retention -- but i've always preferred the ratchet + velcro system on the sidis.

jpw -- if you're in the market for 42's, i've got some s-works i've been itching to swap out :p

I've tried ratchets, but found the increments too big for me. I like my shoes closed with just a tiny hint of pressure. You can adjust dials through shoe covers too, for what its worth.

[jpw]

am i the only person who hates the dials? yes they're great for retention -- but i've always preferred the ratchet + velcro system on the sidis.

jpw -- if you're in the market for 42's, i've got some s-works i've been itching to swap out :p

a 43er - damn :-(

[thegunner]

a 43er - damn :-(

sending you a PM :)

[shovelhd]

I have a pair of 2008 S-Works road shoes with the single BOA, and a pair of 2012 S-Works road shoes with the dual BOA's. The 2008's are my rain shoes. The 2012's were originally bought as 2011's, which also had dual BOA's. However, one of them failed and Specialized replaced the pair of shoes. The BOA dial and wire are replaceable, but that is not what failed. The dial itself is held onto the shoe via a teeny, tiny (1mm?) screw that fastens into a plastic post that is sewn into the shoe. One of the plastic posts cracked, and the screw would no longer hold the BOA dial on. It popped off during a race, but I was able to finish. I took them to my local Specialized dealer (I did not buy them there), and they had a new pair of shoes in my hands within a week. I believe that the 2012 BOA system is more robust, but I have not taken it apart to find out.

I ride S-Works shoes exclusively, for several reasons. They fit my narrow foot, although they have been trending wider over time. My 2008's fit more snugly and they are the same size as my 2012's. I also like the ability to easily adjust the tension during a race.

[Bob Ross]

am i the only person who hates the dials? yes they're great for retention -- but i've always preferred the ratchet + velcro system

We can hang.

[wallymann]

I've tried ratchets, but found the increments too big for me. I like my shoes closed with just a tiny hint of pressure. You can adjust dials through shoe covers too, for what its worth.

sidi ergo buckles *used* to have half-click adjustments that made perfect tightness achievable, but starting with the ergo2 (i think) they re-gressed to offer only full-click adjustments in the buckles.

[hockeybike]

The lake boa is behind the heel--the main benefit of having the dial there is that it pulls the cables tight around your ankle, so the heel tightens up a bit. Only downside to the lake system (at least with the cx330/236) is that there's only one dial for the whole shoe--don't necessarily want even tension everywhere (for example, leave forefoot a bit looser, cinch down ankle area)

[oldguy00]

am i the only person who hates the dials? yes they're great for retention -- but i've always preferred the ratchet + velcro system on the sidis.

jpw -- if you're in the market for 42's, i've got some s-works i've been itching to swap out :p

While I do like my S-works shoes a lot, I agree, I've always preferred velcro straps.

[Tandem Rider]

I have 2011 s-works present from Mrs. TR, very good friend is Spesh dealer. 2 boas, they seem to get sticky for me as well had to replace 2 laces so far, one broke, and one the ratchet started slipping (during a RR). 1st was a pain, then I got the hang of it, 2nd was much faster. I have a narrow foot but something isn't perfect, therefore, rain/spare shoes. I think Sidi used my foot as a mold when they designed their road shoes so that's how I fly.

I have Lake winter shoes with boa, sticky there too but a little cleaning helped. I also don't run winter shoes as tight as summer, that might be part of it.

[rice rocket]

I've had the 2012 S-WORKS road shoes. The dials didn't do anything that velcros couldn't IMHO. Specialized also didn't put the wire far enough forward on the shoe, so my foot was always swimming around in the huge toebox (and I have wide feet!). They fixed it for 2013, ironically with a velcro. :eek:

I sold them, replaced them w/ Fizik R1s with good ole velcros and ratchet straps and I'm not missing the dials at all.

Apparently this phenomenon happened when BOA tried to attack the ski-boot market as well in the 90s. Everyone talked about them for a while, and faded away soon thereafter.

[djg21]

While I do like my S-works shoes a lot, I agree, I've always preferred velcro straps.

Velcro just works. Except from keeping it free from Golden Retriever hair, it is maintenance free. How can you improve on that? Seems to me that the "fancy" retention systems are a solution in search of a problem.

[shovelhd]

Not if you race.

[djg21]

Not if you race.

Race what? Velcro works just fine for bicycles. There are plenty of pros happy with Velcro closures on their shoe

[shovelhd]

You said it was a solution in search of a problem. That's your opinion. Just because "pros" don't use them universally doesn't mean that they don't have a practical advantage for others who race.

[djg21]

You said it was a solution in search of a problem. That's your opinion. Just because "pros" don't use them universally doesn't mean that they don't have a practical advantage for others who race.

There is an advantage to the company that owns the patent (http://www.boatechnology.com) and to Specialized, which has a license to use the system in connection with the manufacture of cycling shoes. Cycling shoes are all about fit, and if a shoe fits properly, the closure system should be an afterthought as long at it works. Many track riders still prefer shoes with laces!

[slidey]

Been using the Specialized BOA system on their professional shoes for almost two years now. Zero maintenance, zero issues, love the system. However, I take very good care of things in general (care = lack of abuse != maintenance).

[ofcounsel]

I had the Boa system on my Lake MX330 mountain bike shoes. The system worked fine for about a year, then seized up due to fraying of the plastic cover on the steel laces. I ordered a set of replacement laces from Boa (they sent them to me for free). But as I tried to replace them, the lace got caught on the inner routing of the shoe, and I couldn't get it out. Shoes were done:(

Turns out it was my fault. MTB shoes take a significant amount of abuse with the constant dirt and mud. I should have been cleaning/lubing the laces and mechanism every once and a while, but I never did.

After that, moved to the Sidi Dominator 5's a few months ago, but Boa System spoiled me. So I'm going back to the Lake MTB shoes. I just ordered another pair. I'll take better care of them this time, now that I know that I have to.

[Climb01742]

my three previous pairs of shoes all had nothing but velcro closures and for me, the specialized boa gives me a better/more comfy fit. velcro straps always felt like they were pressing down on the tops of my feet, while the boa seems to bring the sides of the shoes together w/o pressing down the tops of my feet. could be my feet are shaped oddly, but while i admire the simplicity of velcro, boa seems to work better with my tootsies. YRMV.

but i'm looking forward to checking out the 2013 shoes this spring:

http://www.bikeradar.com/road/news/article/specialized-revamp-s-works-road-shoes-34568/

[titans]

Have a pair of Lake winter boots. I have had no mechanical problems (ie they work well) with the Boa, but I do get an annoying clicking sounding when I pedal. I can reproduced by walking around in them -- so if you are buying in a store would at least try on, walk around, and see if they click. YMMV.

The clicking noise you are hearing is probably due to those two screw receptors for SPD pedals sliding back and forth in the shoe. Take off cleats and jam some wax in there to keep them from sliding up/down. Worked for me. Hope this helps.

[djg21]

Thought you all moght want to now that D2 is ramping up production of a shoe called the Flywire, which uses a cable system similar to the BOA. I recently tried on a prototype and was very impressed. I always had preferred D2's velcro straps, as they are indestructible and foolproof. The flywire shoes did really feel good however, and the fit was really even across the top of the foot. I may have to reconsider Velcro!

https://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash4/c67.0.403.403/p403x403/485362_10151738013039046_182440496_n.jpg

https://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn1/c0.0.403.403/p403x403/644194_10151737975954046_987200546_n.jpg