How long do custom shoes last?

[NHAero]

I have a pair of Luck shoes that I bought virtually new from a Paceliner in late 2019. They were custom for him. Since the left was larger than the right, I took a chance and bought them, hoping that the larger left shoe would accommodate the carbon fiber AFO brace I wear due to nerve damage and lost muscle function in my lower left leg. hey fit well enough that I've used them now for coming up on 5 years and over 21,000 miles. The only disadvantage is that they use Atop instead of Boa closures so parts are harder to get (I ended up buying spares from Aliexpress!).

They still look surprisingly good, the leather must be good quality and the construction quite good. I'd be pretty bummed if they suddenly fell apart though, so I'm thinking maybe it's time to get a backup pair made for me specifically. They appear to be surprisingly affordable - the highest cost shown on their site is 299 Euros.

These are MTB shoes because I use Eggbeaters on all my road and all road bikes.

Thoughts?

[Veloo]

I may not be the best for feedback as I've been off the bike for a few years.

I got my custom Luck MTB shoes in 2019. Very impressed with the quality and value. Still work fine and I personally think the ATOP dials work better than Boas I've had.
The person that helped me there to get the fit was good to work with.

Aside, I'd had D2 road shoes since 2015. Velcro straps. Still holding up fine and been thru more miles of course than the Lucks.

[BdaGhisallo]

I got 9.5 years of daily use out of a pair of D2 Powerwire shoes.

They had the velcro main strap and an Atop dial for the forefoot.

[oldguy00]

I've been using my Lamson's for 2.5 years and they still look new.

I got a pair of R7's that looked like crap when new, and sit unused in a drawer still looking like crap.

[smontanaro]

Thanks NHAero for mentioning Luck. I'd never heard of them before, but happen to be looking for some new shoes, so I contacted them via WhatsApp and am in discussion... So far, they have been extremely responsive.

[NHAero]

Originally Posted by smontanaro

Thanks NHAero for mentioning Luck. I'd never heard of them before, but happen to be looking for some new shoes, so I contacted them via WhatsApp and am in discussion... So far, they have been extremely responsive.

Please let me know if you develop a contact there.

[jimoots]

I think miles or hours is a better gauge of longevity, we all ride different amounts.

I haven't yet gone custom for a shoe but have am now on my third set of Bonts (first two pairs were Vaypour S, now Vaypor 23). I got 40,000-50,000km from the first two sets riding everyday in all sorts of weather.

By that point I wouldn't say they are falling apart - but definitely tired and have seen better days.

FWIW, and not an atop vs boa thing, but I think I've only had one boa fail where the wire snapped over that time. I don't wrench mine down super tight so that might come into it.

[djg21]

Originally Posted by oldguy00

I've been using my Lamson's for 2.5 years and they still look new.

I got a pair of R7's that looked like crap when new, and sit unused in a drawer still looking like crap.

FYI:

Don has stopped taking orders from new clients, and is only going to make shoes for existing clients.

“The backlog has grown from under 1 month to about 8 months and it keeps growing. In December I’ll turn 70. It’s time to enjoy life a bit. I want to ride bikes more, and maybe even ski a few days this winter.”

https://lamsoncycling.com/home.

[fiamme red]

How long do they last? That depends on the last.

[mhespenheide]

Not custom, but I have decades going on a pair of Sidi's. I'm almost embarrassed that I haven't worn them out yet. They've outlasted a dozen pairs of cleats or more and I've put new velcro on twice but they're still going strong.

[prototoast]

My Rocket7 shoes started falling apart after about a year of riding.

[bigbill]

My Lamsons are coming up on two years and still look and fit like new. I see the post about Don not taking new customers. I've been to his house, I'd be out on my bike every day if I lived there. Nice roads with painted bike lanes and wide shoulders.

I got 14 years out of a pair of Sidi Dominators that included an eight month deployment in the Indian Ocean-ish area where they saw duty on a spin bike, where I'd have to wring out my socks after a ride.

[benb]

I had a pair of Shimano MTB shoes last almost a decade.

More recent shoes I probably got rid of more due to deciding I found something that fit better rather than them actually wearing out.

Replaceable lugs/heel would be the big thing for me long term. I tend to wear the outside of the heel on shoes more than the inside, if I wear the shoes long enough it makes it a lot easier to roll an ankle. That piece is replaceable more often on road shoes than MTB shoes IME, so on custom shoes that were intended to last a really long time I'd want that piece replaceable.

My feet are basically 1/2 size different and I could probably stand to actually do this.

[tellyho]

My 20 year old Sidi Dragons are still limping along, with pretty much all parts replaced at least once along the way. Not my for-real shoes, but commute in them every day.

[bigbill]

I think you have to consider environment. I have lived in coastal Virginia and South Carolina where hot temps and high humidity meant my shoes were sweat-soaked at the end of rides and might not dry out between rides. The inside of the road shoes I was using at the time (NW) would basically rot and come apart. When I could, I'd buy two pair of cycling shoes to rotate between rides, making them last much longer. If your shoes can completely dry out between sweaty or rainy rides, you'll get significantly more life out of them.

You can also replace the insoles in your shoes as they can compress over time which affects the fit. My Dominators that lasted 14 years went through four sets of Sidi replacement insoles. You don't necessarily need aftermarket insoles, the Sidi made my shoes feel new.