# not impressed with BOA on my Lake shoes



## BCSaltchucker (Jul 20, 2011)

anyone else using BOA adjusters on their shoes?

I got these Lake shoes with single BOA and they fit very nice, best of any size 15 shoes I've had. However the BOA are a PITA to get tight. I find I am stopping 2-3 times near start of the ride to retighten and tighten again and never really getting properly snug. Also I expected the long wires they used to slide easily for uniform tightening .. but they bind at the bends as badly as any laces do.

Wonder if they make a 'Boa Wrench' to solve this for me?

tempted to switch to lace-up shoes now


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## Jay Strongbow (May 8, 2010)

Why would you need to stop to tighten them?

Anyway, the single boa design does kind of suck IMO. But you get used to having to turn the knob a couple times in the first 5-10 miles.


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## BCSaltchucker (Jul 20, 2011)

guess maybe cause it is winter and can't get as much purchase with gloves on.

Just thinking this would be so much easier with a custom grip-wrench to grip the knobs. Also I am wearing merino socks.


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## Jay Strongbow (May 8, 2010)

BCSaltchucker said:


> guess maybe *cause it is winter* and can't get as much purchase with gloves on.
> 
> Just thinking this would be so much easier with a custom grip-wrench to grip the knobs. Also I am wearing merino socks.


ah, yeah, I forgot about that issue. yeah it's definitely a problem with shoe covers.

On thing that helps is keep tension when you wind it down for the first time. 

If you've ever done much fishing you'll get how if you reel the line without any pressure resisting you can then pull it and it'll sink into the lose line. Boa is pretty much the same just like a fishing reel. I know I did a poor job of describing what I wanted to but hopefully that makes sense.
In summary pull the line all the way out and keep tension on the line when you reel it in.


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## BCSaltchucker (Jul 20, 2011)

ah yes, makes sense. I will try that reeling trick next. thanks

I kind of suspect they are putting the light tension BOA on these cycling shoes Whereas I would prefer heavier tension capable adjusters:
https://www.theboasystem.com/products


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## MMsRepBike (Apr 1, 2014)

My BOAs work nothing like yours, thankfully.

I have the ones on the Fizik R1B by the way.

They never, ever come loose or undone or stretch or anything of the sort. In fact I have little marks on each wire so I know exactly where to set them at the start of each ride. Once I go I've never once had to adjust them during the ride.

Shoe covers mean nothing. In order to loosen the dials you have to either turn them backwards or pull them up and pop them open. Shoe covers have nothing to do with either. They don't turn dials or pop them open.

So I suspect you're right, I think Lake specced some of the cheapos for your shoes, because when done right they're flawless.


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## Jay Strongbow (May 8, 2010)

MMsRepBike said:


> Shoe covers mean nothing. In order to loosen the dials you have to either turn them backwards or pull them up and pop them open. Shoe covers have nothing to do with either.


Kind of tough to turn, pop or pull something that's under a shoe cover. He wasn't saying shoe covers were the source of the problem and neither was I. We were saying that's the reason someone would need to stop the bike to make an adjustment.


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## MMsRepBike (Apr 1, 2014)

Jay Strongbow said:


> Kind of tough to turn, pop or pull something that's under a shoe cover. He wasn't saying shoe covers were the source of the problem and neither was I. We were saying that's the reason someone would need to stop the bike to make an adjustment.


I see. 

But why would you need to stop to make an adjustment is still a valid question that's not answered.

If it's because the dials are loosening they're either defective or so cheap they don't belong on shoes. It should be set it and forget it.

I've heard from people that either their feet swell during a ride or they usually ride with their shoes loose but only tighten them for sprints. I suppose in those cases making an adjustment is warranted but I don't have either of those issues and I don't know anyone that does either.


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## Oxtox (Aug 16, 2006)

my Lakes with a single BOA (at the heel) work flawlessly...usually snug em up at the beginning of a ride and forget about em. 

but, if they become too tight during the ride from the feet swelling, I just release the BOA, wiggle the toes around, and re-tighten as needed...don't need to dismount for any of this.

just bought Giro Empire ACC with laces. they're a little more fiddly at first, you have to tie and tuck the lace ends. kinda prefer the BOAs to be honest, but it's not a big deal.


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## BCSaltchucker (Jul 20, 2011)

MMsRepBike said:


> I see.
> 
> But why would you need to stop to make an adjustment is still a valid question that's not answered.
> 
> ...


I don;t think the dials are loosening on their own. I have found the wires is binding a bit. ALso like I said I am wearing merino wool socks in winter now which feel fantastic, but add some spongeyness I have to fight against as I tighten them. So I get them seemingly snug, but a mile down the road it feels incredibly loose, so I tighten some more and so on. 

Bottom line: I never seem to be able to achieve that firm tightness I am used to with my latch-type shimano shoes (or my Sidi genius of yore). Would not want to have such loose shoes in competition, or sprinting.


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## MMsRepBike (Apr 1, 2014)

Sounds to me like they're popping open. 

I know not all of the dials work the same though. Do yours pop open by pulling up on them? Do they loosen by turning them backwards?

You should try a test.

Tighten them down then put little marks on the wire with a sharpie right where it enters the BOA dial.

(have to do this one without the shoe covers sadly)

Down the road when they feel loose, check to see if the marks you made are in the same place or not.

This will determine if they're loosening, which is my guess, or if, as you think, you just can't get them tight enough to start with.

Using Merino socks doesn't matter, that doesn't make BOAs not work right or not be able to tighten enough.

You might be making it so tight that the outward pressure of your foot is bursting your shoes open and the BOAs can't contain the pressure. The little mark test will show which it is.

If it's the former, my guess, then you'll need a different type of retention for your crazy tight retention needs. Or least a more robust version.


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## Migen21 (Oct 28, 2014)

For me, BOA is the best thing that's ever happened in the realm of cycling shoes. I CANNOT stand velcro/hook and loop on ANYthing - especially shoes - and I have quite a lot of disdain for ratchets too.

I've never had a BOA come loose on a ride. I don't usually wrench them down super tight when I first start riding - I just snug them down loosely, then ride for a bit and let everything settle into it's place, then, at the first stop I'll give them a couple more clicks.


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## Trek_5200 (Apr 21, 2013)

a little annoying but it works. since these are winter cycling boots its not something i deal with all that often and the lakes only come out when the temperature hits below the low 30's


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## caad4rep (Jul 30, 2011)

I own 5 pairs of various Lake shoes all with BOA laces and they have been flawless. I'll never ride a pair of velcro shoes again.


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