When to change your cycling shoes

The jerseys, bib shorts and other cycling equipment go in and out of our wardrobe at a faster rate than the cycling shoes do. One of the reasons may be the price or that they hold up better over time, but when should our cycling shoes be changed?

How to take care of your cycling shoes

Cycling shoes require a little more attention when cleaning and preserving them, it is not enough to simply throw them into the washing machine, in fact it is totally contraindicated. But in return they can last us years and even decades fulfilling their function as the first day.

It is advisable that at the end of a route they are cleaned with a damp cloth to remove any dust or mud that may have accumulated. Paying special attention to the areas of the closures where dirt infiltrates. Here, you can use a cloth to clean the BOA dials or the various parts of the lock.

It is then almost obligatory to dry it with a dry cloth and let the shoe dry completely, but this should not be done by applying heat sources or leaving it in the sun for a long time.

Both leaving them wet and applying excessive heat to them can cause the sole to lose stiffness and much of its properties.

Another key point is the cleats. The cleats will have to be replaced from time to time, when they show signs of oxidation or when they start to show signs of not being properly attached or are released unintentionally. Their price is low and the change is easy, you just have to pay attention to leave them in the exact position so that you do not have any postural problems.

Life of a road / mountain bike cycling shoe

So, if we take good care of our shoes, they will last us a lifetime? Well, we can certainly say that they will last you longer than any other footwear you wear as often.

Obviously, if you have a fall or an accident in which your cycling shoes have suffered significant cuts or rubbing, they will have to be replaced. However, if you have broken any clasps, BOA fasteners or laces, we recommend that you look for them online and take them to your shoemaker before throwing them away, as in most cases the fasteners can be replaced.

In the case of the mountain bike shoes, their change will be determined by the sole. With this type of shoe, you tend to walk more with them on in mountain areas, therefore the sole is worn out. So it will be time to change them when your sole shows signs of being worn out.

With road cycling shoes we can really get surprises, because there are cyclists who continue to pedal in shoes that are 20 years old and still perform perfectly. If they are top-of-the-range models, in some cases they have nothing to envy from some new models. If the shoe is well cared for, it can last a long time, as road shoes are not worn very often.

So we can tell you that most of the time you will change your cycling shoes because you want to try others with more stiffness, less weight or other features or just for aesthetics.