Fly2High

BF gang,
New to cycling and was wondering two things:

1. How long does a pair of cycling shoes last?
2. What defines when a pair should be replaced?

Thanks
Frank

vinfix

Like any pair of shoes, it depends on how much you wear them, if you walk on them (not just pedal) and the weather & sweat they get exposed to. I've had shoes last 5+ years. The sole may start to separate, or the velcro or interior will get ratty. You're more likely to wear out the cleats first.

Carbonfiberboy 

When I lose them. My last pair of Dominators went over 50,000 miles and were still perfect except for exterior cosmetics. I had to replace the buckles and re-glue the velcro, but no big deal. I bought a new pair in the same size and they fit identically. That was cool. I'll probably never need another pair of shoes. Sure, cleats wear out but that's nothing to do with the shoes.

Wested

I've always wondered if the soles wear out and lose stiffness over time. Any truth to that?

Homebrew01

Not in my experience

kbarch

1. Pretty much as long as you like.
2. Desire for a shiny new pair.

Cleats, however, an a different matter. They DO wear out, and wear out very quickly if you walk in them. Cleat covers will extend their life.

Vicegrip

SIDI carbon. Cleats, heel pads and inserts are wear items. My present pair of SIDI carbons are at 20,000+ miles, 2 splats and still going strong. I always wash and dry them after they get soaked on a ride. Pull the liners wash everything and park them all opened up in front of a fan.

Other less expensive shoes and brands..... This or that fails after a while. Have had moulded plastic soles crack right at the cleat boss, uppers rot away from the sole, velcro wear out and stop gripping and the like.

noodle soup

This was true with leather soles decades ago, but not with modern carbon fiber soles.

I usually get 40k-50k miles of wear from road shoes, so every 3-4 years I pick up a new set.

DrIsotope

Yes. I had a pair of Giro Republics, which I loved-- but they had composite outsoles, and I wore them out in just under 15,000 miles. They developed a significant amount of flex, to the point that I started getting hot spots on both feet. If you go with a full carbon sole, I doubt you will ever wear them out. I'm certainly hoping my Diadoras last forever.

noodle soup

I'm curious which Diadoras you have, and the shape of your foot. I've owned Diadoras in the past(8 or 9 years ago) and they fit my narrow foot well. All the recent reviews describe them as roomy.

Any insight on their modern offerings?

DrIsotope

They're the Diadora X-Vortex Pro-- I wanted a full CF sole but for SPD, and these felt the best out of the box. I wear an EU48, and have "duck" feet, where the toe-end of my feet is really flat and wide. This was a problem with my old Giros-- they fit fine with summer-weight socks, but any thicker sock would take up too much room and put my feet to sleep after awhile. Winters were just permanently tingly feet.

So if your feet are narrow, the X-Vortex may be too wide. They're plenty wide enough for me, and I usually wear a 4E in walking/running shoes. I have never had a hot spot even once in them, and though some folks (I guess) don't care for it, I love the double BOA. Getting even tension across my foot with other retention methods was always tricky.

wookv

I've had my Pearl Izumi Juice R2's for 8 years, about 10,000 miles, has been rain soaked a few times. The uppers are just fine, but my nylon soles creak.

noodle soup

Thanks.

Your comments confirm what I have read. Diadoras were my go to shoe for decades, but they have certainly changed.

Xherion

I have a pair of Diadora Vortex Pro Moviestars (3 bolt). They are definitely are not made for people with narrow, skinny feet. They end up giving me hot spots during long rides. Also because I have skinny feet, I get a crease in the leather because I have to really crank down the boas. It was worth the $47 I paid, but not nearly as well built as my Gaerne Chronos.

RShantz

I've got a pair of S-Works with about 20k and they are getting close to replacement. They've been crashed a couple times and the carbon sole is starting to splinter a good bit. I just replaced the heel pads and the carbon has worn there. Sometime soon they will fall off as the hole in the carbon will be larger than the screw.

hairnet

The last pair I actually needed to replace rather than wanted to was falling apart. The soles were separating, stitching coming apart, velcro was totally worn out, inside of the heels crumbing. Wore those into the ground. It takes a lot of abuse to do that, now I replace when I think the shoes looks too beat up and I can go for nice change of gear.