By Pat Wells

Road cyclists are well known for their style when it comes to their clothing. They will also give in for the sock doping trend showing off colors and different patterns rather than a simple white ankle sock.

Cycling shoes, however, are offered with many different fastening systems ranging from Velcro and ratchet to Boa, but there is a strong growing trend among the velocipede aficionados: the good old laces system. Yes, the old laces are back in business.

Every new fashion statement has some story behind its origin, and this one started in 2012. Giro, a well-known cycling shoe manufacturer, did not know at the time that the lace-up cycling shoes the company crafted for American Taylor Phinney would be a hit for the consumers. That’s because Giro had no plan to bring them to market.

The Giro empire was created when soccer-obsessed Phinney told designers that he had always loved the look of Nike’s Mercurial soccer cleats when he was a kid. Not long after winning the opening time trial of the 2012 Giro d’Italia, Phinney became the most photographed rider at the race, and his low-profile silver shoes with neon-green laces became famously on demand. By 2017, pretty much every cycling shoe factory brought a lace-up model in its line-up.

The pros

They are ultralight, simple in their design and easy to repair. They come with one of the most rigid carbon sole on the market. Do you go faster with them? No, you don’t. But the laces are durable and allow a more precise fit on your entire foot and you can trust them after many years of service. Some archeologists believe that laces have been around for as long as 5,000 years, and they are still here today. There must be something pretty good about laces.

The cons

Certain riders like to adjust their shoes while they’re riding, especially when they are getting ready to sprint. The adjustment is easier with ratcheting straps. Good luck doing that with laces at 45 km/h.

If you want to lace up your shoes strictly at the beginning of your ride, you might consider the retro look of lace-up shoes in your cycling closet. Comfort will on the other hand outshine any performance factor or fashion statement.