How To Keep Shoelaces Out Of Bike Chain?
Imagine this: you’re off on a grand adventure with your bicycle, ready to cover vast distances alongside your friends. The sun is shining, the wind is in your hair, and the open road is calling your name. You’re halfway through your journey, the scenery is breathtaking, and you’re feeling the exhilarating rush of freedom that only a cyclist can understand.
But then, out of nowhere, an inconvenience occurs that brings your journey to a sudden halt. Your shoelaces, those seemingly innocent parts of your gear, have betrayed you. They’ve gotten entangled in the bike chain.
Not only does this mean you’ll have to spend precious time untangling your shoelaces from your bike’s chain. It also means you’ll end up dirty and exhausted, your energy reserves depleted far sooner than you’d planned. And let’s not forget the potential danger here. Getting your shoelaces stuck in your bike while cycling can cause a serious accident, turning a joyful ride into a dangerous situation in the blink of an eye.
But don’t worry, my fellow cyclist. This is a common issue that many of us face, and there are numerous ways to prevent it. So, let’s explore how to keep your shoelaces out of your bike chain, ensuring safer and smoother rides in the future.
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How to Keep Shoelaces Out of Bike Chain?
If you face this dilemma often, we suggest you read our article. We have listed down all the ways how to keep shoelaces out of the bike chain.
Related reading: How to Know if Your Cycling Shoes Are Too Small or Too Big?
Cutting Your Shoelaces Short
Long shoelaces require more maintenance, they take longer time to wash, a longer time to insert into the eyelets and form a lacing pattern. Long shoelaces are extending out no matter how widely you tie them up. The extensions easily untangle themselves and get inside the bike chain. You can solve this problem by cutting down your long shoelaces.
You can do this by marking a sport on both your shoelaces about an inch, from where your laces would enter your shoe’s first eyelet. Next, you need to hold both your shoelaces tight and measure from the eyelet to the mark you made.
This is the length which you will have to cut off with scissors. You have to pull your laces through both your cycling shoes and make your laces reach up to the point until you have your mark. All you need to do is trim that part and your laces are not of the perfect length.
You have to repair your lace’s aglet. You can do this by melting them to bring them into shape. Try tying your shoelaces now, you will see they are shorter and will not get inside bike chains anymore.
No-tie Shoelaces
Many of you must remember shoes with no-tie shoelaces from your childhood. Well, no-tie shoelaces were no doubt a kid’s product, but now adults have accepted them as well. Adults have joined on board to wearing no-tie shoelaces for quite a while.
Nike, Adidas, and many other famous brands have experimented on no-tie shoelaces and have found tremendous results. If you are a cyclist and you need tips on how to keep shoelaces out of bike chain, why not try no-tie shoelaces?
Besides, having to tie shoelaces every time you head out is a big hassle. No-tie shoelaces are convenient and are hassle-free. You can easily put on your shoes without having to tie your shoelaces. Plus, no-tie shoelaces make you look fashionable with your sneakers and pull out a sleek and stylish look.
Types of No-tie Shoelaces
There are two types of no-tie shoelaces:
Bungee-cord Styled Shoelaces
These are almost like regular laces, with a solo cord strung in your shoes. They have a locking feature in the place of a shoe lace knot. You can simply lock your laces instead of tying a knot.
Lay Flat Styled Laces
Lay flat style laces come as individual laces and stay locked in your shoe’s eyelets. These laces stretch when you slip in or out of your shoes.
Lacing No-tie Shoelaces
This is the easiest and the most convenient way to lace your no-tie shoelaces. U lacing pattern has been carried out by many cyclists to keep shoelaces out of bike chains.
And those of you who have 3 piece sneakers like the ones from Puma, Vans Sky-Hi, Adidas, Converse etc., U-lacing works best on them. U lacing is available singly on your local market, or you can order them from Amazon too.
After purchasing the U lace, you need to put it through your shoe’s eyelets, inserting the closed end first. Next, you need to take off the aglet from inside your shoes and pull them through.
You need to align the aglet in a way so that the open end is pointed towards your toe. You need to pull the U laces tightly and position them into place from the outside. Then, you need to stretch the lace to the next eyelet and carry out the same process like before.
Best No-tie Laces
In this section, let’s explore some of the most famous no-tie shoelaces that you can use.
Hickies Laces
Hickies is one of the easiest no-tie laces to wear. They stretch comfortably while running, cycling, or walking. Hickies laces are made of special plastic polymer that has thermal technology; it can be threaded into your shoe’s eyelets in many different ways.
Zubits Laces
They have a magnetic feature that gives your feet a good closure, and prevents laces from slipping out into your bike chains. They also allow to move your feet freely without any restrains.
Xtenex Laces
Unlike the top two, Xtenex laces are elastic no-tie laces that have a compression fitting. These use a self-blocking knot technique that helps it to maintain the tension. Apart from slipping out into your bike chain, these laces also prevent foot fatigue after cycling for long hours.
Greeper Laces
Greeper laces help make your shoe a complementary fit and keeps them flexible for cycling a bike. These laces contain small stoppers that prevent them from coming out of the shoes and sliding into the bike chain.
Related reading: How To Lace Cycling Shoes?
Alternative Idea
Here are some videos to help you better understand how to keep shoelaces out of bike chain. And also how to make a proper U-lace.
Bottom Line
The struggle of keeping shoelaces out of bike chains is a common one that many cyclists face. But as we’ve explored in this article, there are several effective methods to prevent this inconvenience.
Cutting your shoelaces short is a simple yet effective solution that I’ve personally found to be quite helpful. It reduces the chances of your laces getting caught in the bike chain and also makes them easier to manage.
No-tie shoelaces are another excellent option. They’ve come a long way from being just a kid’s product, with major brands like Nike and Adidas bringing them into the mainstream. They’re not only practical but also add a sleek and stylish look to your sneakers. There are two main types: bungee-cord styled shoelaces and lay flat styled laces, each with their unique benefits.
The key is to find a solution that works for you and your cycling style – whether you prefer traditional laces, no-tie options, or even slip-on sneakers, the most important thing is that you feel comfortable and safe on your bike.
Every cyclist understands the importance of these small details and how they can significantly impact the cycling experience. So, let’s keep those shoelaces out of our bike chains and enjoy smoother, safer rides.
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