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Written by Zach Magoon
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Wednesday, 19 December 2007 |
I want to seriously promote these two products for winter commuting and riding. The first is the Lake Winter Mountain boots. These things rock. The BOA lacing system is easy to dial in a comfy fit with its push-pull tension adjustment wheel while two velcro panels conceal the laces and provide a great weather barrier.
The leather uppers are soft and supple and I applied the (provided) NuWax right away to ensure a little more water-proofness and guard against salt and sand. Another great feature is the Vibram sole that completely recesses the cleats so that when walking. It's all rubber--a nice feature when pushing the bike on ice or snow or walking on pavement.
So far they've provided the best thermal protection of any bike shoe or bike shoe/booty combination I have ever tried. And believe me, I've tried a lot. They are Thinsulate lined and have a funky space blanket insert that reflects heat back up to my wee little toes. I've been riding in temps down to the single digits when everything else on my body is pretty cold and my feet are secure, warm and toasty.
I would highly recommend these boots to anyone who rides in the winter. One improvement I would insist on for next year's model would be a carbon sole. All of my other bike shoes have one and this one would be ideal if it were a little stiffer. I can feel a little bit of flex when I stand up and grind that SS through the snow. And why isn't this thing totally waterproof? Not sure. Throw a GoreTex layer in there, end it. I would give this product four and half flaming Bikeman heads (stiffness keeps it from 5).
The other products I would like to praise are the Nokian Hakkapelitta 700x35 Studded Tires. I wouldn't ride in winter without them. Hell, I even took off my rear brake to fit them on my Redline. They hook up on nearly any surface from tar to sheer ice. It provides a level of confidence that one cannot achieve with straight rubber. All 106 studs grind into the snow and ice, allowing me to turn on otherwise impossible surfaces. They are rather heavy and do drag a bit on bare asphalt, but the trade-off of killer traction trumps the weight weenie concerns. These would get a solid four flaming Bikeman heads (weight keeps it from 5).
Ride safely out there in the snow-- keep those arms loose and the front wheel straight.
Happy Holidays,
Zm |
