Lake CX146 Winter biking shoe assessment: Bulky, however performs nicely even in sub-zero circumstances

While a lot of you might decelerate over winter, or at the very least retreat indoors to grind out hour after hour on the indoor coach, we don’t essentially have that luxurious right here at Cyclingnews. Winter means winter testing, and in the previous couple of weeks, the UK has been within the grip of a deep freeze. Perfect circumstances, then, for testing out among the greatest winter biking footwear. 

Over the final month or so I’ve been rolling out in a set of Lake CX146 winter footwear. As somebody with huge toes, I usually discover it difficult to seek out devoted winter footwear that really match me correctly, however right here I’ve discovered a contented companion. I did not even want the ‘huge’ model, with the common being splendidly roomy. 

The Lake CX146 is the warmest street shoe the model makes, although it’s removed from the deepest winter providing within the model’s vary, because it has a number of extraordinarily chunky choices designed, one imagines, for arctic fats biking. 

Luckily Bristol, UK, doesn’t get down under zero terribly usually, however I’ve been out driving in as little as -6ºC/21ºF, which is definitely colder than I’d usually trip in as a result of elevated threat of ice. Still, the footwear weren’t going to check themselves…

Design and Aesthetics 

My colleague Tom has performed a arise job of testing a terrific many winter biking footwear, and most have a extra cumbersome aesthetic than their summer time counterparts. The Lake CX146 I’m afraid to say aren’t any completely different, however when it is bitterly chilly and also you’re nonetheless getting the miles in does anybody care what your toes seem like? The barely chunky visible package deal isn’t helped by my huge toes, and is a symptom of many of the greatest biking footwear for huge toes, however that apart I feel Lake has performed an honest job of making a closely insulated shoe that doesn’t resemble an elephant’s foot. 

To start with the match: If you’ve worn Lake footwear up to now then the match shall be acquainted, and they’re much the identical because the CX333. I took Lake’s recommendation and went a measurement up, in order to permit room for the thicker winter socks. Normally I don’t advocate tremendous thick socks for winter driving, as compression of the foot can kill any thermal features by slicing off circulation, however with the additional room even the thickest socks from my information to one of the best winter biking socks had been simply accommodated. The CX146 does include a felt insole to additional insulate the foot from the chilly, however I’m wedded to my arch assist, so that they bought swapped out instantly – I do nevertheless have little doubt they’d make them even hotter than I skilled. 

The sole is an injected nylon affair, and so isn’t as stiff as a carbon possibility, nevertheless it’s a winter boot and so not designed for chasing KOMs. It has no vents, which is eminently smart, and solely accepts 3-bolt cleats, although the Lake MX146 is successfully the identical shoe, however with a lugged sole and made for 2-bolt cleats. It’s stiff sufficient for a winter biking shoe, however particularly with the additional room, it did often really feel on the sloppy facet. 

The uppers seem like leather-based, which is commonly an indicator of Lake footwear, however a relentless barrage of salt and water from the street would degrade leather-based very quick certainly. So as a substitute, the uppers are a tricky microfibre, with a softshell ankle, insulated inside by Thinsulate artificial insulation. Lake charges the CX146 all the way down to -4ºC/25ºF. 

The Closure mechanism is taken care of by a single, monumental, and closely textured BOA M4 dial. The M4 is a much more rugged model of the BOA dials we usually see on biking footwear, and is extra usually discovered on issues like chainsaw boots and fight footwear. Suffice it to say I discovered it sufficiently robust for (checks notes) driving a bicycle. Joking apart, the big dial is considerably simpler to function in thick winter gloves than the extra low-profile choices. For such a giant boot there’s lots of twine for one dial to work with, and with the intention to get the match proper you must pop your foot in, pull a tab on the twine to tighten the forefoot, then take up the slack with the BOA, earlier than permitting it to tighten the ankle. All the lacing is then coated by a Velcro-backed flap to maintain the spray out. 

The CX146 is nominally water-proof, however as I’m positive my colleague Tom will even attest from his complete testing of one of the best biking overshoes, stopping water ingress is often higher taken care of by overshoes. As I’ll go into in a second, these are a winter biking shoe, not a moist climate shoe. 

At 980g for the pair (with cleats put in), they aren’t going to win any weight weenie titles, however let’s be actual right here, did you count on them to? Making one thing heat wants extra materials, which weighs extra.

Performance 

I’ll begin by saying that I feel I’d have gotten extra use out of the Lake CX146 if I’d have caught to my ordinary shoe measurement. I do get the concept behind suggesting a measurement up, and it does enable for thicker socks, nevertheless it meant that I solely reached for them when it was actually chilly. Using them in instances the place the temperature was within the excessive single digits I really discovered them too sizzling with the nice and cozy socks on, however with thinner socks they then felt quite floppy and cumbersome. My suggestion is to stay to your regular measurement and spend money on some actually good, skinny winter biking socks. Neoprene if it’s very chilly, alpaca or merino in any other case. 

The different difficulty with going a measurement up was the cleat placement. Lake footwear usually (that is the third pair I’ve examined) don’t have cleat holes drilled all that far again and I find yourself setting the cleats way back to I can, and nonetheless would really like extra motion. Going up a measurement barely exacerbates this difficulty. Again, I counsel you follow your chosen measurement. 

Sizing points apart you may be happy to listen to these are a really heat pair of biking footwear. In low single figures, I used to be by no means troubled by the chilly, even with out the felt insoles, and solely started to get barely numb toes when the temperatures bought to round -2. With the correct insoles, I totally count on Lakes temperature assessments to be spot on, however even when driving at excessive depth in temperatures as little as -6ºC issues had been completely bearable. 

One factor that I additionally was glad of was greater than a passing nod given to elevated reflectivity. The tongue, heel, and outstep all have giant reflective patches which can improve visibility, which is all the time useful on chilly, darkish nation lanes after hours. 

I did use them within the spray, on a very depressing trip at round 2 levels with no mudguards and loads of standing water. My toes didn’t get moist, however the velcro tongue flap does go away room for water to seep in and the ankle doesn’t seal overly tightly, and it’s constructed from absorbent materials. If it’s moist, go for an honest set of overshoes as a substitute. 

While they had been heat, marvellously so in correctly chilly circumstances, I did discover the tongue pressed somewhat uncomfortably proper on the base of my leg the place leg turns into foot. I feel the difficulty right here lies in sizing up – as I needed to tighten the BOA greater than I’d with a smaller measurement to take up the extra house, that a part of my foot turned the pinch level. While I didn’t take a look at a smaller measurement I’m comparatively assured that the strain could be extra evenly distributed there. 

The sole does have a little bit of flex, that’s to be anticipated with a Nylon sole and never one thing I’m going to mark them down for. If something it’s barely extra in step with the vibe of the shoe – massive, chilly winter miles are about staying snug, not making an attempt to have the stiffest setup attainable for what in all chance isn’t any tangible acquire.

One last factor is the width. If you’ve huge toes as I do then that is possible your solely practical possibility. I can’t consider one other devoted winter shoe that’s correctly huge. It’s usually irritating to be hamstrung by an absence of choices, however on the whole, these carried out excellently so don’t be too disheartened when you naturally steer right here, you gained’t be disillusioned. 

Value 

A $280/£230 is a steep price ticket for a pair of footwear, however that’s on a par with a pair of footwear on the excessive mid-range for summer time use and fairly good worth for a devoted winter boot. If you trip someplace that’s persistently chilly I’d counsel that spending cash on conserving your toes heat is about pretty much as good an funding as you can also make in your consolation. If, like me, the temperature solely drops under freezing often then I’d counsel you can also make do with regular footwear, higher socks and high quality overshoes. 

If you want them, particularly if you’re huge of foot, then I don’t assume the worth tag is outlandish. They will completely empower you to trip in additional excessive circumstances than you maybe in any other case would have the ability to.

Verdict 

A really succesful pair of deep winter footwear, greater than able to staying snug in temperatures under freezing. If you usually encounter harsh, sub-zero circumstances then I can see the sense in sizing as much as make room for large socks. If you encounter chilly, however not freezing circumstances then follow your ordinary shoe measurement. If you’re all the time driving within the rain, go for overshoes as a substitute. The match isn’t fairly so safe as a dual-BOA summer time shoe, however the commerce off is a fairly snug state of affairs to get you thru the longest, darkest, coldest rides.