Years ago I found the only SPD shoes that I get on with/prefer/like; the Specialized BG Sport. They don’t seem to last ‘long’ though – the heels start seperating from the uppers after a year- literally just after a year it happens. Ive been through 4-5 pairs.

Is this right? Anyone else? Should I expect them to last longer or is there an inherent fault in the design?!!

I’ve got the same shoes. 4 years in and only now starting to show signs of age.

It’s you. Mine last fine.

I’ve got the same Spesh Sport shoes. Think I’ve had them about 6 years so far and still going strong. I never wash them or dry them out on top of a radiator though..

Not bad for shoes that cost £35 !

my spesh spds have lasted a long time, about 7 yrs i guess, still look in good order, though a bit dusty looking.

about 1 year max for me

I was riding 2/3 times a week and doing a lot of carrying/walking on rough rocky ground

the pair I’m using on my road bike look like I could send them back as new

I agree with Hora. Exactly the same problem here, the later versions (the one with the red sole) are not as well made as the original grey ones. In the end I managed to get a deal on the next model up which are much better and more comfortable.

its all the walking you do

old_mtber which model is that?

Straps broke after a year on mine. 2-3 a week commuting and mtbing. Wasn’t impressed.

Are they the right size 😉

On the design, they subtly changed the design about 2yrs(?) ago. The previous (first) pair I had lasted over 3yrs. It was only subtle style changes but they weren’t the same afterwards..

My mate got told (by the idiots in Evans) that the reason his Spesh shoes kept falling apart were due to his riding style.

So he did what any normal person who do, didn’t change his riding style but changed his shoe make and surprise surprise, all ok.

I have various models of BG shoes and they’ve lasted years. However they’re the early versions so perhaps that’s why. I have noticed the quality of Spesh gloves etc took a dip a while back so maybe same us true of the shoes.

I’ve been doing my best to kill some BG Pros for the last three years because I’d like to justify a shiny new pair. No luck so far though. Seemingly indestructible.

been wearing them since 03 and have had a new pair every year so no difference in manufacturing noticed here.

If you are on the bike and never clip them then I guess they will last longer, but get into rocks tree roots and stuff and they take their toll.

Walking/pushing up hills would only affect the front/grips where you make contact as the heel-lift is from leverage regardless of what the ball of the foot is doing. Looking at the soles/grip they are in VERY good condition.

I found the earlier ones rotted the upper mesh sections into open ‘holes’ waaaaaay before anything else failed. Infact I only retired them as they rear uppers were collapsing in sideways. The soles remained attached to the uppers. The later minor-visual tweaked ones seem to seperate (bad glue?)..

My Scott SPD’s are starting to wear after 6 years. Nike ones (road only) are lasting well too. 100miles a week plus.

I have no luck with Shimano shoes. Fit is great, but on every pair I’ve owned (at least 8), soles separate from shoes within about 6-9 months. Oddly, Specialized shoes do seem to say longer for me – generally 18+ months at least.

Hora – BG Comp MTB. List price is about the £100 mark. They are much better made, more comfortable and you get studs as well.
As other people have said the originals were very good. Quality has suffered over the last 4 years or so to keep the price down I imagine.
I’ve stuck with BG shoes as they fit me really well.

Could be right about the glue – my second pair really stank when wet and fell apart after 18 months average use.

So whats a good alternative then? The best shoes I ever had were Nike Poobah’s (think thats what they were called..) I then bought some Shimanos that were awful, and then these Spesh ones. I’ve never paid of £60 though… or intend to!

Never tried Shimano – their sizing is odd and they just don’t fit my feet!

Spesh BG Sports here… on 5 years of use and still in good condition

FYI – the warranty on these shoes is 2yrs. I’ve dropped them off at the LBS.

After 18 months mine looked very shabby – the rear reflective bits had fallen apart etc.

Still work though.

They change the design every year, and have done so for at least 15 years, there’s not a point where they changed.

We sold literally hundreds of pairs, and I can count in single figures how many came back like that. Sounds like you’re doing something wrong!

I hear you but the first pair lasted forever! Its only the last 2-3 that have lasted circa one year each.

I was looking at another new pair(s) last night and on some of the BG’s you can see the glue line where it isn’t ‘right’ – little gaps.

I have a pair from 2001 !

Mind I have worn other shoes in that time too.

Sounds like you need a new bike.
Had an old pair of Nike Poo Bags, tried them last year and they were awful. Flexy in all directions, shoes are so much better now.

My DHB road shoes have not lasted 2 years. The heel is knackered from my short walk in them from when I commute. It’s not like I am a heavy oaf either (69kg).

I might try something different to BG’s. What though?

njee20 – Doing something wrong – like what exactly?

I’ve got the same shoes. 4 years in and only now starting to show signs of age.

Same here, and mine have had a hard life, too. When they go I’ll just get some new ones the same. 🙂

My Shimano winter boots(the red downhill ones) worn 8 months of the year.
10 years old still going strong.

My Spesh BGs (Comp or Sport, can’t remember) have lasted 11 years so far. Stopped using them for a while as I got some Shimano MT32s, but have gone back to the Speshes recently.

They’re tatty, mind.

I have some Spec BG comps that lasted for over 3 years of daily commuting abuse and weekend warrioring in the hills, the ratchets had to be replaced but I ultimately changed them because the uppers got a bit baggy and the velcro was wearing out.
I replaced them with some Giro shoes which are virtually the same but better:
– carbon composite sole which is much stiffer – my only gripe about the Spec shoes
– lower profile sole so less clunky
– they are also a bit less boxy
I am sure they are made in the same factory as Spec shoes.

I’ve got some Scott SPD shoes I bought in 1999, they’ve been used for weekend and weekday XC rides since then, and commuting every day for the last 5 years and eight 24 hour races, and various local races, so far they’re still in good shape, although I think one of the laces is about to snap 🙁

I’ve always used Spesh shoes and I’ve had the same problem with the heel collapsing, the last pair did last 5 years though.
Just been more careful with my newest pair and use a shoe horn.
I have also thought that the quality of the spesh gloves has gotten worse, mine only last a year now at best, but they are still very comfortable.

Well Specialized UK through their shop Evans Cycles told me ‘no’ as the shoes have obviously been well used.

Now, when specialized decided to offer the 2yr warranty they must have realised that some of their customers would actually use their products whilst some wouldn’t. Within the design they must have consideration that some would use more than others……they rejected them as the toe-part was quite worn (climbing/pushing up) but I was claiming for the heal seperating from the upper at the other end of the shoe.

**** hell, imagine I was claiming on one of their bikes. At least Turner bikes know how to treat their customers.