I bought some cheap aldi cycle shoes in there last sale just before the winter so about September. To be honest they have been great and well worth the £20, I had no problems with them at all. However in the last week or so they have suddenly started to fall to bits. I did expect this to happen sooner really.

I have started looking around for some replacement ones that were a bit more expensive but on a review that someone had put on a pair(I can’t remember the sort) they said that they go through about 2 pairs a year.

Obviously it will be down to how much riding you do but it got me thinking how long do peoples shoes generally last?

Still got a pair if Sidi’s from 2008, the odd scuff here and there but essentially like new

I usually get 3 to 4 years out of mine but have gone through some in a season. The first thing that usually goes is the cleat which can then need drilling out which can risk damaging the shoe… time somebody invented easy to change cleats.

Mine last for years. Not huge mileage admittedly. (Decent shimano)

You get what you pay for. My £80 Specialized shoes are still going strong, eight years in.

Specialized BG (3 velcro straps) – on last legs but quite possibly 10 years old, certainly 8/9 years..

My S-Works soles have just parted company from the upper. Can (and will) be glued, but a little disappointed as they’re only 3 years old, and not what I expect of a £240 shoe used fairly sparingly.

Older S-Works shoes have lasted years, my road ones are 2007, the padding around the heel is wearing a bit now, but that’s it.

Get about a year out of shimano Am40’s before the sole is in bits and detaching from the upper, but I only use them 2-3 times a week.

I’ve got low-level Shimano shoes that are about 8 or 9 years old. Tbh I use flat shoes more though, and they tend only to last a couple of years before the sole is shredded beyond repair.

AM4x were my fav shoes. Lasted about 18 months. Remember on my Jedi session having to duct tape the sole back on! Spesh BG are tough old boots.. use mine 8 months a year and last three seasons at least. That’s probably 2-3 rides a week.

Bought some Shimano M162s. Took ’em to spain. Sole fell off third day. Still CRC did replace them so we’ll see how they go this year.

Spesh Defroster boots. 4 Winters. Awesome. Velcro is shot now and they’re starting to leak, but top performers in the most grotty of conditions.

Shimano disco slippers last me 2-3 years.
My MT90s on the other viand, are going into their eight winter. They are starting to get a little tatty though. Can’t decide on MT91s or is MT92 just around the corner?

I wear the same trainers constantly tbh for general every day usage, currently got a pair of salomon goretex, been lasting well. As mentioned I wear them all the time, on the bike(flat peddles with pins, been standing up well to those. and for when I walking to work etc.

The soles are always the first thing to go, but these are holding up well 10 months in, I expect I’ll just buy a new pair of these mid summer. so about 100 odd quid a year, but it’s the walking in them that wears them out, can’t complain, they are still waterproof. So performing better thatn previous north face gutties I’ve bought in the past.

Thanks for this everyone, its quite interesting really.

As warpcow has said about the flat shoes is it these that generally don’t last as long? The ones I have were flat(with a cleat) but are ideal for when I go out with my young son in his bike seat and have to chase him around playgrounds etc

Surely mileage / actually usage is more of a gauge than elapsed time?

I tend to replaced shoes around the 3-4k mile mark, usually they are starting to show signs of needing replacement by then.

Sidi Dominators since about 2008 I think, maybe longer. Utterly indestructible

Yes your right DT78, I got about a 1000 winter miles out of mine.

Shimano SPD’s last for ever.

Shimano/Vibram flats usually about 2 years until the pins wear throught the sole.

Thanks Rusty, that’s what I’m starting to think.

Shimano SPD’s last for ever.

+1

I’m using a pair of Shimanos for the daily commute I’ve had since 2003! Ok the cleats could do with replacing but I’m not sure I could get the off as they’re so worn!

Cheers,
Jamie

Still got my 661’s after 4 and a half years, no problems with them.

Trainers on the other hand – i seem to go through a pair every 4-5 months no matter what make or style.

my battered Pearl Izumi’s got retired from commuting a month ago cos the neighbours tomcat came through the cat flap one night and pi$$ed in them, Mutiple washes of them and they were still incredibly stinky and I had to throw them out as a result.

An electronic cat flap has now been fitted!

I’ve worn the same pair of Specialized BG Sport shoes for every ride since 2004. I think they were £60 new. If they ever fall apart, I’ll be buying the same again.

Shimano spd’s M161 (I think )they get tawled through the mud most weekends
then 130 miles a week commuting on the road bike
3 years old and still going strong cant see me changing them any time soon
think they were around £90 at the time

Bought some Shimano SPD shoes in 1997, they’re still going strong, though I don’t wear them in the winter as walking up mountains in them has worn holes where the toe meets the sole. All the rubber grips have fallen off too, but can’t complain given they’re 17 years old.

Got some Sidi that are 4 years old too, these are still in decent condition too.

Biggest risk with SPD shoes is that you let the bolts rust and then knacker the soles trying to get them out again I reckon.

I kill shoes.

Normal XC shoes, I seem to be lucky to get 2 summers out of them. Either the soles go flexy (shimano/diadora), the mesh wears out in the corners (shimano again), soles fall apart (scott). I had a paiur of specialized that seemed to last quite well but that was Aaaaaages ago.

Shimano winter boots (3rd winter) and Shimano AM45 (worn all last year apart from the depth of winter) seem to be lasting well.

Considering getting a set of summer XC shoes as the AM45s get hot. Might try the cheap DHB ones.

Another old (6 plus years) pair of specialized bg spds here. The Velcro straps are starting to fray where they go around the metal loop, and the cleats are worn beyond repair but still fine for commuting.

Bought a pair of specialized pro mtb shoes a couple of years ago- still almost like new apart from the road rash down one side of them after an off on the road bike.

Biggest risk with SPD shoes is that you let the bolts rust and then knacker the soles trying to get them out again I reckon.

Dremel.

Disco slippers used to last me a fair while…the last pair of Northwave’s just kept on going.

Flat shoes not so long, maiy because the sole gets torn up. I bought some 5 10 BMX shows for the summer last year and they didn’t last long at all. My freeriders are doing better but stink to high heaven…they didn’t drypproperly after a wet winter ride and now smell really fusty and rotten. They were expensive though so I’ll use them until the sole is dead!

I bought a pair of sidi dominators in 2004, used them commuting since 2006, at least 120 miles March to October. Battered and scruffy but still going strong. I’ll be sad when they die.

time somebody invented easy to change cleats.

Plenty of grease on installation and back the bolts off and retighten every month and you shouldn’t have any issues when its time to renew.

£20 Aldi “XC style” shoes like these:

Still going strong after ~ 3 years or so, used for road and MTBing…

Bought some of these one however:

Also for £20 and the adhesive holding the lower sole to the mid gave up within 2 rides and they fell apart on my feet…

I’ve got some Diadorra’s too that are still going after about 5 years

Last 2 pairs of Shimano MTB shoes (the white & black ones with the ratchet strap) have each lasted a whole 10 months before the upper has split round about the bottom of the straps / top of the toe box, bit crap really

Shimano disco slippers and winter boots here. Both pairs have at least 10000 miles behind them and are a bit scuffed but perfectly functional.

My Teva Links are about 2 years old now. They were about £80. They’re flats, the sole is a bit scuffed from pedal pins, but they are caked in mud most of the time and worn about 4-5 days a week for commuting, and then at work and when pottering about it the gardens or the park.

They’re tough old things, and I just picked up a pair for £43 for when they finally give up the ghost.

Cookea those black and silver ones are the same as I have, I have only just got 6 months out of mine though, I really liked them and had no problems but like I said they just went in a couple of weeks, sole came away, silver bits peeled off, soles worn through.

my £18 decathlon walking shoes must have about 10,000km on them (2years commuting), using flat pedals.

they’re just about worn-in.

Spesh bg just been replaced after 9 years
Prob used 2-3 Times a week but not in winter when used shimano boots which are going strong 7 years later
I use copper grease when fitting cleats and it seems to work well

Still using a pair of Lakes I bought about 10 years ago for £40. Had almost daily use commuting for the last 3 years in addition to being used for MTB rides. If the Aldi shoes have only lasted 6 months they must be proper shite!

@ markshires – I think it’s a luck of the draw thing with Aldi/Lidl cycling shoes, it probably depend on which batch / Style of shoe you have, I’ve had one good pair and one Duff pair, I’d put it down to their suppliers probably cutting costs on adhesives, does make me thik twice about buying another pair, I probably would get another pair of the Silver/black XC type ones, I’ll steer clear of the others though…

I suppose it’s worth mentioiing that the ones I killed in two rides were ridden in muddy, Damp conditions and theat seems to have just destroyed the adhesive, but the Silver jobbies have seen lots of mixed conditions, by now they’ve been saturated with sweat, grit and water…

I have been looking at some basic £30 Decathlon shoes the other day, as I will need some “Trainer-esq” SPD style shoes soon to replace current pair. and while I’m drawn towads some Shimano AM45, for half the money I can get a basic shoe that would probably last quite a while and weigh about the same…

I killed two pairs of Spesh Rockhopper BG boots in a season while guiding – to be honest it put me off Spesh shoes for life.

In comparison I have a pair of Shimanos from 199X that are still going strong. Shimmys also seem to (or certainly used to) fit my narrow feet better.