There are several natural enemies of the unicyclist. Loose shoe laces are one of them.  Even though I double knot the thick laces on my 5.10’s every now and then they come undone during a ride, not good! I’ve had pair of Yankz! laces in the cupboard for a few months and decided it was time to give them a go.

Eek! violent UPD waiting to happen
Eek! violent UPD waiting to happen

According to Yankz:

Yankz! were designed to meet the rigorous demands of serious athletes. The elastic cord gives slightly to allow for increased comfort while running. Unlike traditional laces, they have two points of adjustment (the ankle AND the toe) so every type foot can be fitted in the correct way for its shape; this increases comfort and may reduce risk of injury. They never come untied, so athletes don’t have to break from the action to adjust undone laces.

Sounds good. Detailed instructions come with the Yankz laces, though they may make the fitting process sound more difficult than it is in practice.

Yankz Sure Lace System Instructions
Yankz! Sure Lace System Instructions

Initially it seemed the Yankz! laces wouldn’t be long enough but it turns out they are just the right length in the 5.10’s and can also be trimmed back if need be anyway.

Yankz! Sure Lace System Fitted
Yankz! Sure Lace System Fitted

After several rides I’m happy to report the Yankz! are working well. With Yankz! there is no need to unlock the system to get your shoes off and on, but once correctly adjusted with your feet in the shoes there is enough tension in the Yankz! system for the shoes to fit snuggly/firmly.

The key point is with Yankz! of course is that there are no laces to come undone and no lace lengths left anywhere near the pedals, cranks, wheels etc. You’re also able to refine the fit of the shoes once the laces are fitted by ‘unlocking’ the system and adjusting either or both plastic T pieces.

I’ve had some close calls with shoe laces coming undone on the unicycle. Now hopefully with Yankz! lace problems are a thing of the past.

One Response

  1. Just an update. A week or two on and the Yankz are working out great for me.

    It took some fiddling around to get the tension in the laces overall just right as well as the the tension/fit provided by two clamps. The 5.10’s are already a snug fit on my feet, if anything they’re a little more comfortable now with the Yankz.

    It’s definitely good fun to no longer need to check laces during a ride and have that concern in the back of your mind. For a lazy sod like me with back problems it’s also handy being able to slip shoes on without having to tie up the laces.

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