Inspiring excellence in everything we do
We’re coming towards the final throes of the cycling scene internationally for 2024. Two of the grand tours are completed on the road world tour, and the mountain biking events have been coming thick and fast, with world cups all around the globe. Add to this that the Olympics have been entertaining us all for the past few weeks, and cycling has once again played a central part in the sporting lives and viewing of so many people. In Paris, with four cycling disciplines tested, and new champions created, it’s been inspiring for all of us watching. The four cycling disciplines: road cycling, mountain biking, track cycling, and BMX racing, each provide athletes with a particular challenge, and seconds can make the difference between winning and losing – whether that’s in Paris, the Tour de France or in Chamonix on the World Cup MTB racing.
Triathlon is another event that sits neatly within the cycling genres, as triathletes more than anyone know the value of equipment that performs exceptionally – especially in transition, where seconds can easily mean the difference between a celebration or defeat. Inspiring excellence is something that should in truth, inform us all and help us to lead better lives. It’s a phrase that mirrors in many ways, what we at Lake cycling shoes have strived to do for over 40 years. For us here at Lake, each cyclist is unique, and accepting this has driven us to innovate and excel in designing and creating cycling shoes that can perform in every cycling discipline across the wide and varied global cycling community – not just within cycle sport itself.
Leading the pack in Triathlon shoes
Way back in 1985, Lake created the first pure Triathlon shoe, worn by Mark Allen; and in doing so we changed the perception of what’s fast for a triathlete. In the time since, we haven’t stood still either, and today our TX 322 Air Triathlon shoe comes with an enlarged toe mesh window, to aid airflow, and has a profile specifically designed for very high-cadence riding & higher pressure, using our Competition last which features a more curved profile than the Sport last. Our design team are constantly looking at changes that will improve the comfort and performance our cycling shoes – not least in the sport of triathlon.
Jumping for joy, as cyclists
Whilst we can’t all be great cyclists, we can enjoy our sport to maximum; and our Lake BMX ambassador, Carly Kane isn’t racing at Paris, but she continues to rock the BMX tracks all over the world, racing in the high-adrenaline and fearless sport of BMX. Using a custom version of our renowned MX238 shoe, Carly describes it as her own favourite shoe, and it gives that necessary balance between performance, comfort and in this case, toughness that racing a BMX at the highest level requires. The use and adaptability of the MX238 is renowned, and Carly continues to prove its worthiness on the BMX circuit.
The road to victory takes innovation and excellence
Road and track cyclists have also inspired us all during the recent events at the Tour de France, where the leading riders gave their all, in search of yellow. Paris has been similarly inspiring, with Belgium winning the golds in both the road race and the time trial – events that will undoubtably have inspired the next generation of world-class riders. Their journey along the way will be tough, unrelenting, and hopefully filled with joy and success.
Part of that, comes from all of us within the cycling industry, who owe a duty to all athletes, at all levels, be them Grand Tour riders, club riders or Olympians. We owe to them, and to ourselves to strive for innovation and excellence in everything that we do – such as our CX333 road cycling shoe, which we at Lake believe embodies the qualities that show the evolution of the road cycling shoe over many years – over the 40 plus years that our team of experts have been creating cycling shoes for club riders, leisure riders and champions alike.
Yes, it’s been a truly memorable spring and summer of sport, and as we head towards Autumn and the World Championships for both road and mountain biking, followed by the track championships in October; we can all look ahead to a future filled with inspirational rides, and with our own cycling feet wrapped comfortably in innovation and excellence from Lake cycling shoes, every time we step across the bike and seek our own adventure on 2-wheels.