Maintenance and Care for SiDi Shoes

Proper care and maintenance of your SiDi shoes can prolong their life by literally years. Caring for SiDi shoes are a little different from other cycling or sports shoes because SiDi uses more advance materials and exclusive patented technology on some parts of the shoes. For instance the shoe uppers are made with a special textile called Lorica.

What is Lorica?

Lorica is a textile that has been designed to be like leather but better. Lorica is manufactured by DuPont from a tight mesh of synthetic micro-fibres that are treated with special resins to give the 'leather-like' properties to the material. However, since it’s not leather, there are distinct advantages – one of these is that Lorica uppers do not need 'odour eaters'.

Where Lorica also excels over leather is in many areas a cyclist needs; lighter weight, breathability, waterproofing and flexibility. Lorica is softer on the foot than leather and SiDi shoes made from Lorica do not have to be 'broken in'. Out of the box they are good for day-long comfort. A SiDi shoe with a Lorica upper has excellent wear characteristics and the fit will only improve over time.

Caring for Vernice Lorica

Lorica is also available with a 'patent leather' style finish - called Vernice ('ver-knee-chay'). The SiDi Vernice shoe uppers need a bit more care as the finish does not hide surface scratches in the same way as standard Lorica. Full care instructions are provided in the box. It is important to understand that 'small creases or crimping on the shoes are not considered as defects but a characteristic of the material used'.

Care Instructions for SiDi Shoes

Do's

• If the SiDi shoes are not damp or wet after a ride you should clean them with just a soft brush.
• If the shoes are muddy or wet you can clean them with a soft cloth or damp sponge. You should use warm water and normal washing up liquid to remove any baked-on dirt.
• After washing or riding in the wet, fill shoes with newspaper to absorb moisture. This will help the SiDi shoes to keep the shape.
• In between rides, keep your SiDi shoes stored in a cool, dry and well-ventilated place.
• To keep ratchets and other high-tech closure mechanisms in tip-top condition, apply a small quantity of silicone-based lubricant to the moving parts after cleaning, being sure to wipe away any excess lubricant.
• Regularly check and tighten all screws on your shoes, especially the Heel pads, SRS Sole Replacement System and the SDS Sole Dual System. Should any of these parts be excessively worn, order replacements or organise to have replacements fitted. This will extend the lifetime of your shoes and preserve your investment in performance cycling footwear.

Don'ts

• Do not wash your SiDi shoes in washing machine.
• Do not jetwash SiDi shoes with bike.
• Do not clean SiDi shoes with abrasive brushes.
• Do not use washing powder on SiDi shoes.
• Do not use detergents any stronger than normal washing up liquid. Also note that the use of detergents and rapid drying may cause excessive hardening or cracks to appear in the upper of the SiDi shoes.
• When drying SiDi Shoes, never place directly on heaters in front of a fire or by any other heat source liable to dry out the shoes unevenly.
• Avoid ‘over tightening’ any of the screws