Getting ready for the rough stuff

Autumn trail riding – with Lake

Yes, the nights are getting dark earlier, the winds are cooler and the short sleeve cycling jerseys are just not warm enough anymore – Autumn has arrived. Thankfully, with the right cycling shoes on your feet, it’s a fantastic time to hit the trails and to take on some cross-country mountain biking. If you’ve already taken to gravel biking, then this is a next level adrenaline rush; with the more technical and twisting trails ready to welcome you and to create the ultimate in cycling excitement. Best of all, mountain biking is an awesome way to hone those critical bike handling skills, without taking to the slip-sliding mud-fest of cyclocross.

Add to this, that mountain bike cross country works on that irrefutable point: ‘what goes up, not only comes down… but it does so at speed!’ Then, with the added benefit of a fast and furious full-suspension bike to create the necessary comfort, hitting the hard packed trails in autumn is a great way to find adventure on 2-wheels, without worrying about the wetter roads and those slippery autumn leaves on the tarmac.

Comfort Power & Grip

You do however need the right cycling footwear for mountain bike XC, and thankfully we’ve got one of the best selections of mountain biking shoes in the world to choose from. Whether you plan on being a speed freak racer, or a ‘ride by seat of your pants’ adrenaline junkie, the key points are comfort, power and grip:

1. Comfort, because we build this into every Lake cycling shoe, so that you can ride with smiles all day long;
2. Power, because you definitely need that maximum power transfer on the trails, to speed you through the technical sections;
3. Finally, that all-important grip, when you place your feet down on the tricky bits and you need to know that your all-important foot placement will stay strong.

Mountain biking cross-country takes you to those wild and remote places, away from the traffic, where you can replenish your soul. It adds a degree of comfort that a gravel bike won’t give you, and that added bonus of adrenaline. Here, in the Yorkshire Dales and North Yorks Moors National Parks, where I regularly test out our range of Lake cycling shoes – on tarmac and trail – there’s some of the very best mountain biking cross-country trails in Europe; alongside for awesome café stops, too – a vital ingredient!

Choosing the right footwear

One of the great things about Lake cycling shoes – and which helps to keep us up there as one of the world’s best cycling shoe brands – is that we keep things simple. If you currently use or CX239 cycling shoe on the road, and it fits perfectly and is ultra-comfortable; then you can rely on the fact that the same size shoe in our MX239 off-road version will fit the same, feel the same and give you that same level of power and performance. You don’t need to worry about which shoe will work for you, if our expert shoe fitting partners have already helped you on the road.

Yes, the shoe upper will be designed to be more robust and will have models that will give you a few more material choices. It will also come with an off-road specific sole, to give you that necessary grip and confidence.

The MX239 comes fitted with our Lake Competition 100% Carbon Fiber Sole, alongside our Mountain Competition real rubber sole, and with extended protection for excellent ground stability. This added outsole protection helps to ensure stability on all types of surfaces, while giving necessary performance on the pedals. The rubber extends over the front edge of the shoe, providing you with important protection against wear and tear on loose terrain.

Enjoy the colours of autumn

Another great choice for autumn riding is our Lake MX30G, which can be used for both gravel biking and mountain bike cross-country. It’s a favourite of mine, and comes in a super lightweight design, with a mesh upper option too, to keep your feet cool, help with breathability on those hard days riding, and to let the water out, as you tackle those forded rivers that make mountain biking so much fun!

The MX30G is a classically designed, pure and simple off-road adventure shoe. As mentioned, it comes as a stylish all-microfiber version and an ultra-lightweight mesh version, giving you a choice for warmer and more humid – or wet – days and rides! Yes, the mesh option is ideal for fast river crossings, allowing the water to be easily released and aiding the drying process with an airflow around the foot. The microfiber upper option is more rugged, tough and hard-wearing; taking care of those knocks and rocks that frequently accompany a fast paced, technical trail with the dust and gravel flying around the wheels.

In terms of the all-important sole, the MX30G is music to your ears. We’ve kept things light and super stiff using our Lake Race 100% Carbon fibre Sole with our durable and grippy TPU lugs to give you a reliable grip on those loose and technical surfaces. The lugged over-sole also has provisions for toe spikes for when the ground is extremely soft and you require that additional security of foot placement. It’s a stiff sole that guarantees grip, and keeps your feet firmly planted on the pedals, controlling the bike on the loose ground as the trails twist and turn.

Both the MX239 and MX30G use a double BOA closure system, giving you the most advanced closure platform in cycling; offering a precise, micro-adjustable fit in both directions, and specifically designed to resist abrasion. It’s perfect for what we believe is the best off-road bike specific shoe available today.

Slow and steady catches the breeze

If you’re looking for a great autumn trail shoe that can also take on the commute or handle the bike-hike sections in ultimate comfort, then our Lake MX169 could be the trail shoe for you.

The MX169 is all about utility, durability, foot protection and an even more sure-footed grip, with our ultra comfortable rubber sole. It’s designed for all around mountain biking, commuting, enduro touring, adventure racing or any situation where “heavy use on your feet all day” support is needed. Our Enduro rubber sole is not only SPD compatible but is also able to grip cage pedals and flats, and be hiked in comfort for hour, offering the most traction and grip off the bike, of any mountain bike sole on the market.

The upper is made from Clarino Microfiber and abrasion resistant Tektile panels. The last is our all-new Comfort Plus Last, with a wider toe box and a unique construction that offers a light weight and extremely breathable shoe with a generous forefoot platform that accommodates a multitude of foot shapes. In terms of closure and security, it also has the ultimate in adjustability – laces!

It’s time for adventure!

Whilst summer may be over for 2025, and the road surfaces will be getting trickier to handle; there’s no need to retreat indoors. That cooler temperature means that it’s a good opportunity for you to turn up the heat and to take on some technical trail riding. Get yourself along to one of our specialist Lake shoe fittings partners and let them help to guide you on your next adventure. Many of our retail partners can help you to choose your mountain biking weapon, too; with many of the world’s top bike brands, alongside our Lake cycling shoe ranges. And, with Lake designing some of the world’s best mountain biking shoes, you can be sure to find your fit.

Yes, the autumn winds may blow chilly and cold at times, but with your feet wrapped in Lake cycling shoes, you’ll be equipped to tackle any hazard that the trail can throw at you. Then, when spring returns next year, you’ll have honed those bike handling skills and fed that thirst for adventure. Cycling is 365 days a year activity at Lake; and we’re inviting you to join us on the trails this autumn, for some epic mountain biking adventures!