Mold in cycling shoes??

[kfergos]

Think I'd set 'em on fire. ;-)

Except for the certainty of producing toxic gas, I like this idea best. That sounds downright nasty. Good luck solving the problem (I don't have any good suggestions) and let us know what works!

[Flybye]

What about powdered detergent with bleach like Biz??

[bcipam]

OK I guess this will sound weird to folks: I wear leather Sidies for both road and mountain biking. My feet get sweaty and will get wet while mountain biking (we have lots of stream crossing even in the summer). I have always done this and its doesn't seem to hurt the shoe at all. I run a sink full of warm water, add 2 capfuls of bleach and allow the shoes to soak for an hour or so (after first taking out the insole and soaking that separately). I then put them outside to dry in the sun. I also, after every ride, take a small spray bottle filled with alcohol and spritz out the inside of my shoes and helmet. It kills what ever bacteria and mold that can form and keeps my shoes and helmet smelling fresh.

There does come a time when shoes need to be replaced especially because they constantly get damp and used. I replace mine every 3 years or so...

[buffybike]

I paid about $80 for the shoes...they're Specialized brand. I've read NOT to use bleach as it will break down the shoes (glues/threads/etc.). I think I may take them to a cobbler today to see if they can rip out the foam and replace it. Because it rains a lot in North Florida and the humidity hovers around 90%, my shoes have definately been wet. And then I usually just take them off and leave them in my garage. Apparently, that turns them into a petri dish for mold and mildew. Lesson learned. Right now they're drying in the sun after another ride in the rain. I will probably keep them as my "rain shoes" and buy another pair for "dry rides".

[OakLeaf]

Oh, yeah, forget about the garage (at least, if it doesn't have AC, and please tell me it doesn't!). We try not to keep anything that's not 100% hard plastic, glass or metal in the garage. But we do park the motorcycles there ... and the seats get moldy.

[batsheva]

make a mix of miconazole or other antifungal powder and baking soda and put thick thick layer in there and leave a few days... works for my toxic birkenstocks and they never ever smell nasty again after that treatment

[buffybike]

UPDATE: I called Specialized and told them about the problem. The guy said, "Whoa. That's a bummer." (silence)

So much for that.

The cobbler cannot take the foam out b/c it's part of the shoe. Leaving them on my front porch where they get sun every day has maybe helped. If anything i don't have to smell them every time I walk past my laundry room. When I get some $, I'm just going to buy another pair.