In with the new, out with the old.

After nearly 15 years, it's time for a new pair of mountain bike shoes:

Those Sidis held up well, but it was time.  The soles were still holding up, but were badly gouged from years of use with Eggbeater pedals.  (Fortunately, a new stainless steel sole protector plate has been introduced by Crank Bros.  Won't have that problem again.)  The cleats were shot, with the soft rubber overlays recently departed.  The velcro tabs were de-laminating from their leather covers.  And finally, the leather uppers were getting some rot-tears near the nose.  It was time.  But for all that, they were still serviceable to the end.
Still not the end of the line for these though, not entirely.  One of the buckles on my road shoes has recently broken, so there's going to be an "organ donation" from these to the road shoes, with a spare buckle left over.

Use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without.

Not cheap, but for a decade and a half of solid service, Sidi shoes deliver value.