Cyclone Fence Lacing

Alternately looping under the left and right of previous rows forms a decorative lacing that resembles a section of cyclone fencing (or “chain-link” fencing).
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Lacing Technique
• Begin with the shoelace fed through the bottom-left eyelet, with the inner (blue) end much shorter than the outer (yellow) end.
• The inner (blue) end runs all the way up the inside and out through the top-left eyelet.
• The outer (yellow) end runs across on the outside and is peaked towards the right side before feeding into the bottom-right eyelet.
• The right (yellow) end runs straight up the inside and out through the next higher eyelet, then loops under the previously peaked row.
• The right (yellow) end continues across the shoe and is peaked towards the left side before feeding into the adjacent eyelet.
• Continue up the shoe, alternately running straight up the inside or across on the outside and looping under the previously peaked row.
• On shoes with an odd number of eyelet pairs, finish with a diagonal segment on the inside to emerge through the top-right eyelet.
Features
Decorative look
Harder to tighten
Laces wear more
“Lengthens” ends
Notes
• To make the loop-unders consistent, take care to alternate the direction in which the lace end is fed under the previously peaked row. Based on the non-flipped diagram:
- After emerging from a right-hand-side eyelet, feed under the right side of the previously peaked row and out at the bottom before continuing over and to the left.
- After emerging from a left-hand-side eyelet, feed over the left side of the previously peaked row and in at the bottom before continuing under and to the right.
• This method is asymmetrical. Lacing the left and right shoes in reverse (flipped horizontally) creates a symmetrical looking pair.
Cyclone Fence Lacing Gallery



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Cyclone Fence Lacing Video
Shoelace Lengths for Cyclone Fence Lacing
Pairs of eyelets | Approximate length needed | “Lengthens” ends by | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
8 pairs | 120 cm | 47 in | +6.9 cm | +2.7 in |
7 pairs | 108 cm | 43 in | +7.3 cm | +2.9 in |
6 pairs | 101 cm | 40 in | +5.9 cm | +2.3 in |
5 pairs | 89 cm | 35 in | +6.3 cm | +2.5 in |
4 pairs | 82 cm | 32 in | +4.9 cm | +1.9 in |
3 pairs | 70 cm | 28 in | +5.3 cm | +2.1 in |
2 pairs = (N/A) |
NOTE: These are approximate shoelace lengths for using this lacing on an average sized sneaker. For more accurate lengths, use the Shoelace Length Calculator.
Comparative Length
• Shorter shoelaces needed than those for basic Criss Cross Lacing.
• If the original shoelaces are re-used, this method effectively lengthens the ends.
More details about length comparisons.
Visitor Feedback
I've been trying out as much as I can on the site and I can say some of these lacing methods have fascinated people as I have had them on my various shoes. Some of them I will admit like the Cyclone Fence Lacing I sent you last time while it can be done with flat shoe laces, it ends up as a mess unless you really straighten it up and round laces are the best way to do it - if your not a neat freak about it like me. The same goes for the Cascade Lacing as well which took me several tries to get right somehow.
– Ian S., New York, USA, Oct-2018
Where I'm from in Virginia, we often call Cyclone Fence “Chain-Link” fence ...
– Will T., Virginia, USA, Oct-2018
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