Specialized S-works 6 shoe £310
The S-works 6 shoes have been worn by a plethora of top Worldtour riders including two-time world champion Peter Sagan, so it’s no surprise that power transfer is one of its strong points.
The FACT Powerline carbon sole is a new addition and is uncompromisingly stiff, while the thin footbed makes sure that nothing is lost to padding.
However, the key to the excellent power transfer is actually elsewhere, in particular in the narrow heel, which really clamps your foot in place to prevent heel slippage, and in the thermo-bonded fabric of the upper, which is apparently impossible to stretch.
One problem with the old S-works shoe was that, while the rest of the Specialized range had a standard fit, the S-works had a very narrow toe box that could cause discomfort on longer rides for riders with wider feet. What qualifies this as the cycling edition of the X KPP? Look closely and you’ll spot the spoke pattern on the dial, jersey-style lettering on the strap, and you’ll notice that the crown is shaped (a bit) like a sprocket. The strap’s white stitching on tan leather brings to mind vintage handlebars.
What can we say? In an era when ‘smart’ marketing has decided that all things should do all things, it’s a relief to have something doing just the one thing, beautifully and dependably — like that trusty steel-framed bike you wish you’d never sold. David Bradford
Weight 75g www.camdenwatchcompany.com
Thankfully this issue has been addressed with the latest model.
Specialized continues to use a combination of two dials with a Velcro strap across the toes. These are the latest Boa dials, meaning that you can both tighten and loosen in increments.
The original release of the S-works 6 shoes saw colour options limited to black, white or a more daring orange/red. In 2017, neon yellow or the graffiti-style ‘Allez’ design have been added. Blue and red fade editions are available from certain outlets.
One minor flaw is that the secure fit means that you have to loosen the Boa dials off all the way before extracting your foot, which is something you could do without at the end of a hard race.
The price is also hard to ignore, but if you’re after one of the best pairs of cycling shoes on the market then it’s a price worth paying. Henry Robertshaw
Weight 225g (size 45) www.specialized.com
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