Launching in tandem with the S-Works Venge ViAS aero road bike, Specialized’s Sub6 lace-up and S-Works 6 road shoes will soon hit the market. The California brand also has a new piece of aero clothing, the S-Works Evade GC Skinsuit.
Following on the heels of Giro and Bontrager, Specialized now has a hyper lightweight lace-up shoe in the S-Works Sub6, which it claims to be 170g per shoe.
Specialized S-Works Sub6 road shoe
As with the S-Works 6 shoe (see below), the last was adjusted for a slightly roomier toe box than previous Specialized road shoes. Material was removed from parts of the sole without sacrificing any stiffness, said Specialized’s lead shoe designer Rob Cook.
And work was done on the heel counter, which is narrower than previous Specialized shoes. “We rode prototypes without laces; just the heel counter held our feet in place no problem,” Cook said.
Finally, the sole and the heel counter are assembled like to jigsaw pieces, instead of the typical method of workers stretching the upper material over a last. This was done to better ensure repeatable fit, Cook said.
For the Sub6, Specialized has a laces cover it calls the Warp Sleeve.
The Sub6 shoes will retail for US$325 / £250 / AU$499.
Specialized S-Works 6 road shoe
The S-Works 6 uses uses a fabric called Dyneema, which is very light and forgiving but not stretchy. “The US space shuttle parachute was made with Dyneema,” Cook said.
Boa S2-Snap dials plus a Velcro strap secure the fit.
In the sole, titanium cleat nuts can be flipped for an additional 5mm of fore/aft adjustment beyond what the cleats themselves offer.
Like the Sub6, these shoes have a narrower, molded heel and a wider toe box.
An S-Works 6 shoe weighs a claimed 205g.
Retail for the S-Works 6 road shoes will be US$400 / £280 / AU$549.
Specialized S-Works Evade GC Skinsuit
The S-Work Evade GC skinsuit features seamless shoulders and a Dimplex fabric to reduce aerodynamic drag.
The front is reminiscent of Castelli’s San Remo skinsuit, which, when fully unzipped lets the chest flap open like a jersey. This design feature is more for nature stops than cooling, as the piece is designed to be ridden fully zipped up.
Three pockets mean this is a piece you can use for road racing, not just time trials.
The Evade GC skinsuit will come in a whopping 11 sizes, as a tight fit is critical for aero performance.
Retail for the skinsuit will be US$500 / £349 / AU$699.
