Specialized S-Works MTB mountain bike shoes review

These S-Works shoes are the top of Specialized’s off-road footwear line, featuring a stiff carbon fibre midsole with replaceable tread. All of Specialized’s Body Geometry comfort tweaks are here, too.

The whole shoe is canted slightly outwards, there’s generous arch support and a ‘metatarsal button’ on the footbed to spread your toes to relieve foot stress. Different Body Geometry footbeds and wedges are also available. You get all this BG tech in Specialized’s less expensive shoes too.

The S-Works have sizable mesh vents and are only available in white in the UK. Specialized have doubled up on the Boa dial-driven lacing system, with these shoes sporting two Boa dials per shoe. This allows fine-tuning of fit and shorter, more direct runs of cable.

Specialized have reversed the dials on the left shoe so that you spin them forwards to tighten on both sides. They also click in both directions, so you can loosen them without having to release then wind them back up. Claimed weight is 670g a pair – ours were a little heavier, but they’re still impressively light.