Specialized S-Works Torch Lace shoes

The Specialized S-Works Torch Lace is the brand’s top-of-the-range lace-up road cycling shoe, priced at £300. 

If ever a road cycling shoe warrants such lavish investment, the S-Works Torch Lace does. 

Low weight, stiff soles and excellent comfort marry with a classy design, with precious little to criticise.

Specialized S-Works Torch Lace specification 

Without any Boa dials or straps on the minimalist, thin upper, the S-Works Torch Lace has a sleek, clean look. 

The shoe looks light, and weighs 465g in size EU45. That’s 40g lighter than the S-Works 7 Lace in the same size, which the new shoe supersedes as Specialized’s premium road lace-up. 

Specialized incorporates its stiffest and lightest carbon outsole into the S-Works Torch Lace (that’s 15 out of 15 on the brand’s arbitrary scale). 

Although the brand claims the I-beam structure (a stiff carbon outsole) improves pedalling efficiency, cycling shoe stiffness isn’t important for performance. 

Comfort is a different matter. If you like unyieldingly stiff soles, you’ll get on with the S-Works Torch Lace. 

The S-Works Torch Lace fits three-bolt cleats. You can spin the cleat nuts around to switch your cleat position back 5mm. 

The laces themselves are flat and have a dimpled surface. This means they lie flush to the instep and don’t come undone when knotted properly. 

For extra security and tidiness, you can tuck them under the elastic loop on the tongue of the shoes. The lace eyelets also seem well-made. 

There is only one vent on the bottom of the sole, but the tiny holes dotted through the very thin upper provide excellent ventilation. 

Specialized doesn’t include multiple inner soles with the S-Works Torch Lace. Some of the best road cycling shoes, such as the Northwave Veloce, at this price (£300 / $350 / €340 / AU$550) come with them. 

I got on fine with the stock inner sole, but Specialized sells footbeds with different levels of arch support separately for £30. Those with specific fit needs will likely have preferred (or prescribed) inner soles, anyway.

While expensive, the price of the S-Works Torch Lace is not the highest you’ll find in the premium cycling market. 

They are £50 / $50 cheaper than the S-Works Torch, much less than the Sidi Shot 2S (£425 / €419) and a little thriftier than the Northwave Veloce Extreme. 

Specialized says the S-Works Torch Lace’s heel lug has internal screws so you can replace it should it wear out. 

The S-Works Torch Lace is available in white, black or navy blue. Sizes run from EU 39 up to 49 and from 39 to 46 in half sizes.

Specialized doesn’t offer a wide-fit version of the S-Works Torch Lace. But based on its own bike fit data, it says it made the forefoot area 4mm wider than the S-Works Torch 7 to better fit more riders. 

Specialized S-Works Torch Lace performance 

The S-Works Torch Lace soon became my favourite, all-round road cycling shoes.

Considering the shoes’ low weight, rigid soles and sleek appearance, I didn’t imagine they’d suit long, endurance rides as well as pacier, shorter efforts.

They did, however. On five-hour rides in toasty temperatures, the S-Works Torch Lace kept my feet cool and comfortable. 

Worn with overshoes, I kept using the S-Works Torch Lace in winter without freezing my toes off. That said, I don’t feel the cold as much as some and the UK winter is on the mild side. 

When sprinting, the S-Works Torch Lace’s heel retention was superb, the sole was supportive and (at least) felt efficient. 

Laces on road cycling shoes split opinion, but I think they work very well on the S-Works Torch Lace.

I found the S-Works Torch Lace very comfortable and felt no need to fine-tune the fit during a ride. The way laces make it easy to find the right tension to begin with also helped. 

But if you do want to crank up your Boa dials on the move, like Marianne Vos does before a sprint, you’ll have to look elsewhere, of course. 

For me, getting in and out of the S-Works Torch Lace took no longer than the Giant Surge Pro. This has two Boa dials and a Velcro strap.

Shoes with only one Boa dial, such as the Fizik Tempo Decos, will be quicker to slip on and off. But either way, there’s not much in it. 

The comparison with the Surge Pro (an identically priced, similarly racy shoe) is apposite. 

I found little to fault with the Surge Pro, apart from the price and quite narrow fit, and gave it 4.5 stars.

Because the S-Works Torch Lace weighs 70g less and feels roomier around the toes and ball of the foot, it has a slight edge (assuming a narrow fit isn’t specifically what you need). 

The weight difference won’t be noticeable to most cyclists. But if you’ve disappeared down the weight-weenie wormhole to save every last gram for hill climbs, for example, it might confer a tiny advantage. 

Specialized S-Works Torch Lace bottom line 

The Specialized S-Works Torch Lace shoes are fantastic for all manner of road cycling, from all-day rides to all-out racing. 

Besides being comfortable and stiff, they’re also extremely light. Their looks are worthy of the £300 / $350 asking price, especially if the lace-up aesthetic is up your street. 

Having ridden them for thousands of kilometres, I can safely say their performance justifies this outlay.