Specialized Riata women’s shoes review

Specialized’s Riata mountain bike shoes deliver feminine looks without compromising performance. They’re high-performance shoe at a good price, but they’re not the best off the bike.

The Riata has a slightly feminine look without being over-the-top ‘girly’. Traditional race styling combineswith suede and subtle colour choices to help to soften the appearance.

Underneath this velvety exterior, performance isn’t compromised. Specialized has made these with a female-specific upper, plus narrower and deeper heel cups to better suit most women’s feet.

The nylon midsole is stiff for putting down the power, so you won’t want to be doing too much walking in them, although at least when you do the co-moulded lugs help stop any slipping around.

Large mesh panels keep them airy and quick-drying when they get soggy, while the toes are well covered.