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The 2013 Specialized S-Works Road Shoe

Specialized Updates the S-Works road shoe with Ground up redesign.

The fit and comfort of your cycling shoes can make or break your ride. Small wonder then that once riders find a shoe that works, few are willing to experiment.  This makes it doubly surprising that for 2013, Specialized will replaced their much loved and very successful S-Works road shoe for a completely brand new design, complete with a new last.

While the previous generation S-Works was an evolution, with similar fit and feel to the single Boa dial version, the latest model incorporates wholesale changes, from the sole up and the last out.  From the dual thickness sole with variable stiffness, to the new stretch-resistant upper material, to closer foot hugging fit and the repositioned Boa dials, nothing was carried over.

About the only thing the new S-works shares with its predecessors are the Body Geometry features Specialized developed with Dr. Andy Pruitt of the Boulder Center for Sports Medicine.  Like the previous S-Works, the new shoe has a built in Varus wedge, essentially a canted sole that angles the foot for improved knee, hip alignment and tracking while pedalling.  Additional shims are available to increase or decrease the degree of tilt depending on one’s needs.  The S-works also comes with Body Geometry insoles that provide arch support and a metatarsal “button,” designed to spread and support the toes and eliminate hot spots. Three different insoles with differing levels of arch support are available, and all have been redesigned for 2013 with denser foam for greater durablity and support.

We’ve only had a few days ride on pre-production samples, but preliminary impressions are that despite all the changes, the new S-Works fit like the current version,albeit with a forefoot that feels closer fitting. So a good thing if you are a fan of the current version. The new 2013 S-Works road shoe will also be available in a women’s version.

We will report back once we receive production samples in the office, and have a chance to put them through long term testing.  Please check back both here and in an upcoming issue of Canadian Cycling Magazine.