Specialized shoes

It's as if Specialized read my mind.

Specialized comp road shoes review

Or at least my review of the S-Works Ares. I struggled with the narrowness and rigidity of the previous generation of S-Works shoes even though I don't have wide feet - so the Torch has been the answer to my prayers. I've never experienced such a comfortable pair of cycling shoes. There's no weight penalty for the wider shoe and I haven't been able to find any performance compromises, either.

Plus they look fabulously elegant. Yes they're expensive but they're Specialized's flagship shoes, as worn in the WorldTour, and they're actually not the most expensive flagship shoes out there. You can trust Cycling Weekly. Our team of experts put in hard miles testing cycling tech and will always share honest, unbiased advice to help you choose.

Find out more about how we test. Like the latest wheels and tires, Specialized decided that the best cycling shoes needed to be wider if they're to be both comfortable and fast - so it created the S-Works Torch, launched in May The Torch is a ground-up design based on a brand new, wider carbon sole that's 4mm wider than the outgoing S-Works 7's and also comes in a wide fitting that's 7mm wider.

Despite being wider, the sole is 20g lighter with the size 42 shoe weighing a claimed g, the same overall as the old S-Works 7. The new Torch also has a softer, more comfortable upper with "zonal reinforcement" and an asymmetric heel cup that supplies more targeted foot support. The three Body Geometry pillars of wisdom - varus wedge, longitudinal arch and metatarsal button - are still at the heart of the shoe.

The lower Velcro toe strap of the S-Works 7 has gone and the lower BOA cable has been shifted down and angled, preventing lift on the ball of the foot, negating the need for a strap while supplying a power-enhancing structure and eliminating unwanted pressure or pinching, according to Specialized. As with the Specialized S-Works Ares , the placement of the top BOA dial is more central in order to make room for the tendons coming from the front of the ankle, but the Torch allows the toes to wiggle whereas the Ares is more about forefoot lookdown and anchoring the foot all the way down in order to squeeze out the last few watts in a sprint.