New SWorks road shoes - nice! (marketing BS apart)

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vlastrada
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by vlastrada

New SWorks road shoes - nice! In theory 2016 model (sorry for humongous, pics no idea why)

info from http://www.bdc-mag.com/novita-da-specialized-gomma-turbo-scarpe-audax-e-sw/

interesting colour (hard to match unless you ride a bianchi :))

Image

check out the minimalist sole

Image

fluoro/saxo colour

Image

sceptical on the +6.5watts gain (even if at >300w)...

Image

does anyone know when they become available in the US?

unsure between these and Gaerne g.stilo....and for an italian spez shoes are quite a cultural jump ;))

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itsacarr
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by itsacarr

I don't think the first couple shoes are new - just the new color ways that will be out soon with updated BOA's.

The second pair are the new Audax, they are already shipping in some areas and are a lower price point "endurance" shoe if I'm not mistaken.

Either way all the new color ways are getting pretty slick.
Just ride ..

by Weenie


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sungod
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by sungod

aside from the bigger toe box, to me the upper, heel, sole and fastenings look the same as the current model

shame as i already found the current toe box a bit too big, using the velcro to snug it creates a crease in the upper, the older version without the velcro strap was a better fit for my foot shape

i do rather like the look of the new fluoro ones, but seems maybe i will have to switch brands if i want a better fit

tinozee
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by tinozee

Bigger toe box? Wtf is next, legit clown shoes? Most cyclists I know who are not out-of-shape beginners are long and lean and don't have potato feet.

You can even see the sloppy effect of the bigger toe box on a lot of pros feet in pics of the peloton from the front. The s-works shoe always looks deformed and bulbous compared to a sidi wire or a Gaerne on the bike next to it.

HillRPete
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by HillRPete

tinozee wrote:Bigger toe box? Wtf is next, legit clown shoes? Most cyclists I know who are not out-of-shape beginners are long and lean and don't have potato feet.

Doubt the lard grows on the toes first.

dolophonic
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by dolophonic

Those are just limited edition colors that have been available since last year... if you know the "right" people.. no thanks

As for the Audax.. they look like they ripped off Rapha shoes..

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guyc
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by guyc

tinozee wrote:Bigger toe box? Wtf is next, legit clown shoes? Most cyclists I know who are not out-of-shape beginners are long and lean and don't have potato feet.

You can even see the sloppy effect of the bigger toe box on a lot of pros feet in pics of the peloton from the front. The s-works shoe always looks deformed and bulbous compared to a sidi wire or a Gaerne on the bike next to it.


This

I tried some last week having been told they're good for narrow feet. Maybe they are but they're not for low volume feet. There was masses of loose fabric. Giro remain the best bet for me there so got the Factor AAC.

Rondje
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by Rondje

dolophonic wrote:Those are just limited edition colors that have been available since last year... if you know the "right" people.. no thanks

This aren't the limited color dip shoes of last year. Those looked like this:
Image

These are special Saxo and Astana versions. It seems like there is just a bit more black on them. Haven't seen any Quickstep versions tho.
Image
Image

HillRPete
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by HillRPete

vlastrada wrote:unsure between these and Gaerne g.stilo....and for an italian spez shoes are quite a cultural jump ;))

For me with a low instep foot, the S-Works fit better. The g.stilo had fabric bunching at the inner sides of the shoes, when I closed them. (Not inside the shoe, but the side where the shoes are facing each other)

(Had to go with Fizik in the end for team supply reasons. Also nice and italian ...)

beanbiken
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by beanbiken

Don't mine the lime green, clash with my bike but will match my Kask..................
BB

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KWalker
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by KWalker

The S-Works are not any different than the current shoe.

The Audax is the new S-Works sole with the old S-Works last.

Tried on both last week with a few Speci design reps present. The Audax does have slightly more vertical volume in the toe box, but the actual width of the toe box itself is pretty narrow. There is another shoe in development that might replace the current S-Works (rumored to be the same thing but 1 piece upper and no velcro).
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WonderSausage
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by WonderSausage

The Specialized S-Works are really comfy for me, and the other killer feature is the bidirectional Boa knobs which allow me to fine tune the tightness over the course of a ride, just by turning a click or two in either direction. It's also really nice that the knobs are left-right specific and thus symmetrical in operation.

My secondary shoes are the Specialized Expert, which are annoying because they use a unidirectional boa dial, so you have to snap-release the dial and re-tighten to adjust the fit. Half the time you accidentally end up at the same tightness you started with. Also, the tightening direction for both left & right shoes is the same so you have to mentally reverse the direction and tend to get it wrong (especially if you also own the S-Works).

Does anyone know if Specialized has an exclusive on bidirectional Boa knobs?

HillRPete
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by HillRPete

WonderSausage wrote:Does anyone know if Specialized has an exclusive on bidirectional Boa knobs?

They don't. It's just the latest iteration of the BOA product, and will probably find it's way onto more and more shoes over time. Fizik has also upgraded already, for example.

Jesper64
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Joined: Sat Aug 30, 2008 1:16 pm

by Jesper64

That's a good idea the bidirectional Boa knobs. Didn't know such a thing existed.

I've got some old Specialized shoes that are still going strong and fit great.

RC856
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Joined: Wed Apr 11, 2012 12:37 pm

by RC856

Interesting what folk say about the toe box.
My current S-Works are the ones with the 2 BOAs from a couple of seasons ago.
I fancied a pair of the dipped one but the toe box was too cramped for me. Next to my shoes, it was
noticeably lower.
I then tried on the non dipped black and white ones...boa plus velcro and they were better but still too low.
The dealer couldn't understand it either but the dipped toebox was lower even though they should be the same design.

I love the blue ones so would welcome a bigger toebox!! :)

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