Our ultimate MTB race shoe. Features the latest lightweight materials and our Patent pending Body Geometry (tm) Technology to increase performance and reduce injury. No overlapping seams for comfort. Long lasting high traction co-molded outsole.
Submitted by
Randy
a Cross Country Rider
from Nevada City CA US
Date Reviewed: July 21, 2005
Strengths: Easy on/off, dries quick, good ventilation, body geometry aspects. Tough, I've used for two years
Weaknesses: No ratchet device, don't really like the looks
Bottom Line:
Good, but no ratchet or carbon sole. Buy if you can score these on sale since theyre so old. Otherwise, spend the extra 50 bucks and get the fancy stuff like the carbon sole
Weaknesses: Red doesn't go with the team kit. At all.
Bottom Line:
I like this shoe. I was having a terrible time on any rides over 15-20 miles because my feet were going very numb. I switched to these shoes and they've been great. I did a 60-miler and while everything else felt like it was going to fall apart, my feet felt fine.
I suggest definitely trying these shoes on first and seeing how they work for you. The "button" felt really weird at first, but really helped my circulation on the bike. It isn't really the best shoe for running or walking, but if I wanted to do that, I would have left the bike at home, right? Joking aside, I wore these out at the 24 hour in Moab and there was a lot of walking for me over the first third of the course. Lots of rocks, lots of sand. I wear them in the mud at home and they still do alright and they come with spikes for the deep crud. While the outer knobs have gotten pretty packed with mud, the cleat always seems to be clear enough to click in. Oh, and I run Time pedals and haven't had to shave down any part of the knobs that I recall.
Ventilation depends on what angle you hold your foot. I don't usually feel especially hot in the feet, and when I turn my foot in a certain way, I definitely feel a whoosh of air blowing through. It's almost a negative when I wear them riding in the winter, as I almost always have to wear neoprene to keep the wind out.
But regardless of all that other stuff, the fact that my feet aren't going numb is the big factor here, so when this pair finally wears out, I'll be picking up another pair. If you are riding with numb feet and it doesn't seem to be an attribute of incorrect bike setup, give this shoes a spin.
They are a little on the pricey side, but it is my understanding that the 2003 Comp is pretty much the 2002 Pro, with the 2003 Pro now having the ratchet system for the top strap. So, you can save a little bit and probably go to the Comp this year.
Similar Products Used: Lower tier specialized stuff.
Bike Setup: Ride FSXC and a hardtail.
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Submitted by
MtnBaker
a Cross Country Rider
from Boise
Date Reviewed: November 19, 2002
Strengths: Internal neoprene "sock" improves fit and increases comfort three velcro strap design very light high quality insole wider toebox than Eurotrash shoes good deal on sale Stiff
Weaknesses: Incompatible with Time pedals, unless you shave lugs non-stick surface - don't try to walk on wet rocks or slickrock internal wedge pushes foot to outside
Bottom Line:
This is an initial review - I'll post a second review once I use them more. I bought these shoes on sale at my LBS - for $85, they were worth it, but I don't think I'd pay the full $150 for them. They are comfy and stiff - just what you want in a pair of ATB shoes. I felt pretty well connected to the bike, and they also seem to have some sort of vibration dampening in the sole, because I couldn't feel trail vibration as bad on the downhills as I could with my old Northwaves. However, they have several weaknesses that became apparent in just one ride. First, the far inside lug has to be shaved down if you want to run them on Time pedals, because that lug contacts the wide axle on the Time pedals and forces your foot to the outside of the shoe...which is a bad thing, because the design of the shoe already forces your foot sideways. Specialized calls it a "varus wedge" and they say that it's designed to make your knee "wobble" less while pedaling. As with Specialized's other "body geometry" features, it's either a useless gimmick, or it's designed for such a small amount of riders who have a problem with knee wobble that they're useless for the majority of most riders. Basically, if you pronate with BOTH feet (i.e., your ankles roll inward towards the floor when you're standing flat footed), these shoes will be great for you. However, I pronate only on my right foot, so only the right shoe felt correct. With the combination of the varus wedge and the lug contacting the axle, I felt like I I was pedaling on the sides of my feet. However, I had the lugs shaved down, so I'll see how they work now. Second, and this is a minor problem, the flap that goes under the 3 straps has a wide edge which cuts into your foot if you tighten down the straps too hard.
Bottom line: Initial comfort is good, but unless you are a bad pronator running something other than Time pedals, you may want to stay away from these shoes, especially at full price.
Similar Products Used: '99 Specialized El Gato Comp '00 Northwave team
Bike Setup: custom Gunnar Rockhound gearie; custom Redline Monocog ss
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Submitted by
Dr. J
a Cross Country Rider
from Montreal Canada
Date Reviewed: August 12, 2002
Strengths: Fit, looks, stiffness
Weaknesses: hard to clip-in, slippery sole
Bottom Line:
It's a good shoe but they are hard to get in my SPD 747. If you ride in mud, don't use this shoe, mud sticks to its sole (cleats area) like a bubble gum on a sidewalk! And be careful on rocks, they are very slippery. The fit is great and the sole is stiff.
If you never unclip your pedals on a ride, these are good shoes,
Submitted by
JC
a Cross Country Rider
from Vermont
Date Reviewed: July 2, 2002
Strengths: Lightweight Ventilation Stiffness Fit
Weaknesses: workmanship/quality
Bottom Line:
This is a follow-up to previous review. While this shoes are a great fit, well ventilated and stiff, the workmanship and quality leave a lot to be desired. On my first pair, the stitching in the heal came undone and only after a few rides. Then, after the awesome customer service dept. replace them, the soles cracked on both shoes after about a month of heavy use. Again, Specialized replaced them. Then, after another month of use, the lace loop (not an eyelet) pulled out while tying them up. That was the final straw.
While I loved the way these shoes fit, they were not right for me and because of my previous positive experience, I kept hoping they would work.
I now use Sidi Dominator 4. There is no comparison between the Specialized Pro and the Dom 4. I thought I had a good fit with Specialized until I bought Sidi. No laces and a better, more comfortable fit.
Four chilis for value, because it's tough to get a good shoe for this price.
One chili for overall rating due to poor quality construction.
Similar Products Used: Sidi Specialized Comp (3years)
Bike Setup: Built up Giant NRS-1
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Submitted by
jacques modiano
a Weekend Warrior
from barranquilla, colombia
Date Reviewed: June 8, 2002
Strengths: these shoes are well built, have amazing ventilation, a very stiff sole and they look great
Weaknesses: sorry to say their new sole technology might make for more efficient pedaling but it focuses all the pressure on the outside of the foot and this gave me unbearable pain. I insisted that these shoes be taken back by the store due to the amount of pain
Bottom Line:
these shoes are a great choice if the new sole technology used in all their 2002 shoes doesn't hurt your feet. In my case I returned them due to extreme pain on the outside edge of my feet that made ridding a miserable experience. Might it have been incorrect cleat placement? i will never know because i will definately never buy this shoe again. If not they look great, have amazing ventilation and a great fit.
Submitted by
JC
a Cross Country Rider
from Vermont
Date Reviewed: May 2, 2002
Strengths: Super light weight Super stiff Great ventilation Great Support
Weaknesses: None
Bottom Line:
These shoes rock for reason noted in "stengths" section. They fit like a glove, have tremendous foot to pedal energy transmission and really light. I used a pair of comps for three years without incident and these make those feel like wet mittens. And I think they are a great value compared to some other high end shoes.
