Designed for the demands of World Cup XC racers Christoph Sauser and Burry Stander, this ultra-light and stiff carbon shoe offers Body Geometry performance and Boa dial adjustability. The S-Works MTN shoe is the pinnacle of cross-country performance.
Light and stiff FACT carbon midsole runs the full length of the shoe, with thermoplastic replaceable tread for confident traction: 11 stiffness index
Full BG features in outsole and BG+ High Performance Footbed combine to reduce hot spots and improve knee/foot alignment
Lightweight Boa S1-M incremental zonal closure allows on-the-fly adjustments for a dynamic fit; L/R shoe forward rotating
Four times more micro adjustment than a standard buckle closure
Replaceable high-strength braided steel lace
Open-back lace guides for easy on/off
Engineered Micromatrix upper is light, durable and supple fitting, with welded reinforcement on medial heel for durability
Ultra-vented tongue for breathability
Velcro front strap adjusts forefoot width and volume
I tried the specialized pro mtb but that buckle strap killed the top of my foot. After about 25 minutes my toes were numb. Went back to the store and tried the sworks on. They feel a ton better then the pro model. No hot spots even when you really tighten them up. Feel pretty good to walk in also.
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Submitted by
Big Red
Date Reviewed: December 10, 2012
Strengths: Solid shoe, works as designed, it is a race shoe, not a beater for the unskilled. Probably would recomend to a newbie but perfect for an enthusiast to pro. Light, tough shoe, the BOA is my favorite part. Plus the shoe is the ultimate if you go have a professional bike fit, there is no more customizable shoe than this.
Weaknesses: Pricey, kinda scares you of, but well worth the money. Probably the most important part that attaches you to the bike. People will spend 5000 on the bike but dont want to spend 300 to use it properly.
Bottom Line:
I love S Works shoes I am a big fan. I dont write reviews, but I like this product so much and cant stand the reviews from people who obviously shouldnt be reviewing them. Let me tell ya, I bought my first pair of S Works shoe in '08 and havent purchased anything else since(road or mtb). I have never had anyproblems with durability or the so called BOA problems. Non and I ride about 10k mile a year. In fact my my first S Works MTB shoes that I bought in '10 I just gave to a friend who is still using them with no trouble. That is awesome 2 different riders on the same shoes that are 3 years old with little maintance and still going strong. Most of the compliants i see with BOA is from user error. I worked part time at a bike shop and found the only complaints were from people not using them correctly, once shown how to use them right, no more problems, only raves at how wonderful a product it is.
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Submitted by
gingertooth
Date Reviewed: May 2, 2012
Strengths: Great stiffness and highly adjustable to fit a wide range of feet.
Weaknesses: No durability in these shoes what so ever. Boas fell apart very quickly, heel detached from shoe, tread ripped off, and carbon sole shredded up so much that every time i would pick them up i would be stabbed by carbon splinters.
Bottom Line:
I really wish i didn't have to do this and admit that these shoes really are not worth Half of the price at which i paid for them. ($375) For the price they should be almost indestructable period. I rode in these shoes on my singlespeed for about 5 months. Loved how stiff and customizable they are but damn things fell apart. The boas have rubber rings around them for grip and they tore off within 2 weeks of having them. The rear tread wripped off within 3 months and the carbon sole detached from the shoe half way already since having them for 5 months. I ride alot of narly techy stuff and dont walk much of it either. These are 2011 so hopefully the new ones are better but i wouldnt count on it. Look else where for this price. Giro or fizik are very nice shoes as well. My bontragers lasted longer than these did and where half the price......
Similar Products Used: Sidi, Shimano, Bontrager, adidas, Diadora, other specialized
Bike Setup: Nice
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Submitted by
RickinPHX
a Cross Country Rider
from Scottsdale, AZ USA
Date Reviewed: March 6, 2012
Strengths: Quality construction, great adjustability and feel with BOA system, replaceable tread nserts, great ventilation, super stiff sole is very efficient and noticeable on climbs.
Weaknesses: BOA jams up when dirty. Had to go up half size to offset width.
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I tried everything to solve numbness with my wide feet. Most too narrow, but tried SIDI Megas and too wide in the heel. Went up a half-size on these and they feel great. Good grip when hiking on rocks, and on-the-fly adjustment with BOA is worth it alone. No numbness since I went to these shoes, and have some of the best construction I've seen. BOA may prove to be a prob, and the fact that the new EVO has a new gen BOA, I think Specialized sees the prob. Great shoe, but EVO with replaceable sole might be the ticket in MTB. If you have hard to fit wider foot, these will work out great.
Submitted by
cyclingmagnet
a Cross Country Rider
from Littleton,CO
Date Reviewed: February 8, 2012
Strengths: sweet fit. The tension can be dialed in. Super light weight.
Weaknesses: none
Bottom Line:
These are great fitting shoes. I have a pretty normal foot, but they feel stiff and no big toe numbing on long rides. This is for a XC rider looking to shed some grams but sacrifice performance.
Submitted by
DTEpic
a Cross Country Rider
from L.A., CA
Date Reviewed: November 18, 2011
Strengths: Shoes are super light and very stiff. BOA is fast and convenient. Replaceable cleats/lugs.
Weaknesses: Material, BOA
Bottom Line:
I've had these shoes a year now and they are getting worn out, which was not expected at $300+. The materials a nice and light but wear from MTB use quickly. The leather around the toe is frayed. I am putting on all new lugs, which is nice but another $30. The BOA is worn and needs replacing now too. The new Dragon 3 look like they have really durable uppers, but $450...whoa!
Strengths: Good looks..white is fast. Very light. Stiff.
Weaknesses: BG Fit in my case
Bottom Line:
Buying shoes always seem to be a gamble to myself even when trying on various models. I have never found that "slipper feel" shoe, and decided to go for the S-Works due to tons of rave reviews on the internet and magazines. Well...BG-Fit is just not for me. I purchased the shoes including a medium arch footbed (blue) , but can honestly say this was the worst feeling when I started cycling. I received a "shim" toe counter the BG-Fit and put that in after my first ride and has improved things, but can still feel a slight tilt outwards on both feet. I also stripped probable 6 Time ATAC screws due to the constant fiddling to make the shoes ride more comfy. Now, I am not a idiot and can tighten a screw, but this could be due to the a new type of screw with the TIME's or some issue with my batch, so will not judge the shoe on that bases, but thought I will mention it. So, the shoe is great quality wise, it is very light and the BG Fit may works for most, but before putting down GBP200.00, make 100% this shoe works for you. If in doubt - leave it out!
Similar Products Used: Shimano, Sidi Dragons, Mavic Fury, Gaerne
Bike Setup: Santa Cruz Blur Carbon XC, Fox RLC, SRAM XO, Mavic Crossmax
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Submitted by
roblutz
a Cross Country Rider
from Steamboat Springs, CO, USA
Date Reviewed: July 12, 2011
Strengths: high end shoe with lots of bells and whistles
Weaknesses: They don't fit my foot as well as the SIDI. My left forefoot goes numb regardless of how tight or loose I set the BOA.
Too stiff to do much bike/hike when necessary.
I would describe the fit as a high end compression sack glued to a ultra stiff carbon sole. I miss my SIDIs and their Italian fit.
Bottom Line:
Unless the shoe starts to mold to my foot -- I would go with the SIDI next time. That's been my shoe of choice the last 15 years.
Submitted by
The Trooper
a Racer
from Running Springs, CA
Date Reviewed: July 6, 2011
Strengths: BOA system, lightweight
Weaknesses: Body Geometry design
Bottom Line:
The construction and materials of this shoe are second to none. However, Specialized developed a shoe which cants the foot toward the outside -- effectively enhancing the natural arch of the foot. While this may benefit many, it was a disaster for me. The shoe's design moves pressure on the foot from the center to the outside. After an hour of riding, it feels like the bones in my feet are going to break. During a two hour race, I could barely walk afterward. I have used the shoe for four races so far, and the effect is getting worse, not better. I have also adjusted the cleat position to no avail.
If the Body Geometry design benefited me, I would give it 5 stars. It's ironic because I am fairly brand-loyal to Specialized. But I can't use this shoe anymore. It's a bummer to have spent $300 for a shoe I can't use. I am switching back to Sidis.
Strengths: Real good quality, ultra stiff, lightweight, good fit even for wide feet.
Weaknesses: None so far ... may be price ... but YGWYPF
Bottom Line:
Yes ... I`m riding a converted carbon racebike (fitness bike), and using the s-works MTB shoes.
I tried ot over a half dozent shoes, some of them was close, but the S-Works beat them all.
