![]() ![]() Retul was bought by Specialized a few years ago and Match is a new service intended to offer a lower cost, more accessible and quicker fitting solution for people who might not want or need a full bike fit. Fitting them takes about 30 minutes of measuring, prodding and stroking of your feet, as part of Retul Match. While this review is centred on the S-Works 7s in their standard form as mentioned earlier Specialized also offer a mouldable custom insole option. To recap, BG involves specially shaped insoles that provide longitudinal arch support, a varus wedge for the forefoot and a metatarsal button, with various degrees of support depending on your personal requirements. Going customĪll the tried-and-tested Body Geometry tech lives on in these new S-Works 7 shoes, first developed over a decade ago and a reason why Specialized shoes are so popular with all sorts of cyclists. There's a slim rubber padding at the front and a replaceable heel tread for slightly easier walking. There's the same three-bolt cleat drilling as before, with titanium inserts, lots of fore-aft adjustment, and handy alignment markings. So, same weight (224g 1/2 pair, size 42, claimed – 536g for pair of size 45s on the Scales of Truth) but more stiffness. And how did Specialized know where to shuffle the carbon? Pressure mapping studies, that's how. Specialized has moved carbon from where it's not needed to where it is, so it's using the same amount but it's used strategically. What's impressive is that the extra stiffness isn't down to more carbon and therefore increased weight. They are easily as stiff as the stiffest race shoes I've tested from the likes of Sidi, Fizik, Giro or Bont. Whether you're sprinting against mates, clobbering along in a chain gang or stamping up steep gradients, the shoes do not waste your power at all. In use, that means they are damn stiff I tried as hard as I could to elicit some flex from the carbon soles but I failed. Turn the shoe over and you find a full FACT carbon fibre sole with a stiffness rating index of 15, an increase over the 13 of the previous generation S-Works shoe. It doesn't massively influence the fit all that much really, but is a useful micro-adjustment option. I've managed not to crash but the durability of the dials has been just fine in a year of use, and they've survived some really grotty weather and being hosed down after muddy rides.Ī short Velcro strap at the front of the shoe helps to adjust the volume of the toe box and it's a set-and-forget thing. They provide micro-adjustment for increasing and decreasing tension which you can do easily on the move, but their barnacle-esque appearance is distinctive. It's like the difference between operating a high-end stereo and a cheap plastic radio. New CNC-machined metal Boa dials, developed exclusively for these new shoes, are just lovely to use. ![]() Specialized has harnessed thousands of Retul bike fits to hone the shape and design of the shoe, increasing the volume in the midsection and around the front of the shoe, developing brand new Boa dials, reducing the stitching in the construction of the upper, using tough non-stretch Dyneema and angling the new Boa dials and cutout to improve the spread of pressure across the top of the foot. I found the fit of the new S-Works 7 shoes excellent, the best it has ever offered. Specialized has always focused on fit and its Body Geometry tech, developed over a decade ago, has seen its shoes become incredibly popular even with brand conscious types. You can have the spangliest shoes but if the fit is wrong, you're not going to extract your best performance and you risk injury. You don't need me to tell you just how important fit is to cycling happiness and performance, whether it's the bike or shoes. > Find your nearest dealer here Fit happiness ![]() Unless you're a weight weenie, for all-round performance, outright stiffness demands and durability, the S-Works 7 is the shoe to plump for. If you're interested in the lightest shoes Specialized makes, check out our first look at the recently launched S-Works Exos and Exos 99. Pros: Comfort, fit, Boa dials, stiff, BG tech, custom insoles.Yes, they are spendy – and if you opt for custom insoles (more on them below) rather than standard that adds another £110, but they're about the same as other top-end shoes and are easily a match for the best shoes in this class. Specialized's latest flagship S-Works 7 road shoe offers outstanding performance with superb comfort, fit, foot retention and power transfer. ![]()
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