Product Review: 2010 Body Geometry S-Works Road Shoes

The shoes arrived in a bright red box, full of confidence and swagger. I had been eagerly awaiting their release since the Summer, when they were seen on the likes of Fabian Cancellara at the Tour de France. When Dan, our local Specialized Sales Rep, casually mentioned that they were available a full month ahead of schedule I leaped at the chance to check out the new technology.

But first, a bit of history...after years of riding in only "the best" Italian road shoes I switched to Body Geometry shoes in the Fall of 2008 in the hopes of resolving some nagging foot and knee issues that had proven annoying for some time. A friend suggested Body Geometry shoes for their built in Varus Wedge, Metatarsal Button, and also the ability to choose from three levels of arch support. Having previously thought that a "Varus Wedge" was a military tactic employed by Roman legions I was intrigued and decided to take a chance on what have become my shoes of choice and a top seller at the shop.

It turns out that a Varus Wedge is actually a structural feature built into the sole of the shoe that provides additional forefoot support while pedaling. Additional support means better knee/foot alignment and more comfort both on and off the bike. Likewise, the Metatarsal Button and customizable arch support help to reduce hot spots and swelling, common complaints with most ultra-stiff carbon road shoes. These features, along with striking good looks, supreme ventilation, excellent long-term wear, and the near-custom fit provided by the ratcheting Boa Closure had me hooked.

So I wondered, "How could they have possibly made my favorite shoes even better?" First, the most obvious visual cue as to these being a whole new take on an S-Works level shoe is the addition of a second Boa Closure to replace the previous forefoot Velcro strap. What's more is that now the Boa closures are micro-adjustable in both directions, meaning that tightening and loosening the closures on the fly has been made incredibly easy. But is a second Boa enough to make the upgrade? Although that may be the most obvious design change, an impressive line-up of other features compelled me to give the new shoes a try.

These advancements included lighter overall construction resulting in the world's most featherweight production road shoe with a mechanical closure...approximately 550g a pair in size 42. Also, the independent micro-adjustable Boa dials included a new high strength monofilament lace and redesigned open-backed Boa lace guides to make the shoes easy to put on and take off. And a new FACT 12.0 carbon sole uses high modulus unidirectional carbon fiber and TorsionBox construction to optimize stiffness while constructing Specialized's thinnest outsole to date. A replaceable heel pad is a nod to practicality, meaning that these shoes are intended for multiple seasons of use. Finally, a new tough and water-resistant Micromatrix upper produces a high-gloss finish while a well ventilated tongue helps provide the ventilation necessary on hot Summer days.

Those are the facts, but how do the shoes ride? I chose to abstain from my usual habit of purchasing white shoes and only white shoes and decided on the new black version with the look of patent leather:





White shoe lovers don't be cross, as the shoes are available in high-gloss White as well:




I took yesterday's excellent and unseasonably warm weather as an opportunity to test out the shoes along one of my favorite routes. After installing grey Look Keo Grip cleats, an additional Varus shim in my right shoe (a need learned of during my Body Geometry Fit experience), and blue BG footbeds I was off. The first indication that the shoes were worthy of their S-Works designation occurred just a few moments into the ride...the ventilation was incredible. Honestly, were these shoes or air conditioners for my feet? On a 70 degree day with lightweight Defeet Aireator socks my feet weren't just cool, but cold.

As this was my first ride the shoes began to form themselves to my feet...I reached down and tightened the Boa closures a few clicks but then backed them off a click in the same motion. Perfect. As I accelerated away from stop signs and traffic lights the enhanced stiffness of the shoes made their impression next. The terrain and pace picked up and whether hill climbing or sprinting out of the saddle, the stiffness of the shoes was a sheer delight. It seemed as if every twitch and every motion resulted in power to the pedals and forward momentum. I was also reminded then of the shoes' customizable features: the Varus Wedge, the additional Varus shim, and the blue footbeds that were determined to be my ideal combination during my BG Fit experience. All the parts resulted in a whole package that had transformed my pedaling style from a slightly ungainly motion that would wear off the right side of a saddle within a single season and cause knee pain into looking "Very Official" as a frequent riding companion has told me. The ultra-cool look of high-gloss patent leather doesn't hurt, either.

The price for the shoes? Shoes that compete (and win) against "the best" Italian road shoes costing upwards of a stratospheric $550? For 2010 a pair of Specialized BG S-Works road shoes are yours for $350. So Specialized has created not only a worthy successor in a stellar line of S-Works Grade shoes but an outstanding performer with excellent value as well. And women, rejoice, Specialized now offers the S-Works road shoe in a Designs 4 Women edition as well:

Thanks for reading!

-Matt