Dials on shoes can have their downsides, as we saw with Mathieu van der Poel’s crash in this year’s World Championships Road Race, and Specialized is keen to highlight the benefits of traditional fastening options with its new S-Works Torch Lace shoe.
The Torch Lace builds on the existing Torch by incorporating a lace-up closure onto a lacespecific upper. ‘The structure has new zonal reinforcements for improved adjustability,’ says Specialized’s footwear product manager, Tom Smith.
‘Laces offer the rider an opportunity to tune the closure to their specific needs, so we constructed the upper to complement that. It’s ideal for those with particularly sensitive areas or high/lowvolume feet.’
The carbon sole has also been brought over from the Boa-equipped Torch shoes. Thanks to the data generated by Specialized-owned bike-fitting service Retül, Specialized’s Torch line is now 4mm wider at the forefoot.
It’s a big move both literally and figuratively, given Specialized shoes have previously run on the slim side, and the brand says it will continue to be implemented on more models in the future. Like its Boa-dialled sibling, the carbon sole is thinner at the edges to shave weight.
Specialized claims the Torch Lace shoes save 20g over their predecessor, the S-Works 7 Lace, now coming in at a competitive 200g per shoe in a size 42.
AU Pricing $550
For more information visit specialized.com
