George

I’m thinking about buying a pair on S Works 7 shoes. They are having a pretty good sale on them. I’m not a racer by far, but I’m looking for comfort. I have Sidi Genius 10 shoes. When I get done riding the top of my big toe hurts on one foot. That’s why I’m thinking about the S Works shoes. I can’t seem to find many reviews on them, so I just ordered them and look forward to trying them. Have any of you riders tried the specialized shoes?

MoAlpha

The 7s are the best shoes I’ve ever had.

George

Thanks, that’s good to know.

MoAlpha

That said, I got them off a guy who simply couldn’t wear them. Feets is an individual thing. I like my Lakes too, just not as much, because the last doesn’t seem to match my mechanics as well and seems to make me flex my toes excessively.

robbyville

I’ve been in the fortunate position to have tried a number of great shoes. If there’s one thing I’ve said over the last 5+ years and over 30 years off and on of working in the industry is that Specialized does an amazing job with their contact points. shoes, saddles, etc.

My favorite shoes by far are circa 2013 S works original dual boa. I also recently tried the Ares which weren’t for me but awesome for others. My most recent is the Vent. Incredibly comfortable and indeed well ventilated.

tough to go wrong with the 7’s out of the box. If they have the right shape and feel for you, they’re truly an amazing shoe.

Sy Reene

What's the difference between the SWorks Torch and 7s. Torch is wider toebox.. is that right?

robbyville

i was under the impression that the new s works torch is simply this year’s version of the 7 (renamed). Which is why the 7’s are on sale, but I could be wrong.

Kai Winters

I wore the 7's and now the latest Torch SWorks shoes.
They are both very comfortable, light and very breathable.
The latest Torch have a slightly wider toe box and don't have the hook/loop strap across the toe box.
They are arguably the most comfortable shoes I've ever worn. They fit my feet like a glove with no hot spots. I've been wearing this type of shoe since my Diadora's with a wooden sole and nailed on cleats lol so I've worn many different brands of shoe and these are the best.

Additionally I just started using the G8 Performance insole with their MetaDome wedge. Wow what a difference ! My feet are a bit on the narrow side and I have a moderately high instep which is a bit back from the apparent normal. I've been using Spesh's +++ insole and liked them but found the instep/arch support to be too far forward, more towards the ball of my foot than the arch so I have to trim the heel of the insole to move it rearwards to support my instep. This worked but my foot could still move around a bit. Using the G8 insole has stopped this. My feet are now locked in the shoe and because the insole comes with 5 different arch supports and they are moveable both laterally and longitudinally...side to side and forward to back...I have the supports exactly beneath my instep. My feet no longer move in the shoe and they feel like I'm not wearing shoes but my feet are now a part of the pedal itself. I was shocked at the difference. I'm trying the MetaDomes more as an experiment to see if I notice a difference. I can feel them under my metatarsals and while I can't say it is an improvement in either comfort or efficiency they aren't a detriment either. I don't have any problems with hot, tired, sore, etc. feet but foot comfort and pedaling efficiency is important to me.

that is all...

George

Great review and thanks very much. I hope to see the shoes today Monday and try them Wednesday.

scottfsmith

Yes don't forget the insoles. I have a high arch and the G8 tuning system got me to a perfect fit after only a couple adjustments. I was not even thinking about insoles when I went in for a bike fit, but my fitter was quite keen on the importance of good insoles. If you watch Bike Fit Tuesdays on YouTube, James there is also a big fan of insoles and G8s in particular.

Kai Winters

I removed the MetaDomes during today's ride. They seemed to be providing pressure points where none was needed. I may still try them again but the front of my feet felt fine without them. I don't think I need the metatarsal support they provide but I will look into it more on the G8 site.

Thanks for providing the video. Proper shoe fit is key to better performance and especially comfort.

George

Thanks for the update. I think I’ll just try the Specialized that they come with and see what happens.

scottfsmith

I got a similar thing for my regular shoe orthotics and had a similar reaction so didn't get any MetaDomes for my G8s. Those things work for some people but not for others.

Re: the Body Geometry inserts in the S-works shoes, my fitter thought they were a good second place to the G8s. But there are several different sizes and I guess the shoes come with the middle one only? If your arch is average they could work.

Kai Winters

They are basic insoles...inexpensive and don't do much if insoles are needed.
The Spesh Body Geometry insoles are not the insoles that come with the shoes...the BG insoles are actually quite nice but my arch/instep is farther back on my feet and the BG insole arch is too far forward allowing my feet to move around a bit. I usually cut the heel cup a bit to allow them to sit a bit farther back which makes a difference. The G8's are so adjustable, you can place them exactly where needed...in my case at least.

Kai Winters

Yes they are. They have been my 'go to' insoles for quite some time. The +++ worked quite well except the arch support was too far forward for my feet. More like pushing against the balls of my feet rather than supporting the arch.
The G8's fit perfectly.
I refit the position of the MetDomes and will see how they feel on tomorrow's ride. It was odd that the MD on my right foot felt great...basically I did not know it was there but my metarsal area seemed more 'supported???'. The left foot almost felt like a pebble under my foot. We'll see how it feels during tomorrow's ride. The best thing is I can stop riding pop off the shoes and reposition or remove them...pretty cool.

George

What gets me a little pissed off as you spend that much for shoes and you can't get the insoles you want. I told them that I've been using blue ones for a long time now and I can't get them unless I buy the blue ones. I don't think I like the service they give now compared with going into a shop.

I was suppose to get the shoes Monday, now it's Thurs. Thats them and the post office that's we have to put up with. Im not sure if their plan is going to work not having stores. Just have to wait and see I guess.

TiHabanero

I just snagged the Genius 7 shoes in wide (EE) and they are amazingly comfortable compared to the SWorks they replaced. Always got hot foot from the SWorks if I was really getting after it, the Genius 7 does not do this to me. The Sidi's don't squeak like the SWorks squeak due to the shoe upper material difference. I do use the blue Specialized insole in the Sidi shoes. As mentioned above feets are different for everyone and your experience will vary from mine.

NoWhammies

Not to derail the conversation BUT recently I was looking for a new pair of shoes. I had it narrowed down to the Torch and the S-Phyre. I was all set to plunk down the cash on the Torch shoes but the S-Phyre's went on sale for $150 off retail. That was enough to sway my purchasing dollars over to Shimano. After almost 1,000km of riding with the S-Phyre shoes, I find them very comfortable. They hold my feet snug and seem to have good ventilation. If the Specialized shoes don't workout for you, I suggest giving the S-Phyres a look.

roadie276

I just replaced my road shoes after far too many years today, and tried on both S Works 7's and S Works Ares shoes. For my feet, the 7's heel cup felt a little stiff/uncomfortable. Enough so I went with the Ares instead, which while more of a pain to get on, seemed noticeably more comfy overall (again, obviously subjective). I've got exactly one ride in on the new shoes, but they seem pretty great so far. I did the specialized inserts as well, since I had e-soles semi-orthotics in my old shoes.

Let us know how you like the 7's once you get them.

George

I got the shoes and I really like them. I find that the adjustments on the S works seem to tighten different than the Sidi shoes. I had to crank on the Sidi shoes, but on the S Works it’s like micro adjusting. So I have a little learning curve to deal with. The fit on the S Works is much better for me though. One of the main reasons I wanted to make the switch was saddle fit and it helped a lot.
Now I have to get my rear end used to the Phenom saddle. I have red marks on my sit bones after the ride, but they go away after a few hours. They are not saddle sore’s , just irritated a little. Anyhow, so far I think I made the right decision.

NoWhammies

Thanks for the feedback. I do wish the Torches had been on sale at the same time as the S-Phyre shoes. I would have loved to give them a chance as I think the Torches are a great shoe and have great reviews.

robbyville

yeah I think that since the new SWorks torch basically replaces the 7 that they won’t be on sale for a while. I got a pair of the S-Phyre’s a little over a year ago as I wanted a neon green shoe and my lbs got them for me at a great deal but sadly they just don’t fit me well!

I also tried the exos which I’ll soon put up for sale. I know that they don’t have much stock left but just saw on the Spec website that last year’s models are now available for $250! Steal of a deal if they have your size!

Mojo31

The 7 at $250 is a fantastic deal, especially from a place that doesn't bill for tax or shipping.

robbyville

Yep, I looked at sizing and not much there but they have almost all sizes of the Vent’s which is basically a better ventilated 7. I thought I got a good deal on them a few months ago at $315 ah well. They are fantastic though easily as good as the 7 for anyone looking

Mojo31

Erik's had/has a variety of sizes in the 7.