Went to Cycle Surgery’s both Spitalfields branches. Great service, relaxed and friendly, helpful and welcoming.
They only had MW81 and Defrosters to try.
Shimanos immediately hot and felt solidly put-together.
Specialized felt like diving slippers – totally soft upper that wasn’t for me, and stiffer sole than Shimanos and feet didn’t heat up quickly like they did in Shimanos.
Feel the Shimanos would give better water deflection around top of show, and Specialized had more vent holes in upper.
Both cut into front of ankle but maybe because brand-new.
The Shimanos felt more traditonally-constructed with more support along sides and the velcro fastenings that I’m used to and happy with.
The contoured footbed that Specialized make so much of did feel great but also not as warm and in itself not enough to make me choose them over the Shimanos.
Oh, just remembered that he also showed me Mavic’s winter offering but I didn’t like the feel and fiddly style of the fasteners so discounted them in less than thirty seconds.
Shame I couldn’t try the Celsius, but from today’s choices I think I’d be happy with the Shimanos, a size bigger than my normal.
They all seemed to weigh about the same as my Lake MX85s so it’s a net gain (apart from in my pocket) because immediately comfy and all theother extra features.
Walked around all day today in my MX85s with no real doscomfort and think I could do the same in the Shimanos if I needed to. *definitely* couldn’t in the Defrosters – sole just too stiff.
Tread pattern almost identical so nothing to choose there.