Review: Specialized 2FO Clip shoes.

First published in Singletrack Magazine issue 95

When these first came into the office, I thought the Foot Out, Flat Out (‘2FO’, geddit?) shoes were very snazzy-looking indeed. Whiter than George Clooney’s teeth, with some rather fetching fluorescent green laces. Oh, what difference a couple of months makes!

Apart from snazzy looks they’re apparently developed and tested by Specialized’s gravity and enduro athletes worldwide, and thus, amid of a host of other features, have a cleat set-up that you can run further back than typical cross-country shoes.

Putting them on, they’re a pretty typical fit for the size. The toe box is roomy, with a good sized heel, though I didn’t notice any heel-lift whatsoever. They feel very sturdy and very, very stiff, thanks to a Specialized’s trademark ‘Lollipop’ shank. This translated very well indeed to the bike – there was little flex felt through the pedals, and acceleration felt very snappy. Clipping in and out was a breeze, and although I noticed a little pedal clack when walking in them, it’s on a par with other clipless shoes of this type I’ve tried. Ergonomic Body Geometry bits and pieces mean they’re very comfy to ride in too.

The mesh tongue and upper certainly helps to dry the shoes out much faster than others when they get wet, but inevitably it means that they get wet much faster – if you’re using them in winter a decent set of waterproof socks is a must.

And, although they have a softer rubber front and rear, I found that there wasn’t much grip at the toe end when off the bike in damp or muddy conditions, even compared to rival flat-style shoes. Pushing up steep slopes or messing around at jump spots etc.can therefore be somewhat perilous. But it’s a small price to pay to look this good.

Overall:

Very pretty trail/enduro/gravity shoes, which are great at pedalling, only let down slightly by a lack of grip off the bike in the glop.

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Review Info

Barney Marsh

Barney Marsh takes the word ‘career’ literally, veering wildly across the road of his life, as thoroughly in control as a goldfish on the dashboard of a motorhome. He’s been, with varying degrees of success, a scientist, teacher, shop assistant, binman and, for one memorable day, a hospital laundry worker. These days, he’s a dad, husband, guitarist, and writer, also with varying degrees of success. He sometimes takes photographs. Some of them are acceptable. Occasionally he rides bikes to cast the rest of his life into sharp relief. Or just to ride through puddles. Sometimes he writes about them. Bikes, not puddles. He is a writer of rongs, a stealer of souls and a polisher of turds. He isn’t nearly as clever or as funny as he thinks he is.

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