2020 specialized recon shoe

Specialized Recon Shoes Get A Revamp. New Design For 2020

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“Specifically designed for mud” reckons Specialized of its new Recon family. The Recon 1, 2 and 3 are differing levels of spec, but all share a similar trail shoe style. Not too racy, not too freeride…

The shoes come in a tier of performance – with the Recon 3 nearest to the super-light, super-stiff S-Works shoe. The Recon 3 gets a pair of BOA dials and a carbon sole ‘inspired by the Pave seatpost’ – which means that it’s stiff, but still flexes. The second model gets a single BOA dial for the Recon 2 with a forefoot Velcro strap while the entry level Recon 1 gets three Velcro straps.

The soles on the new Recon shoes feature two-bolt SPD slots surrounded by grippy SlipNot rubber (top marks for that, Specialized Naming Team…) and a general awareness that things aren’t always sunny and dusty…

The new Recon shoes can trace their ancestry back to the S-Works Recon SPD shoes launched in 2018. Those were no-compromise 270g race slippers that were designed for clipping in and crushing opponents, not schlepping up a mountain with your bike on your back for an hour.


The new Recons have ‘STRIDE Toe-Flex technology that makes them as nimble off bike as they are quick in the saddle.’ – in otherwords, the toes actually flex, because not everyone is a racer… Weight is 355g a shoe.

Specialized RECON 3.0:

The Recon 3.0 is as close as you’re going to get to the S-Works for a lot less cash. The sole has a stiffness rating of ‘only’ 10, whereas the S-Works went up to 13 (out of 10 we think…)

Stiff sole and room for toe studs. A cyclocross potential?
Xpel helps keep the water out, even though the shoes are well vented.
Two BOA dials and a forefoot strap. For those who love to cinch!

The Reckon 3 is as close to S-Works as you can get, featuring a race-inspired carbon sole with dual BOA dials for on-the-fly adjustability. Walkable performance is delivered via STRIDE Toe-Flex, thanks to a forefoot layup apparently inspired by the smoothing Pavé seat post. There are toe stud threads and full rubber coverage for off-bike action.

The Recon 3.0 will come in sizes 36-49 in whole sizes and will cost you £210.

RECON 2.0:

The Recon 2.0 is an interesting model. It’s the only one that comes in something other than black (though it also comes in all black too…) and it’s the only model that also comes in half-sizes. The full range is 36-49, with half sizes from sizes 38-47. Stiffness is a comfy sounding 6.0 on the scale while the weight is (just) the heaviest of the three at 357g claimed.

The Recon 2.0 will cost £158 – in black or the black/red options.

Red. It’s a fast colour…
A single BOA will still allow plenty of adjustment.
comes in red/black and black/more black colours.

With one BOA, a performance minded nylon outsole, STRIDE Toe-Flex and a lifted heel the Recon 2.0 offers a more natural feel off the bike. Full rubber overage along with XPEL water shedding tech, whether crossing a river or avoiding a spill at the brewery post ride, the Recon 2.0’s got your back.

RECON 1.0:

The Reckon 1.0 is the simplest shoe with three Velcro straps and a black-only colour. It still features the SlipNot rubber sole and the hex shaped treds. It comes in sizes 36-49 and will cost £90. Weight weenies will notice that these are the lightest shoes in the range at 331g claimed.

Black or black. Ninja style (apart from the huge logo…)
Entry level, but still all the grip.
Pull tab. Ready for that off-road triathlon?

The Recon 1.0 still features Specialized’s Body Geometry design, the STRIDE Toe-Flex, a lifted heel with a pull tab (that the others don’t have) and a full rubber SlipNot sole.

The Recon shoes should be on sale almost as soon as you finish this sentence… And for more info, they should be on Specialized.com about… now!

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Chipps Chippendale

Singletrackworld's Editor At Large

With 23 years as Editor of Singletrack World Magazine, Chipps is the longest-running mountain bike magazine editor in the world. He started in the bike trade in 1990 and became a full time mountain bike journalist at the start of 1994. Over the last 30 years as a bike writer and photographer, he has seen mountain bike culture flourish, strengthen and diversify and bike technology go from rigid steel frames to fully suspended carbon fibre (and sometimes back to rigid steel as well.)

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Comments (6)

    This reminds me of the Pearl Izumi X-project shoes that had carbon plates but allowed for toe flex with different lay ups in front of the ball of foot. They worked pretty well from what I remember, still see a lot of them out there.

    Off-topic but I’m really surprised there has been no mention on the new Ibis Ripmo 2020 unless I have missed it? I thought you had the ear of Scott , the Ripley V4 you have with the AXS looks amazing.

    Disclosure I am an Ibis fanboy owning an original Ripley & Ripmo ;)

    For a mud specific shoe the tread is very closely packed. Not going to be good on my local clay soils :(

    “designed for the mud” and “velcro” aren’t two things which go together in the long term.

    You missed the stiffness of the recon 1.0?

    I’m hoping no slacker than the 2.0 as 6 on the specialized scale is okay, but not all that. I think the 7 of the old vibram soled rime was about spot on myself

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