The Lab: Specialized 2FO ClipLite Lace Shoes Review
Our global test team has been pushing products to the very limit on the world’s toughest trails. In The Lab, durability is rewarded and weaknesses have nowhere to hide. This time, we tested the Specialized 2FO ClipLite Lace shoes.
Specialized don’t just know how to build bikes, they’re also a dab hand at shoe design. For the past 12 months we’ve seen Christoph well and truly treading in the 2FO ClipLite Lace shoes, before he bid farewell to them with a heavy heart. Over the test period he was rarely seen without the ClipLite while riding and traipsing around with his photography equipment. But while all those footsteps on photoshoots have visibly taken their toll on the sole, Christoph has still said he’d rebuy the shoes in an instant. The fit is more suited to narrow feet, and the fairly stiff sole means you get great power transfer without any discomfort on long descents.
Thanks to the spacing on the underside of the shoe, you can position your cleats quite far back on the shoe with ease. The 2FO ClipLite are lightweight and easy to walk in while not riding. The shoe’s upper is neither too thick nor too thin, which renders these shoes a great option for summer and still able to cope with rain and dry quickly. They’re not super thermal so won’t keep your toes warm in winter. The laces are robust and practical. Christoph’s only annoyance is that Specialized have decided to launch the shoe exclusively in a black/red colourway for the coming season.
Strengths
- great fit if you’ve got quite narrow feet
- lightweight, no chance of overheating
- cleats can be positioned towards the back
Weaknesses
- sole worn away from walking
Tester: Christoph
Length of testing: 1 year
Price: € 129.90
More info: specialized.com
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