• Specialized BG Pro MTB shoes
• £139.95
• www.specialized.com

We’re big fans of Specialized’s Body Geometry shoes. The canted footbeds, arch supports and metatarsal button thingies all do what they claim, resulting in shoes that stay comfortable for hours on end. The current incarnation of the top-end Pro MTB shoe wraps the BG tech in a super-stiff, lightweight outer, starting with a full-length carbon fibre midsole. Between that and the ground is a moulded thermoplastic outsole that’s grippy enough under most circumstances – there’s the standard toe-stud option if you need more spikiness. If you’re likely to be faced with extensive hiking over rocky terrain then these wouldn’t be our first choice of shoe, but then neither would any other race-style shoe.

On top is a leather/mesh upper, reinforced with hard a moulded toe protector. Fastening is by one ratchet buckle and two Velcro straps. The ratchet is a new design called X-link – the mounting point and buckle can be moved to a choice of locations on each side of the shoe to give you the best angle over your foot.

Plenty of Specialized dealers will be able to inspect your feet and recommend the best combination of forefoot shim and arch support to suit your particular stance, and it’s a process well worth following. We know a lot of riders who actually need different angles on each foot to get everything straight and central but have been just putting up with it for years. Get a properly sorted pair of these shoes on your pins and it almost feels like a new pair of legs.

Ups and downs

Positives: Fine blend of comfort and performance, plenty of adjustability

Negatives: Pricey

Verdict

These shoes present a common dilemma – they’re truly excellent, but they’re also rather expensive. The fact that Specialized’s cheaper shoes have most of the comfort-boosting features of the Pro inevitably makes the less-expensive options look better value, but these have been our first-choice shoe for the last year and they’re still in one piece. Which can’t be bad.

Ratings

Performance: 5/5
Value: 4/5
Overall: 5/5