Performance and comfort in the new Specialized S-Works Ares 2 shoes

Specialized renews its Ares shoes, a sports model in which performance and obtaining the best transfer of the force that the cyclist applies to the pedals is essential, but it is also essential that they are tremendously comfortable shoes that allow cyclists to perform at their best from the first kilometers to the last, after hours of pedaling.

S-Works Ares 2 the ultimate shoes for competitors who do not want to sacrifice comfort

In road cycling shoes, too often, having a snug fit and that feeling of being one with the bike is usually at odds with comfort, translating that direct connection to the bike into pressure zones, a feeling of discomfort in the foot, or, in the worst cases, those "hot feet" that in extreme cases can be disabling when pedaling.

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However, at Specialized they have been developing their shoes for years under the Body Geometry concept, adapting the shoes to the foot and not the other way around, and thanks to the knowledge acquired by the vast database of the Retül biomechanical system, with more than 100,000 foot scans, the Californian brand has managed to develop these new S-Works Ares 2 which include a series of improvements that not only seek to improve the cyclist's performance, with a gain estimated at 7 W, but also manage to reduce pressure on the forefoot by 44%.

The key to the comfort of these S-Works Ares 2 is found in the new Body Geometry last, with a more rounded and wide toe box in the metatarsal area that leaves more free space for the foot in this area where cyclists often experience problems.

In addition to this new last, Specialized does not give up the rest of the usual technologies in their shoes such as the varus correction wedge on the sole that improves knee alignment, the metatarsal button that helps separate and open the metatarsals preventing the toes from compressing, or the insoles designed to provide stable support to the arch of the foot.

The arrangement of its two Boa Li2 closures also play an essential role in ensuring that the tightening force is evenly distributed across the entire foot surface, ensuring that the shoe upper hugs the cyclist's foot like a glove without creating pressure points. This, combined with its ultra-stiff Fact carbon sole and the heel reinforcement that wraps around the foot and provides stability, results in an unparalleled transfer of force in which practically all the power applied by the cyclist to the pedals is utilized.

Shoes in which cyclists like Primoz Roglic or Anna van der Breggen have actively collaborated in their development, both highlighting the direct connection to the bike they achieve with these new S-Works Ares 2, which are already available on the brand's website and at their retail points in four color schemes: Black, Team, White, and Gecko Green with a price of 549 €.