We test the new Specialized S-Works Recon: luxury focused on performance

When it comes to shoes, few companies have been in research and development for as many years as Specialized. More than two decades ago they initiated the Body Geometry concept, and since then they have not stopped evolving their shoes in search of performance and perfect fit. The S-works Recon has just been renewed and is the flagship of the brand for Cross Country. We have tested them for a while and we tell you our impressions.

New S-Works Recon 2023: polishing details to excellence

For years, the S-Works model has been a benchmark in MTB if you are looking for the highest quality and are willing to pay for it. It is a shoe with a very careful construction. Its sole is made entirely of carbon fiber for total energy transfer, and the rest of the shoe of a micro-perforated fabric of the highest quality, with rubber reinforcement in the toe and a rigid and asymmetrical support in the heel.

The closure system is entrusted to two BOA closures with a rather premium look and excellent performance.

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As we said, the model is newly renovated. Specialized has a perfect tool for this task, and it is none other than its biomechanical analysis program RETUL. With the help of this program they have collected more than 100,000 scans of cyclists' feet, and they have drawn their conclusions.
To begin with, they have widened the carbon sole by 4mm compared to the previous version of these shoes, with the idea that it will better adapt to different foot shapes.

The sole of the S-Works Recon is very well studied and is reinforced by a beam that Specialized calls I-Beam. This provides the necessary stiffness without the need for additional reinforcements and eliminating unnecessary material.

After two decades of development of Body Geometry technology, the aim has been to achieve the best performance without pain points.

One of the contributions of Body Geometry since its inception is the varus wedge, which aligns the knee and hip to avoid discomfort and injury.

The longitudinal arch support keeps the foot in the best position when pedaling and the metatarsal button relieves pressure on the nerves of the sole of the foot avoiding numbness and pain.

The high-density side lugs on the sole offer the possibility of modifying them with raised lugs for better pedal support.

Another novelty of this version is the asymmetrical heel reinforcement, with great support on the inner side and releasing pressure and excess material on the outer side.

The upper is very minimalist but incorporates some reinforcements to improve support.
The BOA lacing system has also been redesigned and the Velcro has been eliminated in the area near the toe.
Specialized also has 3mm, 6mm, and 9mm risers to increase the cleat height if necessary or to solve possible dismetries.

First impressions with the S-Works Recon

When we open the box of the shoes we see that Specialized have studied the presentation, as we find the shoes in a practical and nice bag.

When we take them out we can only admire the impeccable finish of the shoe, with a very minimalist look and, in fact, there are almost no seams. The outer layer of the S-Works Recon is continuous around the entire contour and only the thickness of this layer changes depending on whether we are in a more reinforced or lighter and more breathable area. The tongue has just the right thickness and padding so that the BOA system cables do not cause pressure points. The dials of the BOA system are made of aluminum, with a very good finish and a crisp operation. In addition, to loosen them, simply turn them in the opposite direction and they loosen point by point, unlike other dials that loosen completely. This makes it easier to adjust on the fly.

The aforementioned minimalism is also clearly perceived in the sole of the S-Works Recon. The cleats are reduced to the side lugs next to the cleat that support the pedal, a block of three lugs in the heel and another block in the toe, and in the middle area there is a small rubberized area that, in case of being barefoot for any reason, prevents the carbon from sliding dangerously on the pedal.
As a novelty, the threads for cleats in the front area are dispensed with.

The rest of the sole is bare carbon fiber, which clearly shows the racing spirit of these shoes that are designed for maximum efficiency on the pedals, but they are not at all a shoe designed to walk too much.

In the hands, the lightness of the S-Works Recon can be clearly appreciated, and we put them on our scale to check their weight, which was 279g, 1 gram less than the weight announced by the brand for size 42.

Our test shoes were completely white, a color that, a priori, does not fit very well with MTB use and the first time we tried them we could not help but feel a little sorry for getting them dirty and also for marking the precious carbon fiber sole in the first steps.

Pedaling with the S-Works Recon

The feeling when wearing these shoes is the most similar to wearing a road shoe of the highest range. Absolute stiffness, but at the same time without pain or discomfort.

The BOA lacing system is very easy to adjust and gives us a very good fit, dispensing with the previous Velcro strap at the front which we did not find very useful.

We have to say that this 4mm increase in width has been very good for us, in fact, before in the Specialized range we used to go half a size more than our usual size because we felt it was too narrow, and in this model we use our size and it fits us perfectly.

As we said, the sole is totally rigid, except in the toe area where it allows a very slight flexion, even so, walking is not the strong point of this shoe, but when we get on the bike, things change. When pedaling we notice a complete energy transmission, without any loss of any kind due to flexion. We notice a very good foot support during pedaling, especially when riding at full power, where the foot is fully directed and supported. Here we notice the effect of the internal support in the heel, which prevents the slightest deviation in the direction of movement.

As for the comfort of the S-Works Recon it is surprising that such a racing shoe fits so well, but we must not forget that these are racing shoes. In our case, the first day we noticed some pressure on the heel, but we quickly adapted and the following days of use we had no discomfort, to the point of completing routes of several hours in absolute comfort.
Although we have said that they do not offer great comfort when walking, it is sometimes necessary even in competition and we have tested the grip capacity going up steep ramps, where you have to carry the bike. Here the three front lugs are aggressive enough to grip the terrain and allow us to move forward without danger of slipping.

Conclusions

We've been using the Specialized S-Works Recon for a while now and we've gotten used to its virtues in terms of power transmission and comfort. Yes, walking with them is not the most comfortable due to its stiffness and poor lugging, plus it is not a good feeling to know that we are scratching the carbon fiber every time we step on a rocky terrain, but it is clear that the S-Works Recon are designed to go on the bike, and in the specific XC routes or in competition it is purely about that, in these circumstances we find a virtually unbeatable shoes.

As far as color is concerned, we have drawn a striking conclusion. Although white does not seem the best choice for MTB, we have found that in the face of dust is much more suffered than the darker color of our usual shoe, which after a day on dry terrain is quite dull. In addition, the fabric of this shoe is very easy to clean with a simple wet wipe.

However, other options are offered, up to five different colors so that all users can find their preferred finish.

The new Specialized S-Works Recon is now available at a price of 400€.