Specialized Recon 2.0 Shoes review

With a reasonably stiff pedalling platform and very easy to walk in, these shoes are great for off-road adventures

Specialized Recon 2.0
(Image credit: Future)
Cycling Weekly Verdict

The Specialized Recon 2.0 Shoes are especially good for more adventurous rides which might require a little bit more off-the-bike manoeuvrability. They have a flexible forefoot and a sole with deep lugs made from a grippy rubber, which makes walking around very easy to do. But for all that, the pedalling efficiency has not been compromised and they are very comfortable for cycling long distances, with the single Boa dial providing an even tension. The one niggle I had was that they are quite high volume compared to other shoes, and the Velcro toe strap didn’t do too much to hold my forefoot in place securely for hard efforts.

Reasons to buy
  • +

    Flexible forefoot

  • +

    Supportive sole

  • +

    Very grippy tread

  • +

    Long distance comfort

Reasons to avoid
  • -

    Quite high volume

You can trust Cycling Weekly. Our team of experts put in hard miles testing cycling tech and will always share honest, unbiased advice to help you choose. Find out more about how we test.

Although Specialized might bill the Recon 2.0 as a mountain bike shoe, it crosses over excellently for gravel riding.

Off-road ready 2-bolt cleats are a lot more durable than the 3-bolt plastic ones used on road shoes—and the matching pedals are far better at shedding mud too.

Thank you for reading 20 articles this month* Join now for unlimited access

Enjoy your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1

*Read 5 free articles per month without a subscription

Join now for unlimited access

Try first month for just £1 / $1 / €1