Specialized Recon 2.0 mountain bike shoes review

Alongside an impressive range of bikes, Specialized has long been famed for its footwear offerings.

The Recon 2.0 is based on Specialized’s top-tier S-Works Recon shoe, though costs just over £200 less, which certainly boosts its appeal.

Like its pricier counterpart, the Recon 2.0 manages to balance impressive sole stiffness for immediate power delivery through the pedals with just enough flex and off-the-bike traction.

However, the shape of the insole takes some getting used to.

Specialized Recon 2.0 mountain bike shoes specifications and details

The Recon 2.0 shoes feature a welded upper with some small perforations over the toe area and down either side to help boost breathability.

A Boa dial and Velcro strap take care of securing them to your feet. The dial in question can be popped up easily to release the tension in the wire that zig zags across the upper, making getting them off a breeze. That’s massively beneficial on cold, wet, muddy days.

There’s a reasonable amount of padding through the shaped heel and ankle cuff to bolster comfort and protection. Specialized uses its XPEL mesh to pad the tongue. This is designed to limit water absorption and dry quickly after a soaking.

Right at the top of the tongue sits another soft section of foam padding. This was more effective than expected during testing, preventing the tongue from rubbing the top of my feet when I dropped my heels and really flexed my feet on the descents.

There’s a toughened panel wrapping around the front of the shoes, but it’s not particularly thick or rigid, limiting protection somewhat.

Inside the shoe, Specialized’s Body Geometry insole features a subtle arch support, along with a metatarsal button – a raised section that runs lengthways along the middle third of the insole.

A nylon outsole helps to create a solid, efficient connection between the rider and pedal, while the ‘STRIDE’ toe flex technology is designed to ensure you’re not waddling about uncomfortably off the bike.

To maintain walking traction, the tall tread blocks are carved from Specialized's SlipNot rubber compound. The rubber covers the entire surface of the outsole, avoiding any slippery sections, which is a real plus if you’re struggling to clip back in. It adds to the overall weight, though.

As ever, the 'big S’ provides plenty of cleat adjustment, meaning if you prefer a more rearward cleat position, these are some of the best mountain bike shoes out there.

My size EU 42 shoes, with Crankbrothers cleats fitted, weighed in at a very reasonable 722g.

Specialized Recon 2.0 mountain bike shoes performance

The Recon 2.0 shoes offer plenty of cleat adjustment and I had no issues getting my set as far back towards the mid-foot as possible.

It’s easy to get these feeling solidly secure on your feet without any discomfort. That said, I found the Recon 2.0s a little tight through the mid-foot early in testing and certainly noticed the raised metatarsal button on hard, out-of-the-saddle efforts.

But with more rides under my belt and the shoes feeling as if they were more broken in, any slight discomfort soon faded away.

The shaping of the toe box is a plus for comfort, too. The squarer profile (compared to shoes with pointier, more tapered designs) allowed my toes to splay out and settle comfortably inside the shoe as I slowly worked my way up long climbs.

Hit technical descents and that locked-in, secure feeling, coupled with the great cleat placement, makes the Recon 2.0s seriously capable.

Your legs stay fresh for longer compared to similarly stiff shoes that don’t allow such a rearward cleat position.

That’s down largely to the fact that the cleat sits more centrally on the shoe, rather than closer to your toes – in this position, your feet are less stable, resulting in quicker fatigue onset (there’s a reason we don’t walk around on our tip toes).

This isn’t the case with the Recon 2.0s, which position your feet almost perfectly on the pedals, making bike control that bit easier.

The soles are still stiff, though. Get on the gas and the connection between your feet and the pedals feels particularly solid, making those short, sharp bursts of power translate into rapid accelerations when you need to get moving.

Off the bike, the flex through the toe makes for easy-going walking, while the deep tread block provides decent levels of traction without feeling too precarious on harder surfaces.

How do the Specialized Recon 2.0 mountain bike shoes compare?

While the Specialized Recon 2.0 shoes are pricey, they’re still £25 cheaper than Five Ten’s Kestrel BOAs.

The Recon 2.0s' uppers edge ahead of the Kestrel BOAs in terms of comfort, largely because the padding is a little plusher. That said, the Kestrel BOAs' footbed feels a little more neutral and I found it to be instantly comfortable.

The Kestrel BOAs feel a little more steadfast when cinched up, though, and their soles are slightly stiffer.

The Recon 2.0s feel better when it comes to walking, especially up steep sections of trail.

Most importantly, the range of cleat adjustment is almost identical.

While they’re a little more expensive, I prefer the overall fit and feel of the Kestrel BOAs, and also like the fact that the toe bumper feels pretty solid and protective.

Specialized Recon 2.0 mountain bike shoes bottom line

The Specialized Recon 2.0 shoes are very comfortable once bedded in and offer a superb range of cleat adjustment, which limits fatigue and boosts bike control when up and out of the saddle on the descents.

They’re stiff enough for cross-country racing, yet offer enough give through the sole to ensure walking off the bike feels uninhibited and very natural.

The price is relatively high, but having used various Specialized shoes for years now, I know they’ll last.