Specialized Torch 3.0 road cycling shoes review

Part of its recently refreshed range of road cycling shoes, Specialized’s Torch 3.0 takes the blueprint of the flagship S-Works Torch (£385 / $450 / €440) and distils it into a more wallet-friendly package.

Priced at £210 / $250 / €250, the Torch 3.0s get an updated last, a full carbon sole, seamless TPU (thermoplastic polyurethane) uppers and a set of twin Boa Li2 rotary dials.

Given this, the new Torch 3.0 shoes look the part and give up little in terms of overall performance.

Only a relatively high weight and lack of adjustable cleat bolt holes hold them back from a perfect score.

Specialized Torch 3.0 specification and details

Compared to the previous version, the major change here is the move to an updated last (the model foot around which a shoe is shaped) with a wider forefoot.

According to Specialized, this new shape is more anatomically correct and was developed in response to data gathered from “more than 100,000 footscans” in its Rëtul bike fit database.

Like the S-Works Torch, the Torch 3.0s use seamless uppers constructed from TPU (thermoplastic polyurethane). The finish is slightly thicker and more uniform here, though, with less of the zonal variation seen on the pricier shoe.

The twin Boa Li2 rotary dial closure system and lace arrangement is retained, although the Torch 3.0s make do with plastic versions as opposed to the premium metal ones featured on the S-Works model.

Not cutting any corners, though, the Torch 3.0 gets a full carbon fibre sole, with a unidirectional matt finish.

Refreshingly, Specialized doesn’t offer a stiffness rating for this sole, simply saying it was designed to be “stiff, yet light”.

Given such scales are always unitless, they don’t offer much tangible information as to how stiff the sole on any given shoe is. An honest description using plain English is therefore preferable.

There are generously sized bumpers protecting the shoe at both the heel and toe, although these aren’t replaceable.

Disappointingly, Specialized hasn’t included adjustable cleat bolt holes on the Torch 3.0's soles, reserving this feature for the pricier S-Works version.

Not everyone will need the extra cleat adjustment range they afford, but it will be sorely missed by those (myself included) who aren’t able to achieve their preferred cleat position as a result.

On the scales, my test pair of size EU45 shoes weighed 337g per shoe. That’s fairly heavy, even compared to the similarly priced competition.

Trek’s latest Velocis shoes (£229.99 / $249.99 / €249.99) weigh only 244g per shoe, for example.

The Trek Velocis is something of an outlier, though, because Van Rysel’s RCR shoes (£169.99 / $162.94 / €169.99) and Shimano’s RC7 shoes (£189.99 / €199.99 / $240) weigh 313g and 290g per shoe, respectively (both in a size EU45).

Unsurprisingly, Specialized claims its premium S-Works Torch shoes are also lighter, at 225g per shoe in a size EU42.

Still, though, these differences aren’t noticeable while riding. Unless you’re into hill climb racing, where every gram counts, it’s not something I’d worry about.

In terms of colours, Specialized offers four choices – Black, White, Oak Green/Moss Green/Limestone or Purple Orchid/Limestone.

Specialized Torch 3.0 performance

On the bike, the Specialized Torch 3.0 shoes are generally very impressive.

Out of the box, comfort was good, and it improved over the course of the first few rides with the uppers breaking in a little.

There’s a decent amount of arch support and the wider forefoot offers plenty of room for your toes to sit naturally.

The dual Boa dial lace system offers a firm yet comfortable hold on your foot too, while the Li2 dials offer quick and convenient tension adjustments.

The updated last is notably roomier than on Specialized’s previous generation shoes, though its online fit calculator still recommended me the same size EU 45 shoes as before (based on the measurements of my feet).

As always, a trip to your local bike shop to try on a pair before buying is recommended, where possible.

The soles are plenty stiff enough for fast road riding – they’re not the stiffest I’ve tried (Bont’s bathtub-style carbon soles outdo almost everything in that domain), but it doesn’t feel as if any effort is being wasted.

Of course, there’s limited evidence power output correlates with cycling shoe stiffness, but I generally find stiff-soled road cycling shoes to be less fatiguing on my feet, provided they fit well.

The only notable low point was that, due to the fixed cleat bolt holes, I wasn’t able to set the cleats far back enough to achieve my preferred position.

I prefer my cleats relatively far back, though, so this may not be an issue for everyone.

However, adjustable bolt holes are featured on many competitor shoes, including the Velocis, RCR, Shimano’s RC7 and more, leaving the Torch 3.0s as something of an outlier in this regard.

In terms of ventilation, the Torch 3.0s are good but not spectacular.

Compared to the S-Works Torch, the Torch 3.0 sole doesn’t get an extra ventilation hole on the toe area, for example, and the TPU uppers are fairly thick.

The uppers feature a generous amount of perforations across the foot to allow your feet to breathe, though, and in practice the airflow on cooler days was noticeable.

Specialized Torch 3.0 bottom line

Specialized’s Torch 3.0 shoes offer much of the performance of its high-end road cycling shoes, at a cheaper price.

The soles are stiff, the uppers comfortable and there’s plenty of room to wiggle your toes.

Weight weenies may be disappointed by their performance on the scales and it’s a shame Specialized has opted not to include adjustable cleat bolt holes.

If you can achieve your preferred cleat position with the fixed holes, though, the Torch 3.0s are among the best road cycling shoes available at this price.