Welcome to American Dream Overland Expedition, I’m your host Kenneth Medley. This is a product review about the Specialized 2FO-flats. This is the first pair of shoes I’ve bought with a manual, albeit useless, because it was for a different pair of shoes. This is great marketing by Specialized. There is warranty information so do not throw it out.
What does Specialized say about these shoes?
“Pushing the limits requires confidence in your equipment. 2FO brings control, comfort, and protection to platform pedal footwear without any weight and fit penalties. Developed and tested by gravity and all mountain athletes worldwide, 2FO uses our SlipNot rubber tread compound for ultimate platform pedal hook-up. Foot out, flat out.”
Well there it is folks, straight from the company’s website. There is a bulleted list that describes more specific details, found here, Specialized website.
Does the shoe perform? The short answer is yes. Now I will explain why.
First is confidence:
These shoes won’t keep your feet on the pedals as if you were wearing clip-ins, but will give you the confidence as if you were. There is the obvious inability to pedal on the upstroke, however, moment can compensate. If you are used to riding flats, you’ll have no problem.
The difference of riding with a shoe designed for mountain biking is night and day. Be safe and confident in your equipment and your session times will improve. The Specialized described, “shark-skin forefoot tread pattern,” grips the pedals well. This translates into confidence on the trail. Confidence translates into speed.
Second, Comfort:
These shoes are comfortable for all day Stage-Enduro races, social rides or Dirt Church. I placed 12th in the Fire Mountain Inferno race wearing them. They are great for hike-a-bike sections. A little slippery on wet rocks, but they are not made for that. The tread will pick up a little mud when hiking but is easily stomped clean.
They are perfect for grabbing a beer after the trail. Since a lot of my rides end at the pub instead of the podium, I wear these all the time. They are my go to for social rides and when I know I will be on my feet a lot.
That being said, I recommend buying a pair of insoles with the shoes. The factory insoles are garbage and not worth wearing out. Throw them out and get new ones.
Third point I want to talk about is style.
I love the red and black. I am partial to the color combination though. I have a lot of gear in the combo because it is available, goes well with a lot of other colors and I like the two together. I get compliments on these things all the time and if you care about that, cool. Specialize has many different offerings.
Next, protection:
I absolutely love Speacialize’s, “Injection-molded toe kick, anti-tear toe, and high-side cuff.” These features really do provide lightweight armor-like protection. You do not have to worry about trail hazards puncturing your foot when riding.
They are not bulletproof, but do provide a higher level of protection. I have hit plenty of sticks, roots and rocks jutting onto the trail with these and never missed a pedal stroke. Also, they don’t scuff on pavement and protect from road rash during urban assaults.
Last two things I will hit on are price and durability. I think these go hand-in-hand. I know I want a product that is going to stretch my dollar. I purchased my 2FOs through The Bike Shop Johnson City and got a closeout deal, because of color. I am amazed at how they have held up.
I have pedaled hundreds of miles wearing these. Landed my first doubles, ridden in three different states and been down more times than I can count. The only items I have replaced are the insoles. They come with two pair of laces, which is nice. Use the trademarked Lacelock and you don’t have to worry about replacing the laces.
Cleaning is easy. Garden hose them off, remove the insoles to dry and place in the sun. I recommend some deodorizer to kill any leftover scent.
Yes they do what Specialized designed them to do. Yes they are worth the money but look for a deal. Yes they are flats so everybody knows you’re gnarly on the trail. Yes they provide some protection.
No the insoles are not comfortable so buy some. No they are not armor or bulletproof.
Most importantly, YES, I would definitely recommend these to another rider. I can’t wait to get another pair. I will try a different model in the line-up but it will be a flat.
I hope this review helps you make a decision on where to spend your hard earned cash. Whether you are racing, meditating or socializing you won’t be disappointed with these shoes.
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