The press kit of Specialized says: "When a second makes the difference." This slogan says a lot about the new shoes S-Works Ares: Search for the limit, maximum performance, no compromise. But these words are also confirmed by the champions and by our tests...
Comfort and performance
Okay, it's very light, 220 grams in size 42, and also rigid thanks to the full carbon sole with FACT Powerlin fiber but really it would be too reductive for the Ares. The performance of this shoe is also closely linked to its fit, to its comfort which rhymes with Body Geometry: ankle, knee and hip are aligned to provide more power (reduce injuries). You gain 7 watts, which is 14 seconds faster over 10 kilometers. This alignment is possible thanks to the Varus Wedge, a 1.5 millimeter thickness in the sole that stabilizes the forefoot.
Fit and closure then go hand in hand. The new closure system is a “triangulation” thanks to the two Boa Li2 Fit which distributes the pressure evenly all over the shoe.
But if this shoe is so fast in transmitting power, it is also thanks to the internal sock without a tongue. A sock, a sort of "glove" reinforced in Dyneema (a very resistant synthetic fiber, so much so that it is used in kitesurfing). The foot is wrapped evenly.
Bagioli enjoys it
Sam Bennettt he used the Ares already during the Tour. "I was afraid that other sprinters might have these very fast shoes," said the Irishman. And during the winter they were also distributed to other riders of Deceuninck-Quick Step e Bora-Hansgrohe. Among them also Andrea Bagioli.
"I've been using these shoes since December," says Andrea from Valtellina. "They gave them to us during our first training camp. To be honest, I was a little skeptical at first, given their shape. They're a little high, almost reaching my ankle. And I used the first few outings to get used to them, but after a couple of weeks I found the right feeling and now I feel like I'm here… like a god. The foot remains stationary in all conditions, sitting and standing. And especially in sprints, it stays there, fixed. Better than the others. The shoe closes from the top and not from the sides, so your foot feels more wrapped up. There's no tongue anymore, but a sock, and with that alone, your foot feels more "free."
Apparently, circulation also benefits. Often, in the cold, if the foot is constricted and blood isn't circulating well, it easily freezes. But that's not the case with Ares.
«I also used them at home when the temperature was 5-6 degrees below zero and I didn't experience any cold problems.In the team we talk about it when new materials arrive and that was the case with these shoes too. Morkov He already had them on at the Vuelta, and I asked him every now and then how he liked them. He was immediately satisfied, so much so that he put them on at the start and never took them off.
"Everyone at Deceuninck wears them now, except two or three who prefer the Vent, the summer shoe. Yes, that's a little lighter, but these are stiffer and give you something extra in sprints.
Superfine details
But it's not just pros. One detail we really appreciated was the horizontal millimeter scale on the top bolt engagement. It's really useful for finding the exact position of the cleat.
A clear step forward has been made on the rest of the shoe. The heel cup PadLoc stabilizes the heel a lot And yet there's no annoying feeling of rubbing. The result is a truly ready-to-wear shoe.
There are four available colors: white (the one we tested), black, white with black writing (Team Edition), and red. This last color will be produced only now during the launch phase; once this initial batch is sold out, it will no longer be available.
