World Cup-tested products for racers

Stefan Loibl

· 10.06.2021

Photo: Michal Cerveny

World Cup-tested products for racers

Ridden in the Cross-Country World Cup by world champion Jordan Sarrou, now available for everyone: Specialized launches new S-Works shoes and XC tyres with new treads and compounds.

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Lightweight, stiff and comfortable to wear: with the S-Works Exos EVO wants Specialised combine all three attributes in one MTB shoe. In the lightweight cross-country shoe for racers, the Americans use a special Dyneema layup that drastically reduces the weight of the upper material and is supposed to be very stiff at the same time. Just once The pair in size 42 should weigh 232 grams. To keep the foot firmly in the shoe, a Boa Li2 twist lock sits in the centre at the top of the tongue. It has a low profile and can be loosened and tightened precisely in small steps, even while riding. The toe box has also been redesigned. It is designed to offer the toes and forefoot sufficient freedom of movement while transferring power to the pedal with as little loss as possible. The S-Works Exos EVO is also equipped with a carbon sole and a few rubberised studs are intended to provide a minimum amount of grip when running. With a Price from 499,90 Euro the new S-Works shoe (sizes 36-49, including half sizes) is not only the lightest Specialized has ever built, but also the most expensive.

Photo: Specialized Made for the hunt for World Cup victories and Olympic medals: the Specialized S-Works Exos EVO shoes.

Thanks to the carbon sole and stiff Dyneema upper material, power should be transferred from the foot to the pedals with as little loss as possible.

Photo: Specialized Thanks to the carbon sole and stiff Dyneema upper material, power should be transferred from the foot to the pedals with as little loss as possible.

Photo: Specialized When the bike shoes cost more than the wife's high-heels: the 500 euro S-Works shoe makes it possible.

New XC tyres: Renegade, Fast Trak and Ground Control

Following the introduction of the new T9 and T7 rubber compounds Enduro and trail tyres Specialized has now also updated its fast cross-country tyres Renegade, Fast Trak and Ground Control. T stands for "Tread Compound", i.e. the rubber compound. And what does the number stand for? It's all about the damping: a higher number means more damping and more grip, but also increased rolling resistance. This is why Specialized relies on the T5, T7 and T5/T7 compound combinations for its cross-country models.

T5 is the thoroughbred XC compound, which is usually also used in the MTB World Cup and should score points for its low wear.
The T5/T7 combination has both compounds in the carcass, with T5 reducing rolling resistance in the centre and T7 providing more cornering grip on the side lugs.
The T7 mixture is said to be ideal for rougher terrain and should therefore be very suitable for use on down-country bikes. It offers additional grip and damping with slightly increased rolling resistance.

Photo: Specialized An overview of the Specialized MTB tyres with their rubber compounds (T5 to T9) and three casing options (S-Works, Control, Grid).

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The Renegade, Fast Trak and Ground Control XC tyres are also available with three different carcasses. The lightest version is the S-Works carcass with 120 TPI. The Control version with 60 TPI offers slightly more puncture protection.

Photo: Specialized The Renegade, Fast Trak and Ground Control XC tyres are also available with three different carcasses. The lightest version is the S-Works carcass with 120 TPI. The Control version with 60 TPI offers slightly more puncture protection.

Photo: Specialized For down-country bikes and light trail bikes, the Grid casing (60 TPI) offers extra sidewall protection for rough terrain.

The Specialized engineers were inspired by motocross tyres when designing the new tread pattern for the XC tyres. The new block-in-block design is intended to increase grip and stability.