The hardest part of finding a cycling shoe is choosing the right brand for your needs and preferences.
There are many brands and companies out there in the cycling shoe industry, but today we will be talking about Shimano and Specialized.
When talking about Specialized and Shimano, you’re talking about the oldest and best in the game.
Specialized has been in the market for over 45 years, and as for Shimano, it has been in the business for more than 100 years now.
Therefore, this article will be about putting these two face to face.
Brands History,
However, before we get into today’s main subject, we should look at both brands’ histories.
Know more about them, how they started, their evolution, and more.
So let’s get right into it;
About Specialized
This company was founded in 1974, in Morgan Hill, California. The founder, Mike Sinyard, started Specialized with a 1,500$ loan from his dad.
When he first started, he was just importing Italian bike components and selling them afterward.
The name was chosen because of SInyard’s desire to offer specialized components and equipment to riders.
After a while in the industry, Specialized became a global cycling brand, by offering multiple bicycles and a variety of cycling accessories, including cycling shoes.
This brand focuses on the production of high-quality touring and racing bicycles, which ain’t that simple without Specialized’s focus on research and development.
Putting a lot of energy, time, and effort led to all these new technologies, like FACT carbon and Body Geometry.
Now, the company offers some of the best cycling shoes on the market, their shoes show how much they care about details in their productions.
Their cycling shoes also feature great qualities like the BOA closure, carbon soles, etc…
Let’s now mention some Pros & Cons;
Pros & Cons
|
Pros |
Cons |
| Body Geometry technology |
A little expensive |
|
Specialized carbon soles allow maximum power transfer |
Offers limited color options |
| Provides easy and precise customization with their BOA closures |
Some of their shoes run a little small and narrow |
|
You have a variety of styles to choose from |
Durability issues |
About Shimano
We are talking about the one and only, the greatest Japanese company in the cycling shoe industry, the leader of them all, Shimano. This OG has been in the game for over 100 years now, it offers a variety of cycling shoes for every type of cycling, road, mountain, and also triathlon.
Its defining feature is Dynalast technology, this technology is designed to optimize your pedaling efficiency and decrease fatigue.
And it’s also known for having precise engineering and attention to detail while manufacturing its products.
Just like Specialized, Shimano has some pros and cons, that we feel like it’s worth noting in this article.
Pros & Cons
|
Pros |
Cons |
| Multiple styles to choose from |
Sometimes their shoes run a little small or narrow |
|
Offers excellent power transfer that goes straight to your pedals |
Not that many color options |
| Affordable |
Heavy compared to Specialized |
|
Super comfortable, which adds up during long rides |
Not available everywhere |
Shimano & Specialized Head-to-Head
|
Features |
Specialized | Shimano |
| Styles | Variety of styles, designs, and also colors |
Offer multiple designs and styles, but not that many color options |
|
Fit |
Snug and secure fit, however, it sometimes runs small or narrow | Most of them fit so well, but they have some sizing issues |
| Comfort | Super comfortable and helps during long rides |
Amazing comfort helps reduce pressure points for a better experience |
|
Quality |
High-quality products | Known for their high-quality products |
| Durability | Pretty durable |
Amazing durability |
|
Technology |
Body Geometry to improve your comfort and performance | Dynalast to maximize pedaling efficiency and minimize fatigue on those long rides |
| Materials | Uses only premium materials |
Made with high-quality materials |
|
Performance |
Improve your performance | Excellent performance |
| Price | More Expensive |
A little affordable |
Conclusion
After this comparison, you probably realized that both these two provide us, cyclists, with many options for every type and level.
From road, mountain, and triathlon to newbies, beginners, and professionals. Everyone can find a pair that fit their preferences and needs.
Talking about this, we can’t recommend you one of these two OGs because each one of us has its own needs and preferences.
However, what we can recommend is to give both brands a try and then decide for yourself.
