Why does the sole feel tilted?

Because it is. Every Body Geometry shoe has a Varus Wedge: a 1.5 mm outward tilt built into the outsole, meant to stop the foot rolling inward under load and keep foot, knee and hip aligned. Riders coming from a flat sole usually notice it on the first ride and stop noticing it within a few. If it still feels wrong after a couple of weeks, the problem is more likely cleat position or arch height than the wedge — worth a fitting rather than a return.

My feet go numb on long rides. Will these help?

That numbness — “hot foot” — usually comes from over-tightening the forefoot, which compresses the nerves and arteries running between the metatarsal bones. Specialized's answer is the Metatarsal Button, a raised area under the ball of the foot that lifts and separates those bones instead of squeezing them. Two things matter as much: don't crank the forefoot dial (a two-dial shoe lets you keep the forefoot loose and hold the midfoot), and match the insole to your arch height.

Can I change the insoles?

Yes, and Specialized designs the shoes expecting you to. The Body Geometry SL Footbeds Gen 2 fit every Body Geometry shoe and come in three arch heights: red for low, blue for medium, green for high. The outsole's Longitudinal Arch and the insole work as a pair, so matching the height to your own arch is what makes the system do its job. If you have never had your arch measured, that is the single cheapest upgrade to any of these shoes.

SPECIALIZED Sworks Torch Lace Road Cycling Shoes

Black

€339,00

~~€339,00~~ €339,00

Tax Included
EU Destination Selected (Spain)

Low stock: 1 left

The essentials

Best for

Racing
Climbing
Classic look

SPECIALIZED Sworks Torch Lace Road Cycling Shoes - Black

Technologies

Specifications

Claimed weight	200 g (EU 42, per shoe)
Sole	Unidirectional carbon with internal I-Beam
Closure	Laces
Body Geometry	Varus Wedge + Longitudinal Arch + Metatarsal Button
Compatible footbeds	Body Geometry SL Footbeds Gen 2
Cleat pattern	3-bolt, fits all major road pedals

Carbon sole

The sole plate is made of carbon fibre rather than nylon or carbon-reinforced nylon. Carbon is stiffer and lighter, so less of your effort is lost to flex; the brand’s stiffness index is in the spec table.

Varus Wedge

A 1.5 mm outward tilt built into the outsole. Specialized's reasoning is that the human body evolved to walk rather than pedal, so the foot tends to roll inward under load; the wedge tilts it back so foot, knee and hip stay in line. It is one of three patented Body Geometry elements, and it is the one riders notice first — the forefoot sits at a slight angle.

Longitudinal Arch

A patented arch support moulded into the outsole. Specialized's argument is that the foot has to act as a rigid lever to transfer power, and that an arch collapsing under load bleeds watts; the built-in support holds it. It works with the insole, which is why Specialized sells the Body Geometry SL footbeds in three arch heights rather than one.

Metatarsal Button

A raised button under the ball of the foot. Specialized's explanation is that riders chasing a secure fit tend to over-tighten the forefoot, which compresses the nerves and arteries running between the metatarsal bones and produces the numbness and burning known as hot foot. The button lifts and separates those bones instead.

Unidirectional carbon plate

The stiff platform under the foot. On the S-Works shoes an internal “I-Beam” carries the load down the centre of the plate, which Specialized says removes the need for extra bracing and saves weight — 20 g against the S-Works 7. The Torch 3.0 uses the same unidirectional carbon idea in a simpler form; the Torch 1.0 drops to an injection-moulded nylon composite instead.

SPECIALIZED Sworks Torch Lace Road Cycling Shoes - Black

Compare with

	SPECIALIZED Sworks Torch Lace Road Cycling Shoes - BlackLaces instead of dials, and the lightest shoe Specialized makes: 200 grams in size 42.	SPECIALIZED Sworks Torch Road Cycling Shoes - Black Choose it if you want the lightest of the range — 220 g in size 43 — with two S3 dials and the I-Beam carbon plate.	SPECIALIZED Sworks Ares 2 Road Cycling Shoes - Black Choose it if your foot lifts or your forefoot goes numb: PowerHug wraps instead of squeezing, with 20% more contact and 44% less forefoot pressure.
Regular price	€339,00	€257,86	€329,00
Safety rating	—	—	—
Claimed weight	200 g (EU 42, per shoe)	220 g (EU 43, per shoe)	—
Sole	Unidirectional carbon with internal I-Beam	Unidirectional carbon with internal I-Beam	Unidirectional carbon
Closure	Laces	2 × BOA S3	2 × BOA Li2 (Dual-Dial) + PowerHug
Body Geometry	Varus Wedge + Longitudinal Arch + Metatarsal Button	Varus Wedge + Longitudinal Arch + Metatarsal Button	Varus Wedge + Longitudinal Arch + Metatarsal Button
Compatible footbeds	Body Geometry SL Footbeds Gen 2	Body Geometry SL Footbeds Gen 2	Body Geometry SL Footbeds Gen 2
Cleat pattern	3-bolt, fits all major road pedals	3-bolt, fits all major road pedals	3-bolt, fits all major road pedals

Spare parts & accessories

SPECIALIZED Body Geometry SL Footbed Gen 2 - Red+ €27,99
SPECIALIZED Body Geometry SL Footbeds Gen 2 - Blue++ €30,00
SPECIALIZED Body Geometry SL Footbeds Gen 2 - Green+++ €30,00

SPECIALIZED Sworks Torch Lace Road Cycling Shoes - Black

Size guide

EU	US	UK	Foot length (cm)	Foot length (in)
35	3.5	2.5	22.5	8.9
36	4.25	3.25	23	9.1
37	5	4	23.5	9.3
38	5.75	4.75	24.5	9.6
38.5	6	5	24.75	9.7
39	6.5	5.5	25	9.8
39.5	7.25	6.25	25.25	9.9
40	7.5	6.5	25.5	10.0
40.5	7.75	6.75	25.75	10.1
41	8	7	26	10.2
41.5	8.5	7.5	26.5	10.4
42	9	8	27	10.6
42.5	9.3	8.3	27.3	10.7
43	9.6	8.6	27.5	10.8
43.5	10.25	9.25	27.9	11.0
44	10.6	9.6	28.3	11.1
44.5	11	10	28.6	11.3
45	11.5	10.5	29	11.4
45.5	11.75	10.75	29.3	11.5
46	12.25	11.25	29.5	11.6
46.5	12.6	11.6	29.9	11.8
47	13	12	30.2	11.9
48	13.75	12.75	30.9	12.2
49	14.5	13.5	31.6	12.4
50	15.5	14.5	32.3	12.7

Specialized notes that customers report a small fit on this shoe, and suggests choosing one size up and checking the size chart.

How to measure

Stand on a sheet of paper with your heel against a wall, mark the tip of your longest toe and measure the distance in centimetres. Measure both feet and go by the longer one.

Find your size with a shoe you already own

Tell us a cycling shoe that fits you well and the size you wear in it. We compare the brands’ official foot-length charts.

Brand of the shoe you own Size you wear (EU)

An estimate from each brand’s official size chart. Width, volume and the last also change the fit — if in doubt, ask us.

Description

Laces instead of dials, and the lightest shoe Specialized makes: 200 grams in size 42. The saving comes from the retention itself — there is no mechanism — combined with the same I-Beam carbon outsole as the S-Works Torch. The trade is that you set the fit before you clip in rather than adjusting it on a climb, which suits riders whose feet don't swell much and who like a classic look.

200 g in size 42, the lightest in the range, because laces weigh less than any dial mechanism
The same carbon outsole with internal I-Beam, tuned for stiffness-to-weight rather than outright stiffness
Forefoot 4 mm wider than the S-Works 7, from 3D foot scans and RETÜL data, with remapped zonal layering that stays supple but won't stretch over a long day
Asymmetric heel counter that reduces hard contact against the ankle

Available sizes