UDOG Forza Gravel Cycling Shoes

Forza or Distanza for gravel?

Both are Udog’s gravel/off-road shoes for 2-bolt SPD cleats, with the crag-inspired rubber outsole that wraps over the toe and around the heel, and Udog gives them the same ‘best for’: gravel racing, technical gravel, mixed terrain and long adventures. The Forza has the Twist Tech dial with TWS 2.0, a water-repellent, fast-drying mesh upper and the nylon-carbon 7.0 sole (320 g in EU 42). The Distanza is laced with the original TWS: in Ash Grey on the 7.0 sole (330 g), in Cinder Black on the full-carbon 11.0 sole (315 g).

Laces or dial: which Udog closure should I choose?

Udog makes both. The Tensione, Cima and Distanza use flat, pressed, non-stretch laces that Udog says don’t loosen while pedalling; on the Cima the knot tucks into the Pocket Tongue System. The Sempre and Forza use Udog’s Twist Tech dial and the Cento its lower-profile Micro Twist dial (30 mm wide, 10 mm thick), each working with TWS 2.0. Choose laces for the lightest, cleanest fit you set once; choose a dial if you like to adjust on the move. Udog’s crash replacement service covers a dial broken in a crash (proof of purchase needed).

What is Udog’s Tension Wrap System (TWS)?

It is Udog’s patented fit system. Most closures pull the foot down from the top; in TWS, textile or TPU-laminated tensors start beneath the footbed, run through the sole and up both sides of the shoe to the closure, so tightening wraps the metatarsal area from the bottom up. Udog says this spreads tension more evenly and supports the foot on both the push and the pull of the pedal stroke without over-tightening. The original TWS is on the laced Tensione and Distanza; TWS 2.0, paired with a dial, is on the Cento, Sempre and Forza.

How do Udog shoes fit, and which size should I order?

Udog says its shoes fit true to size and are slightly wider than other brands, and that sizes are gender neutral. Measure your foot length in the socks you ride in, heel to longest toe, measure both feet and use the larger one, then read the size in Udog’s table: 262 mm is EU 41, 269 mm is EU 42, 276 mm is EU 43. Udog’s comparison table puts its EU 42 level with a Specialized, Shimano, Giro or Fizik 42, and with a Sidi, DMT, Nimbl or Bont 43. We stock whole sizes EU 38–48.

How stiff are Udog soles — 7.0 or 11.0?

Udog uses two soles, rated on its own stiffness index. The 11.0 sole, which Udog lists as full carbon, is on the Cento and Cima road shoes and on the Distanza in Cinder Black. The 7.0 sole is a nylon-carbon composite and is on the Tensione and Sempre road shoes, the Forza and the Distanza in Ash Grey. Pick 11.0 for racing and maximum directness; 7.0 is more forgiving for long days and, off-road, for walking. It’s Udog’s scale, so compare within Udog rather than against other brands’ numbers.