A slightly less racey offering than the outgoing 2FO Cliplite, the new model is designed to put in a good show everywhere.
A few months with the Specialized 2FO Cliplite has given Pete a good opportunity to see how they go in a myriad of different riding scenarios.
Photos by Pete Scullion.
Key features:
- BodyGeometry sole and footbed
- Welded upper
- Independent BOA® Li2 Fit System
- Lollipop™ nylon shank
- EVA midsole
- XPEL™ hydrophobic lining
- Landing Strip™ cleat pocket
- 424g (1/2 pair, Size 44)
- £175.00 RRP
- Specialized.com
Previous iterations of the Specialized 2FO Cliplite took the standard and excellent 2FO platform and made it quite a bit more racey, losing some of the things that made the 2FO so good. The updated 2FO Cliplite puts it more in line with the rest of the 2FO range, and that’s definitely a good thing.
As you can probably tell, I’m a big fan of the 2FOs, being a good mix of weight, protection, stiffness, comfort and durability. So far, the 2FO Cliplites are better at some things and maybe slightly less so in others, primarily in stiffness and comfort.
Getting your trotters into these shoes is, like the older models, snug… Even with the upper BOA closure maxxed out there isn’t much room available. The flip side of that is that once your foot is in, it’s a snug fit. There’s slightly more room in the toe than the older versions which definitely helps when it comes to hike-a-bikes.
The double BOA closure is a delight once your foot is in, and the already snug fit is only enhanced by your ability to fine tune the fit across the bridge of your foot. The shank feels stiffer when walking than when on the bike, and you do feel like you get good power transfer without then being too rigid.
While certainly not the chunkiest of shoes, that much should be obvious with the Cliplite moniker, they do a good job of seeing off the trail hits as well as mud and water. They do let the liquid sunshine in a little worse than other shoes but then dry quickly too.
The metal cleat plate can cause some slips on rockier trails while hiking but otherwise the grip on the sole is perfectly adequate without being anything out of this world. The slot itself is long but not an awful lot wider than the cleat itself which does mean you have to be accurate when dropping your foot into the engagement.
What do we think?
The 2FO Cliplite is a solid addition to the 2FO range from Specialized, doing what its intended to do, and doing it well. Getting your feet into these things will never be easy but its offset by a very snug fit on the foot when you do get there. The BOA closure only increases the riding comfort too.
We love:
- Snug fit
- BOA closure
- Stiff without being uncomfortable
Could do better:
- Metal cleat plate reduces traction
- Foot opening is snug
