![]() ![]() For a while, my shoe of choice was the classic looking Specialized Recon Mixed. However, when I ride a drop-handlebar bike, no matter its classification, I almost always reach for a pair of Shimano SPD pedals and some good clipless shoes. To preface, I’ve pretty much all but completely switched to flat pedals for trail mountain biking and longer bikepacking trips. And while it certainly still has a sleek, cycling-specific look and design, it’s proven to be a versatile winner after well over 2,000 miles of use. Earlier this year, Specialized released the Recon 2.0, which they classify as a mountain bike shoe with a tendency toward comfort and efficiency. I don’t think I’m alone in this rather oddball preference: I like a shoe that’s kind of between gravel and MTB, if there is such a thing. And many of the MTB shoe options are either a little too bulky, clunky, flimsy, or just a little too “moto.” Many of the shoes that are marketed for gravel these days are still cut from the same cloth as road racing shoes-with a sleek aesthetic, slippery toe cleats, and uncomfortable plasticky soles that are too stiff and just don’t cut it for hanging out at camp (and aren’t ideal for extended hike-a-bikes, either). However, cycling shoes often seem to go one direction or the other. With that, you’d think that the bike industry would be all over this with apparel that matches-footwear, in particular. After all, more and more people are coming into the world of unpaved cycling from a simpler, non-racing, and more pragmatic perspective. Many of us appreciate this “off-road” middle ground. Drop-bar bikes are becoming more like mountain bikes, and many mountain bikes are being dialed back to serve a less aggressive purpose. It’s interesting to watch the cycling industry react to all the sub-genres that fall somewhere between gravel and trail mountain biking these days.
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