Specialized unveiled a new mid-range Torch collection of shoes last month and we’ve just had the fanciest of the lot, the Torch 3.0 road slippers, in for review.

The Torch 3.0s come in at £200 and sit above the £150 Torch 2.0 and £80 Torch 1.0 shoes in the Specialized footwear line-up. At the very top of the range, you’ll still find the super-light, super-stiff S-Works 6 (£310) and lace-up S-Works Sub6 (£275) shoes.

These Torch shoes sit at a more realistic level for most riders, however, and combine a carbon fibre sole with two Boa dials (and a velcro strap). As you move down the range, the Torch 2.0 shoes lose a Boa dial and gain an additional strip of velcro, while the Torch 1.0s, which have a nylon sole, rely on three velcro straps for closure.

But that’s enough of the small talk, let’s have a closer look at the Torch 3.0 road shoes that have just arrived on the RCUK desk.