One of the cheaper flat pedal shoes on test is the Specialized 2FO Roost Canvas. It has a textile upper that looks great out of the box and offers good breathability and a nice fit, but it started to get pretty tatty after just a couple of rides.

The heel on this shoe also collapsed not long after, and while we said this was due to a previous tester not undoing the laces, we’ve been really careful to do that this time around and it’s still crumpled. Adding a bumper and maybe a bit of scuff protection would help with the support (the shoe only has a small toe cap), but that would obviously bump up the price.

What you get for the money is Specialized’s excellent SlipNot ST rubber sole. It has a hex-shaped lug pattern, which has a good bite on any flat pedal, and side by side with the Freerider Pro it’s also a similar durometer. When we measured both shoes, they came out roughly the same. The Specialized 2FO Roost Canvas was a little bit more flexible than the previous Freerider Pro, but the latest Five Ten here has a better feel. 

Both shoes use an EVA foam midsole for shock absorption, and we reckon there’s little to choose between them in this regard. The Roost does have a better-quality Body Geometry insole with a more supportive arch, and it is slightly higher cut around the ankle. The tongue also boasts a bit more padding.

Check out some more flat-pedal shoe options with our guide to the best mountain bike shoes. And don’t forget the other half of the equation: a great pair of flat mountain bike pedals will give you better control.