Saucony Ride 14 Multiple Tester Review
By Chief Editor Matt Klein and Contributor David Salas
The Ride series have been a group of great training shoes that handle both long and uptempo miles. We were quite impressed with version 13 (REVIEW) as it overhauled the midsole and upper. With a smoother and slightly softer ride, it continued to be a workhorse trainer. Version 14 has taken a much more subtle update approach. Refinements of both the upper and midsole have made this shoe subtly better. Those that like version 13 do not be afraid! It is all for the better!
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| The Saucony Ride 14, lateral view. A bright blue upper with a Saucony logo in red stretching across. Moderate heel padding and a traditional white midsole. |
Specifications for the Saucony Ride 14 (per Saucony)
Weight: 9.4 oz / 266g (men's size 9) 8.6 oz / 238 g (women's size 8)
Stack Height: 32 mm / 24 mm
Drop: 8 mm
Classification: Daily Trainer
RUNNING SHOE SUMMARY
Matt: The Saucony Ride 14 shares some subtle updates to the upper and midsole that further refine this already great daily trainer. A slightly softer midsole makes for a bit more forgiving ride, while the upper features a thinner, slightly snugger and more secure Formfit mesh update. The Ride 14 continues on as a stable neutral trainer that drops even more weight, making it start to reach into the realm of a lightweight trainer. For those that want a classic and reliably designed shoe that can handle mileage and workouts, this is the shoe for you.
David: The Saucony Ride 14 is a continuation of their very successful neutral training shoe lineage. The shoe features a newly updated upper that helps with better lockdown and the heel bevel feels smoothed out. The shoe has a flexible forefoot and a protective ride. The shoe is a very smooth riding neutral trainer that will work for a lot of people.
FIT (LENGTH / WIDTH / COMFORT)
Matt: Like version 13, the Saucony Ride 14 fits me very true to size in my normal size 10. The heel and midfoot fit fairly average, while the forefoot is just a hair snugger. The Formfit mesh continues to provide an adaptable fit. This is evident as I feel the upper provide a snugger sock like fit over my forefoot. This disappears as soon as the run begins. Like the previous version, the upper does a great job of disappearing and letting you focus on the run. The upper in the forefoot is a bit thinner, but continues to be soft and a little thicker in rearfoot. The tongue is attached to the upper on both sides and is very secure. It is a little thicker than average, but sits against the foot nicely. The laces are similar to the There is a heel counter in the rearfoot, but there is enough cushioning in the heel counter that I did not notice it all. So overall a medium fit overall with a hair of snugness in the forefoot that adapts to the foot nicely.
David: I am currently running a half size up in the Ride 14. With that said the shoe still fits pretty well throughout. The shoe has laces that have a stretch to it and it ultimately helps me lock the shoe down better. The Formfit mesh upper provides a better lockdown than the lost model and the mesh feels more airy than before. There is a heel counter but it is padded nicely. The same goes for the tongue. Overall the upper is very nice and comfortable throughout. The heel and midfoot are of normal width and the toe box being on the wider side for toe splay. The upper ultimately is a pretty traditional upper without too much bells or whistles but still very pleasing and a definite upgrade from the previous model. A couple of aesthetic things I like about the upper is the suede heel tab with the original stitching logo on the back as well as some of the suede at the top of the tongue. This looks really cool but also seems to help give a little friction for the laces to hold and keep the tongue from slipping.
PERFORMANCE (RIDE / SPEED)
Matt: The ride of the Saucony Ride 14 is very similar to the previous version, with the exception of being a tiny bit softer. There is a heel bevel that allows a somewhat smooth transition at heel contact. The midfoot is slightly firmer and very stable. This transitions into a nicely flexible and responsive forefoot. There is an 8mm heel drop and that is exactly how it feels. It is not noticeable almost at all. The midsole has an interesting mix of firm and mild softness to it. It has enough cushion to handle longer mileage, but the PWRRUN sole has a bit of a kick when the pace picks up. The Ride 14 sits in the middle of usage. I feel like I overuse the word "versatile", as this is certainly a trainer. The 9.4 oz weight combined with enough responsiveness that the Ride 14 can move. I have used this shoe for steady states, fartleks and hill repeats with relative ease. The forefoot is especially nice to roll off and land on. The ride in the rearfoot is still a little stiff during uptempo efforts, but the midfoot and forefoot are nice and smooth. At slower efforts, the slightly softer ride is noticeable. There is enough protection for long runs from 14-18 miles. I did find my feet a little beat up beyond that (my fiancee is training for ultramarathons... which means I too am having to do long miles). For most runners this shoe will be able to handle most runs, although those wanting a bit more cushioning should look for something like the Triumph 18 (REVIEW). The outsole is very durable. I have over 50 miles on my pair and have only a little scuffing on the heel and forefoot. Traction is decent and will work well for all road and fire roads if you want to take them on trail (see David).
David: The Ride 14 delivers a ride worthy of its name. The shoe has a very smooth ride from heel to toe. The previous version had a pretty sharp bevel to the heel that almost felt a little too harsh on the landing, but this one is much smoother. There is also a guiding effect with a crash pad like design and midline rift along the shoe from the rearfoot to the midfoot. The outsole also has very deep flex grooves that keeps the forefoot flexible. The midsole is a little softer than the last version and provides a very protective feel to the shoe without being overly soft by any means. The traction actually does pretty well across various terrains. The deep flex grooves seem to help with gripping the ground when going through horse trails and mild to moderate level technical terrains. PWRUN actually has a decent amount of responsiveness to it as well. I wouldn't work out in this shoe but if I really need to push the pace for whatever reason the shoe would be ok to do so. For me the shoe runs well from daily paces, recovery paces, and slightly uptempo paces. The ride is smooth throughout and I think this is definitely a shoe that will please the masses.
STABILITY
Matt: The Ride 14 continues to a stable neutral shoe. There is a heel counter that wraps almost into the midfoot, yet is still cushioned enough that it did not irritate my heel. The heel bevel is smoother now thanks to the softer ride. The wider outsole last really helps in the midfoot as it is more consistent with the rest of the shoe. The very flexible forefoot helps continue forward progression. Saucony shoes also tend to have a little higher arch, which does give a little more proprioceptive cue into the medial arch. This isn't arch support necessarily (certainly not a post), but can still be supportive. Classically Saucony, there is also medial and lateral midsole flare throughout the length of the shoe. Those that need mild support (me) will do fine in this shoe and those sensitive to posting/arch support will not notice this.
David: The Ride 14 is actually really stable for a neutral shoe. The upper provides a great lockdown throughout that handles trails, uneven surfaces, and turns really well without much problem at all. The platform itself is pretty wide and the geometry also has some sole flaring medially and laterally throughout. The outsole has good traction and the ride stays linear and smooth throughout. The shoe doesn't have any posting or any overly rigid regions of the shoe, but does a great job of providing consistent stability throughout. This is very much a neutral trainer, but one that still gives a nice amount of stability that I think people who run in both neutral trainers and stability trainers will enjoy.
THOUGHTS AS A DPT / FOOTWEAR SCIENCE
Matt: I am particularly impressed with the forefoot flexibility of this shoe. Adding that many flex grooves in the forefoot makes for a super smooth transition up front. The more flexibility you have in the front part of the shoe, obviously the more metatarsophalangeal (toe) extension you need (at least 60 degrees). This is a great way to modify forefoot stiffness. Either add a ton of flex grooves for flexibility, or keep them to a minimum for stiffness. Flex grooves are less effective in forefoot plated shoes, as the sole will likely not bend enough to require them. That is where toe spring and the upward curve of the forefoot comes in to play. So if the sole is thick enough that flex grooves may lead to structural failure or have no effect, toe spring is the next best thing to maintain some form of the natural forefoot rocker (aka toe extension). In footwear, you have to somehow facilitate or replace the natural mechanisms of the foot. The forefoot rocker, ie toe extension, is very important for maintaining forward momentum durming toe off. What each person needs or responds best to is unique to them. For someone who does NOT want any stiffness up front, the Ride 14 is a great shoe with a fantastic smooth and flexible forefoot.
RECOMMENDATIONS
Matt: The Saucony Ride 14 has had many refinements. This shoe continues to move in a great direction. I would suggest (like last time), to increase the heel bevel a little bit more to smooth out the rearfoot. That is really it. The Saucony Ride 14 has a specific place as a PWRRUN trainer and sits nicely between being a trainer and lightweight trainer. Many people may call for a PWRRUN PB midsole, but I hesitate to suggest that given the different between the Triumph and Ride series. The sole is nice and stable, yet is light enough that it can pick up the pace.
David: Overall this is one of my favorite updates of 2021. I already liked the Ride 13 but they softened the midsole slightly, refined the heel bevel, got better lockdown in the upper. The shoe is so much better than it was before. My only real recommendation for this trainer would be the same as Matt's, the heel contact can still feel a tad choppy, but it is a great improvement from the past model. Smoothening out the heel bevel and integrating it with the midsole better could make this a shoe of the year type of trainer.
WHO THIS SHOE IS FOR (Conclusion)
Matt: The Saucony Ride 14 is for those looking for a classic, consistent and reliable daily trainer. A great shoe for the high school, collegiate or recreational athlete. The Ride 14 can handle a variety of runs, from workouts, easy runs and long runs. The toe off is extremely smooth thanks to the flexible forefoot and the slightly softer ride makes it even more forgiving. At 9.4 oz, this shoe borders on being a lightweight trainer, but still has enough protection to work for a variety of people. The engineered mesh is slightly snug, but should work for a variety of foot types. Small refinements have made this shoe better as Saucony has clearly made something that works.
David: The Saucony Ride 14 is a shoe that is going to work for A LOT of people. The shoe is very traditional in many aspects but uses a lot of subtle notes to refine the shoe and create a really smooth and engaging ride. For most people this is going to be their workhorse daily trainer but this could even still double as a competition option for those new to the sport and are more focused on running a certain distance comfortably rather than racing for time in a low profile racing shoe. The shoe has a flexible forefoot and a wide toe box which I think a lot of people will like as well. This is one of my favorite daily training options at the moment and I think it will resonate with those who like a neutral, consistent, and flexible ride throughout that still comes off pretty stable.
GRADING (SHOE CATEGORY)
Matt
Fit: B+ (Nice secure fit. Slightly snug toe box that opens up on the run)
Performance: B+ (Slightly softer ride. Really smooth forefoot, heel still a little clunky during warm up)
Stability: A- (Very stable for a neutral trainer)
DPT/Footwear Science: B+ (Great forefoot flexibility, nice naturally stable ride. Bevel could be a bit more aggressive)
Personal: A- (Great shoe. A bit underwhelming, but consistent)
Overall: B+ (A really consistent and reliable trainer. Borderline lightweight trainer)
David
Fit: A- (Really comfortable and padded upper that is still lightweight, mild creasing in tongue as it transitions into toebox)
Performance: A- (Great at easy paces, daily paces, soft and flexible ride is nice, the shoe could do a little better at uptempo however)
Stability: A (Stability is great for a neutral trainer)
DPT/Footwear Science: A- (Softer midsole coupled with forefoot flexibility and sole flaring make for a nice platform and fun geometry, however the bevel could further help refine this ride to smoothen it out more)
Personal: A (Nothing overly fancy, in all of the right ways possible, this is a consistent riding shoe that will deliver for many miles)
Overall: A- (One of the best updates to one of the most popular neutral trainers, this shoe will please many with its consistency)
Thanks for reading!
SHOP | SUPPORT DOR
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FURTHER READING
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TESTER PROFILES:
Dr. Matthew Klein is a 140 lb male with notable PRs of 14:45 for 5k and
2:32:44 for the full marathon. He typically runs 70-100 miles per week
and trains at a variety of paces from 8min per mile recovery runs to
4:40 per mile 1k repeats. He prefers firmer and responsive shoes with
snug heels and medium to wide toe boxes. He is particular to less
cushioned shoes and close to the ground shoes, but can handle a little
cushion when he gets beat up. IG handle @kleinrunsdpt
Dr. David Salas is a 135 lb male with notable PRs ranging from 3:54 in
the 1500m to 1:08:36 for half marathon. He typically runs 60 to 70 miles
per week and trains from about 7:30 recovery runs to fast shorter
efforts at 4:30 pace. He normally prefers neutral shoes with a firmer
ride, but is completely open to other types of shoes. He is a footwear
enthusiast at heart and will always appreciate a high quality shoe when
it comes around. For updates on training or testing, IG handle:
@docsofrundavid
Dr. Brown is a 155 lb male with notable PRs of 18:18 5K,
39:25 10K, 1:29:01 half marathon, and 3:54 marathon. He typically runs
between 20-40 miles per week at a variety of paces from 7:30-8:30
min/mile for recovery runs to 6-6:45 min/mile for tempo runs. He
typically prefers shoes that provide some cushioning underfoot but still
maintain a more firm and responsive feel. Current goals for 2020 are to
break the 1.5 hour half marathon and 3:30 marathon. IG handle:
@nate.docsofrunning
Doctor of Physical Therapy
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