Specialized S-Works Venge
£9750 Lighter, faster, 12-speed SRAM Red, power meter and “the most aerodynamic bike on the road…”
One of today’s go-to aero road bikes is now claimed to be faster, lighter and more aerodynamic than ever. Our 58cm Specialized S-Works Venge weighs just 7.56kg, which is impressive for a large aero road bike with disc brakes, deep-section aero wheels and an integrated power meter.
The 2020 Venge has shed a considerable 460g. The fork lost 25g, the cockpit 107g, 25g in the seatpost and a hefty 240g in the frame. Not to mention 63g in ‘small parts’. But Specialized also claims this is the most aerodynamic road bike it has ever created, eight seconds faster over 40km than its Venge ViAS predecessor, regardless of the wind conditions.
Specialized’s engineers perfected “the shape of the Venge’s tubes… using the Freefoil Shape Library… writing an algorithm that optimises their shape to create different tubes that have new surface areas with differing weights and structural targets”. Different carbon lay-ups, initially developed for Specialized’s Tarmac, have resulted in a claimed greater stiffness-to-weight ratio and responsiveness. And it’s not just the frame that’s stiffer. Specialized says the stem is also stiffer than any it has ever tested, while the new flattened S-Works Aerofly II bar is claimed to be “lighter, stiffer and faster” and it also has a grippy texture designed for greater control, a feature developed in conjunction with Specialized-riding pro cycling teams.
The wheels are from Specialized’s own wheel outfit Roval. The CLX24 Discs have 64mm deep tubeless-ready carbon rims and are reckoned to be the fastest that Specialized has tested. These are paired with 26mm Turbo Cotton tyres with a super-supple 320TPI casing, though the Venge has clearance for wider 32mm rubber. The rear hub has DT Swiss 240 internals and both wheels have CeramicSpeed bearings to eke out a fraction more efficiency.
The groupset is as modern as the frameset. SRAM’s 12-speed wireless Red eTap AXS pairs a 48/35 chainset and 10-33 cassette for a wide range of gears with small jumps. The crank also incorporates SRAM’s Red AXS power meter.
The S-Works Venge is also available with Shimano Di2 in the Sagan Collection Ltd model, with silver and rainbow touches. Though at £10,250 this will cost you an extra 500 quid…
Different carbon lay-ups have resulted in a claimed greater stiffness-to-weight ratio and responsiveness