New Specialized Venge
Last Post 07/01/2015 11:56 AM by Cosmic Kid. 38 Replies.
Author Messages
Cosmic Kid

Posts:4209

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06/14/2015 10:39 AM
looks like they dropped the seat stays and integrated the fork / head tube a bit more and reworked the tube shapes. I would look for Cav and Nibali to be on it for July.

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Cosmic Kid

Posts:4209

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06/14/2015 10:42 AM
Upon a closer look, it seems that they have developed a whole new fork / HT / brake system. Can't really tell how the brakes work.....The DT has also been dropped and they have developed an integrated stem system as well.
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huckleberry

Posts:824

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06/14/2015 01:26 PM
Beauty may be in the eye of the beholder, and I'm not too fond of the looks, but damn, I certainly would take that between my legs...

Aesthetics aside, it's pretty sweet.

I'd grow to love it ; )
vtguy

Posts:298

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06/14/2015 04:10 PM
What Huck said.
6ix

Posts:485

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06/15/2015 11:57 AM
Um, WOW! Can't wait to learn more about this one.

Looks like the rear brake comes off the seat-tube just above the front derailleur. Could potentially be identical to the front brake as the cowling around both areas appear similar.

That is one seriously long stem.
Cosmic Kid

Posts:4209

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06/15/2015 03:33 PM
A few patent pics for the brakes.....could well be hydraulic, but the brifters on the bike from the pic above do not appear to be the hydraulic ones from Shimano. If mechanical, I can't quite figure out how they will work.....








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Orange Crush

Posts:4499

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06/15/2015 04:48 PM
Nifty...between this and the Trek I guess integrated brakes and cable routing are all the new rage. Too bad we'll have another transition...to discs...next year :-)
Cosmic Kid

Posts:4209

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06/15/2015 05:37 PM
I am hopeful that designs like this, and SRAM's hydraulic rim brakes along with their reported TT hydraulic levers coming later this year bode well for hydraulics being the design winner and not discs (at least as it pertains to road bikes)

Too many trade offs, IMO, for discs in a pure road application for now. New hub dimensions, QR issues, aero penalty etc.

Hydraulic rime brakes make much more sense, IMO, for the road.
Just say "NO!" to WCP!!!!
Cosmic Kid

Posts:4209

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06/16/2015 02:26 PM
More pics....brakes are definitely NOT hydraulic (at least not on this bike)










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Ride On

Posts:537

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06/16/2015 04:50 PM
The front end looks clean , the back end looks like a marketing request to do something different than everyone else.
Ride On

Posts:537

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06/16/2015 04:52 PM
And if ever watts counts , move the SRM speed sensor to the rear wheel
79pmooney

Posts:3178

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06/16/2015 05:00 PM
They had an in-house contest in engineering to come up with the ugliest possible rear brake.  Winner got that fun frame that's been sitting around the past 8 years.  Winner's design got left on the conference/lunch table.  The upstart in marketing found it and ran with it.  That photo was the first time engineering saw what was in the works!

and if you believe that ...

Ben
SideBySide

Posts:444

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06/16/2015 06:59 PM
Is it just me, or does it look like they are using sisal twine as a brake cable?
79pmooney

Posts:3178

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06/16/2015 10:26 PM
SideBy, the mechanic was in on the joke. Wasn't about to place the stamp of approval it with a real brake cable!

Ben
Cosmic Kid

Posts:4209

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06/17/2015 09:11 AM
Found the patent application....the drawings are for a hydraulic system, not the brakes pictured on the bike above.

https://www.google.com.tw/patents/US20140265222
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Oldfart

Posts:511

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06/17/2015 09:30 AM
Sideby. I think those are the latest Shimano cables. I replaced my shift cables recently and that's how they look. Weird. Work fine though.
Yo Mike

Posts:338

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06/17/2015 10:36 AM
To paraphrase The Bard, this is "Much Ado About Ugly".
stronz

Posts:447

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06/17/2015 01:19 PM
wow -- thats an awful lot of machinery needed to do something pretty darn simple. And really all in the name of aero? I'd understand if it werent for the fact that the bikes dont ride themselves. sitting on top of these aero bikes there is a human with bulges and pointy edges that are decidedly un-aero. Just silly imo
Cosmic Kid

Posts:4209

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06/17/2015 01:39 PM
Your position is your position....the choice on making it efficient is up to you. There is plenty known about how to make your position aero (rotate your hips, lower stack height, narrow shoulders, etc).

The aerodynamics of a bike are there regardless of your position. Even if you have a crap position, an aero frame still makes you more efficient.

But, an aero frame is not a cure-all for poor decision making.
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ChinookPass

Posts:809

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06/17/2015 01:42 PM
Can't fault the bike manufs. for making the one part of the system they control (the bike!) more streamlined. And the 5'4" jockey who's piloting it will appreciate it. I've definitely passed a lot of folks with bulges and rounded edges toodling along on deep dish carbon wheels this summer so folks are definitely paying for aero.

For my curiosity, what is the benefit of road hydraulic vs road disc? I thought the problem that needed to be solved was how to stop carbon wheels on long descents or in the wet which seems to be best solved by road disc or surfaced rim braking tracks and proper pads. I'm not sure hydraulic adds any benefit to rim braking.

As far as integration goes, the bike manufs. are trying to make something the buyer things is cooler, for cheaper than they can buy from the OEMs, to sell for more. So in that case, this bike and the new Trek are wins for them as long as those brakes work as good as the industry standard shimano/sram/campag offering.
Inferno7

Posts:344

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06/18/2015 07:11 AM
Man these new bikes look cool. Love the designs and the engineering that make them possible. I'll take the Specialized over the Trek.
Cosmic Kid

Posts:4209

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06/18/2015 09:47 AM
Cav's Venge from Tour de Suisse. Interesting bars.....would like to know if those bars are the standard issue, or just what Cav choose to achieve his desired stack height with the reach he wanted.

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6ix

Posts:485

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06/19/2015 07:03 PM
It's a bit emotional seeing these latest designs as they are likely to be the last premier road bikes developed for use with rim brakes. Think about it. They are the swan-song for rim brakes because these were in development before the UCI approved the use of discs in competition. From now on, everything will be designed for discs except for the entry-level models and even then that's not necessarily the case. It's kind of like V-brakes on mountain-bikes. Do those even exist any longer?
Orange Crush

Posts:4499

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06/19/2015 07:26 PM
6ix - I thought CK said he was hopeful hydraulic rim brakes were going to win over discs? Although as per ChinookPass' comment I don't think hydraulic rim brakes are a solution.
longslowdistance

Posts:2881

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06/20/2015 08:34 AM
6ix, interesting observations.
Nick A

Posts:625

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06/20/2015 09:20 AM
So the pendulum has swung once again to aero. That's OK, give it a few years, it'll be back to weight, then ergonomic...then aero again.

N
Cosmic Kid

Posts:4209

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06/22/2015 11:29 AM
Well, I am hopeful that hydraulic rims can win out in the road category, but I am not necessarily optimistic. There is a heap of momentum towards road discs right nowand consumers seem to be oblivious to the negatives that go along with the positives.

IMO, the negatives far outweigh the positives for a pure road application, but if I were a product manager right now in the bike biz, I would almost certainly be spec'ing discs for most of my bikes.
Just say "NO!" to WCP!!!!
KootnaMoots

Posts:47

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06/22/2015 12:55 PM
In 1992/1993 I purchased a Specialized Top shelf FRS mountain bike which came with Caliper brakes. About that time Magura came out with Hyd rim brakes which I had installed. They would stop a bit better than the calipers, much better in the wet but for a MTB with the dirt on the rim it didn't take long for the rims to be toast. Shortly after the Vee brakes were here and that ended that experiment. The bike also had the Xray twist grip shifters which I still Prefer. Still have problems deciding which lever to push or pull and I am sure age has something to do with it.
Gonzo Cyclist

Posts:568

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06/22/2015 04:14 PM
Sagan has been riding one of these also, his looks way too small though. Has anyone noticed that he does not look comfortable on the Spez bikes? Cannondale had a custom for him, extra long top tube

Not a Spez fan, but I'm curious about the full internal routing, very cool, but I bet the mechanics hate it!! That has got to be a bitch to work on

Kootna, just pulled some of those Magura's off my brothers 95' S-Works Team, man those things were heavy, and not that great, the Tektro V-Brakes I replaced them with work like 10 times better
Cosmic Kid

Posts:4209

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06/23/2015 07:41 AM
Blech....not digging this pic. HB setup is FUGLY!!



And this statement?

The carbon Venge is actually one of five new products Specialized is unveiling this week as a "complete aerodynamic ecosystem." Along with the Venge, there's a new skinsuit, helmet, shoes, and wheel-and-tire system. All together, the project is dubbed "5 Minutes," which is how much time you'll save over 40 kilometers, or about 25 miles, if you're riding this bike and wearing the gear, the company says. That is, compared to its previous similar bike and gear.


Yeah, I'm calling bullschitt on that.
Just say "NO!" to WCP!!!!
SideBySide

Posts:444

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06/23/2015 11:09 AM
My first thought, on seeing the latest pic, is that it looks really "chunky." I wonder how that will ride in a crosswind?
ChinookPass

Posts:809

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06/23/2015 11:39 AM
5mins sounds like a nice round number. Tell the wife I can save 5mins off my commute but it will cost one semester of college tuition payments for one of the kids...

FWIW, I have about 10min swing in commute time from the fendered, disc-braked Moots to the traditional Moots.
Cosmic Kid

Posts:4209

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06/23/2015 05:39 PM
Chris Yu from Specialized has weighed in on the claims over on Slowbitch.

The claims are based against a Tarmac frame, Prevail helmet, jersey and bibs and Conti tires. They are admittedly using those items for comparison to get a shock and awe factor. A bit of apples and oranges, IMO,minutes I get why. Don't necessarily agree....but at least they are being open about it.

http://forum.slowtwitch.com/gforum.cgi?post=5525229;sb=post_latest_reply;so=ASC;forum_view=forum_view_collapsed;;page=unread#unread

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longslowdistance

Posts:2881

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06/23/2015 06:48 PM
Nick A, the UCI guarantees not fussing about weight with the min weight limit.
Orange Crush

Posts:4499

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06/23/2015 07:00 PM
1.5 of those 5 mins is from wearing a skin suit. Oh yeah I can see the frowns of disgust from wife, kids and friends. And where do I put my bananas? But if you forego the bike and stick with the other improvements you can still gain 3 mins and save $12.5k.
Cosmic Kid

Posts:4209

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06/23/2015 09:01 PM
Two versions of the skinsuit....a TT version and GC version (with pockets) Banana dilemma resolved.
Just say "NO!" to WCP!!!!
Nick A

Posts:625

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06/24/2015 12:06 PM
LSD, I guess you're right. Haven't seen an ergo thing in a while too. So what WILL they think of that we HAVE to have after all the aero is bought?

LOL.

N
Gonzo Cyclist

Posts:568

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07/01/2015 11:29 AM
pretty cool actually, but can't imagine having to work on that thing, what a nightmare!! Are bikes going the way of the cars? Used to be able to work on your own, now you need a specialist? Or many special tools?
Cosmic Kid

Posts:4209

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07/01/2015 11:56 AM
Posted By Kenny Gonzales on 07/01/2015 11:29 AM
pretty cool actually, but can't imagine having to work on that thing, what a nightmare!! Are bikes going the way of the cars? Used to be able to work on your own, now you need a specialist? Or many special tools?


Well, they are certainly approaching the price of cars....top end editions of this bike and the new Madone are +$12K!!! I am rapidly being priced out of the bike market....I will continue to scout discount sites and fleaBay for deals moving forward. For example, I put together my Specialized Venge w/ 10 spd Ultegra Di2 for about $3K last year. $12K for a fookin' bike? Ummmm....no.
Just say "NO!" to WCP!!!!


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