max power

correct, but, the difference in performance compared to the outgoing bicycle design (ITS JUST A BIKE) is, quite, trivial.

mpath

Wow. You responded with all this condescending drivel from my post? Lol. Presumption can be a b***h.

Same with KRhea.

rollin

and I bet it's laterally stiff whilst being vertically compliant...

guadzilla

Given how McLaren's testing is going so far, he might be faster on the bike this year

Bring back Kimi!!!!

But the burning question, which will only be answered after extensive testing, is whether this bike corners like it is on rails. I NEED TO KNOW!!!

mmmdonuts

the mclaren version is laterally stiffer whilst being vertically complianter

lwrncc

First win for the Venge at Milan-San Remo! Or was it a Tarmac?

StanSeven

It's pretty much a given that the Cervelo S3 is the fastest non-climbing bike. My point is with all the resources a large company like Specialized has, they wouldn't come out with a new bike to compete with Cervelo, Ridley, Flet, etc., unless they knew theirs is a winner.

rollin

You Sir are a marketing man's dream.

We drink to your health and to the contents of your wallet...

StanSeven

Take a look at the current issue of Velonews and their wind tunnel and other tests. Then come back and tell me how your data compares with it.

HMF

Anyone else think Specialized is taking the lead in terms of R&D? I'm not sure what the market share breaks down to but the Tarmac, Roubaix, and Shiv all seem like they have had a lot of research an ingenuity put into them. Now there's this.

Maybe I'm just drinking the kool-aid...

StanSeven

I don't think iyt's kool-aid. Aero frames are faster but lots of traditionalists resist them. It's the old saying "it's all in the engine" that we hear. The same peopel were saying aero wheels didn't make a difference a few years ago. And before that.....

I agree Specialized has make a huge leap in R&D

TMB

Dear god that thing is ugly.

max power

after San Remo i think the advertising heads at Specialized will be very busy . . . . .

Triguy

I personally do not think they are taking the lead. I think they are doing as much R&D as anyone, no more, no less.

I think lots of companies have focus on different things:

Cervelo's R5ca project is just as focused on layup and design process as the Spec Venge. Though, the focus was a lightweight carbon frame. Their R5ca is lighter than anything Specialized makes. Not to mention, their P4 was released about 2-3 years before the Shiv; and the wind tunnel numbers from the two are, at the very least, competitive. The S3(and it's predecessors the Soloist Carbon) have been around for 4 or more years. The Venge to me doesn't look that much more developed than the original soloist carbon; and I'd imagine that the Cervelo S3 is about toe to toe with the Venge in many respects.

Scott's Addict R1 frameset is now fairly "obtainable" from a price perspective and lighter than Specialized's framesets. Their Plasma 3 is not quite as advanced as the Shiv but has had no issues with UCI legality.

Trek's Speed Concept is probably the first bike to do a phenomenal job of serving both the non-UCI triathlon crowd and at the same time fitting the constraints of the UCI and the needs of a pro cycling team. The Shiv is a great TT bike, but the sizing is terrible for lots of riders as the stack height is constant as the bikes get bigger. Not to mention, the integration that Trek achieved versus the Shiv which makes it a much better tri bike as well. The Shiv is nice, but I would bet Trek and Cervelo put as much or more time in to creating their respective top tri bikes. Same as the P4 available data so far shows the Shiv(with nose cone) to be comparable aerodynamically to the Speed Concept and far less "fittable".

Felt's new line up for 2011, both the DA and the F1 look to be promising in their own categories as well. Their AR1, while not as refined looking as Specialized's Venge or as light weight, is about 3-4 years old. I would imagine it will be next on their list of updates now that the F series and the DA have been revamped.

Specialized has a lot of resources, as they are a large company. However, there is nothing they are doing that I don't think other companies are as well. And in the case of Cervelo for instance, have been doing for years.

StanSeven

I agree with what you said except the R5ca is a lightweight climbing bike. The S3 is Cervelo's flagship aero bike. The Specialized Venge is an aero bike. So the comparison in weight is for two different concepts. Right now the pressure is on Cervelo to come up with or make changes to the S3 in 2012.

NBYRDR

Oh I'm sorry

Triguy

I was not comparing the Venge and R5ca; I was merely responding to the idea that the Tarmac, Shiv, Roubaix and Venge were all demonstration of Spec's R&D being front runners. As I stated, the companies for 2011 are focused on different things. Cervelo did a few touch ups to the S3 two years ago and then switched focus.

I'll be curious to see what the actual frame weights for the Venge are; it's hard to tell if the S-Works is the 950 gram frame or the McLaren. IF it's the S-Works and the McLaren is 850ish; then that is a spectacular weight for an aero frame. However, if the McLaren is 950 grams and the S-Works is more like 1050-1100; then the weights of the two would be straddling the S3 which usually weighs in around 1000-1050 grams for a 54-56cm frame(depending on if collar, cage bolts, etc are on when weighed).

garysol1 

Here is a chart for frame module weight....
If the link below does not directly take you to the chart simply click on the Videos and Photos button from where my link takes you to.


https://www.venge.specialized.com/#/v...photos/chart_1

darb85

its pronounced Ven-Geh. Means faster in some language.

darb85

oh and its awesome

BeeSeeBee

The McLaren version is the one being touted at sub 950g. However, it just so happens to be missing a healthy layer of paint. People have stripped R3s and Addicts of paint, and the differences in weight between the actual frame iterations is less once you even up the playing field (i.e. apply less paint).


I'd say the onus is on Specialized to prove theirs is as fast. Independent tests have proven some of the "aero" frames offer little over a conventionally tubed frame, while others like Blue, Felt, and Cervelo do show meaningful gains with their frames.

One concern with the Venge is the cable routing. When the bikes weren't cabled in the Tour magazine test, the bikes with downtube cable entry fared far better than when the same bikes were tested by VeloNews with cabling. And those with behind the stem routing came out ahead. The frontal view specialized released has giant loops of cable hanging out , it certainly doesn't look that aero.

I understand that legs will have an effect on seatpost aerodynamics, but their reversible seatpost means it's an oval, not an airfoil.

Along with being inherently wary of manufacturer claims of aerodynamics, I especially don't like it when companies are intentionally deceptive with their aero reporting. When they released the marketing material for the Prevail helmet, they claimed it was the most aerodynamic road helmet, but only showed a 0° yaw chart. I get that they tested this bike in the wind tunnel, but when they said they took it to the track to confirm their findings, don't track riders typically only experience ~0° yaw of wind?

Honestly, the whole thing looks disappointing to me. A claimed four years of development, the relatively radically designed shiv, and seeing their initial concept of the bike, only to come out with something that looks like this?

May be fast, hopefully we'll have independent tests to confirm, but looks a bit faux-aero to me.

hodie21

I'm not crazy abou this frame. I like the Tarmac better.

RiDE

It's probably Jenson that pushed for this. He rides a Specialized during training and triathlons. He used to ride a Scott when he was at Brawn though.

NathanC

I think you mean, bring back Mika!

jermso

as usual speesh timing is impeccable.

debut win for the venge!

https://www.cyclingnews.com/races/mil...mo-his/results

fabian's face says it all