With their exotic lightweight materials and advanced construction, the S-Works range occupies a special (pun unintended) place even in Specialized’s exotic line-up of bicycles. The vehicle of choice for Tour de France as well as other professional cyclists, they are built with as much care and precision as many modern sports bikes and also command a price tag to match.
The Californian company has introduced their latest and most cutting product edge yet, the S-Works Venge ViAS. Billed as the fastest road bike in the world, it promises to be a full minute faster over a 40km (25 mile) time trial than its predecessor, the Venge. This has been achieved by packing it with dramatic aero features such as a truncated head tube, an integrated low-riding stem, an elongated front brake mounted behind the fork and a rear brake tucked midway up the seat tube. Cables and wires are internally routed — even through the stem — and the tubeless-ready wheels are a bold depth of 64mm.
The most eye-catching parts of the new bike are the integrated brakes. Specialized has christened these its “zero-drag brakes” on account that they apparently create zero additional drag compared to the frame built up without the brakes. The S-Works Venge ViAS will come equipped with the all new Roval CLX 64 wheels and S-Works Turbo tyres – claimed to be the fastest wheel/tyre system ever developed.
At 1,150g, the Venge ViAS frame is certainly not light. But after long-term modelling work with McLaren Applied Technologies, Specialized is highly confident that the massive reduction in aero drag will override the weight penalty for most riders in most situations in terms of overall speed.
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.
If these images has gotten you set on buying a Venge ViAS for your daily commute or road racing pursuits, be prepared to pay through your nose for it. It costs $12,500 for the whole shebang, which is what you’d pay for a new Honda CBR1000RR right now. Availability, starting August, will be extremely limited with the first batches going to pro riders.
That’s cool!
Damn! Its too cheap. I’ve been looking for cycle that costs at least $20,000. Maybe in a couple of years.