Specialized live and breathe aero as they know first hand that aerodynamic optimisation is the best thing they can do to make you faster. The philosophy "aero is everything" has never been truer than with the new Venge.
The quest for the perfect tube shapes didn’t start in the Win Tunnel. It started with a new piece of technology, the FreeFoil Shape Library. Specialized engineers wrote an optimisation algorithm and utilised a supercomputer to help create new airfoil shapes with different weights, surface areas, and structural targets. Armed with this library of shapes, all with different aspect ratios, they could plug them into the different parts of the bike and test a variety of configurations to determine the fastest setup in the Win Tunnel.
Compared to the fastest aero road bike to date (the Venge ViAS), and many others, the new Venge is eight seconds faster over 40km at zero degrees of yaw. It's also faster out on the road in all wind conditions, not just in the tunnel. *All bikes were tested with the same fit dimensions, and with the following components: Roval CLX 64 wheels, Turbo Cotton 26mm tyres, Shimano's newest Di2 groupset, two water bottles, an S-Works Power saddle, and their respective spec'd cockpits.
Striking the perfect combination of weight and aerodynamics plays a crucial role in a bike’s overall performance. A bike that’s strictly aero will feel great on the flats, but it'll suffer on the climbs and in quick accelerations. A bike that’s strictly lightweight, however, will suffer on everything but the steepest climbs. So, not only was the Venge made more aero than the ViAS, 460 grams were taken out of the module weight. This means they saved 240g in the frame, 25g in the fork, 107g in the cockpit, 25g in the seatpost, and 63g in small parts. So no matter the course, the Venge will prove to be the fastest option when you need to go up, down, and all around.
Much of this weight savings comes from Rider-First Engineered™ tubes. Much of the discovery from the new Tarmac's development was implemented, like different layup schedules and materials, and this culminated in a Venge that’s not only lighter, but one that also has a higher stiffness-to-weight ratio and 40% more compliance than the ViAS, no matter the frame size. While you can't always see these changes, all it takes is one ride to feel the quick accelerations and the bump-eating compliance.
The geometry was also updated, and is now based on over 40,000 Retül data points, as well as professional rider input. This enabled Specialized to implement a Performance Road Geometry that perfectly combines a responsive front-end with a short wheelbase, and this delivers instantaneous response and optimal power transfer.
The Venge houses some exciting new features. The new cockpit, developed in partnership with their World Tour teams, features a stem with a higher stiffness than anything Specialized have ever tested, new bars that are faster, lighter, stiffer, and feature a textured pattern on the tops for extra grip and control. The tyre clearance has no problem clearing 32mm-wide tyres. A Shimano A-Junction was also put in the seatpost, making it easy to charge, check battery levels, and for team mechanics to make adjustments.
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The Rider-First Engineered™, FACT 11r frame not only makes the Venge the most aerodynamic road bike but it's also lightweight and stiff in all the right places. Every tube shape, trailing edge, and design cue was influenced by hours of testing in the Win Tunnel, CFD, 3D-printed prototypes, and real-world rider feedback. Ultimately, this resulted in the fastest road bike Specialized have ever made.
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Designed in the Win Tunnel, the fork features a top-end S-Works FACT 11r carbon construction that helps to cut through air like a hot knife through butter.
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A legendary CeramicSpeed bottom bracket ensures that you're making every precious last watt count.