New Build 2016 S-Works Venge ViAS

[ProfessorChaos]

Been following your build with interest for a while. Very impressed with the way you keep looking for opportunities to save weight and customise your VIAS.

Thought I would share an image of my VIAS. It started out as a standard pro version 52cm (I wanted the clean stealth look) with DA9000. Then I added the S-works Quarq. It was recently upgraded to Etap. It has since had a splash of colour (Orange) at the request of my 4yo son.

Glad to have sparked your interest in my project. Your bike looks great. How do you like the aerobars? I need to acquire a set myself. I'm always looking for any advantage I can get. I guess that is why I love aero and light bikes.

[Toto76]

I haven't had a chance to ride them as yet. Only mounted them to see how they look and get a few pics for another friend that has a VIAS as well. I am off to the TDU for the weekend so hopefully I will get a chance once I get home next week to ride them and form an opinion on them.

I much prefer my VIAS in the all black stealth look as I had intended when I bought it, though the good father in me forced me to comply with my 4yo sons wishes for some orange highlights.

[lovemyway]

These aero bars look pretty nice, I'll get them for my ViAS too. There's a PDF manual on Specialized website on how to install them in case you guys don't want to get a neck pain reading the Toto76's image: https://media.specialized.com/support/c ... 306_R1.pdf

[grumpier]

Have you played around with a shorter stem/bigger frame in the fitting tool?

I ended up deciding on the flat bar with the "high stack" top cap pairing with no other spacers rather than slammed on the low top cap with the 25mm+ bars. Logic is this gives me room to lower the front without having to swap bars dropping 25mm in one hit and I prefer the look of the 0 rise bars
Once I have the bikes side by side I will be able to eyeball it

I have been going back and forth on the flat bar with 16-20 mm of spacers vs. the gull-wing bar with nothing. My guess is the gull-wing would be lighter because the spacer weight and extra steer tube, but then it occurred to me that the fork would be cut to its lowest possible length and you could only drop the bar by 25mm (and it would cost 300$ to swap bars). I figure that my back isn't getting any better with time, so maybe the extra fit options of the flat bar is a good idea.

[Nefarious86]

Bingo. I had the exact same realisation. Add to that the flat bars look nicer IMO.

[ProfessorChaos]

The only thing I'll add is the the flat bar with spacers to acheive the same height is not as aero as the the +25mm and no spacers in addition to being heavier.

[ProfessorChaos]

Had to put the longer chain I have, and the OSPW for eTAP kit on. It's now the ultimate level, of the ultimate level, of the ultimate level. haha! Then the new Garmin 820 finishes it all off. I totally love this bike now.

[fa63]

That looks badass.

[ProfessorChaos]

That looks badass.

Thank you sir. It was truly love at first ride, but it keeps getting better. I'm not sure what I can do from here to make it better, aside from custom projects, and tubular wheels.

[Bianchi10]

How does it do with climbing? Obviously an Aero, stiffer and heavier frame than the Cervelo you once had. Being that I'm in Portland, OR we have a lot of hill climbing. Your bikes were the reason I became a weight weenie back in the day and unfortunately, seeing your Vias as often as i do now has a burning in my loins to get myself a venge vias at some point down the road. Its amazing how much I HATED the aesthetics of the Venge vias when it first came out, but now would be my dream, go-to bike if I had the financial ability to afford anything I wanted. LOVE your bike

[Nefarious86]

Honestly mine climbs like my Tarmac. If i didn't look down I wouldn't know the difference.

[Toto76]

Honestly mine climbs like my Tarmac. If i didn't look down I wouldn't know the difference.

Agreed. I don't own a tarmac, but my VIAS feels as good if not better then my Cannondale Evo when climbing.

[ProfessorChaos]

Now that I live in Texas, the big climbs are few and far between. I have climbed some big ones on this bike though. One thing I notice with lighter bikes is the front likes to come off the ground under pedaling on super steep sections. It's actually kind of annoying. I'm sure if I was at race weight I might be able to notice the difference of a pound or two of bike weight, in times to climb a hill or mountain. I also feel that might even be less of an issue as I may have previously thought as the aero bike is still going to be racking up savings in efficiency while climbing. Currently, I need to loose a few pounds off the engine, so I find it ridiculous to worry too much about bike weight. One thing I do notice all the time is this bike is faster everywhere, aside potentially from long grueling climbs. The handling is second to none. The stiffness if better than anything I've ridden. So I dive into corners harder. I also carry more speed with the increased aero efficiency.

[ProfessorChaos]

I forgot to share this one with you guys. This was the summit of Clingman's Dome near Gatlinburg, TN. The descent was dicey as rain rolled in.

[FIJIGabe]

Now that I live in Texas

What part of Texas? I'm in Houston. Have you tried riding near Ft. Davis? I've been told the climbs are pretty nice there.