New bike purchase, obsessing over options, join me!

Questions about bike hire abroad and everything light bike related. No off-topic chat please

Moderators: robbosmans, Moderator Team

inertianinja
Posts: 282
Joined: Wed Jan 26, 2011 3:14 pm

by inertianinja

bmrk wrote:
Wed Mar 29, 2023 5:20 am
The Aethos in my opinion is overly priced and on of my friends that ride the s-works version complains about it not being stiff. I understand the practicality of the threaded BB but Winspace have been known for good tolerances in the pressfit area.

Most of the SLC 2.0 reviews out there (and here on WW) point it as a light, stiff and nimble race bike. I am just waiting to have a good enough reason to pull the trigger on a superlight black.
My heart is not totally closed to the Winspace. However for the Aethos I've read nothing but positive reviews of how it rides, which makes me think it would be a nice compliment to the Ostro.

BB86...i am just thinking of how my BB30 frame would start to squeak periodically, I got a Praxis adapter BB and that started to squeak. Going back to threaded was really welcome.

CustomMetal
Moderator
Posts: 1293
Joined: Sat Dec 01, 2018 4:14 pm
Location: UK

by CustomMetal

As another said the Ostro is already light.. if it was me I would get another wheel set for that and then get a custom steel/Ti bike for something different
Allegra- Steel Lugs TBC
Aurelia- Stainless All Road 8.5kg
Bertha- TT 9.8kg
Perdita- Ti Turbo bike 8kg
Serenity- Ti Gravel 9.5kg/8.9kg
Verity- Ti Aero 8.2kg
Alya- Ti Climbing TBC

All weights with pedals,cages & garmin mount

by Weenie


Visit starbike.com Online Retailer for HighEnd cycling components
Great Prices ✓    Broad Selection ✓    Worldwide Delivery ✓

www.starbike.com



inertianinja
Posts: 282
Joined: Wed Jan 26, 2011 3:14 pm

by inertianinja

So, an opportunity popped up: I found a deal on a Time Alpe D'Huez 2023, essentially the current-model price but with 2023/D2 Force, so it's a few hundred bucks savings from MSRP.

Compared to the Aethos Frameset:
- ADH is limited to 28mm tires (what i'm currently running on the Ostro)
- ADH is a lot cheaper ($3800 frameset ADH vs. $5500 frameset Aethos; also with the Aethos I'd be paying full price for the groupset)
- ADH is 540g heavier (1395 claimed for the ADH, 855 for the S-Works Aethos)
- ADH tubes look better (less a fan of Aethos' sloping top tube)
- ADH has Where the Aethos has tons of good reviews, I haven't seen any reviews of the 2023 ADH.

ADH or Aethos, either way it'd be a pretty special bike. Time with their manufacturing process, and Specialized with the lightest production frame i'm aware of. Specialized has a large dealer network, but Time is opening a US manufacturing facility so I would expect support to expand. I also am told there's no plans to materially change the ADH for a few years.

Anyone have a feeling on this?

garbageman
Posts: 216
Joined: Thu Nov 19, 2020 6:08 am

by garbageman

Have you considered the 10r Aethos frame? Cheaper than the ADH and still much lighter.

inertianinja
Posts: 282
Joined: Wed Jan 26, 2011 3:14 pm

by inertianinja

garbageman wrote:
Wed Apr 12, 2023 8:13 am
Have you considered the 10r Aethos frame? Cheaper than the ADH and still much lighter.
Unfortunately 10R frameset, apart from not being available in colorways I like, is also sold out. There is no info from Specialized or dealers about when stock will be refilled or new complete bikes will be available - who knows, could be waiting until the TDF for new bike announcements.

kode54
Posts: 3749
Joined: Tue May 23, 2006 9:39 pm

by kode54

Seems like you're grappling at bikes at a cost standpoint. Best to pick a frameset that suits your riding style and let that be the driver for your purchase.

I have a Factor Ostro VAM. Its different than an Aethos and both, I won't ride in wintery roads...and use the Guru Ti bike for that very purpose. The LS is for gravel but can also double duty as a winter bike if the roads are really crappy with salt and grime...this is the preferred bike for that which is set up with Schwalbe RS tires.
- Factor Ostro VAM Disc
- Factor LS Disc
- Specialized Aethos Disc
- Sturdy Ti Allroad Disc
- Guru Praemio R Disc

inertianinja
Posts: 282
Joined: Wed Jan 26, 2011 3:14 pm

by inertianinja

kode54 wrote:
Wed Apr 12, 2023 12:45 pm
Seems like you're grappling at bikes at a cost standpoint. Best to pick a frameset that suits your riding style and let that be the driver for your purchase.

I have a Factor Ostro VAM. Its different than an Aethos and both, I won't ride in wintery roads...and use the Guru Ti bike for that very purpose. The LS is for gravel but can also double duty as a winter bike if the roads are really crappy with salt and grime...this is the preferred bike for that which is set up with Schwalbe RS tires.
Not exactly. The difference in cost is significant but i'm willing to invest in a bike that complements the Ostro and feels special to ride.

The Aethos, although I'm not 100% sold on the aesthetics, has great reviews and I'm confident it'll be good.
The ADH is super interesting, and weight isn't everything, people love them but reviews are rare.

kode54
Posts: 3749
Joined: Tue May 23, 2006 9:39 pm

by kode54

The Aethos ride is completely different than the Ostro...and compliments the the Ostro. Its light, nimble and quite the climber. The Ostro is fast on the flats and I have it set up with Enve SES 6.7 and is intended for fairly flat routes and behaves well. I chose one or the other depending on terrain. As far as aesthetics, I have no issues with round tubed frames and don't mind it. The only niggle I have is with the sloping top tube, which is a bit much as I think the SuperSix horizontal top tube looks more fitting as a 'road' bike in comparison and the Aethos with steep mtb sloping angle. Other than that...once you ride it, that issue disappears and you'll be happy to be climbing on a light bike. Like others here, I do have a set of climbing wheels (12.2lbs) for the Aethos, including my all-around wheelset (13.7lbs).
- Factor Ostro VAM Disc
- Factor LS Disc
- Specialized Aethos Disc
- Sturdy Ti Allroad Disc
- Guru Praemio R Disc

inertianinja
Posts: 282
Joined: Wed Jan 26, 2011 3:14 pm

by inertianinja

kode54 wrote:
Wed Apr 12, 2023 3:48 pm
The Aethos ride is completely different than the Ostro...and compliments the the Ostro. Its light, nimble and quite the climber. The Ostro is fast on the flats and I have it set up with Enve SES 6.7 and is intended for fairly flat routes and behaves well. I chose one or the other depending on terrain. As far as aesthetics, I have no issues with round tubed frames and don't mind it. The only niggle I have is with the sloping top tube, which is a bit much as I think the SuperSix horizontal top tube looks more fitting as a 'road' bike in comparison and the Aethos with steep mtb sloping angle. Other than that...once you ride it, that issue disappears and you'll be happy to be climbing on a light bike. Like others here, I do have a set of climbing wheels (12.2lbs) for the Aethos, including my all-around wheelset (13.7lbs).
thanks for that. Sounds like exactly what I'm looking for. I also have no problem with the round tubes,my only "eh" is the sloping top tube. The ADH has a much more traditional shape, 3K carbon, really harkens back to earlier carbon bikes.

Since the difference in weight between the ADH and Aethos framesets is more than a pound, I imagine that with the ADH I'd always be thinking about how I could have gone lighter. Even with all super-exotic parts, the ADH can't get there.

Post Reply