Weight Weenies

I owned a super-light Canyon Ultimate Evo for a few months last summer that I really enjoyed. I only sold it because someone from this forum reached out to buy it from me at well over the new price. It was about 14.5 lbs after adding pedals and cages. Full disc and AXS Red. Although it "feels" lighter and more agile on hills, it turns out I got just as many PRs on my Pinarello as the Canyon. Go figure.

The Aethos has gotten near-universal praise, and I've always liked Specialized bikes. I have a friend that works and Specialized, and she told me even the employees there are excited about this bike. I really like the concept. Something light and fun. So I decided to build up an S-Works Aethos in red gold chameleon. I think it'll end up being about the same weight as my Canyon with pedals and cages. This time, however, I'm going with Shimano. I've had AXS red on three bikes and have had quite a few problems.

• Frame/Fork: S-Works Aethos FACT 12r
  Handlebars: Roval Alpinist SL
  Tape: Supacaz Super Sticky Kush
  Saddle: S-Works Power Mirror 155 mm
  Seatpost: Roval Alpinist
  Brakes: Dura-Ace R9170, hydraulic disc
  Shift Levers: Dura-Ace Di2
  Derailleurs: Dura-Ace Di2 11 Speed
  Cranks: Dura-Ace Power Meter, 50/34
  Cassette: Dura-Ace 11/30
  Bottom Bracket: Ceramicspeed
  Wheels: Roval Alpinist CLX
  Tires: 26mm Turbo Cotton

I also bought a set of Zipp 353 wheels, but who knows when those will arrive. I imagine the Di2 will be fully obsolete in a matter of months, but we'll see. Depending on what Shimano releases, I may switch both of my road bikes over to the latest Di2 when it hits.

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Well, it took a while to get the build finalized because the lackluster shop I worked with did the single worst job assembling a bike I've ever seen (and they forgot to send a bunch of parts).

In the final spec, I changed out the Power saddle for a Fizik Antares Evo 00 Adaptive. There's something about the shape of the Power that is really painful for me.

It's great to be back on Di2 after a couple of years with SRAM Red AXS only. The shifting is definitely crisper and more predictable. I do love the 33-33 combo on AXS however as well as the ability to stay in the larger chainring more often . . . it'll be interesting to see what Shimano comes out with.

I have a couple hundred miles on the Aethos. The ride quality is incredible. At size 52, this bike is less long and low than my F12 which means it's a more casual and comfortable ride. I have ridden on the Turbo Cottons before, and I have to say I really love them. Although I've gone mostly tubeless, I don't mind going back to tubes for the ride quality you get from the TCs. The TCs with the Roval Alpinist CLX actually do a better job of absorbing road chatter than my Zipp 353s with 28 mm tires.

The Aethos reminds me A LOT of the Canyon Ultimate EVO I owned for a while, but it improves in the one area where I thought the Canyon was lacking - stiffness. The Canyon felt a bit noodly when out of the saddle and you'd get all kids of brake rub when sprinting. The Aethos fixes this one key issue. Like the Canyon, the Aethos surges forward with pedal strokes, probably a result of the super light wheels. It feels great on climbs, but it's mostly just a feeling. As I discovered last summer, I can beat my PRs with my heavier Pinarello without noticing any significant difference. But the feel is certainly different.

The Aethos is a confident descender, but I've noticed a tiny bit of understeer. It's hard to match the descending confidence of my F12, which is like riding a railroad. All-in-all, it'll be a great all-around bike. Fun for long rides and the time I spend in the hills (which is most of the time). I really love Specialized's new paint jobs. I have something similar in green on my Epic. The color really does cool stuff in the sunlight.

The final weight with two Arundel cages and Speedplay pedals is 14.25 lbs.

Very clean. Simple much like a tool. I'm a fan. Sure it rides like a dream too.

So, what is the crank extractor cover you have on the non-drive side? Tape or something that actually fits in there?

Nice, but what's your motivation for the bike if you like Dogma so much? Maybe you can make Dogma lighter with Di2, THM cranks etc..

adilosnave wrote: ↑

Tue Jun 29, 2021 9:10 pm

Very clean. Simple much like a tool. I'm a fan. Sure it rides like a dream too.

So, what is the crank extractor cover you have on the non-drive side? Tape or something that actually fits in there?

Yep, it is simple. It's very much as Specialized advertises. Easy to ride and fun. The cover on the cranks is the OEM cover from Shimano.

hannawald wrote: ↑

Tue Jun 29, 2021 9:45 pm

Nice, but what's your motivation for the bike if you like Dogma so much? Maybe you can make Dogma lighter with Di2, THM cranks etc..

I wanted a super lightweight bike that was a bit less aggressive than the F12. Did I NEED another bike? Not really. But it's fun. You'll never be able to get a Dogma down to 14.3 lbs without going crazy exotic. I don't think these two bikes overlap a lot anyway (well, as far as road bikes go).

Nice build! I was very excited to see this was also a 52cm as I have a similar build I'm putting together myself this weekend. Here are my specs I'm going with. I will post once it's complete to compare with your build weight.

Frame/Fork: Aethos Satin Carbon/Flake Silver 52cm FACT 10r
Handlebars: Roval Alpinist SL
Tape: Supacaz Super Sticky Kush
Saddle: S-Works Power Mirror 155 mm
Seatpost: Roval Alpinist
Brake Calipers: Dura-Ace R9170, hydraulic disc
Brake Discs: XTR RT-MT900 140mm/160mm
Shift Levers: Dura-Ace Di2
Front Derailler: Dura-Ace 9150
Rear Derailler: Dura-Ace 9150, Removed B-Link + Direct Mount
Cranks: Quarq DFour Power Meter, 52/36 Dura-Ace 9100 Chainrings
Cassette: Dura-Ace 11/30
Bottom Bracket: Ceramicspeed BSA DUB
Wheels: Roval Alpinist CL
Tires: 26mm Turbo Cotton
Tubes: Tubilito S-Tubo Road

justonwo wrote: ↑

Tue Jun 29, 2021 10:14 pm

hannawald wrote: ↑

Tue Jun 29, 2021 9:45 pm

Nice, but what's your motivation for the bike if you like Dogma so much? Maybe you can make Dogma lighter with Di2, THM cranks etc..

I wanted a super lightweight bike that was a bit less aggressive than the F12. Did I NEED another bike? Not really. But it's fun. You'll never be able to get a Dogma down to 14.3 lbs without going crazy exotic. I don't think these two bikes overlap a lot anyway (well, as far as road bikes go).

I will have to try it one day to know what a bike for fun riding means:) I translate that to comfortable and snappy but that's my requirement for all my bikes:) anyway Dogma is heavy but it may be fun to try where you can get it without loosing its riding quality..with some cca 1300g 45mm wheelset, light axles, ti bolts, claviculas, di2, tubolitos, Veloflex Corsa..(comfortable light tires)

jphu wrote: ↑

Tue Jun 29, 2021 11:05 pm

Nice build! I was very excited to see this was also a 52cm as I have a similar build I'm putting together myself this weekend. Here are my specs I'm going with. I will post once it's complete to compare with your build weight.

Frame/Fork: Aethos Satin Carbon/Flake Silver 52cm FACT 10r
Handlebars: Roval Alpinist SL
Tape: Supacaz Super Sticky Kush
Saddle: S-Works Power Mirror 155 mm
Seatpost: Roval Alpinist
Brake Calipers: Dura-Ace R9170, hydraulic disc
Brake Discs: XTR RT-MT900 140mm/160mm
Shift Levers: Dura-Ace Di2
Front Derailler: Dura-Ace 9150
Rear Derailler: Dura-Ace 9150, Removed B-Link + Direct Mount
Cranks: Quarq DFour Power Meter, 52/36 Dura-Ace 9100 Chainrings
Cassette: Dura-Ace 11/30
Bottom Bracket: Ceramicspeed BSA DUB
Wheels: Roval Alpinist CL
Tires: 26mm Turbo Cotton
Tubes: Tubilito S-Tubo Road

Should be great!!

hannawald wrote: ↑

Tue Jun 29, 2021 11:17 pm

justonwo wrote: ↑

Tue Jun 29, 2021 10:14 pm

hannawald wrote: ↑

Tue Jun 29, 2021 9:45 pm

Nice, but what's your motivation for the bike if you like Dogma so much? Maybe you can make Dogma lighter with Di2, THM cranks etc..

I wanted a super lightweight bike that was a bit less aggressive than the F12. Did I NEED another bike? Not really. But it's fun. You'll never be able to get a Dogma down to 14.3 lbs without going crazy exotic. I don't think these two bikes overlap a lot anyway (well, as far as road bikes go).

I will have to try it one day to know what a bike for fun riding means:) I translate that to comfortable and snappy but that's my requirement for all my bikes:) anyway Dogma is heavy but it may be fun to try where you can get it without loosing its riding quality..with some cca 1300g 45mm wheelset, light axles, ti bolts, claviculas, di2, tubolitos, Veloflex Corsa..(comfortable light tires)

I have Zipp 353 on the Dogma. I have no complaints about any aspect of that bike, so I'm not changing it. I don't want the current generation of Di2 on that bike.

justonwo wrote: ↑

Tue Jun 29, 2021 9:03 pm

Well, it took a while to get the build finalized......

Lovely bike - just a straightforward, top-end, lightweight build without the shouty logos usually prevalent! Goods photos too, thanks.
I wish more manufacturers produced framesets of this type - meaning no silly "features".

adilosnave wrote: ↑

Tue Jun 29, 2021 9:10 pm

So, what is the crank extractor cover you have on the non-drive side? Tape or something that actually fits in there?

As mentioned it's standard, but to be clear it's only on the PM version of the cranks.

Just curious what type, size, and length screw are you using for the alpinist cockpit mount screw?

jphu wrote: ↑

Wed Jun 30, 2021 6:06 pm

Just curious what type, size, and length screw are you using for the alpinist cockpit mount screw?

The mount screw? For the top cap? I don't know.

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justonwo wrote: ↑

Wed Jun 30, 2021 8:06 pm

jphu wrote: ↑

Wed Jun 30, 2021 6:06 pm

Just curious what type, size, and length screw are you using for the alpinist cockpit mount screw?

The mount screw? For the top cap? I don't know.

the gps headunit mount. the screw for the mount onto the handlebar. i've heard and seen screws breaking, just wanted to see what size you used. i have a 1030 plus edge and scared it might be too heavy.