2020 Aethos Sub UCI weight Specialized.

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What defines the rumoured UCI Illegal Specialized

Doesn't Exist
75
24%
More aero than the Venge
39
12%
Lighter than the Tarmac SL6
139
44%
More aero than the Venge AND lighter than the Tarmac SL6
36
11%
Not sure
27
9%
 
Total votes: 316

Unniti
Posts: 506
Joined: Wed Mar 25, 2020 3:35 pm

by Unniti

Can someone explain what exactly is the point of below 6.8 kg UCI illegal frame? The sub 6.8 kg builds are mostly in the parts and not the frame. Doing a standard double diamond straight tube standard geometry bike without integrated stuff is within the UCI geometry requirements almost by default, and that's pretty much the way all the superlight frames are done. Or is it just a marketing gimmick where they don't even go after an UCI approval on the frame so they can market it as UCI illegal even when the frame meets UCI reqs but just isn't officially UCI approved?

Karvalo
Posts: 3444
Joined: Fri Aug 10, 2018 6:40 pm

by Karvalo

dedaciai wrote:
Tue Aug 25, 2020 10:13 pm
I heard from a little birdie that the new "UCI Illegal Specialized" will be called the "Ethos" and will be noticably below the UCI legal weight limit. It'll have minimal aero cues and be all about being below 6.8kg.
Personally that appeals to me a lot more than a hyper aero non-conformist frame concept (though that would be a more interesting step) but from a sales and marketing perspective I don't understand it at all. Isn't it just turning the clock back 10 years to what every decent standard bike used to be and calling it special? :noidea:

by Weenie


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dedaciai
Posts: 129
Joined: Sat Sep 03, 2005 3:15 pm
Location: Salt Lake City, Utah
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by dedaciai

@Unniti - I think going below the UCI 6.8kg appeals to most (and bike manufacturers) is that it's something to brag about since 99.98% of the people purchasing these bikes will never do a UCI race that requires the weight limit.
Karvalo wrote:
Tue Aug 25, 2020 11:19 pm
dedaciai wrote:
Tue Aug 25, 2020 10:13 pm
I heard from a little birdie that the new "UCI Illegal Specialized" will be called the "Ethos" and will be noticably below the UCI legal weight limit. It'll have minimal aero cues and be all about being below 6.8kg.
Personally that appeals to me a lot more than a hyper aero non-conformist frame concept (though that would be a more interesting step) but from a sales and marketing perspective I don't understand it at all. Isn't it just turning the clock back 10 years to what every decent standard bike used to be and calling it special? :noidea:
In this case, what is old is new again...just this time in "disc form." They got to find a new way to sell the "new hotness" to all of those dentists out there. :-P

User avatar
stringbean
Posts: 132
Joined: Sun Jul 06, 2008 2:18 pm
Location: Ireland

by stringbean

Specialized Vaunt
Release end September

AMGRoadster
Posts: 274
Joined: Sat Nov 08, 2014 3:57 am

by AMGRoadster

MyM3Coupe wrote:
Wed Jul 29, 2020 7:32 am
You left out another piece of crap Asian open mold frame with dropped seat stays. I'm in such suspense. Lolz
A very insightful, helpful, and accurate post. Your contribution to the discussion is much appreciated as you have added so much.

In your opinion, this is a generic, embarrassing turd. What would you spend your money on? What is an awesome, stand out road machine in your book?

User avatar
ryanw
in the industry
Posts: 2284
Joined: Sat Apr 16, 2016 6:52 pm
Location: London

by ryanw

stringbean wrote:
Wed Aug 26, 2020 12:14 am
Specialized Vaunt
Release end September
Why would it have been published on the UCI list if it's non-UCI compliant...
SL8 S-Works Project Black - 6.29kg
IG: RhinosWorkshop

FactoryMatt
Posts: 1014
Joined: Tue Apr 14, 2015 4:35 am

by FactoryMatt

so someone mentioned a spesh Ethos and we have a Vaunt on the UCI list. two bikes?

joesch
Posts: 108
Joined: Sun Mar 04, 2018 3:12 pm
Location: Germany

by joesch

While I can perfectly see the rationale for the SL7 (one bike combining weight/aero appealing to as many consumers as possible and also reducing the number of models to maintain, i.e. less product management, marketing, etc.), I still struggle with the idea of a additional "non-UCI compliant" bike.

A super light bike will go against the likes of the recently updated AX-Lightness Disc bike (5.6kg - https://bikerumor.com/2020/08/18/ax-lig ... -road-bike) but I will very likely not appeal to a lot of people outside of this forum, so why the hassle?
A super aero bike ditiching the UCI limitations may be more interesting, in particular for triathletes blending their "TT bike" and their semi-aero training bike. Will potentially appeal to a broader audience (with deep pockets).

Other than that - more comfortable? The Roubaix is still up-to-date and ticks all the relevant boxes.
More gravely? The Diverge is new, maybe an allroad racer to appeal to Gravel racers (Kanza etc.) similar to the Aspero?
So what is left for the Vaunt? :)

DannyB
Posts: 3
Joined: Tue Aug 25, 2020 7:52 am

by DannyB

FactoryMatt wrote:
Wed Aug 26, 2020 3:13 am
so someone mentioned a spesh Ethos and we have a Vaunt on the UCI list. two bikes?
Probably "Aethos" not "Ethos"

Here's the trademark registration: https://uspto.report/TM/88792226

No mention of the Vaunt on the USPTO site.
Last edited by DannyB on Wed Aug 26, 2020 7:55 am, edited 1 time in total.

FlatlandClimber
Posts: 2491
Joined: Tue Mar 31, 2020 3:37 pm

by FlatlandClimber

What's the Specialized Vaunt or Aethos, any details yet? How is this even on the UCI list in the first place?
The concept with the windscreen looks utterly ridiculous of course, but it is a billion times more interesting, than the AX lightness bike. Ditching UCI limitations in terms of weight has been done a trillion times, and can be done by basically everyone at home (look at this forum). Building a true Aero Hyper Bike, that beats out the S5, Factor One and SystemSix by dozens of watts at 45kph (a road bike that's as fast as a Tri Bike essentially), would be something, people can't replicate in their basement just by buying bling components. I seriously don't want a windshield on my bike, and would also like matching wheel sizes etc. but kudos to Spesh for going this route.
Cervelo P5 Disc (2021) 9.1kg
Factor Ostro Gravel (2023) 8.0kg
S-Works SL8 (2023) 6.3kg

*weights are race ready, size 58/L.
Sold: Venge, S5 Disc, Roubaix Team, Open WI.DE, Émonda, Shiv TT, Crux, Aethos, SL7

User avatar
stringbean
Posts: 132
Joined: Sun Jul 06, 2008 2:18 pm
Location: Ireland

by stringbean

From what I e heard it's a more traditional frame design ( old style) unpainted with minimal or no decals sub 6kg bike.
UCI illegal is just Spez marketing.
Basically a SL2 with huge price increase 😂😂😂😂😂

Singular
Posts: 537
Joined: Mon Jul 27, 2020 8:59 am

by Singular

It's an effective marketing tool and showpiece - similar builds from Merida (might been a spillover to their sibling...) and Canyon have been seen lately. Both WW-style, catalog hot-rod road bikes with an "illegal" weight using rather established tricks.

ds240
Posts: 80
Joined: Sat Aug 24, 2019 10:43 am

by ds240

Many brands would die for models to become almost the reference names within classes.

Tarmac - Venge... with the success these two have in their respective areas it seems odd to kill them (one of them) off. Even more so, with talk of new model names as a replacement.

When will we hear.. the pros love the sl7 for the all round abilities, but they started asking for something that really prioritised aero for terrain where weight didn't have such an impact. In fact our new Venge meets the 6.8 limit anyway, so there is no compromise. We'll continue to really optimize the tarmac for climbing abilities in the mountains. We feel it is important to give riders the choice for their optimine bike.

joesch
Posts: 108
Joined: Sun Mar 04, 2018 3:12 pm
Location: Germany

by joesch

ds240 wrote:
Wed Aug 26, 2020 10:40 am
When will we hear.. the pros love the sl7 for the all round abilities, but they started asking for something that really prioritised aero for terrain where weight didn't have such an impact. In fact our new Venge meets the 6.8 limit anyway, so there is no compromise. We'll continue to really optimize the tarmac for climbing abilities in the mountains. We feel it is important to give riders the choice for their optimine bike.
Some of the pros are still on the Venge, e.g. Benett at MSR, etc. Half of the Bora squad riding the Venge at the German Nationals - on a course with 2000+ meters of elevation gain over 150km, which should be the sweetspot of a balanced aero/climbing bike.
Is it personal preference? Availability of framesets? There is potentially demand for an all aero frame, even within the UCI regulations.

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dedaciai
Posts: 129
Joined: Sat Sep 03, 2005 3:15 pm
Location: Salt Lake City, Utah
Contact:

by dedaciai

stringbean wrote:
Wed Aug 26, 2020 8:49 am
From what I e heard it's a more traditional frame design ( old style) unpainted with minimal or no decals sub 6kg bike.
UCI illegal is just Spez marketing.
Basically a SL2 with huge price increase 😂😂😂😂😂
Yeah, I heard the decaling will be super minimial as in only a small gold/gold leaf decal on the top tube somewhere that says "Aethos."

by Weenie


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