Does any1 know how long it took them to release the Venge after the Sl6? I’m not sure whether i should wait for a potential new Venge or pull the trigger on anohter aero bike.
A very very brief google search showed the earliest review of the SL6 was Sep, 2017 while the Venge was Jul 2018. Far from 100% sure this correlates with their release dates or how this would compare to the SL8/New Venge
I wonder if there’s a battery inside for a motorized option.
You mean TREKs (XL font)
Yeah, Spesh is essentially setting the SL7/8 for double duty (light & aero) since killing the Venge. I just see the Madone as next level aero compared to the more modest SL7/8 and think the latest Emonda is a closer match, at least in looks and estimated aero benefits.
Definitely…both are designed to be light / aero all-around race bikes. Venge / Madone are very target-specific.
I’m not paying close attention, but I saw Mads Pedersen go off the front this morning on his Madone. Every time I look he is on the Madone. I’m thinking some Lidl Trek riders are switching between the Madone and Emonda, but to be honest I haven’t noticed them.
I think of the Emonda as the competitor to the Aethos and the Madone to the Tarmac.
The Aethos sure seemed like their “anti-racing” bike with the way they introduced it and the focus it had. “Pure riding joy” or something along those lines and I totally get it. My 1st & 2nd gen Emonda’s were precisely that via ride quality and low weight.
I don’t follow racing closely, but are any Spesh teams actually using the Aethos at all? I got the impression it was mostly for “average” riders than a race option.
Both the Emonda and the Tarmac were “aero-ized” in their last incarnations, while still looking to be considered “lightweight”. Cannondale then did it with the SuperSix.
The difference, IMO, is that Specialized then decided that there was no need to continue with the Venge since the additional aero gains were so minor (according to them). Trek and Cannondale continued with their aero-specific frames.
The Aethos is a lightweight-specific bike…and not even meant to be “raced” necessarily. No aero profiling, exposed cables, etc. Everything designed to reduce weight.
I don’t know. When I bought the Emonda, the Madone was the aero bike and the Emonda was the lightweight bike. I see the Tarmac and Aethos the same. Maybe I’m wrong or things have changed, but that’s how I think of them.
Absolutely…but on the latest version of the Emonda, they added aero-elements to it, just as Specialized did with the Tarmac. Profiled tubing, integrated cockpit, etc.
Neither is an optimized aero road frame, though…but the gaps closed.
I think the Aethos marketing message got confusing and then it was a bike without a message.
It went from a lightweight bike to a classic road bike to something more akin to the first gen 35c Diverge. Remember when the Diverge was a comfortable road bike, then a gravel bike when it became a thing, and then a comfortable road bike again when the specs didn’t compare well?
absolutely no.
The emissions are calculated towards the country where they are produced, not where they are designed or sold 
What do you mean? Apparently the new approach is aero on the front, light on the rear. Not a stupid approach, but not a good looking one either.
This bike absolutely leaves room for a Venge.
Oh just the use of the word Spesh. I agree with your assessment on the looks. It’s terrible
The SL7 was always billed as the do it all bike that replaced both the Venge and the SL6. The Aethos was more of a lightweight bike to have fun with and not really billed as a Race bike.
The Emonda was one of the last of it’s kind imo, the Aerodynamics were really bad compared to nearly all other lightweight allrounders. If you look at the Tour magazine ( German) wind tunnel data the SL7 holds it’s own against Aero bikes and only looses a few Watts (the new SuperSix is a bit more aero and really close to a lot of aero bikes).
Honestly the out and out aero bikes seems to be more niche then a few years ago, looking at the new Propel, Supersix, Look etc. Will be interesting to see if Specialized will revive the venge or stay the course, I think for them It isn’t worth it the Tarmac sells well to the Aero and Allround crowd and they save a lot of money in RD and Manufacturing with only one bike.
As for the bike, I don’t like it on those shots, it’s not only the Head tube to me, everything looks a bit off, but that could just be the shot and the paint. But Honestly from how it looks, I’d rather have a Look Blade, Super Six, BMC Teammachine.
I’d been thinking of buying a SL8 frameset when it comes out, but if that ends up being the SL8 I am just going to order the Aethos which I’ve also wanted for a while.
Edit: are you sure that isn’t the Roubaix? Looks like they all have uncut steerer tubes, but also kinda looks like FutureShock. Buldge could be a way to fit internal cables and future shock.
There is no question that is the SL8 (assuming they keep the same nomenclature)…you don’t kit out your top-tier World Tour team with it unless it is.
Not recent, but yes. I’m feeling very smug with my SL7.
