
We’ve had the Specialized Venge Pro for more than a year now and logged well over a thousand race and training miles between three test pilots.
As with most aero bikes, you either love their looks or hate them, but make no mistake about it they are fast – faster than their round-tube cousins in almost all conditions. In my opinion the only thing that holds aero bikes back at the moment is the slight weight penality due to the nature of air foil shapes being either slightly thicker or larger to gain the lateral stiffness necessary.
Yes, I know there are super light versions of the Specialized Venge and other aero bikes out there, but the prices make them unattainable to most, those getting their W2 from a Pro Tour team excluded.
And we’re only talking around 120 grams difference on average between aero and non aero frames in a given size, which isn’t likely to be the difference between a win or loss. This slight weight penality seems to be more than offset by the gains in efficiency. In the case of the Specialized Venge, its other traits make it an honest-to-goodness “do it all” bike. It’s versatile enough for fast group rides or a century while also being a very capable crit racer. With its two-position seat post and a set of clip on aero bars it could also double as a TT or triathlon bike as well.
Check our original weigh-in post for tech specs and details, then click through for the full ride review…
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