Specialized Venge - Class Performance Road Bikes in California

Specialized was founded in 1974 under the motto "By riders for riders", always with the aim of bringing innovations to the bicycle scene, be it through technical progress or social commitment. For the improvement of their own developments, they have added their own wind tunnel to the company's repertoire, where new products are tested almost 24/7 or to make the current products a bit more efficient. In addition, the company was one of the first to be actively involved in trail building for mountain bikers and the company founder Mike Synard also started the Specialized Foundation, which is now called Outride. There, children suffering from ADHD are helped to cope better. Mike Synard, who suffers from ADHD himself, noticed the positive effects on himself after his bike rides and then wanted to help other people in a similar situation.

At Specialized they were aware that you can't get the maximum out of every aspect of aerodynamics, stiffness and weight, but that with some components the aerodynamic aspects are more important, with the next parts the stiffness is more important and with others the low weight is more important, which in part also led to a more streamlined shape. To achieve all this, all the goals were fed into the computer and then trial and error until the desired design was achieved.

The Specialized Venge, one of the models with which Peter Sagan, among others, achieved his successes, is available, for example, as a Specialized Venge Pro variant. It has a lightweight carbon frame with an equally lightweight wheelset and offers top performance. In a comparison test with Cannondale and Canyon, it came third, more than a minute behind the leading Cannondale bike. Specialized probably imagined it differently, but they shouldn't be sad about the third place, because it still stands for excellent performance including good handling. The bike combines speed with the best handling and its low weight. It can be chosen in the colours Purple Flake and Satin Black, for example.

When the first Venge was launched, Specialized focused on the aerodynamic properties of the bike, with the aim of creating a road bike that would be enjoyed by amateurs and professionals alike. In the meantime, the Specialized Venge Pro was one of the fastest aero road bikes available, and because it is so technically proficient, it can still be used without hesitation for hobby riders and their racing efforts. With the aero frame design, completely new ground was broken, so that, for example, the Venge ViAS was left about 8 seconds behind and it still managed to be almost half a kilo lighter.

With the new aerodynamics, which were first analysed and developed on the computer, they had several different components to choose from, which then led piece by piece to the ideal design for the new Specialized Venge Pro. This raw optimisation also explained how it was possible to leave the Venge ViAs several seconds behind. In doing so, they took cues from the Specialized Tarmac and perfected the tubes for the Specialized Venge, with more compliance like the ViAs and a better stiffness to weight ratio, no matter the frame size. This in turn is thanks to the Retül database and Rider-First Engineered™ technology, where they have accumulated everything they need over the years, from both data and experience. Since the main problem with an aero road bike often lies in acceleration and steeper climbs, emphasis has been placed on better power transmission and the shorter wheelbase also provides more agility. However, you don't have to sacrifice safety and control, as the S-Works Aerofly II handlebar and Venge stem provide more support.

The Specialized S-Works Venge is the version for professional riders who want to keep up with the big guys. Here, the aerodynamic properties have been optimised a little more in the wind tunnel, so that you can also ride right up front. The carbon frame material was so well modified that it easily outperformed the Venge ViAS road bike, which was also available as the Specialized S-Works Venge ViAs. Only top-notch products were used for the components of the Specialized S-Works Venge.

From high-end to pro-level components, you'll find only the best.

The Specialized S-Works Venge and the Specialized Venge Pro are both equipped with outstanding components. The Specialized S-Works Venge is equipped with Pro Level components that allow you to keep up with the pros. In addition to the Specialized components, the expertise of Shimano also comes into play with the groupsets, such as the rear derailleur and front derailleur.

Derailleur groups & brakes

Shimano is a popular choice for groupsets such as the Shimano Dura Ace Di2 or the Ultegra Di2. The Dura Ace Di2 as well as the Ultegra Di2 are both electronic shifting systems that convince with smooth shifting processes and also guarantee a perfect interaction with the hydraulic disc brakes. The Dura Ace Di2 stands a cut above the quality of the Shimano Ultegra Di2 and helps keep the weight to an absolute minimum. If you don't want to spend quite so much money on a pro-level shifting system, a high-end shifting system like the Ultegra Di2 is still the best choice and you can still ride at the front. Brakes with brake discs prevailed over rim brakes a few years ago because disc brakes still perform almost identically in the wet, whereas the braking power of rim brakes decreases significantly. Rim brakes are still more common on older bicycles, but the newer models, especially those from premium manufacturers, are usually already equipped with braking systems that use disc brakes. The bottom bracket, which drives the chainrings, is fitted with a Ceramicspeed bottom bracket and the Powermeter crankset, for example, is used for the crank. If you want, you can also use the SRAM Red eTap for shifting.

Saddle / Seatpost & Handlebar / Wheels

For the seat tube and seat post, more attention was paid to the aerodynamic properties, as these components require less stiffness than, for example, the top tube and down tube as well as the chainstay, where stiffness and low weight are the maxim. In addition, the Shimano A-Junciton has been integrated into the seatpost, which makes it easier to check the battery level and simplifies adjustments by a specialist. Specialized wanted to make the cockpit faster and lighter at the same time, which was another special challenge, and the handlebar shape of the S-Works Aerofly II and the Venge stem were further optimised to achieve these goals. This was done through hours of testing and evaluation in the in-house wind tunnel, without which the attention to detail would not have been possible. For the handlebar tape, the S-Wrap Roubaix can be used quite well.

For the wheelset, for example, the Roval CLX 64 and the CL 50 wheels are used and are fitted with the Specialized S-Works Turbo or the Specialized Turbo Cotton tyres. The Roval CLX 64 impresses with its extreme speed, while the CL 50 combines stiffness, lightness and aero.

Additional equipment

The Specialized Venge road bikes give you the option of mounting two bottle cages on the bike, one on the down tube and one on the seat tube. Specialized also has a wide range of clothing for men and women as well as shoes that you can add to your shopping basket. With the shoes, you may have to make sure that they fit the pedals or vice versa. They also offer a wide range of accessories and if you want, you can also buy a bike computer that can be perfectly attached to the stem.

Should I take the Specialized Venge Pro or the Specialized S-Works Venge?

In addition to the Venge, Specialized has other road bikes in its range, such as performance road bikes, gravel bikes, cyclocross bikes and triathlon bikes. The mountain bike range includes cross-country MTBs, trail bikes, downhill MTBs and dirt/jump bikes, which have different suspension travel depending on the area of use and are available as hardtails and fullys. The less expensive Active Bikes are divided into the categories Fitness, Transport and Comfort, while the children's bikes can be selected according to size. The e-bikes are also available as road bikes, mountain bikes and active bikes.

If you have any questions about road bikes, racing bikes or other types of bikes, we at Bucycle will be happy to help you make sure you choose the best type of bike for you.

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