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Today’s Deals2022 Specialized
Aethos Comp - Rival eTap AXS
A carbon frame race bike with high-end components and sram red hydraulic disc brakes.
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Manufacturer Price
$4,999| Frame | Carbon |
|---|---|
| Fork | Carbon |
| Wheels | 700c Aluminum |
| Drivetrain | 2 × 12 Electronic |
| Groupset | RED AXS, Rival AXS |
| Brakes | SRAM RED Hydraulic Disc |
5'1" – 5'5"
5'3" – 5'7"
5'5" – 5'9"
5'7" – 6'0"
5'10" – 6'2"
6'0" – 6'4"
🐐 Estimated
Summary
The Specialized Aethos is celebrated for its ultralight frame, exceptional ride quality, and superb handling, making it a standout in the race category. Its design focuses on lightweight and traditional aesthetics, offering a smooth, responsive ride that excels in climbing and descents. While it lacks some aero optimizations, its performance and comfort are highly praised across various reviews.
Ultralight carbon frameset
Exceptional ride quality and handling
Superb climbing and acceleration
Traditional design with modern performance
Comfortable for long rides
High price point
Limited aero optimizations
Some models have non-tubeless wheels
Electronic shifting only on certain builds
This $4,800, 17.2-pound Aethos—the base model—is one of the finest road bikes, of any price, I’ve ridden in my long testing career.Bicycling
The Aethos is crazy light.
Canadian Cycling MagazineThe Aethos is one of the finest-riding road frames I’ve ever experienced.
Cycling TipsFeedback?
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Oct 2023 · Cory Benson
Specialized celebrates 50 yrs since Mike Sinyard’s pilgrimage to Italy with limited edition S-Works Aethos LTD road bike built with Campy & faux marble…
Aug 2022 · By
Our test team’s expectations of the Specialized Aethos Expert were very high. After all, the Specialized S-Works Aethos won our previous road bike group test by a large margin, albeit with a few upgrades. We put the stock Expert model featuring ULTEGRA Di2 components and a classic two-piece cockpit to the test to see if this model can fare just as well as an all-road bike, comparing it to six of this year’s best all-road models.
First-class handling
Quick acceleration
Pleasant level of vibration damping
Lots of all-round potential with the right upgrades
Tires are too skinny and offer limited reserves
Lack of integration
Dec 2021 · Leon Poultney
We spend time with Specialized's latest lightweight, high-performance road bike that seemingly excels in all areas.
Climbs like a champion
Impossibly light
Stylish
Effortless to ride
The price
Looks better in rowdier colours
Limited wheel options
Lacks aero touches some might demand
Nov 2021 · Warren Rossiter
If you want one of the lightest frames around but don’t want to shout about it, the Aethos is a canny buy
Lightning-fast handling
Understated looks
Flyweight frame
Wheelset and tyres limit the potential of the frame
Sep 2021 · David Kennedy
When you stop listening to the pros and focus on the people, bikes like the Open MIN.D. and Specialized Aethos are the result
Aug 2021 · James Huang
Even an extra 100 g and heavy parts can’t dull this frame's luster.
Superb chassis efficiency and handling, excellent ride quality, generous tire clearance, classically understated aesthetics, headache-free cable routing, proprietary (almost) nothing, SRAM Rival AXS works just as well as Red and Force.
Heavier than some might like, mediocre (and poorly built) wheelset, almost impossible to get.
May 2021 · James Spender
The Aethos is virtually the perfect bike, from its razor handling to incredible climbing. If only it had tubeless wheels and cost a bit less
Light and stiff
Incredible climber
Fantastic handling
Clincher-only wheels
Apr 2021 · Matt Phillips
It sells for $4,800, but it rides like a million bucks.
| Frame | Aethos FACT 10r Carbon, Rider First Engineered™, Threaded BB, 12x142mm thru-axle, flat-mount disc BB Standard: BSA, 68mm, Threaded Colors: Gloss Clay / Pearl; Satin Carbon / Teal Tint Fade/flake Silver; Satin Metallic Moss / Gold/carbon Fade |
|---|---|
| Fork | FACT Carbon, 12x100mm thru-axle, flat-mount disc |
| Bottom Bracket | SRAM DUB BSA 68 |
| Stem | Specialized Pro SL, alloy, 4-bolt |
| Handlebar | Specialized Shallow Drop, 6061, 70x125mm, 31.8mm clamp |
| Saddle | Body Geometry Power Sport, steel rails |
| Seatpost | Roval Alpinist Carbon Seatpost Type: Rigid |
| Pedals | PEDAL, TEST RIDE PEDALS PROVIDED BY SPECIALIZED |
| Rear Derailleur | SRAM RD RIVAL ETAP AXS D1 MAX 36T |
|---|---|
| Front Derailleur | SRAM FD RIVAL ETAP AXS D1 BRAZE WEDGE C |
| Crank | SRAM FC RIVAL D1 DUB XXX 4835, Steel, 30T |
| Shifters | SRAM ED RIV ETAP AXS D1 SJD REAR/RT F20 |
| Cassette | SRAM CS XG 1250 D1 10-36 |
| Chain | SRAM CN RIVAL D1 12S 110 LINK |
| Brakes | Front: SRAM RED AXS, hydraulic disc, Rear: SRAM RED E1, hydraulic disc Type: SRAM RED Hydraulic Disc |
| Rims | Front: WH-DT R470 DISC XD-R, Rear: WH-DT R470 DISC XD-R |
|---|---|
| Front Hub | Tubeless Valve |
| Tires | Front: Turbo Pro, 60 TPI, folding bead, BlackBelt protection, 700x26mm, Rear: Turbo Pro, 60 TPI, folding bead, BlackBelt protection, 700x26mm |
First added April 15
Last updated April 11
Not listed for 63 days