Specialized Launches Faster, Lighter Venge

Third-generation speed machine is radical design departure. 

- Rupert Radly

AERO IS EVERYTHING was Specialized’s mantra for the creation of the new Venge. The original and the second generation Venge ViAS might have been the fastest and winningest bikes in the world, but Specialized says the third generation is even faster than the old one — but it looks a whole lot different. In fact, it looks a lot like the Tarmac. What’s going on?

Chris Yu, director of integrated technologies at Specialized, explained that complex aerodynamic frame shapes make a bike fast, but they also make it weigh a lot — too much for the modern pro peloton.

The challenge was to lower weight but keep the bike fast and the result is, yes, the new Venge does look a lot like the Tarmac but there was a conscious decision to create an aero bike that can be ridden all day, every day.

The new Venge is 460g lighter than the previous Venge ViAS Disc at 1,020g. The overall weight with Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 is 7.1kg, according to the US brand. By our scales, that’s almost half a kilo lighter than the ViAS Disc.