When Aethos 1 arrived in 2021 Specialized had just shelved the Venge, its all-out aero platform, replacing it with a one-bike-to-rule-them-all strategy, in the new aero-optimised Tarmac SL7, then SL8.

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works. If it was any more aero, it would have to be heavier. Any lighter, and it would be less aero.

You know that 40-year-old dentist riding a $15,000 Specialized Venge on your local weekend route? The one who constantly espouses the values of carbon fiber — its unequaled strength to weight ratio, ...