The 2014 Specialized road bike lineup has lots more disc brakes and sees much of the new designs and technology introduced in 2013 trickle down through the line.
The Roubaix and Secteur both get more disc brake options, bringing them down to some very attainable price points. The Tarmac, Venge and Allez remain true to rim brakes, with the first two getting hydraulic brake options and the latter’s impressive Smartweld frame tech expanding to plenty of models. For Triathlon, the Shiv brings back a complete S-Works bike, also with hydraulic rim brakes.
Visually, the Roubaix and Tarmac carbon frames remain the same, but now they’re all SL4 throughout the line. This means all of the frames, from the lowest spec to the S-Works level, get the same frame shaping and size specific layups. The only difference will be the quality of carbon used.
There’s a lot more to the pavement lineup, with some interesting crossover/city bikes and the complete women’s line, plus cyclocross, all of which will be covered in separate posts. Here, we roll through the performance road and tri bikes…
VENGE
Just like the bike that Cavendish is racing (save for the custom paint), the Venge will now be offered with the new SRAM HRR hydraulic rim brakes. It sits just below the Dura-Ace and Dura-Ace Di2 models, but still uses the S-Works level FACT 11R carbon frame. The S-Works Venge HRR will retail for $8,500, same as the Dura-Ace mechanical version.
It’ll come with all-new Roval CLX60 carbon clinchers using CeramicSpeed bearing and wrapped in new S-Works Turbo 24c tires. The CeramicSpeed bearings are also used in the OSBB with Spec’s carbon cranks holding SRAM Red 22 chainrings.
Specialized has been using CS bearings, which are handmade in Denmark, in their team bikes’ wheels. Now, they come standard in all Roval CLX wheels for 2014, and this is the first year they’ve put them in the bottom brackets. CeramicSpeed claims they’re 600% smoother, 129% harder and 58% lighter than steel balls typically used on bikes.
A quick side note on the wheels: The new Roval CLX will come in 40mm and 60mm depths, in clincher and tubular, with standard and disc brake hubs on the 40’s. Specialized tested the rims on Flanders’ cobbles and under the team in various races and conditions, with the goal of making them very light and very fast but still durable. Claimed weights are:
- CLX 60 clincher – 1495g
- CLX 60 tubular – 1330g
- CLX 40 clincher – 1375g
- CLX 40 tubular – 1240
- CLX 40 Disc clincher – 1475g
- CLX 40 Disc tubular – 1340
This orange looker is the Dura-Ace mechanical model. The Di2 version will retail for $10,500 and come in matte black and red.
Don’t want to wait for trickle down? How ’bout a $3,300 Venge Elite Rival HRR with 10-speed SRAM S-series group and hydraulic rim brakes! Frame is Fact 10R, which until only recently was top of the line.
TARMAC
The big news on the Tarmac’s is that all frames are now SL4 designs. This brings size specific layups and shaping to the stays and different tapers to the headtube, ranging from 1.125″ to 1.375″ on the bottom. Now smaller and bigger riders have bikes more thoroughly designed for them throughout the entire price range, even on the $2,600 Elite 105 shown above and the $2,100 Sport 105. The carbon fiber ranges from FACT 9R on the lower end models up to FACT IS 11R on the S-Works jewels, so the top end frames will still be lighter.
Not shown, there’s now a S-Works Tarmac SL4 Red HRR with the hydro rim brakes. Retail is $8,500.
ALLEZ
Last year, Specialized adorned the alloy Allez with the S-Works moniker…kind of a big deal for a non-carbon bike these days. It was such a big deal that the 2013 S-Works Allez only had a limited run of 50 bikes. Hit the link to last year’s coverage for tech details and close ups. There was also a blacked out Allez Race that shared the frame and was almost equally hard to get.
For 2014, the Smartweld alloy frames gain two additional models and expand availability considerably. Shown above is the 2014 S-Works Allez that has a TBD price.
Beneath it are the Allez Expert ($2,400, shown, Ultegra) and Race ($1,700, Shimano 105), both with Smartweld SL frames.
The patriotic looking Allez Comp Smartweld gets a slightly watered down version of the manipulated E5 frame to come in at $1,350 with Shimano Tiagra. If you’re looking to get into a premium aluminum crit frame that’s worth of upgrading, here’s your bike. It’s also available as a frameset for $880 with the Tarmac Comp full carbon monocoque fork.
ROUBAIX
Last’s year’s Roubaix Disc introduction brought in an Expert level bike as Specialized (and the rest of us) waited for the eventual release of SRAM’s hydraulic disc brake groups. With those finally getting real, an S-Works Roubaix Disc became possible.
The cable routing for the rear brakes was clearly designed with hydraulics in mind, and hose routing along the front of the fork is much improved from the early models we saw last year.
Like the Tarmacs, the 2014 Roubaix bikes get SL4 frame across the range and include some HRR hydraulic rim brake builds, too. The S-Works, Pro and Expert models, including framesets, all get the CG-R (aka Cobble Gobbler, though they seem to be downplaying that name this year) seatpost with 18mm of vertical cush.
On the Roubaix, the Zertz inserts are also size-specific tuned.
The big news isn’t just the S-Works model – there are a total of FIVE disc brake Roubaix options for 2014:
- Roubaix SL4 Sora Disc – $1,950 – Shimano mechanical brakes
- Roubaix SL4 Sport Disc SRAM (shown) – $2,900 – S-Series hydraulic brakes w/ Apex 10-speed group
- Roubaix SL4 Expert – $TBD – Ultegra Di2 w/ new Shimano hydraulic disc brakes
- S-Works Roubaix SL4 Red Disc – 8,500
- S-Works Roubaix SL4 Disc frameset – $3,500
SECTEUR
The Secteur, which is Specialized’s alloy answer to the endurance oriented Roubaix, gains an additional disc brake option and a new frame feature. And the prices drop.
The top of the line Secteur Expert Disc drops a Benjamin to come in at $2,000. Below that is the new Elite Disc at $1,400 and the Sport Disc drops $50 to hit $1,200. Standard rim brake options are also still available.
Specialized shows a bit more of their metal-working skills with heavily shaped, curved “Compliance Plus” stays on the Secteur to further smooth the ride. The rim brake models have had Zertz inserts in the past, but not the disc brake Secteurs, so this new frame design should help even things out.
SHIV
Last year, if you wanted the S-Works treatment for triathlon, you had to go with the module and add your own wheels, shifters and derailleurs. For 2014, there’s a complete S-Works Shiv Di2 X2. For $11,000 you get the frame built around a Specialized cockpit, Magura’s RT8TT hydraulic rim brakes, Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 with Specialized’s FACT IS carbon crankarms and Roval Rapide CLX60 wheels.
A new FuelCell sits inside the front triangle to hold snacks, tubes, tools, etc.
The FuelSelage (get it? fuselage) hides a reservoir inside the downtube and puts the straw within easy reach of your face when you’re in the drops. The TriPod water bottle cage attaches to their new Sitero saddle to hide a bidon in the slipstream of your behind.
Stay tuned for more coverage of Specialized’s 2014 product launch!
All images ©Carson Blume / Specialized, used with permission.
