Specialized Sirrus city bike is faster than ever w/ Future Shock micro suspension

Written by Tyler Benedict Sep 10, 2017 8:25 a.m. ET

2018 Specialized Sirrus womens city commuter fitness bike

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Blending a city, commuter and fitness bike into one, the all-new Specialized Sirrus is now available with their Future Shock suspension, too. First developed for the latest Roubaix, then put on the Diverge, the Future Shock is a short travel, coil sprung suspension built into the steerer tube, suspending the rider rather than the bike…but it works remarkably well. And now it’ll take the edge of potholes, curbs and speed bumps on all-new alloy and carbon Sirrus frames…

2018 Specialized Sirrus city commuter fitness bike — 2018 Specialized Sirrus Men’s Expert Carbon. The Women’s Expert Carbon is shown top of post with the Blue/Green fade.

The frames get revised fit with a shorter reach and higher stack, with a more linear progression from size to size. They’re all new, with alloy and carbon frames, mixed and matched with new alloy and carbon forks. Carbon models also get a slick, hidden seatpost binder, giving them the same premium look as their high end carbon Crux cyclocross bikes.

The carbon versions also get thru axles front and rear.

All models get a full suite of Specialized cockpit parts, including new ergonomic Body Geometry grips and bar ends.

Across the range, all of the bikes get a little lighter than before, too, and they get fender mounts with more robust M5 bolts. Alloy models add extra attachment points on the fork legs and seatstays for racks or side-mounted bags.

The women’s lineup adds step-thru frames at several trim levels. Prices start at $430 for the Base V-brake model, up to $2,300 for Sirrus Pro Carbon.

Specialized.com

Tyler Benedict

11,203 articles

Tyler Benedict is the Founder of Bikerumor.com. He has been writing about the latest bikes, components, and cycling technology for almost two decades. Prior to that, Tyler launched and built multiple sports nutrition brands and consumer goods companies, mostly as an excuse to travel to killer riding locations throughout North America.

Based in North Carolina, Tyler loves family adventure travel and is always on the lookout for the next shiny new part to make his bikes faster and lighter.

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Werewolf

6 years ago

Cool looking bikes!

Dolan Halbrook

6 years ago

I still don’t get 2×10 on a city bike. Seems like it would make much more sense to run an 11-40 with a ~42 tooth narrow-wide ring up front. Plenty of range, lighter, simpler.

blah blah blah

6 years ago

Reply to Dolan Halbrook

coz 1x is crap

hamjam

6 years ago

Reply to Dolan Halbrook

If I bought this bike, I would want 1x. 1x works great if you don’t do fast group rides. The front ring can be changed for mountains and can actually give you an easier gear for hills.

Rider X

6 years ago

Reply to Dolan Halbrook

Because some cities are quite hilly (e.g., Seattle).

Dolan Halbrook

6 years ago

Reply to Rider X

Portland (where I live) is quite hilly too. I make do just fine with a 39 up front and an 11-34 out back.

ascarlarkinyar

6 years ago

Because if you live anywhere near a mountain your gonna need a wider range. These are targeted at riders of less physical fitness

Michael

6 years ago

^^^They’re targeted at riders regardless of where they live…physical fitness has less to do with it^^^

preston

6 years ago

Exactly right. I’ve got a sweet carbon Sirrus for my street bike as I ride like a fiend and hate drop bar bikes. I’m a very strong rider but live near Seattle and often have to drop to my 34/30 gear to crank up some of the hills near my house. 1* sucks.

Gary

6 years ago

Reply to preston

If you can get up it in a 34/30, you can get up in a 42/40.

rodd heino

6 years ago

Reply to Gary

Except your cassettes and chains cost twice as much and last half as long.

Christopher Michaels

6 years ago

They did make a Sirrus a few years ago that had a 1×11 and was 17.xx lbs. We loved it but most folks who are looking at these was the 2x for cost, and it is often difficult to sell this type of rider on the 1x, even if the range is the same.

trans gerald

6 years ago

specialized is innovating the cannondale headshock i see..

O. Tan

6 years ago

Reply to trans gerald

headshock is located beneath the frame, so it’s isolating the frame + rider, Futureshock just isolates the rider while the frame remains completely rigid. So looks similar but different.

John

6 years ago

Are Future Shock rebuild kits available to consumers? With Specialized’s track record of dropping support for their whizbang new technologies, I’d want to be able keep plenty of future stock (see what I did there?) onhand.

TYler durden

6 years ago

1x sucks

Chader

6 years ago

Reply to TYler durden

Riiiiiiiiight…

Timo

6 years ago

So the shock absords the bumps so that the handlebar doesn’t shake? That doesn’t really help for the vibration that causes muscle fatigue in your legs, does it?

O. Tan

6 years ago

Reply to Timo

Yeah, the shock isolates the bump to your hand, but the frame is still a rigid frame so it doesn’t “compromise” any performance except probably the feel of the ride at your handlebar (which depends on the rider, some wants to feel everything for “feedback”)

If you’re looking at isolating vibration at your legs, then you’re looking at a full suspension as it isolates the main frame of the bike, which I doubt we’ll ever see on road bikes due to the other issues it brings along with namely, weight penalty and bobbing.

whatever

6 years ago

1x drives are a deal killer for me. Don’t like that you have to go through EVERY gear, have reduced range, bigger gaps, and the rear mech is so long it is more prone to striking objects, as well as slight misalignments will be magnified due to the length of the arm. Many need an extra guide to keep the chain on as well. Yes the 12 gear system improves range somewhat, but the cost is much higher than a good 2x system. As for weight, yeah you loss a cog/mech in the front, but you add a dinner plate in the back, so not much gain. With logical analysis, short of not being able to understand and learn a 2x system, 1x systems are inferior. Great marketing by SRAM to make you believe otherwise.

John

6 years ago

Reply to whatever

SRAM has yet to design a decent front derailleur, so they push the 1X Kool-Aid to anyone who will drink it.

Dolan Halbrook

6 years ago

Reply to whatever

The only reason I suggested 1x for this application is precisely because the limited gear range one needs for a city bike. You realize many of these are sold with 8 speed internal hubs with an extremely limited gear range, right? Also, striking objects? We’re not talking MTBing here. Besides, it’s not just SRAM. Shimano seems to have 1x figured out pretty well with the current XT group.

Many of us have been running “rat” 1x groups on our city bikes for years. Mine is a Deore 9sp shifter, a Dura-Ace 7700 front crank with a 39 tooth ring, an old front derailleur as a “chain keeper”, a SRAM 990 11-34 cassette, and an old 9 speed XTR derailleur. Guess what? It works really well and is lighter and simpler than an equivalent 2x or 3x system. Plus, most city bikes have relatively long chainstays, reducing the chain wear argument.

So, am I “drinking the 1x kool-aid”? Absolutely not — most of my bikes are still 2x (including my MTB). But for this specific application, where you don’t need a huge gear range and simplicity is paramount, it makes a lot of sense in my mind.

Chader

6 years ago

Reply to whatever

You guys must not follow the MTB scene. 1X is King.

I’m not saying it’s right for this application, but acting like it doesn’t work at all is pure ignorance.

whatever

6 years ago

Reply to Chader

You did not logically refute even one item that I wrote as to why 1X is inferior. What I wrote says 2x/3x are better options in most cases. It does not say that 1x is totally non functional. But that is how how you are trying to misrepresent as what I wrote, which is the same thing as lying. As for all of the mountain bikes using 1x, So freaking what. Does not mean allot other than marketing by SRAM has been excellent, or perhaps the bike brands are getting a major price break from SRAM for 1X setups.

Keep drinking the cool-aid though, and proving the ignorance of saying nothing of substance while trying to misrepresent what was actually said.

6 years ago

Hey I want manual shifting for my next BMW

6 years ago

On the front chainring debate I am in favor of either 1x or 3x. At 2x you get the same fuss qith the 3x but not the whole range so what is the point if you are not a racer?

On Sirrus they are lovely bikes, in fact the cheapest v-brake version seems more suitable to be me, more hi end versions compete with drop bars and they lose.

Sebastian Romano

6 years ago

Does anyone knows the weight of the sirrus expert 2018? thanks!

Nelson Ayala

5 years ago

Reply to Sebastian Romano

around 22 Lbs

Buggeroff

5 years ago

1x for cross, MTB and casual hybrid riders that want to ride a few times a year and dont want to mess with front derallieurs like my missus, 2x for road, gravel and more serious hybrid riders. No reason for 3x except maybe tandems and mid 90’s MTB’s.