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Closeup: Pope Francis’ custom Specialized Venge road bike is one helluva holy roller

Specialized Venge Pope Francis
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Late last month we saw Pope Francis receiving a custom Specialized Venge from Peter Sagan fit for…well, a Pope. We’re now getting a closer look at the bike’s key design features such as its Vatican color scheme of white and yellow along with a few killer details.

Specialized Pope Venge
All photos by Attilio Capra / courtesy Specialized

Specialized Pope Venge

Specialized Pope Venge

It’s running a white SRAM Apex group on a Venge Elite setup. Rather than a Specialized head badge, it’s brandishing the Papal coat of arms.

Specialized Pope Venge

Nothing is more pro than the Pope’s name and home Argentinian flag across the top tube. And again we see the Papal coat of arms on the seat tube. It should be noted that this isn’t the top of the line S-Works setup, but it’ll get the job done for as many Strava segment we suspect Pope Francis will be crushing. Of course, he’s probably the only one turning hot laps inside Vatican City…

Specialized Pope Venge

The white drivetrain parts and brakes are actually a stock item from SRAM, which match the custom white-out cockpit (and white cable housing, naturally) for a very put-together look.

Specialized.com

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25 Comments
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DJ
DJ
6 years ago

A symbolic bike only for a museum, ZERO kilometers to be ridden.

Pinko
Pinko
6 years ago

Low class stunt in typical specialized/sram style.
Btw the bike is ugly as hell.

Never seen anybody taking studio shot of a pope bike. Low class.

Sven Van Andres
Sven Van Andres
6 years ago

The Catholic church as an organisation is, at best, deeply unpleasant.
It is also disgustingly rich.
Of all the people to give a free bike to….

Frippolini
Frippolini
6 years ago

Why give the Pope second best and SRAM Apex instead of SRAM Red, or has the big S reserved their Red for the D****? 😉
Joke aside, nice bike, nice gift, I hope it will get be well ridden. 🙂

Janko Benger
6 years ago
Reply to  Frippolini

Red sounds like the devil, Force is another religion (for the Jedi), Rival sends the wrong message to the Pope… so Apex had to do 🙂

JNH
JNH
6 years ago
Reply to  Janko Benger

Face it, Specialized would give a bike with Force parts to a Sith Lord before a Jedi Master. The Jedi woud be too busy riding some old steel thing and telling everyone how it’s a more elegant vehicle for a more civilised age.

Eggs Benedict a.k.a Darth Baller
Eggs Benedict a.k.a Darth Baller
6 years ago

A lot of drop from the saddle to the bars and with that slammed -17 degree stem, the Pope appears to have a pretty aggressive position on the bike.

Pynchonite
6 years ago

Damn, dude. Apex for the Pope? No eTAP? That’s cold.

skip
skip
6 years ago

This will prove I’m sure, that they, nor their lawyers, can bribe their way our of hell.

Flatbiller
Flatbiller
6 years ago
Reply to  skip

I am pretty sure that that is the very first Specialized lawsuit joke ever.

YOU WIN!

(Are you a writer on a hit primetime comedy show? I mean, you must be…)

skip
skip
6 years ago
Reply to  Flatbiller

Thank you. It feels good to be recognizerd by genius.
What do I win?

JNH
JNH
6 years ago
Reply to  skip

The continued attention of Flatbiller.

Technician
Technician
6 years ago

Pointless. Find some talented girl or boy from poor family and give away the bike he/she would never dream of having. THAT will be proper thing to do.

Sweeping away the stuff for rich and famous who don’t deserve it does disservice to brand’s image.

Veganpotter
Veganpotter
6 years ago
Reply to  Technician

Its old tech, probably a frame they couldn’t sell That said, the Pope was given a Lamborghini recently. They auctioned it off for charity. I’m sure the same will be done with this bike.

Crash Bandicoot
Crash Bandicoot
6 years ago
Reply to  Veganpotter

Exactly the pope gets a bunch of symbolic gifts that are typically auctioned off which is why it is so weird that this is not a Dura Ace, Super Record, or Red set up.

Andy Pandy
Andy Pandy
6 years ago

Is there anything Bikerumor’s readers won’t complain about?

Shafty
Shafty
6 years ago
Reply to  Andy Pandy

Sheesh, at least comment on the bike. It’s guys like you that ruin the comment section at BR.

Justin
6 years ago

The Catholic Church pays ZERO tax. Like the other comment made, find some local talent and give them a bike or 2.

aquilaaudax1
aquilaaudax1
6 years ago

Certainly not in the same class as the Gold plated Colnago, with Campagnolo Super Record, given to Pope John Paul II

Seraph
Seraph
6 years ago
Reply to  aquilaaudax1

Well you gotta admit that the current Pope is a bit more low-key than others before him.

larsv
larsv
6 years ago

I think Speci totally misses the point here. This pope preaches sobriety, my guess is that he would’ve been a lot more happy had Speci given him a a bunch of simple real-life bikes to give away to poor people.
I dont really like the design of the bike either, by the way.

Robin
Robin
6 years ago

Am I supposed to be upset about this? While it’s not a paint job or bike that I’d pick for myself, it doesn’t look horrible. If the Pope gave it to me, I’d probably sell it and buy bits that I want. Does the Pope give such things to atheists? Does anyone have his number?

john
john
6 years ago

Not sure why everyone is upset, the pope tends to raffle off gift bicycles to raise money for the poor: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-pope-raffle/pope-to-raffle-gifts-given-to-him-to-raise-money-for-the-poor-idUSKCN0J30YS20141119

Ryan
Ryan
6 years ago

The whole marketing ethos around this is sickening.

LnK
LnK
6 years ago

Wow, sometimes people are so judgmental and harsh. Let the Pope enjoy his ride no matter your beliefs. I love it.

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