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Aethos Expert

5

12 Reviews

Aethos: Billions of calculations in the pursuit of one thing—the perfect ride. It’s…

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#1 Again: 2023 Gran Fondo Awards
Voted Best Brand 5 Years in a Row

#1 Again: 2023 Gran Fondo Awards

The riders have spoken! For the fifth year in a row, Specialized has been crowned the #1 “Drop Bar Bike Brand” in the prestigious Gran Fondo Best Brand Awards for 2023. We innovate for riders, and year after year, our bikes are loved by the most discerning riders. Thank you!

The lightest disc road frame ever: The Specialized Aethos

Product Details

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Aethos: Billions of calculations in the pursuit of one thing—the perfect ride. It’s more than just a motto, it’s a philosophy. The Aethos has been designed to straddle the line between a perfected ride quality, extreme light weight, and undeniable style, and this Expert model is no exception.

With quick-shifting, low-maintenance Ultegra Di2 electronic shifting and hydraulic disc brakes paired with bomb-proof Roval C38 Disc carbon wheels, you have the perfect steed to get you out on the road.

  • The Aethos frame has been designed with the perfect combination of ultimate ride feel, light weight, and style—from accelerating up steep pitches and descending technical descents, to all-day saddle comfort on even the longest coffee rides, the Aethos hits the mark. But how, you ask? By reinventing the traditional road shape found on bikes of the past, we’ve subtly altered these shapes to deliver massive gains in stiffness and balance, all without affecting weight or durability. Pair that with an entirely new layup and process that we’ve perfected over multiple decades and you have the lightest frame out there (585 grams, S-Works, size 56cm). The Aethos is more than just a new bike, it’s the first of a new breed.
  • A featherweight frame is useless without confidence-inspiring ride characteristics, which is why we’ve developed the Aethos to have the perfect balance of front and rear stiffness combined with exceptional ride quality. By studying the flexing and breathing of carbon fiber, we were able to discover groundbreaking findings about how forces flow through frames. Just a few pedal strokes and you’ll realize this sublime ride sets a new standard.
  • Every detail, from the derailleur hangers to the fork expander plug have been designed with style, weight, and durability in mind. We’ve also spec’d it with Roval’s all-new Alpinist carbon seatpost, further saving weight and improving ride characteristics. Everything in pursuit for the perfect ride.

Technical Specifications

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Frameset

Frame

Aethos FACT 10r Carbon, Rider First Engineered™, Threaded BB, 12x142mm thru-axle, flat-mount disc

Suspension

Fork

FACT Carbon, 12x100mm thru-axle, flat-mount disc

Cockpit

Handlebars

Specialized Expert Shallow Drop, alloy, 125mm drop x 75mm reach

Saddle

Body Geometry Power Expert

Stem

Specialized Pro SL, alloy, 4-bolt

Tape

Supacaz Super Sticky Kush

SeatPost

Roval Alpinist Carbon Seatpost

Seat Binder

Specialized Alloy, 30mm

Brakes

Front Brake

Shimano Ultegra R8170, hydraulic disc

Rear Brake

Shimano Ultegra R8170, hydraulic disc

Drivetrain

Shift Levers

Di2 Shimano Ultegra R8170, hydraulic disc

Front Derailleur

Di2 Shimano Ultegra R8150, braze-on

Rear Derailleur

Di2 Shimano Ultegra R8150, 12-speed

Cassette

Shimano Ultegra, 12-speed, 11-30t

Crankset

Shimano Ultegra R81000

Chainrings

52/36T

Bottom Bracket

Shimano Threaded BSA BB

Chain

Shimano XT M8100, 12-speed w/ quick link

Wheels & Tires

Front Wheel

Roval C38, 21mm internal width carbon rim

Rear Wheel

Roval C38, 21mm internal width carbon rim

Front Tire

S-Works Turbo, 120 TPI, folding bead, BlackBelt protection, 700x26mm

Rear Tire

S-Works Turbo, 120 TPI, folding bead, BlackBelt protection, 700x26mm

Inner Tubes

Turbo Ultralight, 48mm Presta valve

* Weights based on production painted frames as pictured. Actual weights will vary based on colourway, frame size, and component variation. Specifications are subject to change without notice.

Geometry

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495254565861
Crank Length165mm170mm172.5mm172.5mm175mm175mm
Handlebar Width380mm400mm420mm420mm440mm440mm
Stem Length80mm90mm100mm100mm110mm110mm
Saddle Width155mm155mm143mm143mm143mm143mm
Seatpost Length300mm300mm360mm360mm360mm360mm
Stack514mm527mm544mm565mm591mm612mm
Reach375mm380mm384mm395mm402mm408mm
Head Tube Length109mm120mm137mm157mm184mm204mm
Head Tube Angle71.75°72.5°73°73.5°73.5°74°
BB Height266mm266mm268mm268mm268mm268mm
BB Drop74mm74mm72mm72mm72mm72mm
Trail63mm58mm58mm55mm55mm52mm
Fork Length, Full369mm369mm369mm369mm369mm369mm
Fork Rake/Offset47mm47mm44mm44mm44mm44mm
Front Center574mm577mm579mm591mm606mm613mm
Chainstay Length410mm410mm410mm410mm410mm410mm
Wheelbase973mm975mm978mm991mm1005mm1012mm
Top Tube Length, Horizontal508mm531mm540mm562mm577mm595mm
Bike Standover Height705mm728mm748mm769mm796mm824mm
Seat Tube Length431mm462mm481mm504mm532mm567mm
Seat Tube Angle75.5°74°74°73.5°73.5°73°
Geometry

Rider Reviews

5

12 Reviews

 

A Whole New Experience and Worth It

I chose the Aethos Expert after putting over 8000 miles on my gravel bike in the prior year. This was a significant move up from an alloy frame, not to mention the carbon wheels, too, and electronic shifting, hydraulic brakes. When I ride, it is a minimum of 20 miles, and often 40 to 60 miles, 5+ days a week. So, comfort was a must. My local bike shop and Specialized dealer in NYC was great -- Hilltop Bicycles. Thanks to their generosity, I test rode different Specialized and Aethos models and frame sizes. The perfect fit turned out to be the Aethos Expert. It is light, fast, subtly flexible, and very comfortable for long rides with some long, steep climbs out of the city. It is also responsive for dealing with the bumps, hazards, and unpredictable pedestrians and other riders in the city.


Name:
RSG

Helpful?

Loving my Aethos

Moved over to the Specialized Aethos family from a Trek Emonda SLR7 after getting taken out by a car. I liked the Trek but wanted to try something different and most of the guys in my riding group are Specialized riders. The ride feel is awesome, I have 32mm tires on for the winter. I really like the bike and it is motivating me to get out and ride, even when it's 20 degrees outside. I'm only at 250 miles but so far so good.


Name:
Patrick

Helpful?

Best bike I've ever owned

Best bike I've ever owned

Would Recommend?
Yes!

Verified Buyer
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Name:
Amy H.

Helpful?

Best bike

I’ve had a Tarmac sl6 and sl7 this bike is way more comfortable. I am really enjoying this bike . It’s my most favorite bike ever.

Would Recommend?
Yes!

Name:
Jeffrey

Helpful?

Amazing

This thing is amazing. I'm in love. Pricey, but worth it.

Would Recommend?
Yes!

Name:
Sam

Helpful?

Awesome ride. It’s why you

Awesome ride. It’s why you buy Specialized. Nothing else to say!

Would Recommend?
Yes!

Verified Buyer
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Name:
Guest G.

Helpful?

Like Riding on a Cloud

I replaced a custom steel road bike that I had ridden for 27 years with an Aethos frameset which I built up with a mechanical Ultegra drivetrain. The bike weighs 15.5 pounds without pedals, with no exotic parts. It is like riding on air - comfortable, and fast up the hills. I'm still getting the hang of descending - it is so light I'm not yet as confident as I was on the custom steel bike. A phenomenal ride.

Would Recommend?
Yes!

Name:
David

Helpful?

Above anything I have had before.

New Bike above anything I have had before, 12 speed Di2 for a roadie is very smooth and quiet when changing gears. Handles like a dream.

Would Recommend?
Yes!

Name:
Craig. S.

Helpful?

Im in love with this bike.

I was suggested this bike after I broke my Tarmac frame and even when I spend money, I’m completely amaze how wonderful this bike is. Many think that because Specialized advertise this as comfortable, smooth ride is not going to be fast but is super fast indeed. I’m very happy with this one and I don’t really missed my previous Tarmac.

Would Recommend?
Yes!

Name:
Daniel S.

Helpful?

One Fine bike

I purchased the Aethos Expert directly from Specialized this past March. I sold my excellent SL6 S-Works Tarmac in advance of the purchase with some trepidation. I have not been disappointed. The Aethos has proven to be every bit as fast, if not slightly faster, than the Tarmac in the flats. The Shimano 12 speed Ultegra Di2 is absolutely flawless and shifts instantly and smoothly. The bike tracks exceptionally well and the disc brakes are outstanding. The real test, however, was this past weekend when I took the Aethos on a hill ride for the first time with gradients of up to 13%. The bike ascended and descended flawlessly and I set 15 personal records on both long climbs and descents. I recommend this bike without hesitation.

Would Recommend?
Yes!

Name:
John

Helpful?

Shimano>Sram

Came off a 16’ Giant defy advanced 2. Ive been looking for a solid upgrade for a couple years now. Went with the expert for the wheel set, longer battery life, and the shimano components look cleaner. The 12x Ultegra groupset is really nice. Holding the rear shifter for about 1.5 secs and it’ll shift 3 times. Or how one shift isnt making a big diff in cadence. Always a sweet spot with the 12x. Bike promotes riding faster and longer. I grew up racing bmx and this bike kinda reminds me of those days. Smashing pedals all day

Would Recommend?
Yes!

Name:
Kevin

Helpful?

An Amazing Ride

The Aetheos Expert is everything that Specialized says it is. I went from a Roubaix to the Aetheos and the difference is dramatic. The automatic shifting is virtually instantaneous. The disc brakes are way better than caliper braking. The ride is smooth and fast. And perhaps most surprising, it is very, very easy to keep spotless. I was skeptical about whether the value would be there. It is. This is a spectacular bike!

Would Recommend?
Yes!

Name:
Steve

Helpful?