Pedal Dancer®: Interbike

Showing posts with label Interbike. Show all posts

18 September 2013

Interbike, Cross Vegas tonight

Watching Cross Vegas ain't free

Cross Vegas takes place tonight in Las Vegas, Nevada. To many of us Cross Vegas shares equal (or greater) attraction to attending Interbike itself. Cross Vegas originated from the idea of having a bike race while so many in the bike industry were gathered together for an equipment convention. Now that the race attracts such big names, it stands on it's own as a main attraction. One thing is for certain, Cross Vegas + Interbike makes for a great two days of bike entertainment.

If only it weren't in Vegas. In know, I know, some people love Las Vegas, I love the bikes and the people. This year I am not there, but I have memories of my numerous visits. Many thousands of cycling enthusiasts are in Las Vegas, and most likely they are at Cross Vegas tonight. For those of us at home, we can watch Cross Vegas online, for a fee (info below).

We can also read the fantastic bike equipment reviews online, and catch up on the latest and greatest equipment that we may have missed at Eurobike last month, by reading the reports from Interbike by:

I have been to Interbike a number of times, so I know what we cannot get online are the typical sights and scenes of Interbike

Meeting Miguel Indurain (omg) in person (Tom Boonen and Sven Nys were at the show this year).

Miguel Indurain at Interbike 2012 Photo by Karen Rakestraw at Pedal Dancer®

Basically stalking Mario Cipollini

Mario Cipollini at Interbike 2012 Photo by Karen Rakestraw at Pedal Dancer®

Getting to meet Steve Hill of Steephill.TV and Michele Acquarone, Race Organizer of the Giro d'Italia (and hold that awesome trophy!).

Steve Hill and Michele Acquarone at Interbike 2012 Photo by Karen Rakestraw at Pedal Dancer®

Looking at the BMC Team Machine SLR01

Or seeing a super fast McLaren Venge

Look over there it's a Scott Plasma Premium time trail bike

A Fuji Track Elite bike

Isle after isle of bikes at Interbike, and people!

People making business deals for apparel and equipment

Standing and staring at bikes

And drooling over disc brakes

Or fancy road shoes

And some Pinarello bikes

But there is more than just road bikes at Interbike

You will also see rows and rows of Zipp wheels

Plus they have really cool winning bikes on display like Tom Boonen's Paris Roubaix bike below (also Sagan's Cannondale, the Tour de France yellow winning Pinarello, and many other team bikes are on display)

It was cool to see this bike again since I had seen Tom Boonen race and win the Paris-Roubaix in that same year.

Lots of book signings go on as well - here is Louis Garneau

Sometimes the old classics are the best

And then I usually go up and down the same isle again just to make sure Mario Cipollini is still hanging around in his tailored white Italian shirt.

Say a quick hello to Elvis as he checks out the gear on the floor at Interbike

And finally after breathing air-conditioned convention air for seven hours, I walk outside where I realize - Las Vegas is one weird place. And hot!

Cross Vegas is fun, but it aint' free !

It is one of a kind, and while watching online is possible, it costs - and I am CHEAP.

I understand that ads and ads alone cannot cover the costs of broadcasting a race like Cross Vegas for free to us viewers, but I fear the viewership will drop drastically with this paid scheme. Race Organizers should increase visitor tickets by $2-4 and subsidize Cycling Dirt's coverage to promote their race around the world. They have the international riders, they should be delivering race viewing to international (and national) fans.

And/or Cycling Dirt should make viewing the race, the same as renting a video, a one-time renting deal for $6.99. No confusing strings of a magazine membership attached.

Cycling Dirt is charging to watch Cross Vegas online this year

Cycling Dirt is LIVE streaming Cross Vegas 2013, (more info) you'll have to pay $14.95. You have to become a PROdirt member, for a month, then cancel your subscription if you are no longer interested, or continue to be billed $19.95 a month. If you’re not already a member, sign up now (pay now).

Cross Vegas - at night under the lights, every view is a good view of the race

Tons of fun for fans. I have no photos of the mens race because I was drinking beer and handing up dollar bills!

Being there far surpasses watching it online, because try as you may to stuff your dollars bills into your screen, only the stragglers at the back of the real pack of cyclocross racers in Vegas will gladly collect your dollars and stuff them into parts you don't want to know about. (Cross Vegas - Vegas style)

For this much fun, you must go to Cross Vegas. A ticket to Cross Vegas costs $10.00. Hotels (for 1 night) are about the same price as your flight to and from the city of glitz, taxis are ungodly expensive (and you will still walk miles and miles), but free shuttle buses are provided from Interbike to the park where the cyclocross race is held north of the Vegas stripe.

As always riding the bus (and also any plane to and from Interbike) is guaranteed fun as you will be surrounded by bike geeks on par with yourself. A scary but comforting notion.

Also this year Cross Vegas race organizers are offering a Special Interbike entrance for Cross Vegas Fans: CrossVegas fans are invited to attend Interbike for only $25.00 on Friday September, 20th, from 11am-6pm. Register here.

Cross Vegas Information and Schedule

Location: Desert Breeze Soccer Complex in Las Vegas, Nevada
Transportation Maps
Course Map
www.crossvegas.com
Men's Elite startlist
Women's Elite startlist
Wheelers & Dealers startlist
6:30 – Wheelers & Dealers to Start Grid
6:50 – Wheelers & Dealers Intros
7:00 – Wheelers & Dealers race Starts
7:40 – Wheelers & Dealers race Ends
7:45 – Course Open for warm-up
7:45 – Wheelers & Dealers Award Ceremony
8:00 – Course Closed for warm-up
8:00 – Elite Women to Start Grid
8:05 – Elite Women Intros
8:20 – Elite Women Start
9:00 – Elite Women Finish
9:10 – Elite Women Award Ceremony
9:10 – Elite Men to Start Grid
9:20 – Elite Men Intros
9:30 – Elite Men Start
10:30 – Elite Men Finish
10:50 – Elite Men Award Ceremony
11:00 – Curtains

World Champion CX Sven Nys is competing tonight!

We found some strange Belgian luggage in Vegas... @wielerman @sven_nys @svenvth @CrossVegas pic.twitter.com/ldm8VZxlfl
— BrakeThrough Media (@BrakeThrough) September 17, 2013

Gambling men

Spotted @sven_nys getting some blackjack lessons before @CrossVegas… Double down Sven & good luck tomorrow!! pic.twitter.com/46BLwgYLdB
— Monte Carlo Resort (@MonteCarloVegas) September 17, 2013

An interesting photo Cross Vegas 2013, this is what it feels like to watch CX under the lights at night in Las Vegas.:

#crossvegas http://t.co/ruFmqaj5ep
— beth gerdes walsh (@IMbethwalsh) September 19, 2013

Results Cross Vegas 2013

Elite Mens Race
1. Sven Nys (Crelan-Euphony)
2. Jeremy Powers (Rapha-Focus)
3. Geoff Kabush (Scott-3Rox Racing)

Elite Womens Race
1. Katerina Nash (Luna)
2. Lea Davison (Specialized)
3. Catharine Pendrel (Luna)

Wheelers and Dealers Race
1. Christian Heule
2. Johnny Sunndt
3. Edwin Bull (Van Dessel)

Cross Vegas is sponsored by Cliff Bar!! Thank you.
All photos in this post taken by Karen Rakestraw at Pedal Dancer®

Tom Boonen signing autographs at the Specialized booth for a "thrilled fan" at Interbike 2013 in Las Vegas.

Em um evento Las Vegas, a fabricante de bicicletas Specialized, trouxe Tom Boonen que renovou seu contrato por... http://t.co/T3NeEZKs0O
— Pró Tour Ciclismo (@RiMarciano) September 20, 2013

10 September 2012

Cyclocross Calendar

Cyclocross season in Colorado is here

For an updated calendar for the 2013-14 CX season, please see: 2013-14 Colorado Cyclocross Calendar, By Pedal Dancer®

The time of year when disappointment sets in when the sun shines and the sky is clear. Cyclocross is synonymous with muddy chains and freezing riders. When men and women attempt to hold onto their fitness for months extending across the Holidays, simply to race their friends across dirt, sand, water, obstacles and yes, snow.

I confess I attended only 1 local criterium race this summer in Colorado. My calendar was filled with pro races in the States and abroad with lots of travel, but when it comes to cyclocross, I plan to be out there many weekends this cold winter. Cyclocross in Colorado is a relaxed entertaining friendly sport, and one that is certainly on the rise for men, women, juniors, and kids.

With perfect timing Cross Vegas (in Las Vegas, Nevada) sort of kicks off the cyclocross season. Cross Vegas is the #1 reason to go to Las Vegas, Interbike is #2, there is no #3. Cross Vegas and Interbike are just over a week away and I will be going for two quick days. I have been reading the tech reports from Eurobike and although Interbike is not as big or well represented as Eurobike, it is the best offered in North America, so all those interested in the latest greatest from bicycle and equipment manufacturers file into Las Vegas to see shiny new cycling related things.

The other day I went to my first local cyclocross race of the year in Colorado Springs. Amy Dombroski was there, she will be racing at Cross Vegas on September 19th in Las Vegas (for her new team Telenet Fidea), she was second in the womens race in 2011 behind Katerina Nash, who will not be racing at Cross Vegas 2012, although Georgia Gould will be there, (see the 2012 USA Cycling Women Open start list for Cross Vegas).

Amy Dombroski, last Saturday in Colorado Springs ©Photo by Karen at PedalDancer.com

We can also expect some big names for the USA Cycling Men Cat. 1-3 including Americans Ryan Trebon (riding for his new team cyclocrossworld.com/Cannondale), Tim Johnson, Todd Wells, Jamie Driscoll, Jeremy Powers, Chris Jones, Zach McDonald, Jonathan Page, and Geoff Kabush. Also Europeans Lars Van der Haar (2011 winner), Rob Peeters, Bart Wellens, Ben Berden, Arnaud Jouffrey, Niels Wubben, Lukas Fluckinger and Lukas Winterberg. Cross Vegas 2012 should be very entertaining.

Tim Johnson, 2 weeks ago in Aspen, representing Cannondale ©Photo by Karen at PedalDancer.com

If you cannot attend the race in Las Vegas, you can watch the action online: Live webcast of CrossVegas will be available at www.crossvegas.com beginning at 8:00 pm Pacific Time on race day, Wednesday September 19. 2012. Related posts by Pedal Dancer from 2011: Cross Vegas - Vegas style and Interbike - I am a fan.

I will be taking more photos from Interbike and following up on the very popular pieces I did last year about Specialized Bikes and BMC Bikes. Sorry Colnago, Pinarello, Trek, and Cannondale bikes will not be on exhibit at Interbike. Giant, BMC, Specialized, Fuji, BH, Scott, and Cervelo will be exhibiting. There will also be lots of pedals, tires, wheels, saddles, and apparel to drool over.

For now check the dates of these cyclocross races in Colorado, mark your Calendar, and get out to see or race a cyclocross race in your local town. To see the best of the best, try to attend the New Belgium US GranPrix of Cyclocross in Fort Collins on October 13 to 14, 2012. What is cyclocross - this video should give you the feel of the sport.

Full Schedule of all races at the BRAC website: Calendar of cycling races in Colorado. Racers for full details view (.pdf): www.coloradocycling.org Calendar. To view this list of races in date order go to: COLORADO CYCLING PAGE. (**silver, ***gold)

Denver/Aurora/Brighton
09/15/12, Saturday - Kick It CX Festival and TT, Brighton
09/30/12 Sunday - Adrenalin CX, Highlands Ranch
11/11/12, Sunday - Mile High Urban Cross Chaos, Denver
11/18/12, Sunday - Alpha Cross, Centennial ***

Arvada/Golden/Morrison
09/23/12, Sunday - Queens of Cross, Arvada/Golden
09/29/12, Saturday - Primalpalooza, Arvada/Golden
11/04/12, Sunday - Routine Leg Works Cyclo-Cross, Golden
11/25/12, Sunday - Green Mountain Sports #1, Morrison
12/09/12, Sunday - Green Mountain Sports #2, Morrison

Parker/Castle Rock
11/24/12, Saturday - Parker CX **
12/02/12, Sunday - Castle Cross, Castle Rock ***

Louisville/Lafayette/Westminster/Broomfield
10/20/12, Saturday - Boulder Racing CX Series #3 - Interlocken, Broomfield **
11/10/12, Saturday - CycloX- Sienna Lake, Broomfield **
12/01/12, Saturday - CycloX- Louisville **
12/08/12, Saturday - Boulder Racing #5, Westminster ***

Boulder
09/16/12, Sunday - Boulder Racing CX Series #1 - Valmont Park
10/27/12, Saturday - CO Cross Classic (UCI - C2), Valmont Park **
10/28/12, Sunday - Victory Circle Graphics Boulder Cup (UCI - C2), Valmont Park ***
11/17/12, Saturday - Boulder Racing #4 TBA **

Longmont
09/22/12, Saturday - Boulder Racing CX Series #2 - Xilinx
10/21/12, Sunday - Blue Sky Velo Cup Xilinx **
11/03/12, Saturday - Schoolyard Cross, Longmont **

Fort Collins/Loveland
10/13-14/12, Saturday-Sunday - New Belgium USGP , Fort Collins
12/15/16/12, Saturday-Sunday - States CX with Cross of the North, Loveland ***

Colorado Springs
11/04/12, Sunday - Fall Back Cross

Summit County/Buena Vista
10/06/12, Saturday - Frisco **
10/07/12, Sunday - Cross the River, Buena Vista **

Junior Cyclocross Camp
October 5-6-7, 2012, Fri-Sun - Junior CX Camp, Loveland (see BRAC events)

Nationals/World Championships
January 4-8, 2012 - USAC National Championships, Madison, WI
January 29-February1, 2012 - UCI Masters World Championships, Louisville, KY
February 2-3, 2012 - UCI Elite World Championships, Louisville, KY

Photos from the Pikes Peak Velo Campus Cross cyclocross race in Colorado Springs last Saturday:

©Photo by Karen at PedalDancer.com

01 June 2012

There's no crying in cycling

Oh my heart was broken

My best companion is no longer able to go out on rides with me. A week and a half ago, my bike was benched permanently. A longtime faithful companion across many miles fell victim to one too many traveling trips. It's fragile bent rear aluminum derailleur hanger now hanging off center from it's carbon frame, signaled that my beautiful bike would no longer be able to join me on bike rides. One too many bends, and replacement gets tricky for an old Scott frame model with a non-replaceable hanger. It is never a good time to loose a bike, but I have a trip to France planned in 5-weeks and I miss getting out for a spin 3-4 times a week. Oh my bike! I was so attached to you.

Please make it better

I sat on my living room floor last week, as if coddling my frame, snapping pictures of it's ripped derailleur and bent stripped hanger, the only signs that it's future could only be that of a single-speed. Dash, a good friend talked me through the diagnosis, and the next logical steps, discouraging the sounds of whimpers coming from my end of the line. "There's no crying in cycling," he said. Yes I allowed those weary thoughts to creep into my mind - maybe it is time to give up cycling. This sport is so expensive, a new bike is so costly. "No" was the firm response from another dear friend Monica, "No," she made it clear to me, giving up is not an option.

Parting is such sweet sorrow

Carbon repair

More emails and photos sent to my brother Mike in France, and contacts sent from Dash, set me on the right course of action. My whimpers lessened slightly, I had a plan. Contact Calfee Designs (www.Calfeedesign.com) in California to see if the aluminum/carbon juncture was repairable. Yes it would be fixable at approximately $700 and 3-4 weeks of repair time, (frightfully close in timing to my departure to France). For carbon repairs keep Calfee in mind, they offered excellent customer service. Brady Kappius is another resource and possibility for carbon repairs. A Colorado bike racer with a Bachelors of Science in Metallurgical and Materials Engineering from the Colorado School of Mines and a Masters of Science from the University of Colorado at Boulder, his company brokencarbon.com is a good resource to remember if you ever have a damaged carbon bike frame that needs repair.

Can manufacturers help

I sent off inquiries to Scott USA and a local Scott Rep - no responses yet. I also learned about crash replacement on frames - basically a lot of paperwork for the bike shop, time waiting for a low priority shipping, and in the end maybe 10-20% off the retail price of the frame. Although BMC offers up to 40% off replacement of their recent frames if you register your BMC bike within 30 days of purchase and then proceed to crash it. But I don't own a BMC road bike. I also learned that Specialized will offer crash replacements on frames other than their own - Specialized is smart - they want your new business. I also learned much from another friend Mike, who educated me on which bike frames where manufactured in which factories.

Building a new partnership

I visited local bike shops in Denver to "test drive" bike frames and components (Turin - very helpful with good brands, Giant - great customer service and knowledge, and Big Ring - expensive with high-end brands). I had fun and learned so much. Lots has changed in bikes and components over the past 6 years. I had a Campy Record/Chorus mix on my old lightweight carbon bike, going down in quality is a hard pill to swallow. I wanted to find value for my dollar.

I never expected my bike to run a parallel scenario to aging. I suspect why people spend a lot of money to buy faster cars and faster bikes as they age might do with overcompensation. Good hardware might ward off relinquishing to a downward slope. My simple formula is more age = better bike. I am not into appearances, I do not care to impress, I want ride quality/fun quality, and most important, as I conveyed to Scott at Big Ring Cycles in Golden, "I know you have lots of racers come in here, my only goal is to not fall over when I climb a steep mountain in France, can you get me there - not falling over?" I gestured as he followed my hands to the ground and then smiled.

What kind should I get?

One thing is clear - buying a new bike takes more than money - it takes hours of time. It took hours to investigate and shop for what is next. It doesn't help that I have a very tricky fit, and can tell instantly when a bike is off even 3mm. My old bike was into it's 6th season. Should I keep the old components and move them onto a new frameset only? Or is it time to buy a complete new bike and sell off what is leftover?

Inventory is low in June, what is in the stores and online shops is there, with little in reserve, 2013 models will be announced and released at Eurobike and Interbike in 2-3 months and appear in the shops shortly after. Some 2013 groupos are already in shops. Prices in local shops seemed to match those online, so why not buy local. Bike shops are in a pinch - wanting to dump 2012 models, but then risking having nothing on the floor to sell - jittery times for bike shops (although very busy times for mechanics).

Here - have my bike

It is amazing how friends and family step up to help. Maybe they are simply trying to stop my bursts of crying, but it seems I had instant bike agents scouring the land to find me a replacement or loaner bike. I show up and allen wrenches magically appear trying to fit me onto any possible bike that functions and rolls. I never knew so many, were so handy, with tools.

Oh the joy of a bike

In the end, I bought a new bike. It was a big step. After plotting out the numbers and costs, asking a lot of questions and comparing my options. I decided that if my theory of $1 a mile for excellent fun stood true, than my old bike gave me closer to $0.25 cents on the mile worth of fun. Think about it - when I went out for a 50-mile ride, on average, I paid $12.50 for all that goodness. Cheaper than golf. (okay never mind that $55,000 private medical insurance medical tab I paid for my broken pelvis 1.5 years ago, that doesn't count - that was mountain biking).

I bought more goodness

Now I have many more miles to ride to pay for my wonderful new bike. I also have motivation to get out there and enjoy such a fun riding high quality bike (and an excellent value). Finally we can put away those allen wrenches - come this Saturday - I will be bringing a new bike home from Big Ring Cycles. Anyone want a bunch of bike parts?

look for pictures to come soon after I bring my new beauty home

I will give you a hint ... I named the bike Basso
(Because my brother already named his dog Vincenzo, and someone already named an Airline Ted)

Update: my new bike.... A Cannondale EVO Supersix

24 February 2012

George Hincapie

Images of George

I have a bunch of pictures of George Hincapie. I was recently sorting through some images from Interbike 2011 in Las Vegas, and realized I have some great pictures of George Hincapie that I have yet to post (I have many pictures I have yet to post, must get to that). It's Friday, I'm excited for the weekend, and having just posted the piece on Thomson Bike Tours at the Tour de France, I was reminded of my interview with Peter Thomson in which I asked him the question, "Which rider in the peloton have you witnessed as being most gracious to fans?"

Guess who he said - Hincapie! Peter said, "Hincapie. Every time he is at the Tour de France he always makes himself available. He is always very nice with our clients." He continued, "And also Popo (Yaroslav Popovych) (RadioShack-Nissan-Trek), he is such a nice guy, pleasant, down to earth."

George Hincapie

©Photo by PedalDancer

27 September 2011

Specialized bikes

New and improved and ever winning

Specialized won the Worlds! The recent winners of the mens Road World Championships for Road and Time Trial both used Specialized bikes to capture their victories. Both Mark Cavendish from Great Britain (World Champion Road) and Tony Martin from Germany (World Champion Time Trial) rode for the 2011 HTC-Highroad team whose bike sponsor happened to be Specialized, and so at Worlds, both lucky cyclists were on Specialized bikes.

After a very successful 2011 season, HTC-Highroad has folded, which leaves the lucky teams remaining under sponsorship by Specialized to be SaxoBank-Sunguard and Astana. I would consider a team sponsorship by Specialized to be a fortunate one. I am thinking Fabian Cancellara might be missing his Specialized bikes (he now rides Treks), and Mark Cavendish will certainly miss his Venge McLaren bike in 2012 (he will ride Pinarello).

Specialized will be adding a new team sponsorship for bicycles and helmets to Omega Pharma-Quick Step team in 2012 and will remain as sponsor to the Specialized-Lululemon (former HTC-Highroad) women's team.

Knowing that Specialized makes very nice bikes that perform well, it was with great excitement that upon arrival at Interbike 2011, I looked directly for the Specialized booth. Their huge sign directed me to their location. I knew I had arrived when the first person I saw was Chris Horner (Team Radioshack) drooling over the bikes (his team rides Trek!).

I came to see the Tarmac SL4. I receive a number of google searches for the SL4 so I thought I would give the reader what they wanted. Probably because at $8000 it is a dream purchase for the amateur cyclist knowing that the Venge might be just out of their reach with a sticker price of $18,000.

The Specialized booth at Interbike Photo © by PedalDancer.com

In 2011 Specialized bikes delivered riders to the finish line to capture these race wins: Points Classification (green jersey) at the Tour de France (Mark Cavendish), German National ITT Championships (Bert Grabsch), Irish National RR Champs (Matt Brammeier), Irish National ITT Champs (Matt Brammeier), Belarus National ITT Championships (Kanstantsin Sivtsov), Denmark National RR Champ (Nicki Sørensen), Kazakhastan National RR Champ (Andrey Mizourov), Slovenia National RR Champ (Gorazd Stangelj), Scheldeprijs 1st Place (Mark Cavendish), Ronde van Vlaanderen 1st Overall (Nick Nuyens), Milan San Remo 1st Place (Matt Goss), Paris-Nice 1st Place Overall (Tony Martin), 6 stages of the Tour de France, 5 stages of the Giro d'Italia, best overall team at the Giro d' Italia and at the Tour de France, plus many more wins.

Let's take a look at the Specialized bikes available including the Venge, Tarmac SL4, Tarmac SL3, and the Roubaix. With a peak at the Amira and the Shiv TT.

VENGE - Venge McLaren or the S-Works Venge

Specialized Venge McLaren $18,000 (note the curve in the seat tube, wide chainstays)

Mark Cavendish became the World Champion on an aero road bike called the VS-Works + McLaren Venge

Mark Cavendish's Venge (dossard #171) at the 2011 Tour de France (he did not ride this bike on every stage)

Mark Cavendish's McLaren Venge in France 2011 Photo by iTV.com

a more affordable Specialized S-Works Venge DA $9200

Matt Goss and his Red & White Venge at Tour of California, Photo © by PedalDancer.com

S-Works Venge SRAM Red $8800

Matt Goss's Specialized S-Works Venge at the 2011 Tour of California, Photo © by PedalDancer.com

Matt Goss was the man who first tested the Venge McLaren on March 19, 2011 at the 1-day classic Milan San Remo - he won. Read A fast man on a fast bike. He later handed in his Venge McLaren for a different model of the S-Works Venge (above).

Mark Cavendish then used (and was the only rider to use) the Venge McLaren at Scheldeprijs on April 6, 2011 - he won. He never looked back and stuck with the McLaren or the S-Works models of the Venge for sprint stages for the remainder of his season. The marketing department at Specialized likes to refer to the bike as "more bike than aero." This phrase always makes me pause, what does that mean?

Read more about the development of the Venge McLaren in an earlier PedalDancer.com post The look of a Sprinter. Read much more about the Venge specs, models and prices

This is Mark Cavendish's points classification (green jersey) winning S-Works Venge bike recently on display at Interbike 2011.

Specialized Venge Photo © by PedalDancer.com

Photo © by PedalDancer.com

Cavendish's Venge bike Photo © by PedalDancer.com

More photos of the Venge

S-Works + McLaren Venge. They hang $18,000 bikes from the ceiling at Interbike.
Photo © by PedalDancer.com

Another S-Works Venge color choice, Photo © by PedalDancer.com

A more affordable Venge - the every man's 2012 Venge Pro
There are three types of Venge bikes: S-Works McLaren Venge ($18,000, 12R carbon), S-Works Venge ($8900-$9200, 11R carbon), and the more affordable Venge Pro ($5700-$6000, 10R carbon). The S-Works and the Pro have the same frame design and geometry (and exterior electronic Ui2 unit), but are made of differing quality (technique) of carbon weave material. The McLaren of course is the lightest stiffest design with the Ui2 body hidden inside the frame. The more you pay the more you purchase light weight stiffness (10R, 11R, or 12R).

Specialized S-Works Venge 11R carbon grade label

Venge Pro

Specialized 2012 Venge Pro, a beautiful bike Photo © by PedalDancer.com

3 models of white Specialized bikes - Venge Pro ($6000), S-Works SL4 ($5000), Roubaix ($5000) frames
Photo © by PedalDancer.com

Specialized Roubaix, SL4 and Venge Pro ready for sale in Denver, CO
Photo © by PedalDancer.com

TARMAC - Tarmac SL4 or the Tarmac SL3

S-Works Tarmac SL4 SRAM Red $7700

Bernie Eisel and his S-Works Tarmac, Photo © by PedalDancer.com

HTC-Highroad mechanics at the 2011 Tour of California add some final touches to the bikes. Bernie Eisel is on the left with a Tarmac, Matt Goss is center with his new Venge (not the McLaren model).

Tarmacs and a Venge, Photo © by PedalDancer.com

Notice the difference in the headtube angles when the bikes are side by side.

Now notice the difference in the seatstays.

The Venge and the Tarmac SL4 are the frames that will now be used in the Grand Tours by the Pros. Think of the Venge as the aero sprinter, the SL4 as the climbers bike. The riders can change frames and wheels according to the profile of the stage and the riders preference. Once the rider is fit using the Specialized BG Fit system, the basic position of the rider on the bike is determined and does not change drastically.

It gets confusing because there is a Tarmac SL3 and the newer Tarmac SL4. Both are still in use. The SL4 was designed to be lighter and stiffer than the SL3. I was told the designers tapered the headtube, made the front fork and rear seatstays wider for increased lateral stiffness. The SL4 is reported to have better breaking performance, better handling, and better durability when changing out wheels quickly. The improvements in the SL4 equate to a claimed 19% increase in stiffness to weight ratio over the SL3.

Alberto Contador decided to stick with the SL3 even after the redesigned SL4 came out, it was his choice. Here is Alberto Contador's Tarmac SL3 from the Giro on the display at the recent 2011 Interbike:

The new SL4 was tested out at the 2011 Tour de France where Roman Kreuziger and Alexandre Vinokourov each rode the SL4, both happened to crash out of the Tour so we were never able to experience their full performance.

Astana's Tarmac SL4 debuts at the 2011 Tour de France

Specialized talks the talk about how the pros use the Roubaix frame for the Classics, but here Nick Nuyens is riding a Tarmac for his win at the 2011 Tour of Flanders.

Read much more about the Tarmac specs, models and prices

More images of the S-Works Tarmac SL4.

Another frame color choice for the Tarmac

Tarmac SL3

Tarmac SL3

Tarmac SL3

What is the difference between the S-Works Tarmac SL3 and the Tarmac SL4? BikeRadar did a review of the new frame when is came out in June 2011: 2012 Specialized Tarmac SL4 Unveiled – Contador’s Ride Gets Lighter, Stiffer

ROUBAIX
CyclingNews: Tom Boonen's new Specialized Roubaix SL4

S-Works Roubaix SL3 Compact $8000

Team HTC-Highroad rode the Roubaix frame at the 2011 Paris-Roubaix. The most noticeable feature of the Roubaix are the dampening seatstays and front fork. The pros will lower the head tube as much as possible and select their wheels to fit the parcours.

Roubaix frames, revision of a photo by Matt Pacocha

This frame is the comfort class, recommended for most amateur cyclists who like to ride long rides over mixed terrain, a durable, hard worker. When I asked the question "which bike would be best for a cyclist traveling to Europe to ride a cyclosportif and then spend a week climbing in the Pyrenees?" The answer was the Specialized "Roubaix with a DT Swiss or Mavic type of wheel."

Read much more about the Roubaix specs, models and prices

More images of the Specialized Roubaix:

AMIRA - the women's version of the Tarmac

SHIV TT (time trial)
This is the Specialized road Shiv TT frame model, not the Tri-Shiv

Specialized Shiv TT frame only $6100. It is so fast it doesn't need wheels.

The marketers like to call this one "too fast for the UCI." Read much more about the Shiv TT specs, models and prices
More images of the Specialized Shiv TT time trial bike

Peter Velits, Brian Vandborg, (with Ted King on the left) wait with their HTC and Saxo-Bank S-Works Shiv TT bikes at the Prologue of the 2011 USA Pro Cycling Challenge. They have a different handlebar set up.

As with so many of the bike manufacturers - you will have your choice of frame color, components, and price range. Visit the Specialized website for more information and drool over the bikes like Chris Horner: www.specialized.com

The pictures above are the 2011 Shiv Time Trial model. Specialized recently released the newly designed tri-specific Shiv in 2012, which will not be used at road races. The tri bike will be used by triathletes only. See the bike, and read the review by Nick Legan of VeloNews here: You won’t see Levi racing this: Specialized’s new Shiv. The tri-Shiv does not meet the guidelines of the UCI (the International governing body for professional road racing), read more in a previous post by PedalDancer.com: Why all the fuss over Time Trial Bikes?

If you are wondering if or why a rider remains on their team bikes at World Championships, even though they ride for their country, Nick Legan answers your question: Ask Nick: Bikes at worlds

Update November 2011: This is the new 2012 Omega Pharma Quickstep Specialized S-Works Venge bike for 2012.

Specialized S-Works Venge - team Omega Pharma-Quickstep

What a beauty !

Read about Pinarello bikes: Pinarello Dogma2

Read about Colnago bikes: Colnago bikes

Read about BMC bikes: BMC bikes

Read and see more images of Specialized Bikes on Pedal Dancer.

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