The Specialized Aethos 2’s staging before Venus de Milo and other famed classical Greek sculptures says much about what kind of confidence the elite American bicycle maker has in its latest offering. The original Aethos debuted five years ago as the “world’s lightest bicycle” and hasn’t lost its record-setting status yet in its next evolution.
Specialized says the 5.9-kilogram (~13-pound) complete bicycle’s weight is “technically a crime,” an allusion to the Union Cycliste Internationale sports cycling governing body’s 6.8-kilogram (~15-pound minimum weight limit. The Aethos 2 isn’t designed primarily for racing or even endurance riding. Rather, it’s feathery construction aims to provide the purest riding experience possible. “When effort vanishes, the bike disappears, and body, mind, and machine move as one,” Specialized said in a statement before quoting the maxim, “Perfection is attained not when there is nothing more to add, but when there is nothing more to take away.”
Using lessons learned from calculations based on decades of mechanical test data, the carbon fiber frame is not layered, but carefully sculpted into what Specialized deems “Flow State Design,” an optimized shape that allows energy to pass through minimal material while improving structural integrity, ride quality and performance.
Specialized worked hard not to increase the original design’s overall weight while making tweaks to the existing architecture in the name of performance and comfort. The rims have gotten lighter while the clearance has increased to 35 millimeters for more grip and speed. A 15-millimeter increase in the stack raises the handlebars slightly to put less pressure on the hands, while a 3 millimeter drop in the bottom bracket offers more security in corners. The wheelbase has grown by 7 millimeters to increase stability, while the new Alpinist Cockpit II’s oval tops reduce hand pressure and add four degrees of flare to support wrist angles.
Priced from $6,700 to $14,000 for the most elite model, the Specialized Aethos 2 is available to purchase now. For those who want to seriously upgrade their current bike, frames start at $3,000.