Battle of the aero-bikes

The past week has been a feast for the eyes when it comes to new aero bikes. We’ve seen the new Trek Madone, Specialized ViAS, and Scott Foil all undergo significant evolutions and innovations. So, the simple question is, if you had $15k burning a hole in your pocket, which would you choose and why?

It’s been a week that’s been a feast for the eyes when it comes to new aero bikes. We’ve seen the new Trek Madone, Specialized ViAS, and Scott Foil all undergo significant evolutions and innovations. So, the simple question is, if you had $15k burning a hole in your pocket, which would you choose and why?

Specialized Venge ViAS

Specialized says:

The all-new S-Works Venge ViAS Di2 was developed with one objective in mind—to be the fastest bike in the world. The design for this bike started with building our own Win Tunnel, and with more than 1000 hours of testing, prototyping, and refining, we can say with confidence that we nailed our objective. The high level of performance starts with a Rider- First EngineeredTM frame and fork that feature a new level of aerodynamics. This is coupled with the added benefit of the Roval CLX 64 wheelset—the fastest wheels we’ve ever made. Along with the zero-drag brakes and Aerofly ViAS cockpit, the S-Works Venge ViAS Di2 is, quite simply, the fastest bike in the world.

• The FACT 11r carbon frame features fully internal cable routing, and it’s Rider-First EngineeredTM in order to provide consistent performance across the entire size range.

• FACT carbon fork is designed to drastically reduce aerodynamic drag, while still providing incredible stiffness and steering response for all out efforts and twisting descents.

• Roval CLX 64 wheelset provides the ultimate in speed and performance. Optimized for both head- and crosswinds, the CLX 64 wheelset is tubeless-ready and features a 21mm internal rim width for enhanced traction, minimal rolling resistance, and improved aerodynamics.

You can see the full details of the new Specialized Venge ViAS from the launch here.

Trek Madone

Trek says:

1. Advanced aerodynamics: Madone sets a new benchmark for aero performance, surpassing every other road bike on the tarmac and in the wind tunnel.

2. Madone IsoSpeed: The revolutionary Madone IsoSpeed decoupler is fully integrated, offering unparalleled aerodynamics, unmatched vertical compliance and ultimate ride quality.

3. Ride-tuned performance: Fully tested size-specific ride-tuned performance delivers the ultimate balance of speed, power and handling, no matter what size bike you ride.

4. Unprecedented integration: Every element of Madone serves the ultimate goal of unprecedented integration to enhance performance, making Madone the fastest, most advanced option on the road.

You can see the full details of the new Trek Madone from the launch here.

Scott Foil

Scott says:

The new Foil features the same lightweight frame characteristics as its predecessor. With a frame weight of 945g and a fork weight of 335g (size Medium, including small parts ) the new Foil is one of the lightest Aero Bikes on the market. Our World Tour riders count every gram. 6.8 kilograms is a magic number for them and despite its aerodynamic and stiff nature, it’s actually not a challenge to build the complete bike below this regulatory threshold. It took no time for the first Foil to gain a reputation for being extremely stiff and responsive with regards to power transfer and handling. In favor of our Pro riders and the customer base that prefers a stiff and responsive bike, the new Foil exhibits even higher stiffness values than its predecessor.

You can see the full details from the Scott Foil launch here.