No sooner had Specialized presented the S-Works McLaren Venge in spring 2011 than Matt Goss won the Milan-San Remo classic on it. It is hardly surprising that professionals love this bike. After all, Specialized has done everything it can to justify the price of the most expensive production bike in the history of TOUR: First place in the wind tunnel (on a par with Cervélo and Felt), dream weight of 6.4 kilos, exquisite equipment and an almost perfect finish. Compared to the "normal" S-Works Venge (Test in TOUR 6/2011->), the McLaren version has been optimised once again in some details. The steering head is ten per cent stiffer and the frame weight has been reduced by 90 grams. Only one thing could be criticised about this bike: The suspension travel of the 180-degree swivelling seat post (two seat angles!) is negligible. But please, after all, this is a bike trimmed uncompromisingly for speed. Apart from the price, one point of criticism remains: the positioning of the Di2 battery on the down tube looks like a foreign body - especially on such an exclusive aero racer. Couldn't it be a little more elegant?
Price 14,999 Euro
Weight 6.4 kilos
Reference/Info www.specialized.com
Weight frame/fork/steering bearing** 1,059/364/74 grammes
Frame sizes*** 49, 52, 54, 56, 58, 61 cm
Seat/steering angle 72-74°/74°
Seat/top tube/head tube 525/565/158 mm plus 16 mm headset cap
Wheelbase/caster 985/51 mm
Stack/Reach/STR**** 565/402 mm/1.41
EQUIPMENT
Fork Specialised
Steering bearing Specialised (top 1-1/8, bottom 1-3/8 inch)
Brakes Eebrake
Circuit Dura-Ace Di2
Bottom bracket Specialised (52/39 t., BB30)
Wheels/tyres Zipp 404/Specialized S-Works (tubular tyres)
Handlebar/stem Zipp/Zipp
Saddle/post Specialised/Specialized
*The overall grade includes: the aerodynamics grade with 20 per cent and the grade for the frame set with 80 per cent. The grades are calculated up to the final grade with all decimal places; however, for the sake of clarity, all grades are given with rounded decimal places.
**Weighed weights.
***Manufacturer's specification, test size bold.
****Stack/Reach: projected vertical/horizontal measurement from the centre of the bottom bracket to the upper edge of the headset cap; STR (Stack to Reach): Values 1.45-1.55 mean a sporty riding position, below that race-like, above that comfortable.
