The Aethos 1 launched in October of 2020 and it was a bit of a surprise. Earlier in the year Specialized had pushed hard on “aero being everything” and then released a round tubed road bike with a focus on weight reduction. This isn’t really any surprise considering how well Specialized is able to market the bikes and products that they create. Pandemic timing aside, Aethos 1 became and has been a fan favorite. I have a few friends who still use the Aethos 1 as their daily driver and they all say the same thing; “the bike just rides good”. I’ve summed that up to it gives them a sense of nostalgia of twitchy, responsive road bikes from 2012ish when road bikes were starting to get really good. Specialized had a lot to follow with the introduction of the Aethos 2. Some design features were expected and a few were not.
The Frame
Carrying on the general lines of the Aethos 1, Specialized kept the elevated seat stays and round frame tubes on the Aethos 2. Interesting enough the Aethos 2 is actually 10 grams heavier than the previous generation but still coming in a claimed frame weight of 595 grams which is still pretty good for a modern bike. One of the bigger surprises on the new Aethos is the revamped geometry putting the bike firmly into the Endurance category opposed to the Race side of things. The Aethos 2 has 15mm more stack height than the previous generation and a slight shorter reach of 4mm. The added stack height is quite noticeable, not custom road bike noticeable but just about. Specialized also extended the wheelbase a touch to make room for 35mm tires (32 on Aethos 1) and add stability when descending.
While the overall aesthetic of the Aethos is similar Specialized did opt for headset routed cables and eliminated mechanical ports making this bike electric only. A nice thought from Specialized is the standard 1-1/8 steertube opposed to something proprietary. This gives plenty of options for stem lengths and angles. The headset spacers also are (somewhat) easily removable with little slots for the cables to slide through. All that said you don’t have to remove the brake lines from the shifters to install or remove spacers or stems. Couple extra touches are the 27.2 seatpost, BSA bottom bracket and UDH hanger.
The Parts
There’s plenty of build kit options but Specialized sent me the 2 Pro which uses their FACT 10r frame and fork. The top shelf S-Works gets the full 12r treatment but with an added price. My test bike has a full SRAM Force AXS build kit with a power meter included. Gearing wise my bike is fairly neutral with a 10-33 cassette and 48/35 chainrings. For the 54cm this came with traditional 172.5mm crank arms.
The Pro level bikes get Roval’s one piece Alpinist II cockpit with integrated out front mount. The out front mount comes with a selection of inserts for just about every computer ever made in the history of cycling.
The Alpinist II bar has a more traditional shape with no flare but still shallow drops and an ergonomic flat spot along the top for climbing.
Roval included a set of their Alpinist CL II tubeless wheels that have a claimed weight of 1,375 grams for the pair. The wheels have an internal rim width of 21mm, external 27mm and 33mm depth. The external width is on the more conservative side but given the aftermarket $1,700 price tag I don’t expect them to be too fancy.
The Ride
This is the first Aethos I have ever ridden. I’ve spent plenty of time working on the Aethos 1 and come to know the in’s and outs of that bike mechanically but I have never experienced the hallowed ride quality that some of my riding partners have talked about. I was actually fairly excited to give this bike a go considering what I had heard about the first generation. I’m not a Specialized fan boy by any stretch, I have never owned a bike from the Big S but I do enjoy riding a good bike.
Pulling the Pro 2 out of the box I was reminded of the Cervelo R5 I had owned a few years prior, that was the last bike I had with elevated seatstays. Sure the design isn’t the most compliant but I love how unique that design has become. My test bike had all the stack imaginable making the bike look like it was wearing a turtleneck with all the headset spacers installed. Even though I’m being sarcastic, I do appreciate the versatility when it comes to making the bike more upright. The trend of Endurance bikes becoming more aggressive isn’t one that I think is good for the end user.
There is no denying it, the Aethos 2 is a very comfortable and easy bike to get on and just go ride. The geometry is quite forgiving making climbing more comfortable and longer days in the saddle. Every road bike I’ve ridden in the last seven years has had aero tubing, there was a sense of familiarity with this bike and its traditional round frame tubes that I enjoyed. I could feel a difference however. Aero tubing gives back in terms of performance while round tubes give what you put in, nothing more, nothing less. Clearly the Aethos won’t be for anyone who owns an eBike.
I wouldn’t consider the Aethos to be the most responsive of bikes. The longer wheelbase and taller stack height played a slight hinderance in that regard. Pedaling out of the saddle the frame would respond but it didn’t jump out at me the way more performance oriented bikes do. I had a good friend who owns an Aethos try this newer version and his feedback was such that the newer bike is smooth but not as responsive or twitchy as the first generation.
I wasn’t a fan of the stock wheels. They were too stiff and the narrow rims didn’t support a wider tire the way I would have liked which is odd considering the extra tire clearance this bike has. I swapped the stock wheels for the pair of Reserve 34/37’s that I recently tested and a pair of Reserve 42/49’s with 32mm Vittoria Rubino tires. The latter was when the Aethos became a bike that I really enjoyed. With the extra support and rubber I found the Aethos to be quite versatile and able to handle mixed surfaces quite well. I wouldn’t call it a gravel bike by any means but it shows promise.
The Verdict
My gut feeling on this bike is that it is a great option for the aging hardcore cyclist who wants some progressive innovation but doesn’t want to compromise on some traditional features, such as elevated stays, light weight over aero and a comfortable geometry. If this is your next bike budget for a different wheelset if you want to unlock more comfort and a better ride quality. At the end of the day I appreciate how intentional the Aethos 2 is and how well Specialized seems to understand the rider who will be purchasing this bike.
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