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Aethos Expert

6 Reviews

Aethos: Billions of calculations in the pursuit of one thing—the perfect ride. It’s…

We deliver! Just say when and how.

Voted Best Brand 5 Years in a Row

#1 Again: 2023 Gran Fondo Awards

The riders have spoken! For the fifth year in a row, Specialized has been crowned the #1 “Drop Bar Bike Brand” in the prestigious Gran Fondo Best Brand Awards for 2023. We innovate for riders, and year after year, our bikes are loved by the most discerning riders. Thank you!

The lightest disc road frame ever: The Specialized Aethos

Product Details

Aethos: Billions of calculations in the pursuit of one thing—the perfect ride. It’s more than just a motto, it’s a philosophy. The Aethos has been designed to straddle the line between a perfected ride quality, extreme light weight, and undeniable style, and this Expert model is no exception.

With wireless SRAM Rival eTap AXS electronic shifting and hydraulic disc brakes paired with bomb-proof Roval C38 Disc carbon wheels, you have the perfect steed to get you out on the road.

The Aethos frame has been designed with the perfect combination of ultimate ride feel, light weight, and style—from accelerating up steep pitches and descending technical descents, to all-day saddle comfort on even the longest coffee rides, the Aethos hits the mark. But how, you ask? By reinventing the traditional road shape found on bikes of the past, we’ve subtly altered these shapes to deliver massive gains in stiffness and balance, all without affecting weight or durability. Pair that with an entirely new layup and process that we’ve perfected over multiple decades and you have the lightest frame out there (585 grams, S-Works, size 56cm). The Aethos is more than just a new bike, it’s the first of a new breed.
A featherweight frame is useless without confidence-inspiring ride characteristics, which is why we’ve developed the Aethos to have the perfect balance of front and rear stiffness combined with exceptional ride quality. By studying the flexing and breathing of carbon fiber, we were able to discover groundbreaking findings about how forces flow through frames. Just a few pedal strokes and you’ll realize this sublime ride sets a new standard.
Every detail, from the derailleur hangers to the fork expander plug have been designed with style, weight, and durability in mind. We’ve also spec’d it with Roval’s all-new Alpinist carbon seatpost, further saving weight and improving ride characteristics. Everything in pursuit for the perfect ride.

Technical Specifications

Frameset

Frame

Aethos FACT 10R Carbon, Rider First Engineered™, Threaded BB, 12x142mm thru-axle, flat-mount disc

Suspension

Fork

FACT Carbon, 12x100mm thru-axle, flat-mount disc

Cockpit

Handlebars

Specialized Expert Shallow Drop, alloy, 125mm drop x 75mm reach

Saddle

Body Geometry Power Expert

Stem

Specialized Pro SL, alloy, 4-bolt

Tape

Supacaz Super Sticky Kush

SeatPost

Roval Alpinist Carbon Seatpost

Seat Binder

Specialized Alloy, 30mm

Brakes

Rear Brake

SRAM Rival eTAP AXS, hydraulic disc

Front Brake

SRAM Rival eTAP AXS, hydraulic disc

Drivetrain

Shift Levers

SRAM Rival eTap AXS

Front Derailleur

SRAM Rival eTAP AXS, braze-on

Rear Derailleur

SRAM Rival eTap AXS, 12-speed

Cassette

SRAM Rival, 12-speed, 10-36t

Crankset

SRAM Rival AXS Power Meter

Chainrings

48/35T

Bottom Bracket

SRAM DUB BSA 68

Chain

SRAM Rival 12-speed

Wheels & Tires

Front Wheel

Roval C38, 21mm internal width carbon rim

Rear Wheel

Roval C38, 21mm internal width carbon rim

Front Tire

S-Works Turbo, 120 TPI, folding bead, BlackBelt protection, 700x28mm

Rear Tire

S-Works Turbo, 120 TPI, folding bead, BlackBelt protection, 700x28mm

Inner Tubes

700x20-28, 48mm Presta Valve

Weight

7.64kg (16 lb, 13.5 oz)

Weight Size

* Weights based on production painted frames as pictured. Actual weights will vary based on colourway, frame size, and component variation. Specifications are subject to change without notice.

Geometry

	49	52	54	56	58	61
Crank Length	165mm	170mm	172.5mm	172.5mm	175mm	175mm
Handlebar Width	380mm	400mm	420mm	420mm	440mm	440mm
Stem Length	80mm	90mm	100mm	100mm	110mm	110mm
Saddle Width	155mm	155mm	143mm	143mm	143mm	143mm
Seatpost Length	300mm	300mm	360mm	360mm	360mm	360mm
Wheelbase	973mm	975mm	978mm	991mm	1005mm	1012mm
Top Tube Length, Horizontal	508mm	531mm	540mm	562mm	577mm	595mm
Bike Standover Height	705mm	728mm	748mm	769mm	796mm	824mm
Seat Tube Length	431mm	462mm	481mm	504mm	532mm	567mm
Seat Tube Angle	75.5°	74°	74°	73.5°	73.5°	73°
Stack	514mm	527mm	544mm	565mm	591mm	612mm
Reach	375mm	380mm	384mm	395mm	402mm	408mm
Head Tube Length	109mm	120mm	137mm	157mm	184mm	204mm
Head Tube Angle	71.75°	72.5°	73°	73.5°	73.5°	74°
BB Height	266mm	266mm	268mm	268mm	268mm	268mm
BB Drop	74mm	74mm	72mm	72mm	72mm	72mm
Trail	63mm	58mm	58mm	55mm	55mm	52mm
Fork Length, Full	369mm	369mm	369mm	369mm	369mm	369mm
Fork Rake/Offset	47mm	47mm	44mm	44mm	44mm	44mm
Front Center	574mm	577mm	579mm	591mm	606mm	613mm
Chainstay Length	410mm	410mm	410mm	410mm	410mm	410mm

Manual Downloads

2021 Aethos User Manual

Specialized Bicycle Owner's Manual (All Languages)

2022 Rider/Bike Weight Limits and Terrain Conditions

Trainer Usage Addendum to the Bicycle Owner's Manual

Rider Reviews

6 Reviews

08/06/2024

Smoother IS Faster

I've been multiple iterations of the Roubaix for years and have always been intrigued by the Aethos. This bike is just as comfy as my 2020 Roubaix (future shock equipped) was but has the geo of a Tarmac SL7, and is super light. This bike literally sings on the road and is stealthy, smooth, and sublime. Very happy with this rig and looking forward to riding it up some hills!

Name:: BWepps

Helpful?

07/20/2024

Love the bike! (but...)

I've had an opportunity to ride my new Aethos a few times and I couldn't be happier with the way it rides, the way it handles... I bought it off the website and had it shipped to my home. I was very impressed with the packing system, super easy to get the bike set up. That said, I don't know if it came from the factory this way or if it was done as part of the pre-build for a 'ship to home' purchase, BUT both the hydraulic hoses were cut at the absolute minimum length for the setup as it came out of the box. My position preferences required a switch to a 12cm stem and a 40cm bar, plus I removed 1cm of spacers. If I had not switched to the narrower bar, the hoses would've been too short. If I had wanted to switch to Roval Rapide bars and disconnected the hoses to route them through the bar, they'd have been too short to cut and install a new Stealthamajig, as is required when you disconnect the hoses. IOW, leave a little slack!

Name:: Scott

Helpful?

09/22/2023

So happy with this bike!

The Aethos glides so smoothly and fast. The power meter is a new training tool for me that is a great unexpected feature on the expert model I’m a 64 year old cyclist who is absolutely loving this bike!

Would Recommend?: Yes!

Verified Buyer

Name:: Jim C.

Helpful?

08/02/2023

Outstanding

I’m a 67 year old cyclist, and decided to treat myself to a new bike, my main pros are: quality of frame and construction, SRAM AXS shifting, carbon Rovel wheelset, carbon seat post, comfort, handling, excellent handling. I find no cons.

Would Recommend?: Yes!

Verified Buyer

Name:: Bruce H.

Helpful?

07/26/2023

THE Bike for the Everyday Cyclist

The Aethos Expert has exceeded expectations in every area. I love the clean, minimalistic design. The ride comfort is stellar. The bike just seems to absorb the road, so I find myself excited and refreshed when I'm done riding vs. being beat up after riding some other high end aero/racer bikes. When I bought the Aethos, I expected a downgrade in speed, and yes, I have noticed the bike does not "feel" as fast as my previous bikes. But my speed data is nearly the same, and I can easily get her over 30 mph on flats during intervals or when putting the power down. I think the comfort sort of takes away some of the "riding on the edge" that comes with an aero bike. I do find that on downhills and when taking corners at speed, I have to give a bit more steering input into the bike to really leverage her out. Most importantly to me, this bike has rejuvenated my love for the sport of cycling and I just want to ride more and more.

Name:: Austin

Helpful?

06/08/2023

Awesome handling!

From the specs: the bike is light. I got it. What I didn't expect was a. How superb it was on curves. I went flying down a hill outside Santa Barbara and couldn't believe how nice it was on the curves and occasional switchback. And it does this without feeling as stiff as some racing bikes -- it's a great combination of handling and "smoothness" (for lack of a better term). b. How well it handled the bumps/potholes etc.. Better than my gravel bike for instance. I bought the bike without testing it -- something I rarely do -- but decided to trust the reviews. I'm glad I went for it!

Would Recommend?: Yes!

Name:: Bruce

Helpful?