I went into work Tuesday and they had a beautiful machine hanging from on the front wall - S-Works McLaren Venge from Specialized. Specialized loaned us this bike to show off for our Grand Re-Opening April 27th but if you really want one I am sure we could find you one somewhere out there. We also have the Cyclocross World Championship bike from 2010 - a sweet looking pink carbon CruX and rumor has it they are bringing the Gold Medal Road Bike from the London Games as well. Don't miss out next week - it is going to be a great day to check out, and ride, some awesome machines!
Specialized S-Works McLaren Venge
Auto racing enthusiasts know all about McLaren Group with their legendary engineering, innovation, and spare-no-expense approach to building the highest-performance racing machines and supercars on the planet. For McLaren, the pursuit of driving perfection means defying convention. If it doesn’t push the boundaries, it’s simply not good enough. Specialized Bicycles exists for the exact same reason; their mantra is 'Innovate or Die.' We here at Mike's Bikes think it only makes sense that Specialized and McLaren would team up to create one of the most highly anticipated and technologically advanced bikes ever made. From this union comes the S-WORKS McLaren Venge. Let's peak under the hood.
The S-WORKS McLaren Venge receives a 1 3/8 inch head tube, down from the 1.5 inch head tube of the Tarmac SL3, which is small enough to minimize drag while being stout enough to retain optimal stiffness for launching a sprint. While designing the fork Specialized did not hold back from reaching the outer limits of the UCI 3:1 airfoil regulations, it is barely legal. As it reaches the head tube, the fork tapers to join with perfect smoothness. At the top of the head tube an integrated top cap curves gracefully into a bevel to interface flawlessly with the top tube for improved air flow. Internal cable routing maintains the clean lines of the bike while enhancing the overall aerodynamics. As the frame continues, more 3:1 tube shapes are present, but the tubes of the Venge are blunt on the trailing edges to improve the bike’s performance in real world wind conditions and cross winds unlike many other “aero” bikes. This technique was perfected through the development of the Transition and Shiv bikes. The rear end of the bike utilizes wing shaped stays that are flat on the outer surface and smooth and rounded on the inner surface. This shape helps to clean up dirty air before it passes the rear wheel.
Despite being one of the meanest-looking bikes ever built, all of the details that have been worked into the S-WORKS McLaren Venge have measurable improvements over previous models in addition to being aesthetically stunning. Specialized’s testing has shown that this bike saves 22 watts at 40 km/h and will create a three meter gap over a 200 meter sprint at 70 km/h. These numbers are based in comparison to the already impressive Tarmac frame.
Specialized’s goal for the Venge was to create the fastest aero bike possible and partner McLaren's Finite Element Analysis to create the incredibly detailed carbon lay up schedule of FACT IS 12r carbon fiber that significantly drops weight, while improving stiffness-to-weight ratio. The result is that Specialized and McLaren have created a bike that pushes the boundaries of what is possible to build. Not to mention one that may be in more limited supply than the McLaren MP4-12C quarter-million dollar road car.
To complement to the aerodynamic advantage of the S-WORKS McLaren Venge, Specialized equipped the bike with Zipp Speed Weaponry 404 Firecrest Tubular carbon fiber wheels. The 58mm rim profile is a classic from Zipp’s arsenal. And now with Firecrest technology, it is even better than it has ever been. By controlling airflow around the back half of the wheel, Firecrest makes the latest version of the 404 wheel 9 seconds faster than its predecessor over 40km at a moderate 10-degree wind angle. At higher wind angles, the improvements are even more dramatic in terms of both speed and stability. Firecrest moves the center of pressure closer to the steering axis, so crosswinds exert lower side force on the wheel. Aerodynamics aside, the 404’s new 27mm-wide profile offers a slew of other benefits on the road. The upgraded lateral stiffness makes the 404 even more responsive to accelerations and more precise when cornering. And its composite structure is designed to absorb impacts by flexing slightly outward – which gives you a comfortable ride and long-term durability. Even with all these improvements, Firecrest technology hasn’t added a gram to the 404 Tubular’s weight of just 1278g per set.
The Specialized S-WORKS FACT carbon crankset with oversized bottom bracket, removable carbon spider, and ceramic bearings is spec'd to give the rider the best power transfer possible. In keeping with the theme of technological advances at the highest level of componentry, a Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 group is also equipped. With Dura-Ace Di2, shifts are served up with computer precision every time. The bladed, carbon seat post can be flipped between 20mm and 0mm set back. It is stiff, light, and UCI legal. To round out the build, a race tuned, Body Geometry S-WORKS Toupe Carbon Saddle with oversized carbon rails is used.
What does all of this add up to? Victory (just add legs). What else could you want?
The S-WORKS McLaren Venge is both highly anticipated and extremely difficult to get, with only 60 coming into the country in assorted sizes. Mike's Bikes has been able to procure just a few of these coveted rides. They are expected to show up in January 2012. With as much buzz as this bike has created and how spectacular it is in the flesh, there is a very good chance that these bikes will be sold before they ever hit our sales floor. To secure yours, place your order now!
The S-WORKS McLaren Venge receives a 1 3/8 inch head tube, down from the 1.5 inch head tube of the Tarmac SL3, which is small enough to minimize drag while being stout enough to retain optimal stiffness for launching a sprint. While designing the fork Specialized did not hold back from reaching the outer limits of the UCI 3:1 airfoil regulations, it is barely legal. As it reaches the head tube, the fork tapers to join with perfect smoothness. At the top of the head tube an integrated top cap curves gracefully into a bevel to interface flawlessly with the top tube for improved air flow. Internal cable routing maintains the clean lines of the bike while enhancing the overall aerodynamics. As the frame continues, more 3:1 tube shapes are present, but the tubes of the Venge are blunt on the trailing edges to improve the bike’s performance in real world wind conditions and cross winds unlike many other “aero” bikes. This technique was perfected through the development of the Transition and Shiv bikes. The rear end of the bike utilizes wing shaped stays that are flat on the outer surface and smooth and rounded on the inner surface. This shape helps to clean up dirty air before it passes the rear wheel.
Despite being one of the meanest-looking bikes ever built, all of the details that have been worked into the S-WORKS McLaren Venge have measurable improvements over previous models in addition to being aesthetically stunning. Specialized’s testing has shown that this bike saves 22 watts at 40 km/h and will create a three meter gap over a 200 meter sprint at 70 km/h. These numbers are based in comparison to the already impressive Tarmac frame.
Specialized’s goal for the Venge was to create the fastest aero bike possible and partner McLaren's Finite Element Analysis to create the incredibly detailed carbon lay up schedule of FACT IS 12r carbon fiber that significantly drops weight, while improving stiffness-to-weight ratio. The result is that Specialized and McLaren have created a bike that pushes the boundaries of what is possible to build. Not to mention one that may be in more limited supply than the McLaren MP4-12C quarter-million dollar road car.
To complement to the aerodynamic advantage of the S-WORKS McLaren Venge, Specialized equipped the bike with Zipp Speed Weaponry 404 Firecrest Tubular carbon fiber wheels. The 58mm rim profile is a classic from Zipp’s arsenal. And now with Firecrest technology, it is even better than it has ever been. By controlling airflow around the back half of the wheel, Firecrest makes the latest version of the 404 wheel 9 seconds faster than its predecessor over 40km at a moderate 10-degree wind angle. At higher wind angles, the improvements are even more dramatic in terms of both speed and stability. Firecrest moves the center of pressure closer to the steering axis, so crosswinds exert lower side force on the wheel. Aerodynamics aside, the 404’s new 27mm-wide profile offers a slew of other benefits on the road. The upgraded lateral stiffness makes the 404 even more responsive to accelerations and more precise when cornering. And its composite structure is designed to absorb impacts by flexing slightly outward – which gives you a comfortable ride and long-term durability. Even with all these improvements, Firecrest technology hasn’t added a gram to the 404 Tubular’s weight of just 1278g per set.
The Specialized S-WORKS FACT carbon crankset with oversized bottom bracket, removable carbon spider, and ceramic bearings is spec'd to give the rider the best power transfer possible. In keeping with the theme of technological advances at the highest level of componentry, a Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 group is also equipped. With Dura-Ace Di2, shifts are served up with computer precision every time. The bladed, carbon seat post can be flipped between 20mm and 0mm set back. It is stiff, light, and UCI legal. To round out the build, a race tuned, Body Geometry S-WORKS Toupe Carbon Saddle with oversized carbon rails is used.
What does all of this add up to? Victory (just add legs). What else could you want?
The S-WORKS McLaren Venge is both highly anticipated and extremely difficult to get, with only 60 coming into the country in assorted sizes. Mike's Bikes has been able to procure just a few of these coveted rides. They are expected to show up in January 2012. With as much buzz as this bike has created and how spectacular it is in the flesh, there is a very good chance that these bikes will be sold before they ever hit our sales floor. To secure yours, place your order now!
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