Velonews: Trek Madone vs. Specialized Venge ViAS

[53x12]

http://velonews.competitor.com/2016/02/ ... nge_392763

Venge wins in wind tunnel. Madone wins in handling and comfort (and looks).

[Rick]

Superman has X-Ray vision; but Batman has that very cool utility belt.

[spud]

just waiting for this to degenerate into a 'in the real world, aero doesn't matter" argument.

[53x12]

"Real world aero doesn't matter" is for the weekend cyclist that rides to the coffee shop to show off his expensive boutique bike.

For those of us that race, it matters.

[Fiery]

I'm finding it strange that they point out toe overlap on the Venge several times, considering the fact that the Madone has a shorter front center measurement in the same nominal size.

[spartan]

i read the test.. some key points of the aero test vs tour mag test

1) velo tested bikes as is. spec with stock 64 mm roval wheels vs trek with 50mm
they neglected to test with a third party wheels. tour used a zipp 404 firestrike.
2) they tested without a pedaling dummy(tour does)
3) velo test. spec was 2 watts faster than the trek.. in the tour mag test spec/trek tied with total 204 watts. (cervelo/felt were 205 watts).

[Kayrehn]

In the real world, amateurs would probably appreciate Madone's comfort and neater looks (especially the front end) imo.

Sent from my SM-G900F using Tapatalk

[wingguy]

The key point for me was that eight kilodollars buys you eight kilograms.

Holy *f##k*, Specialized!

[ergott]

kilodollars

I like that term.

[Kayrehn]

The key point for me was that eight kilodollars buys you eight kilograms.

Holy *f##k*, Specialized!

That comment is gold! At least the Madone has a cheaper version.

[53x12]

i read the test.. some key points of the aero test vs tour mag test

1) velo tested bikes as is. spec with stock 64 mm roval wheels vs trek with 50mm
they neglected to test with a third party wheels. tour used a zipp 404 firestrike.
2) they tested without a pedaling dummy(tour does)
3) velo test. spec was 2 watts faster than the trek.. in the tour mag test spec/trek tied with total 204 watts. (cervelo/felt were 205 watts).

Good points and summary.

No wind tunnel test will ever really be "perfect" in terms of design as people will have different opinions about how it should or shouldn't be run. But I think the recent Tour and Velonews tests (despite differences in them) show that Cervelo/Felt/Specialized/Trek are probably the 4 fastest frames on the market right now and that the Specialized + Trek might be the two fastest by just a tiny amount (if any) over the other two.

I guess that marginal "benefit" would need to be decided if it was worth it over the Cervelo and Felt (still has rear brake under BB, but still not as integrated as Specialized or Trek) that are both easier to work on and much cheaper than the two new guys. Throw a TriRig Omega X on the Cervelo and Felt and I wonder if there would be a difference at all.

[Zigmeister]

Main point, the porky 17+lbs Venge...absurd, even for an aero bike.

[goodboyr]

+1. With almost the same aero as an s5, except with crap brakes . [emoji85]

[SLCBrandon]

The key point for me was that eight kilodollars buys you eight kilograms.

Holy *f##k*, Specialized!

That comment is gold! At least the Madone has a cheaper version.

So does the Venge? The bikes tested, the Trek was $4800 more than the ViAS. Four thousand eight hundred.

[53x12]

+1. With almost the same aero as an s5, except with crap brakes .

+2.

Venge ViAS will be fighting the BMC Impec for most underwhelming new release of a high end frame.