Specialized champion ride experience with 5.9 kg S-Works Aethos

[DieselnDust]

All I said is that the shape shouldn't date too quickly.   

 

I do agree with you that there are countless viable alternatives, with very different marketing messages, to suit what ever it is each buyer of such a bike might be looking for. Cycling is thankfully diverse in that regard.

 

You speak of pretentious marketing. They're American. It's their business culture   Poor stereotyping aside, is calling someone "special" for not buying into the appeal of Colnago or niche brand exclusivity not arguably its own form of pretentious?

 

 

 

More the Irony of the whole marketing space.

 

But on the matter of "niche" brands... Colnago isn't a niche. It's historic, There is a culture aligned to the brand like Monet or Mondrian in the  art world. Art by its very nature oozes pretence. A niche brand would be something like Rondo who entered into the cycling industry by supplying a niche bike to the casquette, leather Giro, Rapha wearing  crowd that seek to differentiate themselves from the the run of the mill cyclist decked in Ciovita,Shimano and Bell, riding chinese carbon sources race bikes with a enough spacers under the stem to render the hack-saw irrelevant in society. Cycling has become a game of pretence of desiring to distance oneself from the crowd through your own "niche".

 

As with art, some brands are elevated for a reason. There is a history with the sport that has given the brand the iconic status. History isn't really something is bought through an exorbitant price tag and some fancy words. As with art this is generally transcient and does not create future appeal.

Edited October 10, 2020 by DieselnDust

[Chris_]

Isn't that also the irony?

 

Cafe racers with zero top tier racing buying ANY type of super bike is pretentious.....

It's not irony, it's society. Ferrari owners aren't licensed racing drivers. Sorry, dammit, I brought up a relative bike/car comparison... It's a show of wealth, status, not much else.

 

You don't need to be outstanding, you need to be capable of buying outstanding.

 

Read any and all in comic sans if you choose

[Nick]

More the Irony of the whole marketing space

 

Yeah, I find that it is generally very repetitive but there are only so many ways to pitch a bike.

 

Say what you want about it though, we all align ourselves with the brands who's marketing message suits our individual values (even if we think we don't). And companies can't differentiate themselves without it.

[Jewbacca]

It's not irony, it's society. Ferrari owners aren't licensed racing drivers. Sorry, dammit, I brought up a relative bike/car comparison... It's a show of wealth, status, not much else.

 

You don't need to be outstanding, you need to be capable of buying outstanding.

 

Read any and all in comic sans if you choose

hahaha Ja, but guys are saying 'I won't buy this bike, it's pretentious and at 200k it is ridiculous. I would much rather buy (insert an equally expensive pretentious bike) because it's cool!'

 

So yeah, pfft... don't buy that ferrari, it's pretentious. Rather buy the Lambo.....

[Chris_]

hahaha Ja, but guys are saying 'I won't buy this bike, it's pretentious and at 200k it is ridiculous. I would much rather buy (insert an equally expensive pretentious bike) because it's cool!'

 

So yeah, pfft... don't buy that ferrari, it's pretentious. Rather buy the Lambo.....

That's the difference between bike nerds and people who just have money and want to be top of the pops because they can.

 

I suspect (and have read) this bike despite its actual amazingness will be chosen by the latter.

[Patchelicious]

Let’s face it, if it wasn’t a Spez the resident “I hate Spez” lot would probably be ooohing and aaaahing at it.

Edited October 10, 2020 by Patchelicious

[DieselnDust]

Yeah, I find that it is generally very repetitive but there are only so many ways to pitch a bike.

 

Say what you want about it though, we all align ourselves with the brands who's marketing message suits our individual values (even if we think we don't). And companies can't differentiate themselves without it.

 

 

Oh yes that is how we seek to create a perception around ourselves 

I also understand that brands need to reinvent themselves for a new generation of customers. What appeals to baby boomers won't have the same appeal to a Gen x and likewise to a millennial. What drives each generations perception of that brands value is also going to be different.

[WrightJnr]

It's not irony, it's society. Ferrari owners aren't licensed racing drivers. Sorry, dammit, I brought up a relative bike/car comparison... It's a show of wealth, status, not much else.

 

You don't need to be outstanding, you need to be capable of buying outstanding.

 

Read any and all in comic sans if you choose

Only agree that one needs the financial means to allow the purchase. For me, the desire for a Ferrari or Mclaren or Ducati or .... stems from my deep love and passion in Motorsport and I’d love to share in it’s heritage. I couldn’t give a rats arse what my neighbor thinks of me or what he might think my wealth/status might “appear” to be.

 

But yes, I know for a lot of people the purchase is all about status. Just not for everyone.

[Riaan H]

Goeie genade, so much negativity!

 

If brands didn't sell crazy expensive superbikes to mamils with deep pockets they wouldn't have the budget to spend on the R&D to create them in the 1st place.

 

I will likely never earn enough money in my chosen career to buy something like this short of winning the Lotto, but I also don't have any negative feelings towards Spez for building it, or anybody who has the means to buy one.

 

As an engineering exercise it's amazing that you can buy a bike this light off the shelf, just like its amazing that Merc can sell you a 300kw A-class with a warranty.

 

I might not be their intended market, but I can definitely dream about how much faster I would get up the hills of the 94.7 on something 4kilos lighter than my bike.

[Paulst12]

Fortunately there is zero obligation to justify our bicycle purchase decisions to others.

 

$1 or $10 000, enjoy the ride!

you must have a very understanding wife or you know how to disguise the new purchases well 

[Paulst12]

Totally different beast to the SL

 

Vast majority of riders don't need to add weight to take part in any sanctioned event. Unless you're an elite with a UCI licence. 

 

 

The SL7 is more rounded imo... i saw both yesterday at my LBS and prefer the light aero frame vs a more classic climbing type frame of the Aethos 

[Paulst12]

Really?... 

yup... 6.8kgs is the minimum allowed weight at licensed events.... thats not to say they will weight your bike, but thats the general rule. They are stricter at events like SA Champs and for Elite cyclists though where you wont be allowed to start an event with a bike lighter than the minimum.

[Patchelicious]

you must have a very understanding wife or you know how to disguise the new purchases well

Understanding, no. Astute, yes.

 

She seems to have negotiated a “$1 spent on bicycles = $1 spent on her” to keep the peace deal.

[The Ouzo]

Look we're not saying it's fugly, or crap or anything negative. Its a nice bike I'm sure but really the marketing....

its a bike, a light one and decently classic looking but there are plenty of highly desirable brands with products that ticks that space without the pretentious marketing.

 

And lets be honest here....its takes a special kind of (Trump) person to look past the C64, Z-Zero or Sarto options if you're looking for that special something

actually there is plenty of tech in modern road cars that have come from F1 (and other motorsports).

[Wayne pudding Mol]

Let’s face it, if it wasn’t a Spez the resident “I hate Spez” lot would probably be ooohing and aaaahing at it.

The bicycle is beautiful.  I love bikes and if I had endless cash I wouldn't mind buying a 200k bike to ride to the coffee shop or to come 3337 in the CTCT

I'd do it because I was minted and love bicycles so to my mind it wouldn't be a waste

 

I don't align myself with the brand despite their great bikes. So in la la land where I have all this loot, I'm not a buyer.  But in la la land with money falling out of my stuffed pockets I'd spend millions on bikes

 

But if you like spez and you have a spare 200k that you earned, buy it, I won't knock you, it's your money.  

 

In this case some of the hate is Spez related, for some the money seems obscene.  

 

Spez don't care and neither do the guys who are going to own one

 

But it's still beautiful.  All bikes are beautiful, even the ugly ones.  From 1000 bucks to this bargain, I love em all

Edited October 12, 2020 by Waynemol

[DieselnDust]

actually there is plenty of tech in modern road cars that have come from F1 (and other motorsports).

 

 

do you have specific examples?