The Specialized Alias features an aerodynamic frame and removable aerobars.
Last Thursday at T2 Multisport in New York City, Specialized unveiled a new 2014 road bike for women.
But the Alias is not just a road bike. It’s an aero road bike. And it’s a triathlon bike, too.
That’s right. It’s a bike with multiple identities, kind of like the woman Specialized hopes will get excited about it: The woman who wakes up at 4 a.m. to get in her tempo intervals and then heads to work. The woman who squeezes in a triathlon before her kids’ soccer games on the weekends. The woman for whom the label “triathlete” gets equal billing alongside lawyer, teacher, or mom.
“We all have an alias—an aspirational assumed identity,” says Erin Sprague, Specialized women’s product manager. “This is the bike to help women become their best and most empowered selves—and it’s the first bike of its kind, designed for women participating in mid-distance triathlon.”
To that end, the full-carbon Alias combines tri-specific geometry with aerodynamic tube shaping, a zero-offset seatpost, and a set of aerobars that clip onto a traditional road handlebar. Remove the aerobars, swap in an offset seatpost, and the bike is ready for a group ride or a long day of climbing. Specialized believes that this product will help women stay excited about triathlon by eliminating a common issue they face when getting into the sport—the perceived need to have two bikes: one for training and a dedicated tri bike for racing.
Cambered airfoil seatstays taper to a round shape for comfort near the seattube. (Courtesy Specialized)
Though it’s tempting to compare the Alias to Specialized’s popular aero road bike—the Venge—it’s not entirely accurate. “They are designed for different experiences,” says Rita Borelli, Specialized women’s road product manager. “Alias geometry is built around a triathlon position,” she says. For example, on the Alias, the headtube is taller and the seattube angle is steeper, which better accommodates the more-forward position favored when riding in aero bars (77.5 degrees on a 51cm Alias compared to 74 degrees on a Venge in a comparable size). All this makes for a frame that’s optimized to be more stable when you’re tucked into the aerobars.
The two models do share some similarities, however, most notably in the aerodynamic tube shaping. “The Alias fork, downtube, headtube, and seatstays are inspired by Venge,” Borelli says. “But the Alias has other features that contribute to the compliance of the ride.” These include a round seatpost and seattube, as well as seatstays that taper from a flattened-oval shape to round near the seattube junction. “The takeaway,” says Borelli, “is that the Alias balances aerodynamic benefits with a smooth ride so you can set a personal record and have fun while doing it.”
Carry your nutrition in a sturdy $25 frame-mounted container called the Remora.
Will there a similar bike for men? “The short answer is no,” says Borelli. “We design bikes around a given experience to meet the rider’s needs—and the experience is different for male and female riders who are finding their way into the sport of triathlon.”
Dealers will be offering three versions of the tri-ready Alias. Each uses a frame made from the same FACT 10s carbon, with different parts packages. The Alias Pro Tri (shown above) will cost about $6,000 and features a Shimano Dura-Ace drivetrain, carbon aerobar extensions, Specialized Pro carbon crankset, and a Roval Rapide CL 40 wheelset. The Alias Comp Tri will sell for $3,300 and comes with Shimano Ultegra, alloy aerobars, FSA Gossamer Pro crankset, and Fulcrum S5 wheels. The entry-level Alias Sport Tri has many of the same parts as the Comp but will run about $2,600, thanks to a Shimano 105 drivetrain. All the bikes are equipped with the Specialized Oura Comp Gel saddle and will start hitting stores in the next couple of months.
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