The Specialized Aethos Expert all-road bike in review

Our test team’s expectations of the Specialized Aethos Expert were very high. After all, the Specialized S-Works Aethos won our previous road bike group test by a large margin, albeit with a few upgrades. We put the stock Expert model to the test to see how it fares as an all-road bike.

For an overview of the test fleet head to the group test: The best all-road bike 2022 – 7 models on test

The Specialized S-Works Aethos (review here) that won our previous road bike group test was only upgraded to a limited extent: along with the one-piece Roval Alpinist cockpit we had the Roval C38 wheels fitted to replace the stock Roval Alpinist models since they weren’t tubeless compatible. We were sure the Specialized Aethos Expert could deliver as an all-road bike in this group test even without the upgrades mentioned above and despite the fact that it has to make do with the lower-end FACT 10R carbon layup.

After all, the Roval C38 wheels are part of the standard spec. They have an internal rim width of 21 mm, providing a good basis with lots of support for the 700 x 26C S-Works Turbo tires, allowing them to inflate to a true width of 27 mm. However, the Specialized had the skinniest tires in the test field nonetheless and, along with the Sarto Seta Disc, it’s the only other bike that came set up with tubes. Besides scoring lower in the group test, this robs you of confidence on bumpy surfaces like poorly maintained asphalt or hardpack. For the cockpit, Specialized rely on a classic two-piece setup consisting of a 100 mm Specialized Pro SL stem and a 420 mm wide Specialized Expert Shallow handlebar. This combination leaves little to be desired in terms of ergonomics, but since it’s made of aluminium, it can’t match the comfort offered by the carbon Roval Alpinist seat post at the rear. Moreover, the level of integration isn’t what we’d expect, though this is something we’re used to from the Aethos.

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Weight savings instead of integration: the Specialized Aethos Expert is the ultimate mountain goat with excellent handling.

For the drivetrain, Specialized have opted to go with the new ULTEGRA Di2 groupset, which means there isn’t anything to complain about regarding shifting speed and performance, even if the top-end DURA-ACE remains unbeatable in this respect. The 52/36 t crankset is paired with a 11–30 t cassette, which allows you to keep on pedalling at high speeds, though you might wish you had an easier gear on the climbs. If you’ve got enough power in your legs, the lightweight Aethos Expert is an excellent climber, nonetheless, weighing in at just 7.21 kg in size 56. Our test bike costs € 7,000 on the dot.

Size	49	52	54	56	58	61
Seat tube	431 mm	462 mm	481 mm	504 mm	532 mm	567 mm
Top tube	508 mm	531 mm	540 mm	562 mm	577 mm	595 mm
Head tube	109 mm	120 mm	137 mm	157 mm	184 mm	204 mm
Head angle	71.8°	72.5°	73.0°	73.5°	73.5°	74.0°
Seat angle	75.5°	74.0°	74.0°	73.5°	73.5°	73.0°
Chainstays	410 mm	410 mm	410 mm	410 mm	410 mm	410 mm
BB Drop	74 mm	74 mm	72 mm	72 mm	72 mm	72 mm
Wheelbase	973 mm	975 mm	978 mm	991 mm	1,005 mm	1,012 mm
Reach	375 mm	380 mm	384 mm	395 mm	402 mm	408 mm
Stack	514 mm	527 mm	544 mm	565 mm	591 mm	612 mm

The Specialized Aethos Expert in review

The Specialized Aethos Expert is on par with the Parapera Atmos Masterpiece in terms of acceleration, both of which set the standard in this group test. Whether you’re on a flat road or winching your way up a climb, it’s always willing to accelerate. Like the Parapera, however, it struggles keeping up with the other bikes on test when it comes to efficiency at speed and holding the pace – the lack of aerodynamic optimisation makes a marked difference here. The excellent vibration damping is its saving grace regarding efficiency, ultimately keeping the bike from falling back to the end of the test field. It’s the same vibration damping that the Specialized benefits from in terms of comfort, which is down the seat post and the compliance offered by the frame. On bumpy roads, broken asphalt and hardpack, the comfort the bike is able to generate this way is easily enough. However, bigger bumps get passed onto the rider a lot less mitigated in comparison to the most comfortable bikes on test. The tires also reach their limits in these instances, making you grit your teeth every time you hit a bump for fear of puncturing them.

The handling of the Specialized Aethos Expert makes up for any of these shortcomings, showing the rest of the test field how it’s done. Since the frame’s stiffness doesn’t come from the down tube but runs from the head tube to the bottom bracket via the top tube instead, it allows for a certain level of torsional flex. Thereby, the Aethos’ handling is intuitive and excellently balanced between agility and composure, making the steering feel very direct yet cornering as if it’s on rails, even when things get bumpy. It’s a lot of fun and instils you with confidence – as long as you’re riding on asphalt. On gravel, the narrow S-Works tires mean that the Aethos reaches its limits a lot sooner than bikes with wider tires, which can be a safety factor on loose terrain.

Tuning tip: wider, higher-volume tires are a relatively cheap upgrade that can make the bike a lot more versatile

All in all, the Specialized Aethos Expert proves to be more than capable in this group test too, delivering thanks to its superior handling and first-rate vibration damping. That said, it hasn’t got what it takes to repeat what its big brother, the Specialized S-Works Aethos, managed to do by taking the crown. Having the skinniest tires on test and set up with tubes, it’s just too limited, and its lack of efficiency at speed also sees it falling behind. The Specialized Aethos Expert is best reserved for steep climbs on asphalt roads followed by winding descents filled with all kinds of corners.

Our conclusion on the Specialized Aethos Expert

There’s no doubt, the Specialized Aethos Expert is an excellent bike, offering brilliant handling and excellent climbing characteristics. As such, it’s the right choice for all the alpinists amongst us who spend most of their time on asphalted mountain pass roads full of steep climbs and technical descents. Due to the lack of high-speed efficiency and big bump compliance, you’ll find better bikes on test if you want to blast along on gravel roads and bumpy terrain.

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You can find out more about at specialized.com

The testfield

For an overview of the test fleet head to the group test: The best all-road bike 2022 – 7 models on test

All bikes on review: BMC Roadmachine X ONE (Click for review) | Cervelo Caledonia-5 Ultegra Di2 (Click for review) | Parapera Atmos MASTERPIECE (Click for review) | ROSE REVEAL SIX DISC Red eTap AXS (Click for review) | Sarto Seta Disc (Click for review) | Specialized Aethos Expert | Trek Domane SLR 9 (Click for review)

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Words: Photos: Benjamin Topf