A new e-bike to fully charge your cycling game
Advertorial: Specialized's new road e-bike lets you go 'faster for longer'
After nearly a decade since Specialized first introduced e-bikes to their range, the American brand has finally launched a road e-bike – the Specialized Creo Turbo. Like Specialized’s other road bikes, the Creo is designed to be ridden faster and for longer and, ultimately, to have more fun.
Specialized’s road range includes the Tarmac and Venge – which have each already won at this year’s Tour de France – and the Roubaix, which accounted for five out of the top 10 at Paris-Roubaix in April. The Specialized Creo follows the same breed of riding hard, allowing you to take on climbs faster, embrace headwinds, get your average speed up and ride further.
The fully integrated, proprietary motor and battery from Specialized is based around a carbon frame with disc brakes and similar geometry to the Specialized Diverge. While the bike weighs around 12kg, it comes with an extra 240 watts of power and rides like a normal road bike.
Power and levels of assist
Specialized say the responsive torque curve delivers power perfectly in tune with your normal riding cadence and when power assist is switched off, the motor gives no resistance.
Three power options – Eco, Sport and Turbo – are available and can be controlled from the integrated head unit or via Specialized’s Mission Control app. Eco mode offers around 70 watts of additional power, Sport offers around 140 watts and turbo offers up to 240 watts of additional power – all matched to your own effort.
The Mission Control app also allows you to control battery management, monitor your riding style and record rides, plus the motor also features an integrated power meter.
Consider riding your favourite climb on your local loop at maximum effort and having an additional 240 watts to play with, while still being able to descend with standard road bike geometry and handling on the way down. The Creo allows you to get in longer rides in less time, with more climbing and descending for the same amount of effort.
Specialized Creo range and features
The integrated battery, which is located inside the down tube, has a range of 130 kilometres while an additional range extender can be stored in the seat tube bottle cage for an additional 65 kilometres, meaning all day rides on a single charge is possible or multiple shorter rides are possible without having to constantly be recharging.
The Specialized Creo features Specialized’s Future Shock 2.0, which was first seen in the new Roubaix launched earlier in the year. The Future Shock 2.0 suspends the handlebars and stem for a smoother ride even on the roughest roads and can be adjusted with the integrated dial at the head of the steerer tube when the surface is smoother.
With 700c wheels, the Creo features tyre clearance for up to 42mm and with a 650b setup, this increases to 47mm.
Specialized Creo pricing and specification
Specialized Creo SL Comp – £5,499
Frameset: Specialized Creo, Fact11r carbon, Future Shock 2.0
Motor: Specialized SL1.1
Front brake: Shimano GRX 810 hydraulic disc
Rear brake: Shimano GRX 810 hydraulic disc
Brake/shift levers: Shimano GRX 810, mechanical shifting
Rear derailleur: Shimano RX812 GX, Shadow Plus, 11-speed
Cassette: Sunrace, 11-speed, alloy spider, 11-42t
Chain: Shimano Ultegra
Crankset: Praxis, Forged alloy M30, custom offset, 46t, 110BCD
Wheelset: DT Swiss R470 Disc
Tyres: Specialized Turbo Pro, 700x28mm
Handlebar tape: Specialized Roubaix S-Wrap
Stem: Future Stem Pro
Saddle: Specialized Power Sport
Seat post: S-Works FACT carbon 27.2mm, 20mm offset
Specialized Creo SL Comp EVO – £5,499
Frameset: Specialized Creo, Fact11r carbon, Future Shock 2.0
Motor: Specialized SL1.1
Front brake: Shimano GRX 810 hydraulic disc
Rear brake: Shimano GRX 810 hydraulic disc
Brake/shift levers: Shimano GRX 810, mechanical shifting, dropper post lever
Rear derailleur: Shimano RX812 GX, Shadow Plus, 11-speed
Cassette: Sunrace, 11-speed, alloy spider, 11-42t
Chain: Shimano Ultegra
Crankset: Praxis, Forged alloy M30, custom offset, 46t, 110BCD
Wheelset: DT Swiss R470 Disc
Tyres: Pathfinder Pro2 Bliss, 38mm
Handlebar tape: Specialized Roubaix S-Wrap
Stem: Future Stem Pro
Saddle: Specialized Power Sport
Seat post: X-Fusion Manic Dropper Post, 50mm travel
Specialized Creo SL Expert – £7,499
Frameset: Specialized Creo, Fact11r carbon, Future Shock 2.0
Motor: Specialized SL1.1
Front brake: Shimano Ultegra R8020
Rear brake: Shimano Ultegra R8020
Brake/shift levers: Shimano Ultegra R8070
Rear derailleur: Shimano Deore XT Di2
Cassette: Shimano XT, 11-42t
Chain: Shimano Ultegra
Crankset: Praxis HollowForge M30, 46t
Wheelset: Roval C 38 Disc
Tyres: Specialized Turbo Pro, 28mm
Handlebar tape: Specialized Roubaix S-Wrap
Stem: Future Stem Pro
Saddle: Specialized Power Sport
Seat post: Specialized S-Works FACT carbon
Specialized Creo SL Expert Evo – £7,499
Frameset: Specialized Creo, Fact11r carbon, Future Shock 2.0
Motor: Specialized SL1.1
Front brake: Shimano Ultegra R8020
Rear brake: Shimano Ultegra R8020
Brake/shift levers: Shimano Ultegra R8070
Rear derailleur: Shimano Deore XT Di2
Cassette: Shimano XT, 11-42t
Chain: Shimano Ultegra
Crankset: Praxis HollowForge M30, 46t
Wheelset: Roval C 38 Disc
Tyres: Pathfinder Pro2 Bliss, 38mm
Handlebar tape: Specialized Roubaix S-Wrap
Stem: Future Stem Pro
Saddle: Specialized Power Sport
Seat post: X-Fusion Manic Dropper Post, 50mm travel
Specialized S-Works Creo – £10,999
Frameset: Specialized S-Works Creo, Fact11r carbon, Future Shock 2.0
Motor: Specialized SL1.1
Front brake: Shimano Dura-Ace R9120
Rear brake: Shimano Dura-Ace R9120
Brake/shift levers: Shimano Dura-Ace R9170
Rear derailleur: Shimano XTR M9050
Cassette: Shimano XT, 11-42
Chain: Shimano Dura-Ace R9100
Crankset: Praxis Carbon M30, 46t
Wheelset: Roval CLX 50
Tyres: Specialized S-Works Turbo, 28mm
Handlebar tape: Specialized Roubaix S-Wrap
Stem: Specialized S-Works Future Stem with integrated computer mount
Saddle: Specialized S-Works Power
Seat post: Specialized S-Works FACT carbon
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