It’s been a bumper start to the year for Specialized and we’ve talked a lot about our innovations, so today we’re going to show you what the independent reviewers of the world think. It may only be early spring, but since January our bikes have created plenty of chatter. Here are the picks of the bunch.
2020 Roubaix
As the name suggests, the Roubaix has always been about long endurance rides and comfort over even the gnarliest road surfaces. The Future Shock 1.5 with 20mm of travel has already got reviewers talking about its energy-saving gains.
“For the majority of the training rides I do the Future Shock works well, and on long rides, I certainly felt less fatigued across my contact points. That said since the Roubaix has gone back, I haven't exactly been pining for a return to suspension. If comfort is your top priority, though, followed by performance, the Roubaix Comp Di2 could be right up your rough and potholed street.” – road.cc
The Roubaix Expert hasn’t shied away from the limelight either, and its ride quality has been a particular focus.
“Specialized launched the Roubaix with the tagline ‘smoother is faster’ and I’m inclined to agree. The bike is a phenomenally good cruiser that does a sterling job of killing fatigue-inducing road buzz, particularly with the larger tyres I’ve fitted.” - BikeRadar
Diverge
2020 could be the year you enter the rapidly expanding world of gravel cycling and we have just the equipment to help you on that journey. The Diverge is our gravel specific bike that performs well both on and off-road. It seems the critics agree.
“With many gravel tracks and byways being linked by sections of road, the versatility of the Diverge is a big bonus, and it'd make a decent all-round commuter too.” – road.cc
“On the gravelly tracks the bike whizzed along and, compared to riding them on my road bike, I felt much more confident and not alarmed by the ruts, potholes and rocks.” BikeRadar
Turbo Kenevo
You’ve seen us rave about our range electric mountain bikes. We have published a few blogs on their spec but how they actually ride is the all-important question.
“The Specialized Turbo Kenevo Expert is one of the most capable eMTBs available today and it proves how much fun you can have on a modern eMTB. Climbs suddenly become more than a means to an end and the suspension and geometry instil you with confidence on the descents.” – Enduro Mountainbike Magazine
“While most eMTBs are aimed at standard trail riding this bike is happiest on more challenging trails. Whether it’s sessioning the black runs at the bike park or seeking out hand-cut enduro tracks the Kenevo is for those who like to push their limits.” - Tredz
“One of the biggest ‘challenges’ I found I had to deal with is that the 2020 Kenevo kept asking for higher speeds, always staying composed with its dialled geometry and soaking up your regular obstacles with ease, shooting me into corners or trail exits with a bit too much enthusiasm..." - pinkbike
Turbo Levo SL
We recently previewed the new Turbo Levo SL range in our blog ‘which e-MTB rider are you?’ We promised you that this new range rides like a Stumpjumper, and it seems the reviewers agree.
“It’s less clunky, less numb, less brutal than the typical e-bike, and more like an acoustic mountain bike; it provides nearly the experience of riding an unpowered mountain bike with a subtle boost to let you ride further, faster, more easily.” – Bicycling
“This is the first full-suspension eMTB that I’ve been happy to mount in the Thule rack on the roof of my car.” - Singletrack
“When descending, the short back-end and low overall weight make the handling virtually identical to an acoustic trail bike; you could almost forget you were riding an e-bike when you’re not pedalling.” - BikeRadar
To find out more about the bikes released for this season, come down to one of our stores. Speak to one of our friendly staff members and learn all about the innovations Specialized are making in 2020.
