Friday (sneak peek) Bike Porn

Because I'm a giver and I love you all so much, here is a little slice of heaven I like to call the Speciale;

(Spring 2008 Speciale)

This is the return of our classic steel bike that was dropped from the line in 2007 and returns after a one year hiatus. It broke my heart when we dropped it after the 2006 model year, due to sluggish sales.

(2006 model)

The good news is that we've made some nice upgrades to the bike while keeping the price very competitive (current target retail is around $1400*/US). The '06 bike was nice, as you can see from the photo and as many folks can attest, but the Spring '08 model is a little bit nicer in my humble opinion (ok, maybe not all that humble).

Highlights-

• full chromoly frame with lugged, flat crown steel fork
  
• Shimano 105 10spd shifters, front derailleur, and Ultegra rear derailleur.
• Ritchey Pro DS wheelset
• Ritchey Pro Logic stem
• TruVativ Elita compact crankset with integrated, oversize BB
• Sexy new Masi saddle
• White cable housings
• Vittoria Rubino Pro tires with white tread

This baby is so freakin' hot! The metallic Ruby Red paint and the black panel graphic with white highlights is just gorgeous in person- you just have to trust me when I say that the photos do it no justice at all. Truly.

Before you even ask, because I know I'm going to get a ton of emails, it is currently only available as a complete bike and not as a frameset. Notice I said "currently" though... I'm just sayin'. Availability is looking like May/ June this year- just in time for the great summer riding to begin.

We opted for the steel fork on what is arguably a very nice entry level race bike (which it is) because carbon forks are terribly easy to find these days and a decent steel fork is very hard to find. You can shave a lot of weight off the front of the bike with a carbon fork, if you so wish, but if the bike came with a carbon fork you'd struggle to find a good steel fork. The fork we use is the same fork found on the Speciale Fixed and other steel bikes in our line now. It has a lugged flat crown and lugged dropouts as well. Seriously, it's a great fork and rides really well. It isn't light, by any stretch of the imagination, but it looks and rides great. Yes, I've already got plans to get one for myself... like I need another bike right now.

My Product Manager, Wayne Doran, and I really labored over this bike because it was a sentimental favorite of ours from years past. Don't get me wrong, I love lightweight carbon wonder bikes... but my heart and soul are made from steel and Wayne and I poured ourselves into this bike... and in my very biased opinion, I think we got this rascal right.

Let the slobbering commence!

Tim
* Pricing may or may not change depending on soaring cost increases- expect this from all bike brands this year and next.