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    2020 Specialized Venge Pro eTap Review
    Gear Reviews

    2020 Specialized Venge Pro SRAM eTap Review

    Jason MitchellBy Jason MitchellAugust 30, 201927 Comments9 Mins Read

    When Specialized released the first Venge, people wondered exactly what the bike was for. Racers got it, but the rest of the public didn’t quite catch on. Then, the Venge VIAS came along ahead of its time and Specialized wasn’t quite ready to give it the disc brakes it deserved. Well, now that the dust has settled with disc brakes, the 2020 Specialized Venge Pro arrives with supreme aerodynamics, comfort and control and, thankfully, no funky rim brake accommodations this time.

    2020 Specialized Venge Pro SRAM eTap Features:

    • Rider-First Engineered™ FACT 11r carbon
    • SRAM Force eTap AXS (48/35T chainrings / 10-33t cassette)
    • S-Works Aerofly II bars (80mm reach / 130mm drop)
    • S-Works Venge aero seatpost
    • Venge integrated 6-degree stem (100mm on size 56)
    • Roval CL 50 disc wheelset
    • S-Works Turbo 26 tires
    • Specialized Power 143 saddle
    • Weight: 16.8 lbs (56cm, actual)
    • MSRP: $8000
    2020 Specialized Venge Pro eTap Review
    Beautiful lines and slippery shapes make the Venge Pro one fast machine.

    The Re-Venge delivers beyond aero

    The latest S-Works Venge was officially introduced prior to the 2018 Tour de France. Coincidentally, it was one of several aero road bike launches across the industry. The all-new Venge was disc only, as were the latest aero bikes, like the Cannondale SystemSix, BMC Timemachine Road, Trek Madone and others. Each one makes bold claims, and the Venge Pro delivers.

    Over the years, European bikes have won me over. The Pinarello Dogma F10 and F8 and the Orbea Orca remain some of my favorite bikes in terms of overall ride quality and performance. And, the Wilier GTR SL descends like a bat out of hell. But, honestly, I can’t think of another road that’s more Italian-like than the Specialized Venge Pro. Everything about the the Venge just feels right — so much so that I’ve neglected almost every other bike since its arrival.

    2020 Specialized Venge Pro eTap Review
    A great combo with 12-speed SRAM Force eTap AXS.

    It’s a fact that today’s aero road bikes are way more capable all-rounders than those of yesteryear. Gone are the noodly teardrop-shaped tubes on every surface and in their place we see optimized shapes for cheating the wind and delivering a laterally-stiff, vertically-compliant ride. With the Venge Pro, you get a ground-up re-design that was optimized in Specialized’s own Win Tunnel. All shapes and surfaces are sleek and smooth and the entire Venge Pro eTap package with Roval CL 50 wheels is as slippery and responsive as it gets. And, since smoother is faster, compliance is built-in (40% more compliant than the Venge VIAS).

    2020 Specialized Venge Pro eTap Review
    Those aero Roval CL 50 wheels spin up fast and roll well.

    The setup

    The 2020 Venge Pro arrived completely stock from SRAM as a Force eTap AXS tester. The test bike is exactly what you’ll find at your local shop (with the exception of Quarq TyreWiz units). Integrated cockpits are the rage these days and it’s always a love/hate relationship because while they look clean and reduce wind chatter, they can be difficult to work with. The steerer was cut on my test bike, but I was able to achieve my fit by tilting the bars up by a degree or two. All I had to work with was 15mm of spacers, but 25mm would have been ideal. Luckily, your off-the-shelf bike will be customizable to your fit.

    S-Works Aerofly II Bars
    The Aerofly II Bars are aerodynamic and adjustable.

    The S-Works Aerofly II bars feature forward-sweeping aero tops with 80mm reach and 130mm drop for a compact-style fit. The 56cm test bike includes a 100mm stem, which helps comfortably reduce the reach. Brake lines are only exposed for a couple of inches before they tuck nicely underneath the stem and are internally-routed from there. Hoods and drops are comfortable, but those aero tops are a bit odd, so I didn’t hang out there much. Also, I couldn’t tell 100% for sure, but it seemed as if the brake lines rattled inside the tops.

    The Roval CL 50 wheels are just tall enough to maximize aerodynamics, but not too tall to get thrown around. They are tubeless-ready out of the box, but you’ll need some new tires and sealant to make the transition (I’d recommend it).

    Rolling to the summit of Utah's Alpine Loop.
    Feeling fresh rolling atop the Alpine Loop after a long ascent.

    Rolling hills, fast flats and high mountains

    Now, if you pigeon-hole the Venge Pro into a sprinter’s all-rounder, you’ll be selling it short of its potential. Without question, sprinting on this bike is amazing, but when the terrain starts rolling and even if the pitch gets long and consistent (like the Alpine Loop with 3000 ft of continuous vert), you’ll be absolutely floored by just how fast, comfortable and fun this bike is. I’ll put it this way, the Venge Pro is the kind of bike that goes from 0-15 mph in a heartbeat and 15-25 mph in the blink of an eye. Step on it and the Venge responds in kind. But wait, there’s more… it tackles long alpine ascents as well as any all-rounder I’ve swung a leg over. Who needs a Tarmac when you have a Venge, I say. 

    Standing sprints or fast, seated efforts immediately reveal just how slippery the Venge Pro really is. It feels as if there’s no resistance except for the air, and that just slips on by. Additionally, the bike really feels cohesive. Every bit works together in concert and provides the stiffest, most responsive unit I’ve swung a leg over.

    Since its arrival, I’ve targeted several of my favorite strata segments to see just how fast it really is. While I’m not nabbing PR’s every time, I’m hovering in the top 3 pretty consistently with prior instances being upwards of 5 years in the past. What’s even more impressive is that when I’m done with each one of these segments, I haven’t felt pegged. In fact, I consistently feel fresh after these hard efforts. Again, I’m in top shape at this point in the season, but there’s just something special about the Venge Pro at play. Here are a few examples to show what I mean.

    Alpine Loop – Sundance Side (8.76 miles / 2641 ft / 6%)

    Venge Pro and the Alpine Loop
    The Alpine Loop up the Sundance side is a classic (I usually do this the other direction).

    Dry Canyon Full Climb (1.36 miles / 580 ft / 8%)

    Dry Canyon and the Venge Pro
    Not one of my most common climbs, but a good, steep tester nonetheless (off by one second!).

    Highland Blvd Eastbound (1.87 miles / 55 ft / 0%)

    Rolling Westfield Rd on the Venge Pro
    Westfield Rd is a great test of the Venge Pro on rolling terrain.

    Let me bring this back down to realtiy a bit. I’m not going to sit here and tell you that you’ll PR everything after buying this bike. But, I will say that without question, the Venge Pro is not going to hold you back from setting new PR’s should you work up to it and let the bike do what it’s made to do — ride everything in a jiffy. 

    Climbing and descending aboard the Venge Pro is a dream.
    So much to love about the Venge Pro.

    Descend with confidence

    As mentioned, the 2020 Venge Pro handles the most like an Italian superbike of any non-Italian bike I’ve ridden. Every turn feels like second-nature with the entire chassis tracks along as if it’s reading my mind. Sweeping turns are a gas and consecutive rolling corners can be taken at higher speeds with more confidence than my body should be laying down. The Venge Pro is one of those rare machines that my wife would not approve of because it gives me the ability to write checks that my body perhaps should not be cashing — particularly on mountainous descents. That said, use common sense, but enjoy the ride.

    There’s a clear difference between descending on a La-Z-Boy bike versus a responsive, race-oriented bike. The Venge Pro is fast and confidence-inspiring, but it does require attention. I’m no WorldTour rider, but in my hands, I’ve got nothing but confidence going down anything. It responds to rider input but it’s never twitchy — just stay on top of it.

    You’ll notice that the aerodynamic Roval CL 50’s do roll straight ahead with speed. And, they do a great job of maintaining stability in crosswinds up until one of those stout canyon winds hit’s you square-on. It’s at those times that you’ll be reminded that these 50mm rims are still fairly tall. That said, their performance was still outstanding in every way on any terrain.

    If this was my bike, I’d maximize the 32mm tire clearance to see just how much comfort and traction I can eek out without losing its inner speed demon.

    The Good

    • Feels like one, cohesive unit
    • SRAM Force eTap is fantastic
    • Slippery, yet comfortable and responsive
    • Almost no toe overlap (unbelievable)
    • Italian-like handling
    • Clearance for 32mm tires
    • Separate bar/stem unit allows better fit
    • Responsive without being twitchy
    • That gloss green color is so nice
    • Love the Specialized Power 143 Saddle – read review
    • Roval CL 50’s roll fast and remain lightweight

    The Bad

    • Cable rattles… somewhere in bars or downtube
    • Don’t expect to hang out in the tops due to the wide, aero shape
    • Hard to find front/rear lights that fit on the tops/seatpost (saddle bags too)
    • Out front mount is Garmin-only – Wahoo is now included!
    • Your other bikes will get neglected

    The Bottom Line: 2020 Specialized Venge Pro eTap

    Never has an aero bike made won me over like the new Venge Pro. Honestly, I hadn’t seen the real need for one in my quiver until now. I can confidently roll this bike on every type of road ride I do here in the Wasatch Mountains. Long climbs are a breeze. Short, punchy climbs are awesome. And, rolling terrain is second-nature. Then, when it comes time to descend, this bike is absolutely bonkers.

    Buy Now: Visit Specialized.com or Your Local Dealer

    In Summary

    9.7 I Need One

    Specialized has nailed the perfect aero all-rounder with the Venge Pro SRAM eTap. Rest-assured this slippery aero bike is more capable than ever. You'll crush rolling hills, steep pitches and long alpine ascents and remain fresh enough to bomb any descent in sight. I love the comfort and blazing speed. I'm smitten.

    • Ride Quality 10
    • Handling 10
    • Climbing 9
    • Descending 10
    • Pedaling Efficiency 10
    • Aerodynamics 10
    • Value 9
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    Previous ArticleReview: Rapha Classic II Bib Shorts
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    Jason Mitchell
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    A native of the Pacific Northwest, Jason quickly developed a love for the outdoors and a thing for mountains. That infatuation continues as he founded this site in 1999 -- sharing his love of road biking, mountain biking, trail running and skiing. That passion is channeled into every article or gear review he writes. Utah's Wasatch Mountains are his playground.

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    27 Comments

    1. Mats on October 3, 2019 4:50 pm

      Thanks for this review. I would be curious to know how the SRAM Force AXS group worked with this bike. Perhaps that’s the subject of another review, but the integration of a particular drivetrain has a substantial impact of how a bike weighs and behaves (especially as we’re talking about 12-speeds).

      To your comment in “the Bad” bullets regarding availability of lights, Specialized makes a range of mounts that allow very tidy integration of their Stix and Flux lights. In particular, the Stix saddle mount that screws into the SWAT holes on the bottom of the Power saddle and the camera style mount for the Flux headlight are standouts.

      Reply
      • Jason Mitchell on October 3, 2019 4:56 pm

        Good point. Yes, there are Flux lights that work with the Venge. Limited options beyond that though.

        And, yes, you can read my SRAM Force eTap AXS review. It’s solid. And, the Re-Venge is amazing. I wish I still had it around.

        Reply
    2. Steve on October 31, 2019 3:35 pm

      I have the venge pro there’s an attachment supplied to use a wahoo!!

      Reply
    3. Jason Mitchell on October 31, 2019 3:37 pm

      Awesome to hear, Steve! I’ll update. My sample bike didn’t include all the OEM parts.

      Reply
    4. K Stephens on November 11, 2019 10:46 am

      If the Venge Pro’s integrated mount has the Bar Fly® Bike logo/mascot, then each bike comes with additional inserts for the major GPS units (Garmin, Wahoo, Bryton, Polar, Cateye, etc) a GoPro base and a universal light accessory as part of the mount. It is a very complete mount. Everything is included and should be provided with every bike purchased. I do not see the mount in any of your images or I could say with more certainty although.

      The insert can be positioned to bring smaller computers closer to the bar or farther out to accommodate the larger GPS units on the market.

      Bar Fly® BIke supplies Specialized starting with Sagan’s, 2019 New Venge and they seem to be rolling the mount onto other high end models as well. Nice review!

      Reply
    5. K Stephens on November 11, 2019 10:48 am

      That would be something to discuss with your supplier. I am sure they would be happy to get them to you. See my comment below.

      Reply
    6. Jason Mitchell on November 11, 2019 10:51 am

      Great to know. Thanks for the update. Again, this bike was supplied by SRAM for the review and didn’t include everything that would be included from your LBS. I love that it includes a wide variety of mounts.

      Reply
    7. Perry on November 15, 2019 5:08 pm

      Awesome review on a what looks like a looker and performer. Is the 16.8 lbs weight you stated with or without pedals? Thank you.

      Reply
      • Jason Mitchell on November 15, 2019 6:39 pm

        That weight was sans pedals, but included the two Zipp bottle cages. It yields a little bit, weight-wise, to the Tarmac, but you won’t notice that little extra weight.

        Reply
    8. Cliff on December 3, 2019 6:11 am

      I bought a Venge Pro off of this review over a Tarmac.

      Reply
    9. Jason Mitchell on December 3, 2019 8:02 am

      And… what are your thoughts? Great bike, right? The Tarmac is definitely a pure climber’s bike, but for everything else, the Venge Pro really nails it.

      Reply
    10. Andrew on February 8, 2020 8:31 am

      Thanks for the review. I made up my mind today and got the bike. It is really a superb bike as you said. Cheers

      Reply
      • Jason Mitchell on February 10, 2020 11:26 am

        You’ll love it!

        Reply
    11. EMERSON LINO on February 8, 2020 2:24 pm

      COMO FOI BOM VER ESSE REVIEW..ESTOU PRESTES A PEGAR UMA ESSA VENGE PRÓ (SAINDO DA TARMAC EXPERT 2019)…ESPERO AGRADAR DA TROCA.OBRIGADO!!!

      Reply
      • Jason Mitchell on February 10, 2020 11:24 am

        Impressionante. Você vai adorar o novo Venge!

        Reply
    12. chopchop on February 9, 2020 6:34 am

      Great review…can you tell me about the sram disc rotor sizes…I only ask because the shimano venge version has 160mm front and 140mm rear
      But looking at your build the front and rear look the same size at 160mm, which means they must make 2 different frames …..is that correct

      Reply
      • Jason Mitchell on February 10, 2020 11:25 am

        Thanks! Same frames, just different flat mount adapters. SRAM recommends 160 front/rear, as does Shimano, but you’ll see mixed 160/140’s in the pro peloton and other builds since you don’t “really” need the 160mm in the rear.

        Reply
    13. Jason Jag on February 10, 2020 1:48 pm

      Ahh…now that makes perfect sense, many thanks for clearing that up….I think I might put a order in for the spring…based on this great review..thanks

      Reply
    14. Rich S on March 27, 2020 6:22 am

      Your review was useful and supported my purchase of the 2020 Venge Pro, over the Tarmac Pro and some other aero bikes, and loving it. Added the Moon Cerberus light to the rear, perfect fit for the seat tube. Hard to fault the bike. 4 rides and seeing PBs, despite the headwind. The saddle is so comfortable.

      Reply
    15. Jason Mitchell on March 28, 2020 11:06 am

      Glad you agree. It’s quite the bike!

      Reply
    16. Michael Garcia on April 14, 2020 5:27 am

      I’ve had this bike now for about 6 weeks and have been averaging around 100 miles a week. With every ride I push the boundaries more and get more confident into those sweeping corners and on long undulating flats. It really does hold speed so well and allows you to push on with ease whenever your legs let you.

      Thinking about adding the Aero bars next given the amount of solo riding I’m now doing!

      Reply
    17. Øystein on April 19, 2020 3:36 am

      Thanks for your review! Which would you choose if this one or a Dogma F10 Di2 if they were at a similar price point?

      Reply
      • Jason Mitchell on April 19, 2020 3:05 pm

        I’d definitely go with the Venge Pro. It has modern tire clearance for added comfort and versatility.

        Reply
    18. Nacho on May 18, 2020 3:11 pm

      Best Venge review I’ve read so far.
      I was about to buy a Tarmac Sl6 but I had this feeling about your experience with the Venge and Im moving to a Venge !

      Reply
    19. Nacho on May 18, 2020 3:16 pm

      For crazy alpine routes about 150-170km and 3000+m positive climb you would still use it ?

      Reply
      • Jason Mitchell on May 18, 2020 10:23 pm

        If it was the bike I had, I would definitely use it. And, if I had the choice between the Venge Pro and a Tarmac, I might very well still choose the Venue Pro. You’re not losing much (if anything) to the Tarmac. But yeah, if you are always riding that kind of vert, the Tarmac may be slightly better.

        Reply
    20. Heinrich on June 1, 2020 1:16 pm

      I am looking for a 61cm….anyone knows where I can find one? None available in South Africa.

      Reply

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