When Aethos 1 arrived in 2021 Specialized had just shelved the Venge, its all-out aero platform, replacing it with a one-bike-to-rule-them-all strategy, in the new aero-optimised Tarmac SL7, then SL8.
Shortly after the SL7 launched, the winningest brand in the world, as if to double down on the death of all-out-aero approach, sought to shun more pretensions from top flight racing, and produce the Aethos. The bike had all the exclusivity and real-world performance of the Tarmac race bike series, in a more practical and comfortable riding package, with less weight, designed to appeal to the general public.
