Beautiful bike and colour , It’s dog slow on anything bar mountains though , and sure just buy an allrounder that does it all. Watch your average speed drop on flats…big time but that’s not the market I guess.
Everything old becomes new again. AKA - squeezing more $$ from older ideas, or finally understanding their value. Tan sidewalls, Laces on cycling shoes, Wide tires, smaller tubes. What's next? Steel framed bikes with 30mm tires that go anywhere? (Gravel 😂). Watch, in ten years rim brake/mechanical will make a comeback.
Long time no see Matt…….!!! Fine bike and a great review but my eyes can’t get over the weird colour combination!! Also with the cost of the bike I’m surprised there’s cables showing!!!
A like for Mr. Stephens 👏🏽 Good seeing you, Matt! Been watching a lot of GCN vids and I always enjoy watching your content with them (your guys’ bloopers are the best haha). It’s been awhile since I’ve seen you present but you haven’t lost your signature touch. Top marks 👍🏽
How is the first comment NOT, "Matt's look is pure FIRE"? I mean bikes are cool. New specs, dope. But really, this change up right here with Matt... whew. Keep doing what you're doing Matt. Sigma Sports, you got a ringer here.
I had the pleasure of owning SL7 and Aethos. Preferred the Aethos in every way. However I'm back to my good old Cannondale Supersix Himod Rim. Lighter than either one, cheaper than either one and handles just as good if not better :)
Sadly this bike is waaay overpriced for whats deliver. Had to return it back to my LBS as it`s really nothing special bar marketing blurb... This bike is far more heavier than my 2012 Evo and less comfy than my R5. Sadly nothing special as i had quite big expectations.
@@JanKowalski-pe9lo Yeah thats what I see. Nice bike and its nifty that its "retro" and all but the price is way too high. The R and D on this basic bike can't have cost much, so I want some of that cost savings passed onto the consumer. Instead it cost the same as the Tarmac and Roubaix even though those bikes have modern innovation. It seems like a lazy greedy product release at the price they charge.
Would be interesting to compare it to the Cannondale Evo Six! Why? Just look at them! Almost the same! Why? It is the same engineer and he did the same with Scott's Addict. So let me see my magic ball, the next big thing from Specialized will be a super lightweight CC Fully, like he did at his previous contracts.
It looks like Matt has actually been on the run 😂 Great video though great presenter even though I would never be able to afford one, I'll still watch it
I love the look of the Aethos, however, at £12k new vs that £600 Allez, those 18 seconds are going to cost around £630 each! Maybe Aethos Expert would be a more likely upgrade path, or if going to S-Works, you’d be coming from a lighter carbon Tarmac already? No disputing the Aethos is a lovely thing.
I bought this bike here in Spain with a discount and it's really great. I like how you can push it into tight corners on a descend and I love how it accelerates. What I don't like is the SRAM Red. In the last month I had countless chain drops to both sides although I used the red plastic tool to install the FD and the chain is already on the biggest and smallest gear rubbing. The reason for chain drops towards the cranks is, when the FD cage moves too far to the outside and then there is nothing to stop the chain from falling into the crank. It's not because it's pushed over by the cage. The inner part of the big chain ring catch the chain and moves it on the ring or too far. Needless to say how my right crank looks after a month. Terrible. Next is the annoying rattle sound of the brake levers. There is a tiny lateral play in both levers and on rough roads they start to rattle and there is nothing I can do. Except to keep the hands on the levers. Ahh... and last but not least.... the play of the brake levers till they make contact with the pads. Even after I bleeded the brakes twice the lever still touch the handelbar tape while braking. And yes, the pads are "OUT". The S-works Aethos is a wonderful bike. The SRAM Red is a terrible product full of flaws.
Deer gawd I didn't know Jethro Tull did bike reviews. I have to say I am very envious Matt, and now I wish I had ordered one before covid came to town.
Good to see ah new high end bike that actually look like a bike if you know what I mean no one piece bars no weird seat posts nice traditional looking frame
Matt. Great review. My significant other would kill me if I got anywhere near buying that bike. But I can watch RUclips and dream! I've subbed to the channel. Cheers
Peter Denk, the same bloke that designed the Scott Addict and a couple of the Cannondale Super six's .... which would explain why it looks just like a copy and paste of them
Yes, it looks like them, but they were great bikes, so nothing wrong with that. It is probably the lightest production bike frame ever, which is crazy impressive considering it is a disc specific frame.
Hi, thank you very much for your video. What would you recommend between an Aethos and a Tarmac SL8? I don't ride competitions and I really like climbing. I was initially thinking of the Aethos, but the new Tarmac seems to be very good for climbing too. Thank you in advance for your feedback!
A good comparison would be the Ridley Helium SLX disc. The Helium might be just as good at a more reasonable price and I think you can still get it with rim brakes if that’s your preference
Tadej Pogacar: No rim brake version? Forget it then. Richard Carapaz: Too right, Tadej. You’re not going to win anything with that. Cavendish: But it’s got a threaded bottom bracket Pogacar: So it’s not going to creak like the press fit ones that they used to say were the future? Carapaz: It won’t make any difference because every time you put the brakes on it will howl like cat being trodden on Seriously though, what a shame it hasn’t got a rim brake option.
That's a modernized 2010's SuperSix EVO which was also designed by Peter Denk. Just a simple double triangle with current technology & layup methods. It even looks "right" with a return to a classic design and a non-proprietary BB & seatpost.
Great presentation!!! fun, interesting, entretained 👏👏👏👏 Question about the bike: the handle bar is not flat! Actually, is the worst looking part of the bicycle. Is it to difficult to make flat handle bars standard? SO hard to get a flat/aero handle bar! only on the most expensive ones.
Your review as always is really nice 👍🏽 and I but rode the bike i agree about the comfort and nice ride to the cafe but when a rider is in race mode climbing or sprinting atheos isn’t stiff enough losing performance comparing with a tcr one of the best climbing bikes.
Wow this is beautiful bike. With all bikes looking the same these days in 2021. So black with dics breaks and a fat bottom bracket/down tube. I look simple and vintage to me. I’ve been missing bikes like this. A bit pricey for me tho I’ll stick to my BMC team machine ALR with rim breaks. That Allez gonna climb like a Beaty.
Very similiar geometry and weight with my Focus Izalco Max.izalco frame weights 710 grams (54)and the fork 290 grams.rim brakes.all in dura ace and speedsix carbon 35mm weels and fsa k force light cranqset mine weights 6.300 g.
This bike is nothing more than a very good marketing stunt. Its a good bike no doubt, but its just laughable. Remember the SL7 'one bike to rule them all' slogan? Oh wait lets just do another bike for people to throw their money at. In 3 years there will be one Aethos to rule them all and one year later the SL8 for the 'real racers'. And so the cycle continues
@@bt8224 progress? Yeah some progress in the bike industry. SL7. Less aero than the venge. Heavier than the sl6. Compromise bike 101 to increase profit margins.
The song at 54 sec is - 'walking around instrumental version by Eldar Kedem' and the song at 8:10 is 'Petrichor instrumental version by modern aquatic'.
it's all about w/kg tho - I can somewhat easily hold 300W for that period but I weight a lot more so it would still take me a lot longer to climb that hill than you riding at 280W
If you get that allez elite 105, put a sram 10/11 speed groupset on there with rim brake lightweight wheels it's 6.54kg, at least mine is and less faff due to external cables :) i'd buy one and invest in a personal mechanic because cba with internal cables, brake bleeds, flexi spokes pinginging and rubbing rotors. If i had money for both id buy one right now
that's one hell of a machine, looks so elegant and strong. The aethos kinda alright too.
And it is not so strong - the frame flexes like hell if you put some watts in it :(
Hahahahahahahahahahahahahaha helluva comment
Pretty much everything specialized puts out on the market is just awful.
@Sascha N. Sold mine after 3 months. Tcr pro and hi mod rim brakes are much better, with no flex.
Beautiful bike and colour , It’s dog slow on anything bar mountains though , and sure just buy an allrounder that does it all. Watch your average speed drop on flats…big time but that’s not the market I guess.
"CLIPPED IN"
Oh how I missed it
Great to see you’ve been working on your clipping in Matt......much improved 👍
I've been surprised too ;-)
Matt all those characteristics that you speak of sound like you’re talking about my 2013 Super Six Evo SRAM Red Hi Mod.
My first thought was "it looks like a Cannondale"
Don't let the secret out, I don't want Caad10 frames to become the new allez sprint and start going for $1600
Everything old becomes new again. AKA - squeezing more $$ from older ideas, or finally understanding their value. Tan sidewalls, Laces on cycling shoes, Wide tires, smaller tubes. What's next? Steel framed bikes with 30mm tires that go anywhere? (Gravel 😂). Watch, in ten years rim brake/mechanical will make a comeback.
Well the engineer/designer is the same person lol
Classic Matt…great knowledge and humour…best presenter on all of the cycling channels😎👍
GCN has never been the same without him
He's a ⭐️
Glad you got the mane cut, it was blocking my wifi signal. Great looking bike too.
Long time no see Matt…….!!! Fine bike and a great review but my eyes can’t get over the weird colour combination!! Also with the cost of the bike I’m surprised there’s cables showing!!!
MATT! We found you, even comes with a new hair do matching the new bike! Good to see you back.
Cut as fresh as bike 😎
A like for Mr. Stephens 👏🏽 Good seeing you, Matt! Been watching a lot of GCN vids and I always enjoy watching your content with them (your guys’ bloopers are the best haha). It’s been awhile since I’ve seen you present but you haven’t lost your signature touch. Top marks 👍🏽
Plenty more Matt videos here > ruclips.net/p/PLAC3A8AF881354A64
How is the first comment NOT, "Matt's look is pure FIRE"? I mean bikes are cool. New specs, dope. But really, this change up right here with Matt... whew. Keep doing what you're doing Matt. Sigma Sports, you got a ringer here.
I had the pleasure of owning SL7 and Aethos. Preferred the Aethos in every way.
However I'm back to my good old Cannondale Supersix Himod Rim. Lighter than either one, cheaper than either one and handles just as good if not better :)
The supersix hm rim brakes are still the finest bikes made I think to this day, glad you came back to us haha
@@markadamson969 prefer my caad12 to my ss evo hi mod I’m afraid 😱
@@Imthekingofdogshite Not a problem at all, they are fantastic bikes by all accounts and if I would go back to alu I wouldn't look any further.
Which year is your bike?
That era Cannondale is something special. Guess who the lead engineer was on that bike 😉
love this bike real shame you can't get it in rim brakes though. It would be sooo light then.
Would be a dream in rim brake. Bring them back please
Sadly this bike is waaay overpriced for whats deliver. Had to return it back to my LBS as it`s really nothing special bar marketing blurb... This bike is far more heavier than my 2012 Evo and less comfy than my R5. Sadly nothing special as i had quite big expectations.
@@JanKowalski-pe9lo Yeah thats what I see. Nice bike and its nifty that its "retro" and all but the price is way too high. The R and D on this basic bike can't have cost much, so I want some of that cost savings passed onto the consumer. Instead it cost the same as the Tarmac and Roubaix even though those bikes have modern innovation. It seems like a lazy greedy product release at the price they charge.
@@daryl4841 Do somebody know what's budget % goes for buying reviews in magazines and influencers?
You could put Matt on an old Schwinn Cruiser and I would still watch!
Matt Stephens' hair is rocking!
Would be interesting to compare it to the Cannondale Evo Six! Why? Just look at them! Almost the same! Why? It is the same engineer and he did the same with Scott's Addict. So let me see my magic ball, the next big thing from Specialized will be a super lightweight CC Fully, like he did at his previous contracts.
Matt, you may not have been as fit as you were, but you are REALLY fit! Keep it up!
^^ Classic Matt
Liking the 'Three Musketeers' vibe.
Lovely stuff and a gucci bike.I like the geometry.
The legend that is Matt Stevens ...... and the bikes pretty nice !
Double whammy ✌️
Good to see Matt again
It looks like Matt has actually been on the run 😂 Great video though great presenter even though I would never be able to afford one, I'll still watch it
Thanks, glad you enjoyed it!
Nice to see Matt again..Very refreshing as always..can't afford the bike though..😄🤪
Lol! I love the intro. I ❤️ Specialized. That Aethos is 🔥.
The Aethos is one of our favourites. Super light and an absolute beauty! Glad you enjoyed it.
I love the look of the Aethos, however, at £12k new vs that £600 Allez, those 18 seconds are going to cost around £630 each! Maybe Aethos Expert would be a more likely upgrade path, or if going to S-Works, you’d be coming from a lighter carbon Tarmac already? No disputing the Aethos is a lovely thing.
Hi, Matt, great to keep seeing you on RUclips! Love the bike too! Hey, you clipped in easily !!
I bought this bike here in Spain with a discount and it's really great. I like how you can push it into tight corners on a descend and I love how it accelerates. What I don't like is the SRAM Red. In the last month I had countless chain drops to both sides although I used the red plastic tool to install the FD and the chain is already on the biggest and smallest gear rubbing. The reason for chain drops towards the cranks is, when the FD cage moves too far to the outside and then there is nothing to stop the chain from falling into the crank. It's not because it's pushed over by the cage. The inner part of the big chain ring catch the chain and moves it on the ring or too far. Needless to say how my right crank looks after a month. Terrible. Next is the annoying rattle sound of the brake levers. There is a tiny lateral play in both levers and on rough roads they start to rattle and there is nothing I can do. Except to keep the hands on the levers. Ahh... and last but not least.... the play of the brake levers till they make contact with the pads. Even after I bleeded the brakes twice the lever still touch the handelbar tape while braking. And yes, the pads are "OUT". The S-works Aethos is a wonderful bike. The SRAM Red is a terrible product full of flaws.
Thanks for your feedback.
I’ll stick with the Japanese component company as always. Thanks for the info!
Deer gawd I didn't know Jethro Tull did bike reviews. I have to say I am very envious Matt, and now I wish I had ordered one before covid came to town.
Nicely done, Matt. Love the bike and the ... not the point, but still ... the countryside.
Great to see Matt Stephens again!
Great overview.. Aethos is an amazing bike :)
More often bike review with Matt please!
Good to see ah new high end bike that actually look like a bike if you know what I mean no one piece bars no weird seat posts nice traditional looking frame
Good job clipping in so effortlessly, Matt 🤣
Matt. Great review. My significant other would kill me if I got anywhere near buying that bike. But I can watch RUclips and dream! I've subbed to the channel. Cheers
Peter Denk, the same bloke that designed the Scott Addict and a couple of the Cannondale Super six's .... which would explain why it looks just like a copy and paste of them
yeap, if you want this bike consider trying to get a sse evo 2017 on the 2nd hand market for way less money, also consider if you need the disk brakes
Yes, it looks like them, but they were great bikes, so nothing wrong with that.
It is probably the lightest production bike frame ever, which is crazy impressive considering it is a disc specific frame.
I would love a bike like this but with an endurance geometry.
This is endurance geometry. Nowhere else than racing the most endurance is required.
Top mullet that Matt! Kevin Keegan would be proud😊
Matt Stephens is a gen. As I recall Matt was once pretty enamored with the SL4 also.
Big fan here of Matt from GCN. Like the new look too!
Hi, thank you very much for your video. What would you recommend between an Aethos and a Tarmac SL8? I don't ride competitions and I really like climbing. I was initially thinking of the Aethos, but the new Tarmac seems to be very good for climbing too. Thank you in advance for your feedback!
Me: steel is real.
Also me: damn, I want this
They tore up the rule book... by designing a conventional looking road bike that weighs a little less. Whow! Mind blown.
Hell of a bike, top marks on the review!
A good comparison would be the Ridley Helium SLX disc. The Helium might be just as good at a more reasonable price and I think you can still get it with rim brakes if that’s your preference
Tadej Pogacar: No rim brake version? Forget it then.
Richard Carapaz: Too right, Tadej. You’re not going to win anything with that.
Cavendish: But it’s got a threaded bottom bracket
Pogacar: So it’s not going to creak like the press fit ones that they used to say were the future?
Carapaz: It won’t make any difference because every time you put the brakes on it will howl like cat being trodden on
Seriously though, what a shame it hasn’t got a rim brake option.
Nice to see you back, Matt..!
Matt looks younger year after year, amazing.
We have come full circle. Engineers have rediscovered that the tubular tube shapes (bikes 8+ years back) are lighter and superior. Lol
Loved the review Matt.
That's a modernized 2010's SuperSix EVO which was also designed by Peter Denk. Just a simple double triangle with current technology & layup methods. It even looks "right" with a return to a classic design and a non-proprietary BB & seatpost.
Basically, it's a Colnago Super from 40-50 years ago, executed with modern materials and components. I've been waiting for that.
The wait is over!
Love matts reviews. Great video guys
Great presentation!!! fun, interesting, entretained 👏👏👏👏
Question about the bike: the handle bar is not flat! Actually, is the worst looking part of the bicycle. Is it to difficult to make flat handle bars standard? SO hard to get a flat/aero handle bar! only on the most expensive ones.
Thanks for the review you beautiful man.
Did he change the sides of the brake hoses ???? I think this is the opposite of what we are used to ride.
That is a beautiful machine. Pity I can't afford one though....
I loved the idea of this bike when it came out - then I saw the price tag😮
Your review as always is really nice 👍🏽 and I but rode the bike i agree about the comfort and nice ride to the cafe but when a rider is in race mode climbing or sprinting atheos isn’t stiff enough losing performance comparing with a tcr one of the best climbing bikes.
Wow this is beautiful bike. With all bikes looking the same these days in 2021. So black with dics breaks and a fat bottom bracket/down tube. I look simple and vintage to me. I’ve been missing bikes like this. A bit pricey for me tho I’ll stick to my BMC team machine ALR with rim breaks. That Allez gonna climb like a Beaty.
Another brilliant vid - thanks Sigma and Matt !!!
Where's Matt? I swear Sean Penn is in the house. Oh nice bike.
Development took hundreds of thousands of simulations, yeah right! I bet they had to use a Quantum Super Computer too.
It took a supercomputer to design an alloy frame from 20 years ago🤣
so here you are! subscribed!
great review!
D’Artagnan is real :-D great review though!
😂Thanks!
"...they tore up the rule book..."
and copied Cannondale's 2nd generation (2014+) SuperSix EVO's! 😂
Doesnt look anything like the supersix. Looks like the tarmac sl5.
@@MrBusunglueck ...which looks like an EVO! 😂
the 2nd generation of the sse would be closer
@@faosa73 absolutely doesnt.
What glasses is Matt wearing? Think its the ones Cavendish was wearing in the TDF..
1970s John McEnroe called and he wants his hair back.
Matt looking fit and loving the hair.
Very similiar geometry and weight with my Focus Izalco Max.izalco frame weights 710 grams (54)and the fork 290 grams.rim brakes.all in dura ace and speedsix carbon 35mm weels and fsa k force light cranqset mine weights 6.300 g.
But but... Your bike not costing 12k and is not subject of marketing bonanza xD.
@@JanKowalski-pe9lo No,the frame cost only 2500.i´m canot spend to much money on a bike.sory about that.
it's been a while since the last time is see Matt, now he's looks older and more expensive.
ITS MATT!
This video should have been released 10 months ago
hahaha i still remember sir matt at GCN especially on hideous tricks and how to climb properly on roadbike....
This bike is nothing more than a very good marketing stunt. Its a good bike no doubt, but its just laughable. Remember the SL7 'one bike to rule them all' slogan? Oh wait lets just do another bike for people to throw their money at. In 3 years there will be one Aethos to rule them all and one year later the SL8 for the 'real racers'. And so the cycle continues
You're probably right, but that's just progress I guess
@@bt8224 progress? Yeah some progress in the bike industry. SL7. Less aero than the venge. Heavier than the sl6. Compromise bike 101 to increase profit margins.
Why did matt ever leave gcn
I remember (it wasnt long ago) that matt was enthusing about Cannondale and Pinarello. And where are the Oakley Suntos? Fashion is a fickle mistress
So, given that this bike is built by Merida how does it stack up against the 4.6kg Scultura 9000 LTD?
I wondered where Matt had gone. Watch that chimney BTW, not recommended as the plug needs to grip the stem not the spacers!
Why didn't you do the test with same wheels and tyres? Would have been more accurate of frame benefits..
Quarantine has been hard on Matt. Time for a trip to the barber 🤣
Obviously I posted the first comment pre hill climb segment
Hi cares about a stupidly expensive bike? Prefer a whole video about Matts amazing hair and classic goatee - the man is a living legend.
I only watched the video in the hopes of getting that classic Matt laugh and without Si at his side it didn't happen :(
Plenty of laughs coming soon. Make sure to subscribe to avoid missing out
what are those bottle cages?
Saw on posted for sale $13,000 holy moly.
Big hair…great fun…best presenter (arguably)…couldn’t give the frameset to me…
Damn, imagine if it had rim brakes. Oh well, no Aethos for me, cause my next frame will be rim again.
I like rim too, easier to maintain, lighter, no fuss. Disc for gravel bikes and mountain bikes only.
is this music Chain Wallet at 0:49?
Songs at 0:54 & 8:10 please? gotta hand it to who ever edits these videos for their taste in music.
The song at 54 sec is - 'walking around instrumental version by Eldar Kedem' and the song at 8:10 is 'Petrichor instrumental version by modern aquatic'.
Does it flex quite a bit?
great scenery! where's the location?
Sure is! It is the Surrey Hills, south west of London
i can only hold 305 W for like 2 minutes and i'm toast, he's holding it for 6 minutes twice..
it's all about w/kg tho - I can somewhat easily hold 300W for that period but I weight a lot more so it would still take me a lot longer to climb that hill than you riding at 280W
Tubless tires?
Been a long time since I've tuned in. Matt what's happening with your hair mate 😂
Just for clarity, nothing but love for the funniest and most entertaining man in cycling. Forgot how much I miss watching Matt do his thing 👍
7:15 in....I spoke too soon 👏👏👏😂
Like your way presentation thank.
Song name???? Please!!
Did he drank an 8ball of coke?
Matts back !! Glad you sorted bush to match trim bike
Lovely and cool , the Aethos is dog slow on the flat sadly , nice on mountains though. It’s not a race bike unless you want to be at a disadvantage.
If you get that allez elite 105, put a sram 10/11 speed groupset on there with rim brake lightweight wheels it's 6.54kg, at least mine is and less faff due to external cables :) i'd buy one and invest in a personal mechanic because cba with internal cables, brake bleeds, flexi spokes pinginging and rubbing rotors. If i had money for both id buy one right now
Thanks for the insight!