Tech feature: Specialized 2006, September 24, 2005 Specialized 2006: Upping innovation, dropping weight With the show season in full swing, James Huang takes a look at what California-based bike maker Specialized has in store for 2006. I don’t know about you The curved top tube of the Tarmac Specialized’s new Az-1 technique I tell you, the kids at the University of California at Santa Cruz have it awfully rough. After all, how cruel it must be to have a dense blanket of fog frequently cover the beautiful Pacific Ocean that lies right outside your dorm room window. Oh, the suffering they must endure! Seriously, how do students there get anything done? Nonetheless, Specialized chose the picturesque UC Santa Cruz campus as the setting for its 2006 media launch which highlighted its premier S-Works line in addition to the rest of the company's bikes, clothing, and accessories. Road bikes Riders aboard Specialized bikes have had a good year so Specialized naturally drew a lot of attention to the new S-Works Tarmac SL piloted by Levi Leipheimer and his Gerolsteiner teammate, Georg Totschnig. Totscnig won Stage 14 of the Tour de france on a new SL, while later in teh year Leipheimer piloted his to a decisive win in the Tour of Germany. Last year's S-Works Tarmac was already one of the top carbon road frames around but Specialized clearly wasn't content to send Levi and Georg off to France on last year's hardware. As suggested by the "SL" nomenclature, the new chassis is significantly lighter than before at 890g for the frame plus 300g for the new full carbon fiber fork. Additionally, the previous incarnation's chassis rigidity, comfort, and handling characteristics were all maintained or even surpassed . Specialized achieved this feat using precise placement of carbon fibers to maximize their efficiency, some creative tube shaping, new carbon fiber dropouts, eliminating the largely cosmetic woven top sheet, and by using their new Az-1 ("as one") construction technique. In this method, separate monocoque sections are formed and the joints are wrapped with multiple layers of carbon with a sequential curing process employed with each wrap. The final structure is then fully cured to form a homogeneous structure. All sorts of yummy road bike goodness Now, bicycle racing is somewhat unique in that consumers can readily buy stuff that is as good, if not better, than the stuff that the professionals ride due to the UCI's somewhat arbitrary 6.8kg minimum weight limit. The consumer version of the '06 S-Works Tarmac SL certainly falls into illegal territory thanks to the addition of some unique (and occasionally proprietary) componentry. The new Toupé saddle This includes the new FACT (Functionally Advanced Carbon Technology) carbon crankset, a new S-Works FACT carbon seatpost, the one-piece carbon fiber Barmac bar and stem combo, and a pair of nifty Roval Rapide carbon fiber clincher wheels (yup, as in that Roval!). Specialized’s FACT carbon crank Bigger, better, faster, more! The new crankset uses carbon fiber arms with a novel, double-splined, oversized aluminum spindle, all of which ride on a pair of huge sealed cartridge bearings in the oversized bottom bracket shell. Specialized claims the new crank is 165g lighter and 11% stiffer than even Dura-Ace, and enables them to assemble a frame, fork, and crankset package weighing only 1850g. From the rider’s perspective The Barmac bar and stem combo uses an absolutely massive carbon extension for maximum torsional rigidity mated to an ergonomic carbon bar for a total weight of only 349g. They’re back! Possibly the most significant bit of kit on the new Tarmac SL (at least from a historical perspective) is the resurrection of Roval wheels. The Rapide model incorporates a carbon fiber mid-section clincher rim, DT bladed spokes, and a pair of custom alloy hubs with sealed cartridge bearings for a total weight of 1550g per pair. Specialized went to great lengths to faithfully adhere to some of French engineer Claude Lehanneur's original design principles… but maybe without the freewheel compatibility issues that plagued the original! The standard carbon S-Works Tarmac from last year is largely carried over along with the carbon Roubaix "endurance road" frameset and aluminum Transition time-trial/triathlon frameset. Ruby for women The Ruby Photo ©: James Huang Like the Roubaix Photo ©: James Huang Specialized is so devoted Photo ©: James Huang Zertz vibration dampers Photo ©: James Huang One striking and welcome addition to the family is the women's-specific, semi-monocoque carbon fiber Ruby line. Specialized touts the Ruby as the highest-level frameset currently available with women's-specific geometry, including a shorter top tube, head tube extension, and a shallower head tube angle coupled with a carbon fork with greater trail. This produces the short cockpit dimension required for women's typically shorter torsos but without the toe clip overlap issues. Part two: Specialized 2006 in the dirt - MTB & cross Photography For a thumbnail gallery of these images, click here Images by James Huang I don’t know about you but this certainly wasn’t the view out of my dorm room when I was in school… The curved top tube of the Tarmac actually lends some vertical compliance to the frame. The “figure-8” tube profile also serves to maximize lateral rigidity. Specialized’s new Az-1 technique wraps layers of carbon around preformed and mitered carbon tubes. Each layer is sequentially cured before the next one is applied, and the whole structure is cured at the conclusion of the process to ensure a homogeneous structure. All sorts of yummy road bike goodness in a sub 15 lb package. I know this is a cliché, but yes, it does look fast even standing still. New lighter weight S-Works carbon fiber post still incorporates the vibration-absorbing Zertz elastomeric pads for a buzz-free ride. The new Toupé saddle incorporates all of Specialized’s innovative Body Geometry principles for hours of trouble-free riding. The saddle is available in two widths to fit different-sized riders. In spite of its minimal appearance, it actually really is quite comfy! Specialized’s FACT carbon crank uses stiff carbon fiber arms and a massive center-splined aluminum bottom bracket spindle. Sorry, but although it’s allegedly 165g lighter and 11% stiffer than Dura-Ace, you’ll need an oversize bottom bracket shell to install it. Bigger, better, faster, more! From the rider’s perspective the stem is just huge. Just like it says in your sideview mirror, this thing really is larger than it appears, but it is also tremendously stiff when cranking on the bars. They’re back! Ok, well maybe it’s really more in name than anything else, but Specialized did actually track Claude Lehanneur down in France to consult him on this project and get his blessing before using the Roval name. In spite of its somewhat mundane “Endurance Road” title, many pro riders (and even some sprinters) choose the stabler handling of the Roubaix over the more Type A Tarmac. The slight headtube extension on the Roubaix can provide for more upright positioning should you so desire without running a mountain of spacers. Rest assured, though, that you can still go just about as low as you want. According to Specialized, the Ruby frame is the most advanced women’s-specific road frame currently available from a major manufacturer. Like the Roubaix the Ruby wears a slight head tube extension to allow for a more upright position if so desired. Specialized is so devoted to accommodating the fit needs of women that it even molded a women’s-specific oversize carbon fiber handlebar that makes for a short reach to the levers when you’re in the drops. Zertz vibration dampers are also incorporated into the Ruby seatstays to kill fatigue-inducing vibration before it can get to the rider.