With the e-bike craze sweeping over the cycling industry, it didn’t take long for the market’s largest players to take note. Sure, throwing an electric motor on an already-contrived frame is no huge feat, but for the renowned bicycle manufacturers at Specialized, the widespread movement toward pedal-assisted power has uncovered some glaring flaws, especially in the realm of cumbersome properties. Que the S-Works Turbo Creo SL — a lightweight cycle that marries a beautifully-crafted (albeit, expensive) full carbon frame with a few of the industry’s finer practices.
Where most electric bicycles fail to meet the lightweight standard set forth by traditional road cyclists, Specialized has taken it upon themselves to create an evolutionary platform that addresses the industry’s qualm with overweight batteries, compositions, and architectures. A sleek FACT 11r carbon frame, fully-integrated 320Wh Specialized SL1-320 motor, and Future Shock 2.0 Adjustable Damper fork carry the bike’s graceful 26.2-pound silhouette with ease. When it comes to components, the Turbo doesn’t shy away from the sweet stuff, opting for an 11-speed Shimano XTR cassette, Praxis Carbon M30 crankset, and a performance-oriented Shimano XTR M9050 Di2 Shadow Plus rear derailleur outfitted with anodized Ceramic Speed Titanium 12t pulleys. Better yet, the cycle’s 80-mile assistance threshold can be expanded upon by up to 40 miles, thanks to a set of 160Wh extenders. All this tech doesn’t come cheap, however — the Turbo Creo SL will set you back a mindblowing $16,500.
