E-bikes are the future of bicycles. A U.S.-based bicycle manufacturer ‘Specialized’ is no longer stranger to high-end electric bicycles. The company has recently announced its new Specialized ‘Turbo Creo SL,’ an ultra-lightweight electric bicycle, which packs 240 W of pedal assistance power into a beautifully (and very expensively) engineered full carbon frame. The Turbo Creo SL is the company’s lightest electric road bike yet.
The 12.2 kg (26.9lb) electric bike is powered by the motor that was custom designed by Specialized. The company had used brow motors earlier but claimed that there was not a lightweight motor on the market that can do things that Specialized required, and hence, the brand has invested in R&D to design its own. And the result is mid-drive SL 1.1 motor, which outputs up to 240 watts in response to the rider’s own torque curve.
The new Turbo Creo SL is rated for a maximum range of 195 km (121 miles). Specialized has built a 320-Wh battery into the down tube, which it says packs enough juice for 80 miles (128 km) of assisted pedaling. That’s enough speed and range for spirited rides with the fast riders.
Also, the Founder’s Edition bikes come with a 160 Wh range extender battery fits into the seat tube bottle cage and adds for up to 40 more miles of range that bumps the total range up to that 195 km (121 mi) figure. The auxiliary battery can be purchased separately for €369.90 or US $399.
The designers have integrated the power meter into the top tube, while its distribution can be managed through the Mission Control smartphone app. The app allows the user to choose from Eco, Sport, and Turbo assists modes and tweaks where the power tops outs and how much support they want along the way.
Some other notable features include a carbon handlebar and Seatpost, 50mm-deep carbon clincher wheels with ceramic bearings, a carbon-railed saddle, and 28mm tires. The Turbo Creo SL Founders Edition also comes with Specialized’s latest bump-absorbing headset, the Future Shock 2.0, which offers 20 mm of vertical movement to help smooth out trips over uneven terrain.
With just 35 Nm of torque, the 1.95 kg (4.4 lb) motor is as elegant as it is underpowered. The Specialized’s lightest e-bike’s ride is smooth and refined, and its handling sharp and accurate. You will feel like you’re riding a great road bike – an extra fast one that makes the climbs less steep distances shorter, and easier to keep up with the fast riders.
Read more: The NUA Electrica – A self-charging e-Bike weighs just 13kg
The two $9,000 Expert models – the Turbo Creo SL Expert or Turbo Creo SL Expert Evo – use the same frame, battery, and motor but are built with less-expensive parts. The $17,000 price tag is for the Founder’s Edition, that weighs about a half-pound less (11.9 kg) than the expert models due to lighter parts. Must have to say, it is one of the most expensive e-bikes we’ve ever seen.
The company says just 250 Founders Edition will be produced and they will be individually numbered if you’re into that. For more details, visit the company website.
