Climbers and riders who want a light Specialized that isn't a full aero race bike. Not an endurance bike.
A lightweight road bike without the Tarmac's aero brief. It climbs and floats; it does not try to be a Tarmac SL7 in a crosswind. The position is still race-adjacent, not Roubaix-tall.
Racers who want BMC's classic race fit. Roadmachine if you need stack.
BMC's lightweight race bike: steep, precise, and a WorldTour stack/reach reference. Less aero than Teammachine R / Timemachine.
Gravel riders who want comfort and tire room. Racers may prefer SuperX.
Gravel Cannondale with Kingpin rear flex on carbon models. Stable, progressive, and happier on chunk than SuperX.
| Measurement |  SpecializedAethos 2022 |  |  CannondaleTopstone Carbon 2022 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stackmm | 592 | 565−27 | 570−22 | 600+8 |
| Reachmm | 394 | 387−7 | 390−4 | 395+1 |
| Head tube angle° | 71.5 | 73.5+2.0 | 72.5+1.0 | 71.0−0.5 |
| Seat tube angle° | 73.0 | 73.5+0.5 | 73.5+0.5 | 73.0 |
| Chainstaymm | 430 | 410−20 | 410−20 | 430 |
| Wheelbasemm | 1056 | 991−65 | 996−60 | 1065+9 |
| BB dropmm | 72 | 72 | 69−3 | 68−4 |
| BB heightmm | — | — | — | — |
| Standovermm | — | — | — | — |
| Part | Graveler L | Aethos 56 | Teammachine SLR 56 | Topstone Carbon L |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stem | 110 mm | 100 mm | 100 mm | 110 mm |
| Bar | 440 mm | 420 mm | 420 mm | 440 mm |
| Crank | 175 mm | 172.5 mm | 172.5 mm | 175 mm |
Step forward the Specialized Aethos. I reviewed this thing in the Pro model and I was rather smitten. The ride is sublime, the weight for a disc brake road bike ...
It's reliable, intuitive and offers sensible gearing ratios that allow extensive range without big jumps. Specialized Aethos Comp. (Image credit: Future). I ...
The BMC Teammachine SLR TWO is a fast, racy bike with aggressive geometry and sharp but well balanced handling – but both its ride quality and its weight suffer ...
The BMC Teammachine SLR 01 Disc Team in detail. Drivetrain Shimano Dura Ace Wheelset DT Swiss PRC 1100 Dicut Brakes Shimano Dura Ace Disc Tires Vitorra Corsa G ...
As touched on before, Cannondale says that the Topstone Carbon 2 benefits from some revisions to its Kingpin suspension, and it's claimed that these changes ...
Our opinion on the new Cannondale Topstone Carbon 2022. Cannondale finally provide their gravel all-rounder with the eagerly awaited update: more tire clearance ...