Steve B.

Well you have described the issue with a no name Chinese frame. You have no idea what thought process, if any, was put into the frame design. For all I know these were frames built for the lower end of US carbon sellers like Tomasso or Bikes Direct, etc.... only with labels in their case. My Chinese certainly does not have the ride quality of my Trek, so it was an interesting lesson.

runningDoc

that looks like a good/great deal for a new Aethos build under warranty. if it's the proper size and fit then its a great bike.

two underrated aspects of the Aethos is how much easier the bike can be to wrench on if needed. as long as you don't go fully integrated bar/stem combo then things like swapping out stem/handlebar/headset bearings or even things like bottom bracket (since its threaded BB) are easy and quick to do. the other underrated thing about the Aethos is how comfortable this bike is on top of being such a good handling bike especially since you can put up to 32c tires on it.

You're correct you're only a lighter wheelset to sub 16lbs and maybe also crankset away (ultegra or Dura Ace) to getting to even sub 15lbs build.

I've had an Aethos since March so not that long but it reminds me of my old favorite steel racing bikes felt but even more comfortable and high performance handling wise. It does have clearance for 32c tires (which on 25mm internal width rim actually measure 34mm wide).

I bought a used one for $5500 that was a 2023 S-works frame full sram red enve wheels/cockpit tricked out one built up as a Competitive Cyclist stable bike that they sold after the season ended. It was 14.7lbs so I just went the opposite way and put on bigger tires (from 28c gp5000s to 32c) to tackle some gravel paths on my usual road route.

I know that I would've been just as happy with any of the Aethos build offerings they have for retail too. If i got the 105 build you're looking at I'd be still smiling ear to ear before/during/after the ride.

semper_citius

Looks like a good deal. I had an Aethos Comp (with a few upgrades) for a couple years and absolutely loved it. It was light and handled really well, and the ride quality was exceptional. Race bike geometry with endurance bike comfort and compliance. The only reason I sold it was because I bought a new Tarmac SL8, and while they are definitely different bikes, there was too much overlap for me to justify keeping both.

I ran Roval C38's and had no issues with them. They were a decent combo of reasonable weight, aero, and durability. But if were to own another Aethos (which I may someday) I'd do as you're suggesting and go full-on lightweight climbing bike with Alpinist CLXII or something similar in the 1200-1300g range. That would be a fun bike.

Jrasero

Well off the record the owner of Panda Podium claims Big Rock is the manufacture who makes the Aethos for Specialized. Literally the Sohea is the same exact frame albeit slightly different hardware and paint.

Not to spark a debate but the ignorance of people who think these big brands actually make their own frames and that Specialized or any big brand other than maybe Giant who does mostly everything in house is any better than an reputable Chinese brand is laughable. if the sticker and badge on the frame comforts you, then buy the big Western brand, but in my humble opinion even though I love my Aethos you are just throwing money away either because you are insecure or scared

Polaris OBark

I recon the lifetime warranty is worth about 1/3 the price of the frame, so that might have something to do with it. Maybe that is a form of insecurity or being scared, but it might also be viewed by some as prudent.

PeteHski

Oh well in that case I’m totally convinced 😂. I was under the impression that most Specialized frames are made in Taiwan. So is this where Big Rock are based then or is the Aethos made in China?

I would have thought Specialized would have pretty close control over Aethos production and it seems unlikely that their manufacturing partner would be churning out identical frames under a different name.

Unless you know for certain, this is just a bold claim the Panda guy is making which is obviously to his advantage. Hardly a credible source.

Caliwild

That's exactly what I thought when I test rode the bike... it feels like a vintage steel bike. And that's the best compliment IMO...

Caliwild

Picking up the bike today! So excited! The only other thing I may change now is the saddle, since it's apparently a 300 gram anchor (cheap, OEM version of the Power saddle). Any decent saddle will knock another 150 grams off. I'll post photos soon...

NumbersGuy

I’d have to assume it’s a bogus claim, as Merida which owns 49% of Specialized has their factory in Taiwan and at least in very recent history was producing Specialized carbon frames there.

NumbersGuy

In my humble opinion you have no facts and are the laughable part of the discussion. Just because two frames look almost the same means nothing other than the Chinese are very capable of creating manufacturing processes to copy things they may not even have anything more than photographs of….

There’s also the matter of ethics and not supporting the company that stole someone else’s patented design that they put a lot of investment into creating. But if you’re too selfish to care, then by all means buy a Big Rock.

Jrasero

[QUOTE=NumbersGuy;23245127]In my humble opinion you have no facts and are the laughable part of the discussion. Just because two frames look almost the same means nothing other than the Chinese are very capable of creating manufacturing processes to copy things they may not even have anything more than photographs of….

There’s also the matter of ethics and not supporting the company that stole someone else’s patented design that they put a lot of investment into creating. But if you’re too selfish to care, then by all means buy a Big Rock.[/QUOTE

the laughable part is that besides me and a few other people on this sub, very few people have an Aethos let alone have ridden one. It’s true I can’t verify if Big Rock actually makes the Aethos but I can contest the difference between an Aethos and Sohtea is literally zero because my friend just built one up.

who is to say they “stole” anything plus when have round tubes become patent technology. You just come off as a Western gatekeeper and borderline racist. Read a book

NumbersGuy

Oh, so since your friend just built up a Sohtea, you’re qualified to say there is zero difference. And since you say the owner of Panda Podium claims Big rock is the manufacturer of the Aethos, that’s to be taken as fact as well.

There is a lot more to frame design than tube shape, but perhaps that is your bar for determine whether two frames are exactly the same.

I’ll decline to respond to your other completely inappropriate personal attack as it just gives more insight into the level of person making the comments.

shelbyfv

I regret that we've hijacked OP's thread about his nice new bike into yet another yap yap about generic Chinese carbon. Especially since OP specifically requested we not. I've gone back and deleted my OT posts, maybe others will do the same.

PeteHski

So exact same tube profiles, transitions etc. What about the carbon spec and layup design? Have you measured the torsional stiffness of both frames? How would you be able to verify any of that was the same? To keep costs down they could have cut a lot of corners and simply lied about the carbon spec. It’s not like they have to worry about standards and lawsuits.

It might well be a decent quality frame, but I doubt it will be the same as an Aethos, which is a cutting edge design in terms of stiffness/weight. The Aethos forks are ultra-light too and I certainly wouldn’t fancy taking my chances with a knock-off version of those at that weight.

Shadco 

And?

😜

Shadco 

Close is only really good with horse shoes and hand grenades, and that isn’t really all that close. Different BB, fork, it’s noticeably heavier, I quit looking at that point.

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Jrasero

let me cut open my $3K frame to look at the weave to examine the layup. Again none of you have seen or ridden a Sohtea let alone very few of you have ridden an Aethos. This is like someone giving their feedback on a Mercedes but they drive a Corolla.

Jrasero

Actually yes. I can say for certain you don't have any of these bikes so you are 100% not qualified to give any quantifiable answer to this. There is a lot more to frame design than tube shape but when my Aethos literally rides a 1 to 1 to a Sohtea dare I say it's an amazing clone or the exact frame. Again you ride the two and get back to me but until then you have no clue what you are talking about.

tomato coupe

A kid tried to sell me a watch on the streets of Istanbul. I don't remember the brand, but he said it was made in the same factory as Rolex. At the time I didn't believe him, but now I see the error of my ways.

Caliwild

OK, I just weighed the bike... With Dura Ace pedals (but no cages yet), she weighs 15.9 pounds! You can feel how lightweight it is just picking it up....

Caliwild

Here are a couple shots... I really, really like the paint on the bike. Looks like plain white from a distance, but up close it's really shimmery and has an iridescent shine. And the branding is so subtle that you can only see it very close up (see the head tube photo below). Makes my other bikes look like rolling billboards! I'm digging how the black wheels, tires, 105 groupset, and components play off the white frame. Very monochromatic... And I forgot how comfy the Supacaz bar tape is. Lastly, I'm glad it's a glossy paint. I can't imagine having a matte white frameset. Now on to the maiden ride soon...

PeteHski

You are the one claiming that this Schtea thing is identical to an S-Works Aethos. I’m not reviewing anything. Just pointing out the obvious limitations in your comparison ie you have no clue about the materials, layup or QC involved.

Anyway that’s enough. This thread should be about the real thing, not your mate’s knock-off copy.

NumbersGuy

That’s an awesome looking bike. I’m definitely with you on liking the very subtle branding. I think it was a great choice by Specialized to keep the branding to a minimum on the Aethos, and this specific white on white really lets the bike stand on it’s own beauty and simplicity. 15.9 lbs is awesome for very minimal changes. I hope you enjoy it thoroughly.

PeteHski

I agree about the minimal branding. It actually makes the Aethos stand out from the crowd. I very nearly bought one myself a couple of years ago (Pro build), but they were out of stock across the UK at that time. It was also when Roval had their tubeless compatibility fiasco, which put me off that particular build. This build with a wheel upgrade actually looks like much better value.

Jrasero

I am claiming this because I have seen and ridden both. Once you are able to do that I will take what you are saying with more value but until then you just come off as an old head