The Specialized Aethos is older than you might think. Introduced in October 2020, it made waves with its headline-grabbing claim of being the world’s lightest ever disc brake road frame.
At only 585g for the top-tier S-Works frame, complete builds came in at around 6kg – impressively light for the time.
But what really made the Aethos stand out was its outright rejection of aero trends. Its simple double-diamond silhouette, round tubes, semi-external cabling and slender profile made it the anti-Tarmac – sitting miles apart from the increasingly aero-inspired road bikes of the day.
While new builds have been introduced along the way, the Aethos frameset has remained unchanged since its launch. But it has been consistently popular, so the likelihood that Specialized will drop it as a model is next to zero.
Given that ol' nugget, capitalism, shows no signs of going out of fashion, that Specialized should be cooking up something fresh and round to satisfy the relentless grind of progress is a near-certainty.
So what’s next for the quirkiest bike in its line-up that's well overdue for an update?
Internal cable routing is inevitable
Many would love to see the Aethos stick with its semi-external cabling, but it feels inevitable that a next-generation model will adopt fully internal routing.
This is now the de facto standard on performance road bikes, even for lightweight bikes.
Just look at the Scott Addict RC or Cervélo R5 – both manage internal routing while keeping frame weight impressively low. Specialized could easily follow suit with a new Aethos.
In fact, there’s already a cottage industry of brands offering aftermarket internally routed forks for the Aethos (the best known being EXS), and enterprising tinkerers have even gone as far as modifying their bikes.
This will be a divisive move. Semi-external cables were part of the original Aethos’ charm, and losing them would strip away some of its character.
Still, I’d be very surprised if Specialized resisted the trend.
Death, taxes and UDH
The absence of SRAM’s Universal Derailleur Hanger (UDH) from the current Aethos is a surefire sign the bike is overdue an update.
SRAM pulled a blinder, convincing the industry that UDH was for the greater good of compatibility. In reality, it was always designed to pave the way for its direct-mount derailleurs.
- Read more: SRAM UDH explained | Everything you need to know about SRAM’s Universal Derailleur Hanger
Where nearly every other brand is all-in on UDH, I was surprised to see Specialized not adopt UDH when it released the Tarmac SL8, given the two brands have a very close relationship.
That aside, UDH feels like a very safe bet for the next-gen Aethos. A 1x13 Red-equipped bike is a tantalising prospect, and one that feels in keeping with the wider trajectory of bike design.
Lower weight, obviously
That the bike will be marketed as lighter is an absolute certainty.
Composite manufacturing moves very quickly, and the new tech incorporated into the SL8 will make its way onto the Aethos.
Reductions will be hard to find – the Aethos frameset is still competitively light in its pricest guises.
Still, it would be very surprising if a new version of a bike marketed on the fact that it's stupendously light... wasn't lighter.
Aero rejection
Into more speculative territory, I see almost no chance of the Aethos going aero in any way – such a move would be totally at odds with the ethos of the bike.
The previous-generation Émonda – Trek's dearly departed climbing bike, which has since been replaced by an all-rounder Madone – adopted aero influences. Other light aero influences can be seen on bikes of its ilk.
- Read more: RIP Émonda – why young riders, new tech and business strategy spelt the end for Trek’s climbing bike
The difference is that the Émonda was always a race bike. Specialized has been clear that the Aethos is not intended as a race bike – it’s a bike built for “the love of riding”, so says Spesh.
Adding aero elements would be the easiest way to make the Aethos faster, but it would also alienate the core audience who fell in love with the bike’s simplicity.
I think – and should hope – Specialized will resist the siren song of aero gains.
D-shaped dominance?
One subtle change I can see happening is a move away from the traditional 27.2mm round seatpost.
In 2025, round posts are relatively rare at the top end of the market. A D-shaped post would reduce compatibility, but it would enable Specialized to chase extra compliance.
Riders might grumble, but compared to cabling changes or aero tubes, I think this would be a less controversial update. While I may favour a good old round post, proprietary seatposts are pretty common, and their adoption here wouldn't be a surprise.
Goodbye to the external seat clamp
The current Aethos still uses an integrated seat clamp, but I’d be surprised if it sticks around.
Integrated clamps offer cleaner lines and, when positioned lower down the frame, marginal improvements to comfort. Bikes in roughly the same category as the Aethos, such as the Orbea Orca and Cervélo R5, show how this can be executed effectively.
Again, this would strip away some of the Aethos’ traditional appeal, but from a design perspective, it feels inevitable – if slightly regrettable.
Pure fantasy: mudguard eyelets
This last point is pure fantasy, but as a pet subject of mine, I’ll include it anyway – mudguard eyelets.
Specialized would point riders looking for year-round reliability in the direction of the Roubaix or entry-level Allez, but adding discreet mounts to the Aethos would make it an incredible four-season bike with next to no downsides.
Yes, it would add a handful of grams, but for a bike that isn’t intended to be raced – your 'love of riding' should extend into the winter months if you're spending 10 big ones on a bike, after all – the trade-off is negligible.
Imagine a top-spec electronic groupset, deep-section wheels, carbon finishing kit, and proper full mudguards for winter training on an Aethos – mamma mia!
Sadly, I think the chances are vanishingly slim, but a boy with a pathological fear of a soggy peach can dream.
