Specialized S-Works Shiv TT Disc – First Look

Less is more goes the old minimalist adage, but when it has typically come to TT and Tri bikes it hasn’t been one we typically follow. Instead we typically see every possibly tube shape maximized to cheat the wind. But it seems out in California the team at Specialized decided that sometimes the old ways are best. Meet the new S-Works Shiv TT Disc – a bike designed to be light, responsive, agile, and still every bit as aero as the original gold-medal-winning Shiv.

The S-Works Shiv TT Disc

In years past TT and tri events tended to be long, flat, and consistent. But that was in the past. Today’s courses are technical and demanding. And simply put – athletes no longer want to be debating between a road or TT bike. They want a flat out TT bike that can climb and corner. We saw this philosophy earlier in the year with Cervelo’s P5 Disc and we see it taken to the next level with this new Shiv.

We still do not have all the details so consider this a more first glance than first look but let’s share what Specialized has told us. The first thing you notice on this bike is the seat tube doesn’t hug the rear wheel. Specialized says that with the Roval 321 being the fastest wheel in the world they do not need to make the bike\wheel one consistent shape. Instead both the frame and wheel can stand on their own.

The cockpit is a one piece affair and weighs 200g less than the previous iteration. Years of Retül data, and professional rider data, went into the completely re-done the geometry and front-end of the bike. The updated spacers, bridge, and armrests lock in fit, improving stability and confidence, while the one-piece bar and stem simplifies and lightens the weight of the front-end, balancing the overall feel.

Like the Shiv Tri – the Shiv TT Disc is disc only (we guess that is kind of obvious with the name) as well as electronic only.

The seatpost comes from the latest Specialized Venge. Specialized claims that going any narrower doesn’t provide aero benefit but does create a harsher ride.

At launch (later this fall) the Shiv TT Disc will offer SRAM’s new RED eTAP AXS 1x drivetrain. And yes, something many of you have asked for – a disc wheel with a TT bike. It will ship with the Roval 321 Disc and CLX 64s. All this will set you back a cool $14K.

Our Thoughts

Without aero data or saddle time we are going to limit our thoughts. But being this bike is the successor to one of the greatest TT bikes of all time we truly believe Specialized would not play any games with this bike. If they say it is just as fast we have to believe there is truth to those words.