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Specialized launch brand new S-Works Shiv Disc tri bike, with huge 1.5 litre 'Fuelcell'

Specialized have moved their flagship triathlon bike onto disc brakes, with a massive rear hydration tank and an integrated box built into the downtube that holds up to 12 gels...

Specialized have radically overhauled their top-of-the-range triathlon bike, the S-Works Shiv, by adding disc brakes and a whopping rear hydration box to get you through an Ironman, training ride or long-term drought without the need to stop for refuelling. 

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The new Shiv Disc was in development for over seven years, with huge amounts of storage, plenty of adjustability and easy folding parts for stress-free travelling. It all adds up to "the most complete triathlon bike ever made", so say Specialized, and the perfect weapon for the lava fields of Kona where the Ironman World Championships are contested annually. 

spec shiv fuelcell

Specialized say the rear Fuelcell holds up to 50oz (nearly 1.5 litres) of fluid, which was born of a demand from their pro athletes competing at the annual Ironman World Championships in Kona to be able to get through at least the first half of the bike leg (90km) without needing to refill bottles. This solution will do that and then some, say Specialized, with a neat routing system leading to a straw between the bars so you can sip at will without having to come out of your aero tuck. It's built onto an aero-optimised seat tube, that Specialized first refined aerodynamically before adding on the hydration solution in the airfoil behind it.  

spec shiv 4

The storage doesn't stop there, with a 'Nutrition Fuelcell' also forming part of the downtube that can hold up to 12 gels. This does away with bolts for a bottle cage, but you won't be needing one with the huge water tank at the rear. Specialized also recommend storing puncture repair kit here too by removing the Nutrition Fuelcell. 

With the Ironman course in Kona being notoriously windy, Specialized have designed the bike to be stable in crosswinds with predictable handling, with the nose cone, fork and seat tube all optimised for the lowest drag in windy conditions. They claim the new Shiv Disc is nearly a minute faster over 180km than their 2011 Shiv set up in its fastest form possible, and minutes faster than the old bike with bottles and storage solutions added; the fork also acts as a partial wind shield for the front disc rotor, further improving aerodynamics and putting paid to the adage that disc bikes are less aero. 

spec shiv packed

There are three three different base bar positions, with 115mm of pad stack adjustment, plus extensive pad reach adjustment, for more aggressive riding positions. The bike can also be collapsed at the front just by loosening five bolts with a 5mm allen key to pack the bike for travelling in no time; a feature Cervelo incorporated onto their P5X tri bike. 

With only 500 individually numbered Shivs available initially (and six of them already with pro triathletes at Kona including Javier Gomez Noya and Tim Don) the bikes are expected to be snapped up fast; they can be pre-ordered now for the princely sum of £10,999 now over on the Specialized website

Arriving at road.cc in 2017 via 220 Triathlon Magazine, Jack dipped his toe in most jobs on the site and over at eBikeTips before being named the new editor of road.cc in 2020, much to his surprise. His cycling life began during his students days, when he cobbled together a few hundred quid off the back of a hard winter selling hats (long story) and bought his first road bike - a Trek 1.1 that was quickly relegated to winter steed, before it was sadly pinched a few years later. Creatively replacing it with a Trek 1.2, Jack mostly rides this bike around local cycle paths nowadays, but when he wants to get the racer out and be competitive his preferred events are time trials, sportives, triathlons and pogo sticking - the latter being another long story.  

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14 comments

Avatar
vonhelmet | 5 years ago
0 likes

You'll win because all your competitors will be pissing themselves laughing.

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MNgraveur | 5 years ago
0 likes

Will it take mudguards?

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kil0ran replied to MNgraveur | 5 years ago
1 like

MNgraveur wrote:

Will it take mudguards?

Nope, the reservoir contains advanced nanoparticles to filter road spray into drinkable water.

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Yorkshire wallet replied to MNgraveur | 5 years ago
0 likes
MNgraveur wrote:

Will it take mudguards?

Don't give them ideas. Next sell by industry - the aero gravel bike.

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Drinfinity | 5 years ago
2 likes

It will be very stable in cross winds - that mizzen sail will point the bow up nicely into the wind, so it’s always in a head wind. Perfect if you want to use it on the marine leg of the tri.

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gary p | 5 years ago
1 like

33 seconds over 100k only in specific crosswind conditions.  And that's if you believe the measuring methods and modeling assumptions are robust enough to make such fine distinctions.    I'm inclined to believe that the 0.4% difference in efficiency they're claiming between the new and old bikes is probably within the maring of error.

 

You can purchase a Trek Speed Concept, which has consistenly tested considerably more than 33 seconds/100k faster than the old Shiv, for about 1/3 the cost of this new Shiv.    At least that's the case here in the USA.   And that's brand new at full retail.   Previous model year examples can be found in shops for 1/4 the price of this new Shiv.  And used ones for 1/5th or even 1/6th the price.  
These new $10k+ "Super Bikes" are nifty, but they're not necessary to win any triathlon.  

Avatar
Milkfloat | 5 years ago
0 likes

I don’t think that bottle will fit in my dishwasher.  Plus, for the second half of your ride where do you store you real bottles?

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BehindTheBikesheds | 5 years ago
2 likes

Why not put the fluid bladder inside the frame/seatpost seeing as there's a whole lot of space inside, oh wait that wouldn't work because there's no advantage over more aero cheating with the tail fin tank.

Yet still no aero crankset, how strange? Why not get rid of the derailleurs altogether to be more aero and come up with a racing hub gear system, carbon hub shell, lighter sprockets that aren't designed for 100,000 miles, you then have a more aero package (single ring up front) with all the gears you need and a chain that will always have the perfect line.

I bet they are still using old fashioned out front computer/gps mounts, why, every fule knows that flexy lcd (OLCD) to wrap over your stem or HUD in your goggles is where its at..

This sport gets ever more ridiculous, why not simply put them on recumbents or completely aero HPVs, there's even more emphasis on who has the better/most aero machine than ever.

Oh yeah, fugly.

Avatar
gary p replied to BehindTheBikesheds | 5 years ago
0 likes

BehindTheBikesheds wrote:

This sport gets ever more ridiculous, why not simply put them on recumbents or completely aero HPVs, there's even more emphasis on who has the better/most aero machine than ever.

 

Actually, there's diminishing emphasis on who has the most aero machine because the improvements are getting harder and harder to find as all the serious brands are converging on the asymptote of "peak aero."  The bike makers are having to go to extremes to find miniscule gains over their previous offerings, and can often only justify them in certain, specific use-cases, this new Shiv being a prime example.   All the extra peculiarities of this bike (rear combination water-bottle/sail-panel, fork blades that extend all the way to the base bar) and they can only claim it's 0.33 seconds/km faster than their previous bike, and only so when there's a prevalent cross wind.  

 

 

Avatar
BehindTheBikesheds replied to gary p | 5 years ago
0 likes

gary p wrote:

BehindTheBikesheds wrote:

This sport gets ever more ridiculous, why not simply put them on recumbents or completely aero HPVs, there's even more emphasis on who has the better/most aero machine than ever.

 

Actually, there's diminishing emphasis on who has the most aero machine because the improvements are getting harder and harder to find as all the serious brands are converging on the asymptote of "peak aero."  The bike makers are having to go to extremes to find miniscule gains over their previous offerings, and can often only justify them in certain, specific use-cases, this new Shiv being a prime example.   All the extra peculiarities of this bike (rear combination water-bottle/sail-panel, fork blades that extend all the way to the base bar) and they can only claim it's 0.33 seconds/km faster than their previous bike, and only so when there's a prevalent cross wind.  

Aye but 33 seconds over 100km is still a big leap for same effort and an even bigger jump over those not able to purchase the best bit of kit. It's about who has the biggest wallet/deepest pockets or indeed if you have a sponsor.

Put them all on the same bike, then it's completely about the elements and the athlete.

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Bmblbzzz | 5 years ago
0 likes

With only 500 individually numbered Shivs available initially (and six of them already with pro triathletes at Kona including Javier Gomez Noya and Tim Don)

Okay, we know what you mean but "Specializeds at Kona" does read oddly!

And is that hydration tank really just about drinking, or is it for aerodynamics?

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Joe Totale replied to Bmblbzzz | 5 years ago
1 like

Bmblbzzz wrote:

And is that hydration tank really just about drinking, or is it for aerodynamics?

I'm definitely not an expert but I thought that this bike was specifically designed to be stable in crosswinds, that hydration tank looks like a giant sail to me! 

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Joe Totale | 5 years ago
1 like

That is one ugly bike, those triathletes are a strange bunch.

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usedtobefaster | 5 years ago
3 likes

Arrrggggghh my eyes, someone make it go away please......

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