I live in the bay area and I saw what I think was Chris D'Aluisio riding an unmarked black bike a few weeks ago in Santa Cruz. I was in a car on a backroad, and saw him stop at a stop sign, before coming past my car. I am thinking this could have been the venge but I guess we will find out soon. I didn't get a great look at it, all I noticed was that the downtube had an interesting or weird cutout in it, almost like a Wilier cento crono. Can't wait to see what the next gen looks like.

looks like rear brakes are mounted below BB... too fuzzy to make out them being in the traditional location on the seat stays. which, speaking of seat stays, clearly mounted further down on the seat tube. junction between seat tube and top tube looks like BMC TMR01. Would almost say that maybe it was that bike, but the chainstays look to be more rounded than the BMC. And what's going on with the front brake? is it mounted behind the fork?

very interesting pic for sure.

what is that just below the seat stays, wondering if the brake is maybe situated there

Cavendish will ride the Tour of Switzerland this weekend. I would expect to see him on a 2016, if it exists. I don't think too many people would be keen to roll into the Tour on a bike they haven't raced yet. We might know more by Monday. :-)

So you wouldn't like to see a side-on shot now, then? ;)

As a brand, Culprit is constantly checking ourselves from being sued by the Big S or others as we are developing/planning new products. So I regularly check the big brands for patents. Upon a recent search, these 2 patents came up which I think are the bike in question.

Notice the brakes, they are likely hydraulic rim brakes behind the fork and off the stays/ seat tube.

https://www.google.com.tw/patents/US20140265222


Frame shape looks like their new aero road patents


https://www.google.com.tw/patents/US20140265228


This is only speculation, but will be fun to see what comes pre Tour de France.


Let me know if I am right or wrong of what you speculate things to be.

Looks like the bike I saw D'Aluisio riding with the cutout in the downtube :)

Interesting! Thanks for posting that. I'm curious to see that if they are hydraulic, how well it will be received....I'm sure just like the p5, there will be many for it, and many against.

Seems like they are taking a similar approach to the new madone in regards to the TT/HT junction and routing cables.

winner, winner, chicken dinner.

That is some weird rear brake placement. Can't believe the UCI approved that. Just goes to show that payoffs really do work.

Rear? Hell, look at the front....something really unique going on there. Can't quite make out all the details, but it appears to be highly proprietary.

---

Chicago Cubs - 2016 WORLD SERIES Champions!!!!

"If ever the time should come, when vain and aspiring men shall possess the highest seats in government, our country will stand in need of its experienced patriots to prevent its ruin." - Samuel Adams

Proprietary hydraulic brakes, very interesting! Aesthetically kind of reminds me of the Greek god Mercury's wings.

Are they hydraulic? Those don't look like the Shimano brifters on the roof of that car.

Definitely an interesting concept.

---

Chicago Cubs - 2016 WORLD SERIES Champions!!!!

"If ever the time should come, when vain and aspiring men shall possess the highest seats in government, our country will stand in need of its experienced patriots to prevent its ruin." - Samuel Adams

Hmmmm, integrated brakes that really work. Brakes with good power and modulation, along with easy adjustment to multiple rim widths, would be a true step forward.

The drawings show what looks like a hydraulic brake piston, that's the circle. Looks very much like the pistons on my mountain bike.

But yes, you're right, you would need either brake levers with a master cylinder or they'd need to build a cable to hydraulic converter into the system somewhere which has been pretty kludgy looking when I've seen it done previously.

Looks like they put the reservoir in the steerer tube for the front brake at least. Don't know how they'd get it to the rear brake from there. Probably another reservoir in the downtube.

My big curiosity is the stem and how they're doing the cable routing and fitting.

Why does that sketch look like the roubauix and not the Venge?

---

Jim

**Note above poster works for a retailer selling bikes and related gear*

Patent sketch.....type of bike is immaterial. It is about the brake design. Could have pictured it on a hybrid if they wanted.

---

Chicago Cubs - 2016 WORLD SERIES Champions!!!!

"If ever the time should come, when vain and aspiring men shall possess the highest seats in government, our country will stand in need of its experienced patriots to prevent its ruin." - Samuel Adams

Thank you, makes perfect sense now.

---

Jim

**Note above poster works for a retailer selling bikes and related gear*

But rest assured those brakes are going to pop up on the Roubaix, Tarmac etc too. You don't spend the development costs for something like that for just one modest-selling model.

Unlikely. The brakes on the Transition were re used for the Shiv, but that's hardly a volume line. They'll also be heavy compared to cable brakes making them undesirable on lightweight models.

I much prefer the new Madone.

---

Developing aero, fit and other fun stuff at Red is Faster

I'm going to have to respectfully disagree (not on the Madone though). I'm expecting a claim -- and as usual from Specialized it will be part real and part marketing hype -- that putting the front brakes there not only eliminates the drag of a traditional brake caliper there but reduces drag even more than a frame without that front brake.... by filling in part of the gap between fork and downtube. That potential benefit should also be claimable for putting the same front brakes on at least the UCI legal Shiv.

As to using it on lighter models, I doubt there is significant additional weight. The current Venge can come in fairly easily under the UCI limit, and is not at all a heavy bike and its unlikely Specialized is loading it down. That would hurt marketeing.
Its not like current road bike calipers weight zero, so there is an offset there that will probably cover all or nearly all of it. Probably the arms are carbon, for example.
Remember: aeroiseverything#. Many of their other frames are migrating in the aero direction.
It's one thing to gin up an odd little center or side pull spring brake, like, say, the P4 uses for the rear. Its a whole different ball game to come up with a proprietary hydraulic system like this, and they will be looking to spread some of those development costs around, and use this for marketing across several parts of the brand.
just my 2 cents.
Reasonable alternate possibilities include 1) yours, or 2) the thing doesnt work very well for one reason or another and bombs .. and they pull the plug on whatever plans they have for other models using it.
It's odd stuff to be sure. I don't dislike the look of it or the idea. It may turn out to be great. But jury is out until there are proper tests etc.
And I hate to think what happens if one of those front ones break in a way that dangling chunks get sucked up in wheel/fork. Its in a bad spot. Back ones too, but I less mind the idea of rear wheel locking up.