New Specialized Creo 2 is “the most capable drop bar ebike ever made”

Specialized has launched the Creo 2, following the Turbo Creo SL with a bike that features a host of changes designed to make it "the most capable" gravel ebike ever made.

The Creo 2 gets a more relaxed gravel-esque geometry, wider tyre clearance, a more powerful and efficient motor system and the Future Shock 3.0 suspension system first unveiled on the Roubaix SL8.

Specialized says it has also developed a new Turbo Operating System, accessible via the brand’s smartphone app, which brings mode customisation and over-the-air updates to the motor.

My first experience of the new electric gravel bike traversed tarmac and gravel in the coastal locale of Cascais, Portugal. While the Creo 2 has lost some of its road-bike qualities, it may have gained far more besides.

Gravel concessions

The Specialized Creo 2 appears to have emerged from its development chrysalis a changed animal.

The previous Turbo Creo SL was focused on the e-road bike market, but Specialized has taken a more holistic approach to the new bike's design.

It still has a Fact 11r carbon frame, but the geometry has been overhauled with a slack head tube, taller stack and shortened reach, which combined are intended to make the Creo 2 easier to handle on gravel.

Moreover, tyre clearance has been upped – Specialized says the new bike can accommodate up to 57mm/2.2in-wide tyres.

A lower-slung bottom bracket also features, which the brand says compensates for the extra ride height larger tyres bring about. Hence, it also claims the bike must run on a minimum of 38c tyres to avoid excess risk of bottoming out.

Given that tyre brands are creating ever-wider performance road tyres (the Pirelli P Zero Race TLR can be bought in a 700x40c size, for example), Specialized thinks the Creo 2’s road pedigree largely remains despite the geometry changes.

Up front, the bike uses the same Future Shock 3.0 suspension technology that debuted with the Specialized Roubaix SL8, intended to isolate the rider from the worst bumps gravel tracks can muster.

All bikes will feature the 3.3 or 3.2 variants – Future Shock 3.3 has a fluid damper with adjustable settings, while the 3.2 version drops the on-the-fly adjustability and is always set in the softest, open position.

Specialized says it will provide the same three spring options and five preload spacers with every bike, as it does with the Roubaix SL8.

At the rear, all bikes come with a dropper post of varying specification – Specialized says this opens up the possibility of taking on rough singletrack and technical terrain.

The brand has also included mudguard mounts, plus mounting points for various racks and luggage bags.

The front and rear can accommodate pannier racks, while the fork legs feature bosses for further luggage storage.

The seat tube bottle cage also acts as a holster for Specialized’s range extender.

Specialized SL 1.2 motor

Specialized says the SL 1.2 motor system is “the most efficient e-bike system out there”.

It claims it delivers 33 per cent more peak power than the previous SL 1.1 motor (up to 320 watts) and 43 per cent more torque (50Nm).

In the EU and UK, of course, the rated motor power sticks to the mandated-by-law 250 watts and 25kph. In the US, it offers pedal assistance up to 45km/h.

The brand claims it has worked to reduce energy wastage, pointing out that “other systems, like TQ, waste up to 40 per cent of the watt-hours (charge) stored in their battery”.

It says the efficiency rating of the SL 1.2 motor is “80 per cent”, whereby 80 per cent of the power drawn from the battery is turned into pedal assistance.

The closest rival Specialized has published test results for is the Fazua Ride 60 system, at around 78 per cent. However, it hasn’t disclosed a comparison against big players Bosch, Yamaha or Mahle.

Nevertheless, the motor’s efficiency is claimed to stem from the link-up between high RPMs (revolutions per minute).

Specialized says electric bike motors spin most efficiently at 4,000-5,000 RPM, and its internal reducer gears enable its motor to spin in this range, while enabling the rider to adopt a “comfortable” cadence of around 90 RPM.

The internal battery carries a 320Wh capacity, which (in UK/EU spec) Specialized says can deliver up to 75km/47mi of pedal assistance, while covering up to 1,900m of elevation gain in Eco mode.

In the US, the Eco mode is said to be able to offer up 70km/43mi of pedal assistance, covering 1,500m of elevation.

The range extender adds a further 160Wh of capacity. Specialized says this translates to up to 112km/70mi of range, with 2,850m climbing for UK/EU-spec bikes, and 105km/65mi with 2,250m of climbing in the US.

Specialized concedes “terrain, rider weight, power assist level, and even pedalling cadence all impact range”, but we’re told these figures are based on extensive real-world testing.

Ashley Quinlan’s Specialized Creo 2 Expert first ride impressions

I had a chance to sample the Specialized Creo 2 Expert on a launch event shared with the Roubaix SL8.

I took on a steady 38km route, which jumped between sections of tarmac and gravel. The route didn’t push the realms of gravel riding technicality, save for the odd compression and stint of rougher singletrack.

It was enough to demonstrate the bike’s wide-ranging capability. I felt comfortable and in control on the rough stuff, and very much as though I wasn’t pushing the bike’s limit at all.

The motor is remarkably smooth and quiet, and put me in broad mind of the Mavic X-Tend prototype I rode earlier this year.

The range predictions might be slightly optimistic at first glance (I had dropped to 38 per cent battery by the end of my ride with no extender installed, having covered 656m of elevation).

That said, those figures aren’t far-fetched given I weigh over 80kg and weight is considered one of the biggest range killers of all.

The motor delivered power in a ‘natural’ way, and is certainly tuned to function at higher cadences.

I couldn’t use the torque at lower cadences to ‘get me out of jail’ when I mis-geared, so I found I still needed to be in the right gear for the terrain ahead.

Motor aside, the handling felt very predictable, and made what was on occasion a daunting route (for me, at least) very achievable, which bodes well for more technical rides in the future.

The Future Shock system (3.3, in this case) felt in its element, and worked well with the 700x42c Specialized Tracer Pro tyres to smooth the ride. Stock bikes will come with wider models, but I enjoyed the mixed-terrain capability of the 42c variants here.

There’s lots of tunability there, and just like for range testing, far more riding is needed to fully unlock the bike’s potential and find out what it can really do.

A future long-term test bike, perhaps, could be in the offing.

Specialized Creo 2 availability, prices and specifications

The Specialized Creo 2 is available from today, with the top-spec S-Works model costing £12,000/$14,000/€13,000/AU$20,500. This includes a SRAM Red eTap AXS-Eagle XX1 mullet drivetrain and Roval Terra CLX II wheels.

The Creo 2 Expert and Comp models are priced at £7,500/$9,000/€8,500/AU$14,000 and £5,000/$6,500/€6,000/AU$10,500, respectively.

All bikes feature a Fact 11r carbon frame and the new Specialized SL 1.2 motor system.

Specialized S-Works Creo 2

• Price: £12,000/$14,000/€13,000/AU$20,50
• Frame: Creo 2, Fact 11r carbon
• Fork: Creo 2, Fact carbon
• Future Shock: 3.3
• Groupset: SRAM Red eTap AXS/XX1 Eagle
• Power meter: Yes
• Wheels: Roval Terra CLX II
• Seatpost: SRAM Reverb AXS dropper
• Tyres: Specialized Tracer Pro, 700x47c

Specialized Creo 2 Expert

• Price: £7,500/$9,000/€8,500/AU$14,000
• Frame: Creo 2, Fact 11r carbon
• Fork: Creo 2, Fact carbon
• Future Shock: 3.3
• Groupset: SRAM Rival eTap AXS/GX Eagle
• Power meter: Yes
• Wheels: Roval Terra C
• Seatpost: Trans-X dropper
• Tyres: Specialized Tracer Pro, 700x47c

Specialized Creo 2 Comp

• Price: £5,000/$6,500/€6,000/AU$10,500
• Frame: Creo 2, Fact 11r carbon
• Fork: Creo 2, Fact carbon
• Future Shock: 3.2
• Groupset: SRAM Apex AXS/X1 Eagle
• Power meter: Yes
• Wheels: DT Swiss G540
• Seatpost: Trans-X dropper
• Tyres: Specialized Tracer Pro, 700x47c