Hot on the heels of the Creo 2’s launch last September, Specialized has announced it will be adding an aluminium version of the electric road and gravel bike - the E5 Comp. This will retain most of the features that make the Creo 2 such a versatile e-bike, but with a £1,000 lower price tag. That gets it down to £4,000...
What’s the Specialized Creo like?
The Creo 2 has moved away from being a road-only machine, as the first generation version was, and has adopted a more relaxed stance on the terrain it is suited for. The newer (carbon) version has clearance for 29” x 2.2in tyres, a dropper post as standard and the updated SL1.2 motor system.
The SL1.2 is a pretty lightweight motor - if the claims are to believed, it weighs just 1.95kg. That’s the same as its predecessor but supposedly with a 33% increase in power to 320W maximum (250W nominal), and a 43% increase in torque (now 50Nm).
Specialized has also said that the motor is extremely quiet – and this was backed by our off-road.cc colleague Suvi, who had a go on the Creo 2 when it launched.
What’s different about the alloy version?
There's a subtly different spec on the new E5 Comp model, but that doesn't mean it's any less capable.
Most obviously, the bike comes with an E5 aluminium frame and also with 38mm tyres. You can still run tyres up to 47mm in width, however.
It doesn’t get a dropper seatpost as standard either. There are also some small changes to the geometry, with it now leaning more towards endurance rather than a racing position. This is something Specialized has put down to the difference in frame material and the way the bike is constructed rather than an overly conscious decision to redesign the ride experience.
So what does it retain? Well you still get the same SL1.2 motor, with an integrated 320Wh battery. The weight is still pretty good too – a claimed 15.12kg in size 56.
SRAM is also a feature on the alloy model. It uses the Apex 12-speed groupset with a 44T chainring and 11-50t cassette for plenty of gearing range.
You also get Future Shock 3.0 with 10mm of travel in the cockpit. Specialized claims this reduces impacts by 53%. Anyone who’s been, well, anywhere off-road in the UK will likely appreciate this.
The biggest selling point is likely the price. You can now get your hands on a Creo 2 for £4,000 in the E5 Comp model. That’s £1,000 less than the carbon equivalent, and you still get the same drive system for just 650g more.
The Creo 2 E5 Comp is now available to order from Specialized’s website and Specialized retailers.
