A Closer Look at
The HotChillee Ride Captains' Specialized Bikes
As premium cycling events company HotChillee celebrate their 15th anniversary, they welcome a renewed partnership with leading bike brand Specialized, joining 2018 Ride Captain sponsors Sigma Sports, Maserati, Wattbike, Wahoo, Boa Closure System, Pro Cycle Insurance, Strava, Forth Edge, and Sportique.
We caught up with just a few of the Ride Captains at HotChillee's February monthly ride to find out how they are getting on riding their fleet of Specialized bikes.
Jonathan Packer
Specialized Roubaix Pro Road Bike
New to the HotChillee Ride Captain team, Jonathan Packer has chosen to ride a Specialized Roubaix Pro Road Bike for the 2018 season.
“When we got the amazing news that Specialized were the chosen bike brand for 2018, I immediately had my fingers crossed for a Roubaix. These bikes are held in high regard, are tried and tested, and I had heard good things about the current model."
"Heading out on our maiden voyage at the first HotChillee monthly supported group ride, the best way to describe the ride on the Roubaix is like you're sitting on a magic carpet. Although the frame is the stiffest version yet due to the FACT 11r carbon fibre construction, it feels extremely light underneath you and super smooth on the Surrey roads, not to mention super fast!
The 28mm tyres with the Roval CL 32 Disc Carbon Wheels smooth out rough surfaces, while the Future Shock suspension, Zertz CG-R, FACT Carbon Fibre Seatpost complements the package for, in my eyes, the best all round bike.
I am super excited to take this bike out on a wide range of HotChillee rides and adventures this year and I can definitely see my Strava account getting more than it bargained for in 2018.”
Juliette Clark
Specialized S-Works Tarmac SL6 Di2 Womens Road Bike
HotChillee's Head Ride Captain, Juliette Clark has chosen to ride a Specialized S-Works Tarmac SL6 Di2 Womens Road Bike for the 2018 season.
"From the first ride this bike felt amazing. It is light, incredibly fast, and very stiff when putting the power down through the bottom bracket, yet does not compromise when it comes to compliance. Women often have to make adjustments to reach a truly optimised set up, but with this bike the finer details are already catered for. Although the frame geometry is standard across women’s and men’s Tarmac platforms, the women’s model uses different components. The narrower handlebar width gets a big tick from me."
"My 52cm bike does not feel like a scaled down version of a standard 56cm, and Specialized’s Rider-First Engineered™ technology is easy to spot as it handles superbly. With bike & rider weighing in around 61kg, I am amazed how confident I feel negotiating 20mph plus winds. The wider tyres and aerodynamic design mean this bike just cuts through the air and really holds its speed. In fact, I felt so confident with this bike that on only my second serious outing I rode 200kms."
David Sidgwick
Specialized Venge ViAS Pro Road Bike
A diesel on two wheels, HotChillee Ride Captain, David Sidgwick, is riding the Specialized Venge ViAS Pro Disc Road Bike this season.
“I’m very pleased to be riding a Specialized Venge ViAS this year. It looks fast, even when it’s standing still, and no pictures do the beautiful paintwork justice. My first HotChillee event this year is the Cape Rouleur in South Africa, where I’ll be leading Group One. I’m expecting to spend a lot of time on the front of the group, riding into the Western Cape’s famous headwinds and I’ll be on lead-out duty for the racing sections, so the Venge is the perfect machine for the job."
"My first impression from riding the bike was just how fast it feels. The acceleration is instant when you put the hammer down and once up to speed, it seems to hold the pace effortlessly. This isn’t just a bike for straight, flat roads either. It corners like it’s on rails and it climbs beautifully too. It’s a thoroughbred race bike, but it’s also comfortable to ride at more relaxed speeds when you’re not in such a hurry. Aero road bikes have a reputation for their harsh ride, but the Venge feels good over even some of Surrey’s worst roads."
