Specialized Shiv Build
images by Nick Salazar
Apr 30, 2013  hits 254,426

TriRig Service Course
TriRig Service Course
This is the Dash Cycles seatpost/saddle combo. The combo reduces frontal area and weight while still providing tilt and setback adjustment. Just make sure you know and love the Dash saddle you're using first, before taking the plunge.
This is the Dash Cycles seatpost/saddle combo. The combo reduces frontal area and weight while still providing tilt and setback adjustment. Just make sure you know and love the Dash saddle you're using first, before taking the plunge.
Previous Photo
Next Photo

This might be the best-looking Shiv you'll ever see. After months of planning, preparing, hoarding gear, and showing you teaser shots, TriRig's Specialized Shiv build is complete. This is my personal ride, and a build I care a lot about. It's dressed in several prototype TriRig products, got a full custom treatment for internal Di2 routing, and there's nude carbon everywhere. But just because it's complete doesn't mean it's finished - I'll continue to tweak certain components as the year goes on (like, for example, upgrading the Ultegra Di2 to Dura-Ace Di2). For more info on this stunning Shiv, click through to the full article.

Back to article: Specialized Shiv Build


Tags » dash,  di2group,  flocycling,  frames,  lightning,  rigs,  servicecourse,  shiv,  specialized,  supersized,  tririg
  • This is the TriRig build of the Specialized Shiv. In this shot it's shown with the stock Specialized seat post, a Dash Tri.7 saddle, and FLO Cycling wheels (60 front, 90 rear).
  • With the components in this picture, the bike comes in at exactly 18.7 lbs. Not bad at all, but hey, this is TriRig! We can do better.
  • Now, if we swap out those wheels and use an integrated Dash Cycles seatpost/saddle combo, the weight drops a LOT. See the next picture to find out just how much.
  • As pictured here, the bike weighs a scant 16.3 lbs. That's right, it lost nearly two-and-a-half POUNDS! And that's with Ultegra Di2. That's a function of the FLO wheels being on the heavy side, and the Dash/ENVE wheelset being very, very, VERY light. The next change on the horizon for this bike will be an upgrade from Ultegra Di2 to Dura-Ace Di2. That'll put the weight in the 15's. With Di2. That's incredible.
  • This same image was published in our recent article on the Alpha aerobar, but it bears repeating here. In my opinion, the Shiv is an incredible machine whose full potential isn't realized with the stock hardware. With the upgrades of the TriRig Omega brake, Sigma stem, and Alpha aerobar, this bike is an absolute monster. The frontal profile is at a minimum, and not a single cable sticks out in the wind. This is my idea of what a tri bike should be.
  • To keep things ultra-clean, I modified the frame with a little port for the Di2 wires, so they could exit directly from the TriRig Sigma stem and into the frame. This action clearly voids any warranty, and isn't endorsed by Specialized, so don't try this at home. But the benefit was being able to stuff everything I didn't want into the frame.
  • As seen here, the Di2 adjustment box is still accessible via a window at the top of the Sigma stem. So all functionality was maintained, and all the cables hidden. Win-win.
  • And here's another shot of how the Di2 cables exit the Sigma stem and enter the frame.
  • I'm a huge sucker for nude carbon, which is why virtually every component on this bike has some.
  • One of the great things about standard, non-proprietary interfaces is that everything here can be easily adjusted, maintained, or broken down for travel with very little effort. Although this looks like a completely integrated front end, every part is completely modular, replaceable, and won't leave you in a bind if something were to go wrong during race week.
  • Another thing I love about the Shiv: it uses BB30 (Specialized still calls it OSBB, but they're now identical). This means I get to use my favorite crankset, the Lightning SL. This one is 165mm - I switched to 165's about two years ago, and never looked back. I slapped on the equally-awesome Fibre-Lyte chainrings and the TriRig Mercury pedals. I don't think there's a lighter production crankset/pedal combo anywhere.
  • The Dash Tri.7 was the obvious choice for the Shiv. Also shown in this gallery is an integrated Dash seatpost/saddle combo, which saves about 50 grams.
  • And yes, after so many of you demanded it, I developed a version of the Omega brake just for the Shiv (and other bikes that use the same two-post TRP mount). These will be available in a couple months.
  • The Shiv-compatible Omega, called the Omega SV, works front and rear. A lot of riders will appreciate how easy it is to adjust versus the stock brake. And the BB cover plate is still accessible with the brake on - I'll explain it all when the brake is closer to production.
  • The Shiv front end.
  • This is the Dash Cycles seatpost/saddle combo. The combo reduces frontal area and weight while still providing tilt and setback adjustment. Just make sure you know and love the Dash saddle you're using first, before taking the plunge.
  • These Dash combos are not for the feint of wallet, but they are one of the coolest things I've seen in a while, and another testament to the creative genius living at Dash Cycles.
  • Dash has recently revised the retention mechanism for their seatpost/saddle combos, to make things a little easier to use. Now all the bolts are accessed from the top, and none from the side.
  • The Dash Cycles Gretchen is like the Holy Grail of disc wheels. At 770g, it's incredibly light, and the 21mm rim width is a nice middle ground between traditional narrow rims and the new wave of wider, big-tire-friendly wheels.
  • And our last secret weapon in the war on grams: the incredibly exotic Tune U20 skewers. They weigh just 21 grams FOR THE PAIR. Yep, twenty one grams. For comparison, a set of Dura-Ace 9000 skewers weighs 127 grams. We are going to publish a little skewer shootout in a few weeks.

Related Articles
Not only was this the most fun I’ve ever had building up a bike, but the final product is quite easily the best road bike I've ever ridden.
We pulled out all the stops to build a sub-16lb Omni, complete with some pretty special customization.
The new Orbea Ordu OMP is a standard-design bike with superbike pedigree. Check out our full review of the new whip.
Here's a detailed look at the Shiv of Ironman World Champion Craig Alexander, now complete with TriRig Omega brakes!
Following his win at the inaugural Ironman Boulder, we caught up with Justin Daerr and gave his bike an aerodynamic overhaul.