What is the black thing on Spec bikes?

[roguedog]

Ok.. I keep seeing this and keep wondering but I'm not looking to buy so I tell myself I don't really care.. 'cept I keep seeing 'em and wondering the same the damn question. I give in.. can someone tell me what the heck is that thing on Specialized bikes that looks like a tool bag at the junction of the seat tube and the downtube sitting on the bottom bracket??

It only seems the plague certain models also..

Here's a sample pic:

https://www.specialized.com/us/en/s-works-roubaix-sram-etap/p/134017?color=240099-134017

[vqdriver]

Curious myself. Part of their swat system?? Dunno

[JimmyTango]

It’s like a trunk. Ya know, for your luggage. Not kidding.

[mcteague]

Its an integrated tool box.

https://www.specialized.com/us/en/equipment/bike-accessories/swat-storage/c/swatstorage

Tim

[Cicli]

Trunk.

In my opinion it is far better than some of these scrotum looking saddle bags some people run. :banana:

[happycampyer]

It’s an integrated urinal for triathletes.

[oldpotatoe]

It’s an integrated urinal for triathletes.

'junk in trunk'....:eek:

[Dirtdiggler]

storing your legal documents or asthma medicine

[ultraman6970]

LOL, i was thinking in the samething :)

Dont know, but if you/they can manipulate the carbon pretty good, why not do something better like compartments in the top tube or something, that thing looks very bad, but is always a thing having a product to sell and there will be always somebody that will spend 10k in a bike like that also. Just amazing.

There is a waster bottle case for stuff, that is more appealing to me than this like electric bike battery thing.

[bikeridah]

It's the motor.

I was told by spesh dealer clerk that they put it there in lieu of a saddle bag in order to lower the center of gravity...no joking.

[CMiller]

I actually dig the quirky SWAT stuff, take the integration of custom randonneurs and let Specialized engineers take over haha

Honestly I'd love a keyed welded storage box on my steel city bike, less likely to get a tool or tube stolen (it happens)

[vqdriver]

The SWAT idea is actually excellent. You've got these ginormous carbon tubes which are basically just empty space. Why not put a plastic door and utilize the inside? Some of those down tubes are big enough to fit a burrito. And to hide that door behind a bottle cage location like they do on mountain bikes seems far more pleasing to the eye then what they did in this instance.

[pavel]

Wow, that is one hideous bike!!

[adub]

It’s an integrated urinal for triathletes.

"Catheter tubes sold separately"

[Cicli]

"Catheter tubes sold separately"

Tri people dont use those. They just piss all over their bikes.

[54ny77]

wow. ya know, i'd been giving thought to selling my older tarmac sl and trying something new. clicked on the specialized link above for first time in ages.

guess i must have missed the memo where the entry price jumped to 5 figures. :eek:

thank you. i think i'll continue to enjoy my older tarmac, which is probably 64.2% worse than the new one, but on the upside, it's likely 18.7% better than the model before mine, so there's that. ;)

[roguedog]

Ah thanks guys. Mystery solved.

Interesting.. Reading into the SWAT stuff (had to look it up (https://www.specialized.com/us/en/stories/swat-technology)).

I assume then the black container can be removed if you wanted to stay traditional and keep the look cleaner? I'm not sure I'm into it but maybe it's just I need to get used to it. I was wondering if perhaps that's what it was since it looks like what Cervelo put on their p5x (https://www.cervelo.com/en/triathlon/p-series/p5x/engineering) but I couldn't get why they'd do that on a road bike.

Also for those frames that have the storage embedded in the frame, I have a "cool but huh?" reaction. Wouldn't that mean they'd have to reinforce the tubing around it thus adding weight and then having to adjust for the ride qualities as well?