Ninja stars. Throwing axe. Machete.
After stabbing the Specialized Alibi with everything we could find – including items like screws, nails, and glass that you might actually find on the road – the bike kept rolling. This new bike from Specialized just might change the cycling industry.
If you are looking for a low-maintenance “ready-when-you-are” bike then look no further than the Specialized Alibi. This bike has all of the standard features of a comfortable and fast recreational bike, but with one very big difference: solid tires.
The non-pneumatic tires of the Alibi are solid rubber. The outside of the tire has tread typical of a recreational bike. You probably wouldn’t notice any differences looking at the tire except for the missing valve stem. Even touching and squeezing the tires, most cyclists would not notice any differences.
Most importantly the tires ride well. Expert cyclists might notice a difference when riding the Alibi. The tires are firm – like they were filled to their max PSI. But this bike isn’t made for the high-performance cyclist. To the recreational biker, the differences are virtually unnoticeable.
Solid tires are not new to the cycling world but because of weight and performance, they haven’t been very popular. For the Alibi, Specialized created a tire that performs like similar tires in the recreational category. The tire is firm but still has a cushion. Combined that the relaxed geometry of the Alibi frame and you get a comfortable ride.
The tires do weigh more than pneumatic ones, but only slightly. Lower-end bikes similar to the Alibi in the recreational category weigh considerably more overall due to the heavier material used to make the bike. For most cyclists, the small trade-offs are well worth the peace of mind to know you never need to worry about having a flat again.
Having a bike that is always ready to ride will make it easier for recreational bikers to get out and ride. The easier it is to ride, the more people will bike. The more people bike, the better it is for all cyclists. Maybe saying the Specialized Alibi will change the cycling industry is a bit much… Or maybe it isn’t.
Test ride the Specialized Alibi and decide for yourself. Check it out at your local ERIK’S today.