Love at first ride: The Specialized Turbo Creo 2 Comp gravel e-bike
Enlarge / The Specialized Turbo Creo 2 Comp taking a break from central Illinois gravel. (credit: Eric Bangeman)
If the question is “what is the ideal number of bikes to own,” the answer is usually “n+1.” Whether you are into gravel trails, BMX, mountain biking, road biking, or cyclecross, there’s a bike for that. But after spending a couple of months riding the Specialized Turbo Creo 2 Comp, the answer could actually be n.
The $6,500 Turbo Creo 2 Comp is a gravel e-bike that Specialized calls “category defying.” It looks the result of an illicit tryst between a gravel bike and a mountain bike. With the motor, the is a double-duty road-plus-gravel machine—at least that’s what Specialized claims. And it turns out Specialized is on to something.
The proportions on the Creo are spot-on. You can see the charging port for the integrated battery near the bottom of the seat tube (credit: Eric Bangeman)
The Turbo Creo 2 Comp is certainly eye-catching. Not only is the “Harvest Gold” colorway easy on the eyes, but the thickness of the downtube and tires also grab the viewer’s attention. The massive downtube is necessary because that’s where the 320 Wh integrated battery lives. The chunky, mountain-bike-appropriate 700 x 47 tires, however, are a statement of intent by the Creo 2 Comp, screaming, “Ride me anywhere you want—I’m up for it.”
