Turbo Creo SL
Origin
Specialized entered the drop-bar e-bike market in 2019 with the Turbo Creo SL, arriving after the brand had already proven its Turbo Levo (e-MTB) and Turbo Vado (e-city) platforms. Rather than bolt a heavy, powerful motor onto a road frame, Specialized developed a purpose-built lightweight system: the in-house SL 1.1 mid-motor paired with a compact 320Wh battery, aimed at a bike that rides like a normal road bike but flattens the hills. It borrowed the Future Shock micro-suspension from the Roubaix endurance road bike, giving the Creo genuine cobble-and-broken-tarmac comfort. The Creo SL was widely credited with kicking off the modern lightweight e-road category and, in EVO gravel guise, extended the concept off-road. In 2023 Specialized replaced it with the more powerful Turbo Creo 2, so the original SL is now the used-market classic.
Specifications
- Frame
- Carbon (FACT 11r on S-Works, FACT 9r on Expert/Comp Carbon) or E5 Premium Aluminium (Comp E5)
- Weight
- kg
- Drivetrain
- 1x by trim: S-Works Dura-Ace Di2 + XTR / Expert SRAM Rival eTap AXS / Comp Shimano GRX (wide-range cassette)
- Brakes
- Hydraulic disc: Shimano Dura-Ace (S-Works) / SRAM Rival or GRX (Expert/Comp); 160mm rotors
- Wheels
- Roval carbon (CLX 50 / C38 on carbon trims) or DT R470 Boost alloy (Comp E5); 12x148 rear / 12x110 front thru-axle
The verdict
- Class-leading light weight for an e-road bike (~12-13kg) - handles and descends like a normal bike
- SL 1.1 motor delivers exceptionally natural, proportional assist that few rivals matched at launch
- Future Shock front-end plus endurance geometry make it genuinely comfortable over long, rough rides
- Motor is audible at speed and there's a slight delay off the line before assist engages
- Modest 320Wh internal battery means the Range Extender is near-essential for big days (extra cost/weight)
- Premium pricing, especially carbon/S-Works trims; parts (Roval wheels, Future Shock) are proprietary
Generations
Creo SL (2019-2022)
- Original lightweight platform; carbon (S-Works/Expert/Comp) and alloy (Comp E5) trims, road + EVO gravel
Turbo Creo 2 (2023+, successor)
- More powerful successor - NOT this model; listed only to date the original SL as the used classic
Versions & builds
Every official build side by side — differences highlighted.
| Spec | S-Works Turbo Creo SL | Turbo Creo SL Expert | Turbo Creo SL Expert EVO | Turbo Creo SL Comp Carbon | Turbo Creo SL Comp E5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | 2020 | 2020 | 2020 | 2021 | 2021 |
| Frame | FACT 11r carbon | FACT 9r carbon | FACT 9r carbon (gravel setup) | FACT 9r carbon | E5 Premium Aluminium |
| Drivetrain | Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 + XTR 1x | SRAM Rival eTap AXS 1x | SRAM Rival eTap AXS 1x | Shimano GRX 1x | Shimano GRX 1x |
| Brakes | Shimano Dura-Ace hydraulic | SRAM Rival hydraulic | SRAM Rival hydraulic | Shimano GRX hydraulic | Shimano GRX hydraulic |
| MSRP | €12,499 | €8,000 | €8,500 | €6,500 | €5,000 |
| Purpose | Flagship | Balanced | Balanced | Value | Value |
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