New York City is home to enthusiasts of just about every niche hobby and subculture imaginable (we see you Gowanus Canal canoe club and Central Park LARPers) and the same is true for cycling. Gravel grinders, roadies, even mountain bikers all thrive in and around our hometown. But it’s not easy. And access is uneven. Despite the city’s reputation as one of the few major American cities where car ownership is optional, getting out for a long ride means putting in some serious miles to get north of the city and onto quieter roads—one can only spin so many laps in Prospect and Central Park before starting to feel like you’re in an endless crit race littered with hot dog carts, errant frisbees, and the AirPod-addled pedestrians.
In short you’ve gotta hustle for your rides in the city and then do it all over again to get home. But there’s a better way. A new way. One that’s both absolutely beautiful and genuinely innovative. Enter the Specialized Turbo Creo SL electric lineup of dream machines. E-bikes? Technically yes, but they are so much more than a bike with a motor slapped on. At every turn the Turbo Creo SL line defies category. To the point that one can’t help but wonder: does the Creo mark the start of a new sport altogether? We think so. Here’s why.