Versatility is the name of the game, so while it features an ‘Open Road’ geometry that might be familiar to those who favour an endurance-flavoured ride, there’s the full weight of the big S’s technological weight thrown behind it.

That includes a FutureShock suspension unit that protrudes from the headtube, which gives it its raised ‘Open Road’ shape at the front end complete with higher stack.

There should be plenty of verve to be extracted on the road too, with shortened chainstays and a lowered BB386 bottom bracket to provide a road-bike-like stable platform for accelerations and sharp handling.

Its gravel focus is clear with the supplied rolling stock – 700c 38mm lightly nobbled Specialized Trigger Pro folding rubber shod to Axis Elite Disc hoops. While the rubber isn’t suited for really grimy cyclocross action, its more than capable of dealing with gravel and short off-road stints, as well as steady road action, while the frame itself will accommodate up to 42mm rubber (and even 47mm if you opt to run 650b standard wheels).

This machine isn’t the all-singing all dancing S-Works version with an 880g claimed frame weight, but the entire build here comes in at a nevertheless decent 10.93kg in a large (56cm) frame size. Time will tell if it can impress us on the road as much as it promises to off it.

Website: Specialized

Something for the weekend showcases our pick of the latest tech to arrive at RoadCyclingUK. You can see more here.