Im more of a MTB background, but seeing disc brakes finally be available on a wide array of road bikes makes me happy. Yeah, they are "heavier", but the trade off is significant: stiffer, more aerodynamic and lighter rims given no brake surface on rim, braking in rain is much more predictable, and brake-fade is almost zero.
That's cool. My 2011 Scott has alloy wheels and rim brakes and weighs 15.3 pounds. whats your point? a good pair of correctly set up rim brakes are just as good as any road Hydraulic system. Mountain is another story but I don't see anyone putting Magura MT1893's on road bikes anytime soon.
I have SRAM force Hydro on my cross bike and Sram Red Aero Links on my roadie. I've ridden plenty on both in all manner of conditions. nothing you nor the industry can say will prove to me differently then to how I know they perform relative to each other.
Another great review, Ben. Your comment "if it doesn't fit you, it doesn't matter" with regards to integrated barstems should be a guiding principle for all equipment purchases. Also love the refreshingly anti-hype tone of your "...bike of the future? Perhaps." commentary. Some thoughts on your concerns about 4iiii's power meters: Their not registering 100%/0% when pedaling one-legged would seem an unavoidable consequence of the physics of how crankarm flex based power meters measure power. 4iiii could theoretically calibrate their software to cancel out known variables like the crankarm's rotational inertia given that they know the mass, mass distribution, flex characteristics, and rotational velocity of that part. Not sure whether they've done this, but the math would seem pretty straight-forward. However, as you hypothesized, the pedal is harder to control for as weights vary significantly between pedals and by amounts sufficient, particularly at lower power outputs and higher RPMs (where micro-accelerations in the pedal stroke become amplified), to cross the 99.5%/.5% balance threshold as measured at the strain gauges. This would in turn reasonably be rounded up to 99%/1%. Assuming 4iiii did calibrate for cranks's rotational inertia as previously mentioned, they could enable users to input pedal mass into that algorithm via their smartphone app. All that said, as far as the accuracy of these power meters outside of the extreme example of one-legged pedaling, this would have a negligible effect left-right balance and overall power measurement accuracy that is likely well within the 1.5% claimed accuracy. Also, though power meters that use a spider's rotational torque or other methods of power measurement may not register this particular phenomenon, they do have their own particular calibration challenges and accuracy limitations.
Excellent review!!..disc brakes are here to stay..eventually you’ll see lightweight full carbon discs that will closely match rim brake bikes in weight
Specialized has got coolness & forward thinking in spades. When Shimano goes wireless it will be heading truly in the right direction. On a bike of this level seeing those wires out the back and battery in a seat post is antiquated. It may be far from broken but it’s not Shimano’s culture of cutting edge. It’s time to bring your genius and blow us away again Shimano. I believe it’s coming, wanna bet?
Great review. Do the replacement chainrings shift as smoothly as Shimano's? Pre-installed in-house power meters are Nav systems in cars - too prescribed & dated. Tarmac's a solid race/performance bike but nothing 'special' in the looks department. That flesh-tone tire may perform well on this red/white & black bike, but uuuugly.
@@solefreak2 No road bike in the world can justify a price tag of over £3000 unless it is a hand build 1 of a kind niche bike. Bikes are not complicated machines. The designs have not changed drastically for years yet the prices still go up instead of down
@@ilikelampshades6 I'd agree with you which is why I'd never pay over that amount for one. Also don't like the idea of buying new, these bikes lose money pretty much straight away.
Responsible riders always carry a muti-tool. Its is a non-issue to the prepared. Bonus points makes the bike lighter, aero, and don't have to worry about the direction that the QR lever is pointed.
I’d love to know why nearly every bike comes with Shimano these days it seems to me I would like to have the option of different Company’s groupsets i’m a bit bored with just the option of Shimano.
Great review. My only issue with this bike, is the price. Oh, and on a superficial point their colour schemes don't enthrall me or the Decals. again especially for the price.
is it possible that the specialized power meter is in fact so sensitive, that the 95%/5% readings are actually accurate? and that the other power meters mentioned register 100%/0% because they are not sensitive enough? 95/5 does seem kind of extreme for a flopping pedal though...
Most accurate? The SRM Science Road model "Precisely measure power to within 0.5% of error." Their Podiiiium series is +/- 1.5, Data accuracy, the Pro series +/- 1% error margin. Well less expensive then SRM it's still the same as Specialized specific SRM at +/- 1.0%.
AnTeallach2011 for now. As disc brakes become more and more normal, the next generation of bicyclists won't see them as "weird" and will actually find them more attractive than rim brakes simply because they work better. I'm part of that generation and all of my friends hate rim brakes and are saving up to upgrade to discs for our next bikes.
Disc brakes who cares. Watts/kg, ftp, vo2max that is what is important fixating on anything else is a waste of time. I bet your disc brakes did not assist with zwift times 😁
Disk brakes work oh-so-well on a brand new bike. Sure. Wait 2 years or 20,000 kms, whichever is sooner, after glazed pads and expensive replacements, warped rotors, system bleeds and a dirty dragging piston on one side, you'll be wondering why you got rid of such a simple lightweight user friendly brake like the current rim brake, something that hasn't even finished its development cycle; rim coatings and pad materials still offer improvements as do direct mount. Disk brakes offer better braking in the wet, no better in the dry and are 300% more complicated. I've got 25 plus years wrenching on car, motorcycle and mountain bike disk brakes. Please don't rush in thinking you are going to get much better brakes with zero maintenance, understand the industry are pushing disks and be wary. I'm not saying don't buy a disk brake bike, but think clearly about where you will be using them and if you really need them.
i agree in part but when you look at how clean the seat stays and fork look without any brake stuff in there, you might appreciate the aesthetics of disc brake frames/forks.
Disc brakes are a way for companies to take money off you Nothing more nothing less Don't be fooled ,overpriced, overhyped ,and make any road bike look like a pair of granny knickers.
Discs are not "better" they are different and are good in some situations but not all. Anyone who knows anything about engineering and physics knows that... don't make me list it all out.
Roadies are such luddites. They're the only non-disc braked wheeled vehicle in the world and they're still arguing for using rubber pads to slow them down. What will it take?
That's odd because I also ride MTBs and would never have a V-brake MTB or even ride clipless. Disks and flats all the way. But I prefer rim brakes and SPDs on a road bike, because it's what I prefer and a it's a totally different kind of bike. Just as you wouldn't put knobbly tires on a Suzuki Huyabusa.
Ben's reviews are the best out there. Simple, honest and free of hype. No superlatives, just the details. Great review.
Thanks!
totally agreed....bike radar is now boring without him...
Love his reviews! He should do them all!
i'm a simple man. i hear Ben Delaney, i click like.
Very nice video. You are my favorite BR journalist!
Love your honesty!
I consistently find myself looking to your videos for good clear unbiased reviews
I love Ben's videos. Great job as per usual.
Looks and sounds like it's taken the top bike competition to another level. Has to be the elite racing road bike to go for.
I love your reviewing style. I see criticism where it needs to be and positive feedback where it is earned. Keep it up! Greetings from Belgium
Love it! I love my current Tarmac Disc, best bike I've had.
Clean simplicity - beautiful!
Best reviews out there. All you need to know. Nothing you don’t
Thanks for watching and glad you enjoyed the review!
Right to the point. A great review style.
Excellent review, Ben is so good. Thank you! Looks like a great bike btw.
Thanks Ben for the no nonsense review!
Im more of a MTB background, but seeing disc brakes finally be available on a wide array of road bikes makes me happy. Yeah, they are "heavier", but the trade off is significant: stiffer, more aerodynamic and lighter rims given no brake surface on rim, braking in rain is much more predictable, and brake-fade is almost zero.
Superb paint job - registers high on my wow factor meter.
agreed wholly Ben is the straight shooter and therefore much more enjoyable reviews
This is a great review and does show the way the industry is will be growing
Refreshingly balanced, practicality focused, and well though out. I’m very impressed. Keep up the good work!!
Truth: disc brakes are better and heavier. Spot on.
That's cool. My 2011 Scott has alloy wheels and rim brakes and weighs 15.3 pounds. whats your point? a good pair of correctly set up rim brakes are just as good as any road Hydraulic system. Mountain is another story but I don't see anyone putting Magura MT1893's on road bikes anytime soon.
They don't have the advantage against traditional alloy rims. Even in pouring conditions my Red Aero Links perform amazingly.
I have SRAM force Hydro on my cross bike and Sram Red Aero Links on my roadie. I've ridden plenty on both in all manner of conditions. nothing you nor the industry can say will prove to me differently then to how I know they perform relative to each other.
Fuck does that even mean? is that just some nonsensical closing statement that proves you don't have an argument against my last statement?
So you don't have an argument. cool.
Always solid reviews. Thanks!
Great no nonsense review. Kudos! Would love to see you compare the Tarmac disc to the new Venge disc. Thanks.
I really enjoy these honest reviews.
ofcourse this is not honest idiot
Tough guy eh??
Great unbiased review
Mr. Delaney is a real cool dude
This bike is gorgeous! Also the video was 👌🏻✊🏻
Those discs are amazing
you do great reviews sir.
Another great review, Ben. Your comment "if it doesn't fit you, it doesn't matter" with regards to integrated barstems should be a guiding principle for all equipment purchases. Also love the refreshingly anti-hype tone of your "...bike of the future? Perhaps." commentary.
Some thoughts on your concerns about 4iiii's power meters: Their not registering 100%/0% when pedaling one-legged would seem an unavoidable consequence of the physics of how crankarm flex based power meters measure power. 4iiii could theoretically calibrate their software to cancel out known variables like the crankarm's rotational inertia given that they know the mass, mass distribution, flex characteristics, and rotational velocity of that part. Not sure whether they've done this, but the math would seem pretty straight-forward. However, as you hypothesized, the pedal is harder to control for as weights vary significantly between pedals and by amounts sufficient, particularly at lower power outputs and higher RPMs (where micro-accelerations in the pedal stroke become amplified), to cross the 99.5%/.5% balance threshold as measured at the strain gauges. This would in turn reasonably be rounded up to 99%/1%. Assuming 4iiii did calibrate for cranks's rotational inertia as previously mentioned, they could enable users to input pedal mass into that algorithm via their smartphone app. All that said, as far as the accuracy of these power meters outside of the extreme example of one-legged pedaling, this would have a negligible effect left-right balance and overall power measurement accuracy that is likely well within the 1.5% claimed accuracy. Also, though power meters that use a spider's rotational torque or other methods of power measurement may not register this particular phenomenon, they do have their own particular calibration challenges and accuracy limitations.
Excellent review!!..disc brakes are here to stay..eventually you’ll see lightweight full carbon discs that will closely match rim brake bikes in weight
Flagstaff is a great ride!
That was a good and interesting review. Thank you.
Beautiful bike
Awesome review.👍
Love this bike. Need a spare 10 grand or so.
I've become a new subscriber because of Ben, simple as that.
Specialized has got coolness & forward thinking in spades. When Shimano goes wireless it will be heading truly in the right direction. On a bike of this level seeing those wires out the back and battery in a seat post is antiquated. It may be far from broken but it’s not Shimano’s culture of cutting edge. It’s time to bring your genius and blow us away again Shimano. I believe it’s coming, wanna bet?
Great review. Do the replacement chainrings shift as smoothly as Shimano's?
Pre-installed in-house power meters are Nav systems in cars - too prescribed & dated.
Tarmac's a solid race/performance bike but nothing 'special' in the looks department. That flesh-tone tire may perform well on this red/white & black bike, but uuuugly.
Cant wait to buy this bike in 5 years time when it comes down to a reasonable price
What would be a reasonable price for this?
@@solefreak2 No road bike in the world can justify a price tag of over £3000 unless it is a hand build 1 of a kind niche bike. Bikes are not complicated machines. The designs have not changed drastically for years yet the prices still go up instead of down
@@ilikelampshades6 I'd agree with you which is why I'd never pay over that amount for one. Also don't like the idea of buying new, these bikes lose money pretty much straight away.
i wish they integrated the cable routing like most current bikes and the venue
still can't get my head around how much this bike looks like a copy of the BMC Teammachine.
I love this bikes
NIce video thanks guys!
this isn't the first bike with a Specialized power metter, the first was the S-works venge VIAS.
If i could put discs on my road bike I 100% would!
0:26 any way to integrate those fugly cables ?
OMG! TOD had to use two fingers to break!!Now I realize why disc brakes are better! ;)
Nice disc bikes.... can't race them in the Netherlands....
Good review. I see a lot of thru-axle bikes that require a wrench to get the wheel off. Do people find this annoying?
Responsible riders always carry a muti-tool. Its is a non-issue to the prepared. Bonus points makes the bike lighter, aero, and don't have to worry about the direction that the QR lever is pointed.
My BMC RoadMachine has thru axle front and rear. Using a 6mm hex wrench doesn't bother me in the slightest.
Thanks for the responses. Good points. I guess it's not an issue.
is it possible to get a through axel quick release ?
timtimzi ni I've heard of several systems coming down the pipeline. Ridley has one they are working on that I think is the most promising.
Honestly..! Which one would you choose. BMC Teammachine SL01 Disk or Tarmac SL6 Disk.. !?
I’d love to know why nearly every bike comes with Shimano these days it seems to me I would like to have the option of different Company’s groupsets i’m a bit bored with just the option of Shimano.
Because they have a death-grip on the OEM market.
I want one.
Great review. My only issue with this bike, is the price. Oh, and on a superficial point their colour schemes don't enthrall me or the Decals. again especially for the price.
The Canyon Ultimate CF EVO 10.0 LTD comes already with a stock power meter out of the factory...
What is used to combine the di2/rear brake cable going into the top tube?
Hard to see from the video. Is the frame mechanical group compatible?
When you say disk brakes are heavier ... does that include tubeless on disk brakes vs with tubes on rim brakes
Discbrakes: Works better, but is more expensive, is more heavy, and is not allowed in racing in the most countries.
what about the „pro disc“ version?
What Garmin mount is that? I want one.
What about Giant Propel Disc with power meter?
can it do a wheelie off the line?
3:18 i swear that the handlebar is not centered.
What tyres are they?
Who is the ”Todd” who used to race with LeMond and Armstrong? Solid review btw, there should be a Review by Ben Delaney-section here at BikeRadar
That's my buddy Todd Gogulski. Sorry for being vague!
Thanks and no probs, just wondering. I remember reading somewhere that you are not with Bikeradar anymore?
Automobiliana correct. You’ll see me pop up again soon. 😃
is it possible that the specialized power meter is in fact so sensitive, that the 95%/5% readings are actually accurate? and that the other power meters mentioned register 100%/0% because they are not sensitive enough? 95/5 does seem kind of extreme for a flopping pedal though...
Still waiting for allez sprint to have disc brakes
hows this compare to the bmc team machine slr01
Most accurate? The SRM Science Road model "Precisely measure power to within 0.5% of error." Their Podiiiium series is +/- 1.5, Data accuracy, the Pro series +/- 1% error margin. Well less expensive then SRM it's still the same as Specialized specific SRM at +/- 1.0%.
Disk brakes!👏👏👏👏👏👏 rims brakes.... obsolete!
Carlos Roy not while those that appreciate aesthetics keep buying rims they won't.
AnTeallach2011 for now. As disc brakes become more and more normal, the next generation of bicyclists won't see them as "weird" and will actually find them more attractive than rim brakes simply because they work better. I'm part of that generation and all of my friends hate rim brakes and are saving up to upgrade to discs for our next bikes.
Disc brakes who cares. Watts/kg, ftp, vo2max that is what is important fixating on anything else is a waste of time. I bet your disc brakes did not assist with zwift times 😁
Zwift is a game.
modarm fixating on safety and control is a waste of time? Disc brakes are about a lot more than going faster.
Weight - Cost?
This can be yours for ONLY $11,000!
3:40 SUOMI MAINITTU TORILLA TAVATAAN 🇫🇮
Tarmac always attack
feeling bumps in the pelvis...wtf :D, the word you are looking for is perineum lol
Honest
$12k and no dfly? wow
This presenter looks kind of like an older Sylvain Chavanel. Just saying.
This frame is currently a steal pretty much everywhere right now... but it's so damn ugly... ugh
The price is just to high
one can also try to become a better rider that makes less use of brakes
PoggiiBonsii so true, I rarely even use my brakes and try to look ahead and brake as little as I need.
all bikes are over priced these days
Disk brakes work oh-so-well on a brand new bike. Sure.
Wait 2 years or 20,000 kms, whichever is sooner, after glazed pads and expensive replacements, warped rotors, system bleeds and a dirty dragging piston on one side, you'll be wondering why you got rid of such a simple lightweight user friendly brake like the current rim brake, something that hasn't even finished its development cycle; rim coatings and pad materials still offer improvements as do direct mount. Disk brakes offer better braking in the wet, no better in the dry and are 300% more complicated.
I've got 25 plus years wrenching on car, motorcycle and mountain bike disk brakes. Please don't rush in thinking you are going to get much better brakes with zero maintenance, understand the industry are pushing disks and be wary. I'm not saying don't buy a disk brake bike, but think clearly about where you will be using them and if you really need them.
By that same logic we shouldn't have gears on a bike, because 1 speed is simple, lightweight, cheap, and user friendly
Nice bike, not a fan of the paint job.
Rim brake bikes look better!
i agree in part but when you look at how clean the seat stays and fork look without any brake stuff in there, you might appreciate the aesthetics of disc brake frames/forks.
why would you like to see your gear on the garmin? Shift when you wan‘t and if there aren’t more gears you‘ll know
It also tells you how much battery you have (or don't have...) which is the real benefit.
Liberty555 checking it on the garmin or the barendplug is not a big difference. just charge it one a month and be safe
my next bike will be disc-equipped but the company should at least hide the cables in the frame, forks and stem. Oh yes, this paint job is hideous.
Boy you've sure been giving Specialized products great reviews since you accepted money from them with your sponsored content.
CrazyCyclingVlogger You mean like the time he showed how Specialized tires were slower than Schwalbe and Vittoria?!
Disk breaks are dangerous. Should not be on road bikes.
JLP Design Why are they dangerous
Nice but looks too much like a clone of BMC, but less integrated.
Probably build a BMc for a lot less than the RRP of this.
Ultimately, they all have similar capabilities. When you see horseshit in front of you, do you:
1- Go thru it?
2- Swerve?
3- Brake?
Disc brakes are a way for companies to take money off you
Nothing more nothing less
Don't be fooled ,overpriced, overhyped ,and make any road bike look like a pair of granny knickers.
Slavestothesystem nonesense. I have both types and disc is far better in the wet and better stopping power, consistent and easier to modulate.
i dont like discs becuase the pads are 50$ for a pair, its another revenue stream fr manufacturers
How much is replacing rims on the regular? I'd rather pay for pads and rotors, over rims and pads.
You need to change them like once a year. It's not that much.
Discs are not "better" they are different and are good in some situations but not all. Anyone who knows anything about engineering and physics knows that... don't make me list it all out.
Reginald Scot I'm actually curious. Under which situations do rim brakes work better than discs? Especially with full carbon wheels?
Please do list armchair engineer.
Reginald Scot You're wrong... demonstratebly wrong at that.
So I just built my first road disc bike..with SRAM Red Hydraulic brakes..way way way better than rim brakes
Disc brakes......meh.
Still not interested, thanks anyway.
Josh Chacón better brakes=later breaking which translates to more speed
You're missing out
what's wrong w disc brakes?
Missing out on nothing? Lol? My ee rims brakes stop on a dime.
And in the wet?
Roadies are such luddites. They're the only non-disc braked wheeled vehicle in the world and they're still arguing for using rubber pads to slow them down. What will it take?
That's odd because I also ride MTBs and would never have a V-brake MTB or even ride clipless. Disks and flats all the way.
But I prefer rim brakes and SPDs on a road bike, because it's what I prefer and a it's a totally different kind of bike. Just as you wouldn't put knobbly tires on a Suzuki Huyabusa.
About 4 years 😂