Thanks for this David! One thing I like about Specialized is their paint jobs! Good to see a threaded BB! Also, it’s easy to see your grin when you say there is no rim brake models! Don’t think you should ever play poker!
Am I the only person thinking that bike prices are quite insane? How do they even justify this? Kawasaki Ninja 650 costs cheaper than this S-Works, and please tell me how much more engineering and materials are needed to design a bicycle compared to a motorcycle that can go 200kmh.
That's because some suckers with money will always buy the latest no matter what the costs. My local bike brand sells a 105 full carbon bike for under 1500 euros, how cool is that. I can't fathom how in the hell can a bike frame costs 3000 euros.
You are comparing fiberglass/steel vs carbon fiber/ceramic. Go look at carbon fiber and ceramic parts for Porsche and you will know why. Besides, it's far more fun to ride/race road bikes
@@mmfong297 one can find previous gen S-Works Roubaix frameset with 60% discount nowadays, that price now matches RRP for Giant TCR frames. Regarding Porsche, steel parts are not cheap for them either, so bad example.
Because you are comparing the very best of road bikes to good but not nearly top of the range motorbikes. Top motorbikes, excluding prototypes, can go well beyond 50k, race kits can go even higher that that and you never see them on the road while your average Joe often rides bikes that are as good if not better than professional peloton riders. Also manufacturing of bike components is much more expansive compared to motorbikes because there are many more structural carbon parts, there is much more work to do on a bike that cannot be automated, and there are way more models of bikes compared to motorbike so the margin to recover from R&D is even slimmer.
David i currently have deposit down on the expert. I'm coming from a Caad12 on 26mm tires. I'm wondering how comfortable this bike is. I normally ride anywhere from 25-60 miles on decent roads over rolling hills. My plan would be to equip the bike with roval C38s on 30 or 32 mm tires. Thoughts on comfort?
Thanks Phil - just wish I could have done it with the actual bike but YT channels aren't that high up the pecking order compared to traditional media. Hopefully I can change that as this channel grows
Things I’ve noticed. I would call BS on the big S claims regarding aero performance. The must be using a very peculiar yaw weighted aero map to make a tarmac that much more aero than a Venge vias (I’m pretty sure it was one of the German mag that independently tested a whole bunch of bikes and found that the Venge Vias outperformed the new Venge in the wind tunnel, how a tarmac with a fat Kamm tail downtube with very rounded trailing edges that look near identical to the previous SL6 is beyond me. Maybe it’s all down to the wheels and bars 🤷♂️). Second point the SL6 lower end spec bikes seem to be exactly the same bar changes to components. These bikes always miffed me off as they were completely different frames to the higher end SL6 which had a totally different back end and aero seat tube and seat post. Positive point at least they are now 2 different bikes to avoid confusion and it’s great to see a variety of paint colour option on each level. Also 32c tyre clearance 👏👏👏
Great review David,but anyone who knows anything about cycling knows we are fed stuff by manufactures that we want to hear.Yes some bikes will be slightly quicker,and will climb better,but a smaller frontal area and a good fitness standard will ultimately be the reason you go faster.The moto is,is a good rider will always be quick on any bike,its a bit like a car,the more extras it has its just easier to live with,a standard car will still be as quick,just not as nice to drive.Keep up the excellent reviews......
Great summation. The prices are simply out of range for a 3,000km a year cyclist but the chance to pick up last years model with Ultegra and carbon wheels at a fraction of previous cost is enticing. Thanks and looking forward to your full review of the new bike - even though it’s not in my Xmas list!! Thanks David. Enjoying the channel a lot........but what happened to that mountain bike build?
Great review Dave👍 This made me chuckle: @5:26 - one moment you say they haven't messed with the blueprint, then in the next breath, you say they've raised the bar😱 Does that mean I can't get my pro drop position?!😋
So David the question for me is other than a kg or so whats the difference between 10500 and 4500. Would a normal serious but still club rider notice the difference.
Fantastic looking bike and I would buy one in a heartbeat BUT... what really irritates me is no choice with the frame colours. If I wanted the S-Works SL7 with Red eTap I would want the red colour scheme that has the Shimano Dura Ace. No way would I buy the green coloured bike no matter how nice the paint job was. If the likes of Orbea can offer colour customisation why can't Specialized? If you look at the bare frameset options as well, I wouldn't choose any of those colour schemes, they are just sick.
Something I don't understand about BSA or PF86 is that anyone that wants to use a 30mm axel is forced to compromise on the lifespan of bb bearings due to the reduced size. I assume the AXS cranks will require reduced bearings in the bb. And if so, why not make a T47 and have the best of both worlds? I guess Shimano has a lot of influence. Nice bike though. Not sure if it's great value. I also think Speciliazed made former customers that bought the Venge likely regret their choice.
Agree, and unless there's some hidden politics between the Big S and Chris King, they can use it without giving a free kick to other big manufacturers who developed their own standards. When you think about it, T47 is the best chance of a more widely adopted standard.
@@stewartmarler1416 At least TREK got the memo on T47 :-) The Giant TCR SL disc still has PF86 and I think it's because the relationship between Giant and Shimano goes way back. Interestingly, Giant held off issuing the top frameset with Shimano components, only issued AXS versions. I believe they are holding off as DA9200 is coming soon and will also coincide with Shimano's 100th anniversary next year. I'd hate to get the tarmac with a 4 year old DA groupset right now.
I thoroughly enjoy your reviews even if I'm not a fan of $pecialized. You've tested multiple new bikes this year and a common factor is many seem to l have "D" shaped seat posts. I'm curious if anyone has had a look at the dimensions of these competing brands? After your reviews I went ahead and popped for a new EVO Ultegra disc. In Canada this is optioned with an alloy post and the carbon zero setback is now listed in stock but I'm told the ETA locally here is November. Is there any commonality from other manufacturers to fit the EVO? Anybody know?
I think the competitiveness of the market these days is seeing many companies have their aero and climbing bikes leapfrog each other as their model life cycles overlap. So the next Venge will presumably jump back ahead of the Tarmac for aero, and possibly even challenge it for weight, until the next Tarmac leapfrogs it again. I guess when either model can no longer leapfrog the other to regain its rightful place, that's when they discontinue one or merge them into one model, as we have seen with one or two other manufacturers.
Hey David.... I’m sorry mate, I meant once you have the Tarmac in your hands and have given it a good run it would be nice to have a VS review comparing the Emonda VS the Tarmac 🙂
@@paulysci925 Not really, you still need everything else, plus unless you are confident (and have the tools/equipment which again costs) to put it all together you need to pay someone. Sure it would be cheaper, but not all that much, nor I dare say can most people do it. I would love to, like building your own computer, but I have neither the equipment, nor space to even have it, nor would I be confident to put it all together and think it is done well.
Re "putting all the cables, wires, and hoses inside the handlebar, under the stem and straight in to the frame." Point of fact . . . I don't believe anyone is doing this with mechanical cables. Wires and hoses yes, but cables no. If you look closely at the range offered by Spesh with the Tarmac, Focus with the Izalco Max and BMC with the Team Machine (and all the other brands), the higher level frames are being sold as "electronic only" as well as offering the neat integration. It's no coincidence. "Electronic only" isn't just about the absence of cable stops or the ability to house cable and batteries, it's about avoiding mechanical cables which can't turn the same corners as wires and hoses. Disc brakes and electronic groupsets provide manufacturers with the integration opportunity, which leads to the aero claims they get to make - but only if you can spring for the top model frameset, and the groupset that complements it. That said, I have no issue with this and will send you my address in a DM so you can send me one.
@@remembervalor You've made me do a bit more research. I've found a review that backs up what you say, but I just couldn't see such a model on the Specialized website, obviously filtered to Australian models. Curious they'd decide there isn't an Australian market for such a configuration.
The industry just got crushed by lightweight aftermarket parts, & had to come clean about selling everybody a bunch of junk they didn't need. Cheaper all-round bikes with really lightweight aero wheels were outselling all these ranges & common sense had to stop the industry from eating itself.
ridiculous pricing for the S-Works in the UK you got to be an absolute idiot to pay £10500 for it when you could get a bespoke bike with custom geometry for a similar price, or a SL6 with Lightweight Milensten wheelset
Your talking s**t just like the rest of the idiots who buy into this nonsense. No bike is fast, it's the rider. Time people stopped drinking the kool aid on this s**t.
Also, I've got an old Venge that is 10r carbon. I don't know why these cheaper Tarmacs aren't with 11r if it exists. I would never buy a new bike that only has 10r like my old bike.
Yes, it's a nice bike. Lighter, stiffer, more aero and 45 secs quicker....really? In the real world unlikely. On the roads were I ride, an aero road race bike isn't the best tool for the job. So, I'll give this a miss.....
Of all drag-reduction measures to take, this section isn't as important. Even if the gap was smaller, the reduction in drag may be minimal. This is first-hand info heard directly from Cameron Piper when he talked about the same gap found on the Shiv, so I reckon the same applies for the Tarmac SL7.
New cockpit... improved cable routing... ‘bout all Spesh could improve on... IMO quite sick of this “more aero” ploy... reminds me of golf clubs... “Faster...8 yards further” with every offering... at some point the promise of these “more aero” bikes should have us going Mach 1 🙄. Fact is, if you can’t push the watts, you won’t be any faster. New SL7 colors are hideous and the expert level Di2 no longer has C38’s... fail
@@davidarthur exactly what Paul_HD1 said, this is all bulls**t, making a bike needlessly less servicable with the exception of the bsa bb. Anyone endorsing this rubbish to the general masses is only making money of said endorsement.
If you see how big the improvements are compared to the previous model, then there is only one conclusion: the SL6 was probably the shittiest bike ever made.
Rode my 7 for first time today and it is noticeably faster bike than my 6. Early days obviously but I think I am going to love this bike.
That moment when the embargo gets lifted and youtube goes mental with the 'first look' videos. Beautiful machine, great video.
Yeah embargoes are stupid things but that's how companies all operate these days, not like the old days
Thanks for this David! One thing I like about Specialized is their paint jobs! Good to see a threaded BB! Also, it’s easy to see your grin when you say there is no rim brake models! Don’t think you should ever play poker!
Am I the only person thinking that bike prices are quite insane? How do they even justify this? Kawasaki Ninja 650 costs cheaper than this S-Works, and please tell me how much more engineering and materials are needed to design a bicycle compared to a motorcycle that can go 200kmh.
That's because some suckers with money will always buy the latest no matter what the costs. My local bike brand sells a 105 full carbon bike for under 1500 euros, how cool is that. I can't fathom how in the hell can a bike frame costs 3000 euros.
You are comparing fiberglass/steel vs carbon fiber/ceramic. Go look at carbon fiber and ceramic parts for Porsche and you will know why. Besides, it's far more fun to ride/race road bikes
@@mmfong297That still doesn't justify the price though. A lot goes through the designing of the 650 and still falls cheaper than the SL7.
@@mmfong297 one can find previous gen S-Works Roubaix frameset with 60% discount nowadays, that price now matches RRP for Giant TCR frames. Regarding Porsche, steel parts are not cheap for them either, so bad example.
Because you are comparing the very best of road bikes to good but not nearly top of the range motorbikes.
Top motorbikes, excluding prototypes, can go well beyond 50k, race kits can go even higher that that and you never see them on the road while your average Joe often rides bikes that are as good if not better than professional peloton riders.
Also manufacturing of bike components is much more expansive compared to motorbikes because there are many more structural carbon parts, there is much more work to do on a bike that cannot be automated, and there are way more models of bikes compared to motorbike so the margin to recover from R&D is even slimmer.
David i currently have deposit down on the expert. I'm coming from a Caad12 on 26mm tires. I'm wondering how comfortable this bike is. I normally ride anywhere from 25-60 miles on decent roads over rolling hills. My plan would be to equip the bike with roval C38s on 30 or 32 mm tires. Thoughts on comfort?
Quick of the mark with this one Dave - good effort! This might be the bike to get me back on a Specialized, impressive.
Thanks Phil - just wish I could have done it with the actual bike but YT channels aren't that high up the pecking order compared to traditional media. Hopefully I can change that as this channel grows
Is it lighter, stiffer and more aero by any chance ?🤔
Yes,no,yes
I'd definitely take mechanical and deep section carbon rims over cheap wheels and di2.
mechanical gives that tactile feeling.
that 45 second claim is hard to believe. Bike looks good. Looking forward to the road review!
In no real world circumstances a racer will go 1 hour with 40 kph.So the data is useless
Umut Birey they go way faster, I never even raced in my life and could do 40kph in the pelaton
Back to back vs the new TCR please!
yes!
Things I’ve noticed. I would call BS on the big S claims regarding aero performance. The must be using a very peculiar yaw weighted aero map to make a tarmac that much more aero than a Venge vias (I’m pretty sure it was one of the German mag that independently tested a whole bunch of bikes and found that the Venge Vias outperformed the new Venge in the wind tunnel, how a tarmac with a fat Kamm tail downtube with very rounded trailing edges that look near identical to the previous SL6 is beyond me. Maybe it’s all down to the wheels and bars 🤷♂️).
Second point the SL6 lower end spec bikes seem to be exactly the same bar changes to components. These bikes always miffed me off as they were completely different frames to the higher end SL6 which had a totally different back end and aero seat tube and seat post. Positive point at least they are now 2 different bikes to avoid confusion and it’s great to see a variety of paint colour option on each level.
Also 32c tyre clearance 👏👏👏
@@Timtimzi its all bulls**t wake up.
Nice Video, could you kindly do a comparison video of Specialized SL7, Trek Emonda 2021 and Scott Addict RC 2020
This.
+2
Great review David,but anyone who knows anything about cycling knows we are fed stuff by manufactures that we want to hear.Yes some bikes will be slightly quicker,and will climb better,but a smaller frontal area and a good fitness standard will ultimately be the reason you go faster.The moto is,is a good rider will always be quick on any bike,its a bit like a car,the more extras it has its just easier to live with,a standard car will still be as quick,just not as nice to drive.Keep up the excellent reviews......
Excellent video. Look forward to the review. 👍🏼
Thanks! 👍
Thanks David. Looks Nice!
First class presentation of a first class bike!!
Been waiting for this
Was it worth the wait?
@@davidarthur yep and with a threaded BB to boot and more speed
Great summation. The prices are simply out of range for a 3,000km a year cyclist but the chance to pick up last years model with Ultegra and carbon wheels at a fraction of previous cost is enticing. Thanks and looking forward to your full review of the new bike - even though it’s not in my Xmas list!! Thanks David. Enjoying the channel a lot........but what happened to that mountain bike build?
Thank you Dave . It would be great to here your comments on the new merida Reacto up against the new tarmac SL 7 .
Coming soon!
david arthur thank you David looking forward to your review
Great review Dave👍
This made me chuckle: @5:26 - one moment you say they haven't messed with the blueprint, then in the next breath, you say they've raised the bar😱
Does that mean I can't get my pro drop position?!😋
Great review..... straight to the point..... no bull.....👌🏻😍
Nice bike but prefer the Giant TCR, something about The Spesh Company I dont like.
They were handing out lawsuits to cafes with the name as roubaix in them.
Nice bike, no rimbrake version. Stick to my old S-Works Tarmac.
Faster than my Madone SLR, hmmm I would love to put that to the test! For sure!
Excellent video
Will you be taking a look at the new Orbea Orca Dave???
Yes! Watch this space
@@davidarthur correct answer 👍
That green S Works would match my Fat Chance Chameleon fade Yo Eddy no end. Just need the 10.5k 🤔 😄
So David the question for me is other than a kg or so whats the difference between 10500 and 4500. Would a normal serious but still club rider notice the difference.
Fantastic looking bike and I would buy one in a heartbeat BUT... what really irritates me is no choice with the frame colours. If I wanted the S-Works SL7 with Red eTap I would want the red colour scheme that has the Shimano Dura Ace. No way would I buy the green coloured bike no matter how nice the paint job was. If the likes of Orbea can offer colour customisation why can't Specialized? If you look at the bare frameset options as well, I wouldn't choose any of those colour schemes, they are just sick.
Something I don't understand about BSA or PF86 is that anyone that wants to use a 30mm axel is forced to compromise on the lifespan of bb bearings due to the reduced size. I assume the AXS cranks will require reduced bearings in the bb. And if so, why not make a T47 and have the best of both worlds? I guess Shimano has a lot of influence. Nice bike though. Not sure if it's great value. I also think Speciliazed made former customers that bought the Venge likely regret their choice.
Agree, and unless there's some hidden politics between the Big S and Chris King, they can use it without giving a free kick to other big manufacturers who developed their own standards. When you think about it, T47 is the best chance of a more widely adopted standard.
@@stewartmarler1416 At least TREK got the memo on T47 :-) The Giant TCR SL disc still has PF86 and I think it's because the relationship between Giant and Shimano goes way back. Interestingly, Giant held off issuing the top frameset with Shimano components, only issued AXS versions. I believe they are holding off as DA9200 is coming soon and will also coincide with Shimano's 100th anniversary next year. I'd hate to get the tarmac with a 4 year old DA groupset right now.
I thoroughly enjoy your reviews even if I'm not a fan of $pecialized. You've tested multiple new bikes this year and a common factor is many seem to l have "D" shaped seat posts. I'm curious if anyone has had a look at the dimensions of these competing brands? After your reviews I went ahead and popped for a new EVO Ultegra disc. In Canada this is optioned with an alloy post and the carbon zero setback is now listed in stock but I'm told the ETA locally here is November. Is there any commonality from other manufacturers to fit the EVO? Anybody know?
That's a really good question.To be honest I don't know, it would need getting all of the bike and trying
What's the price look like? That new Madone went up an additional 300Euros!!!! Just because they got rid of 450grams?!
So why will anyone buy Venge are they discontinuing that? Heck why even buy a gravel or cyclo, really sounds like an all in one bliss
I think the competitiveness of the market these days is seeing many companies have their aero and climbing bikes leapfrog each other as their model life cycles overlap. So the next Venge will presumably jump back ahead of the Tarmac for aero, and possibly even challenge it for weight, until the next Tarmac leapfrogs it again. I guess when either model can no longer leapfrog the other to regain its rightful place, that's when they discontinue one or merge them into one model, as we have seen with one or two other manufacturers.
But yes, I wouldn't be buying a Venge if I was buying today.
We need an Emonda vs Tarmac review when you get your hands on one.... please...
watch this space :)
Hey David.... I’m sorry mate, I meant once you have the Tarmac in your hands and have given it a good run it would be nice to have a VS review comparing the Emonda VS the Tarmac 🙂
How many people can actually afford one?
Surely not many. I heard some people take out loans to buy these bikes
I think the best option is buy a frame for 3750 usd that makes it affordable
@@paulysci925 Not really, you still need everything else, plus unless you are confident (and have the tools/equipment which again costs) to put it all together you need to pay someone. Sure it would be cheaper, but not all that much, nor I dare say can most people do it. I would love to, like building your own computer, but I have neither the equipment, nor space to even have it, nor would I be confident to put it all together and think it is done well.
Re "putting all the cables, wires, and hoses inside the handlebar, under the stem and straight in to the frame." Point of fact . . . I don't believe anyone is doing this with mechanical cables. Wires and hoses yes, but cables no. If you look closely at the range offered by Spesh with the Tarmac, Focus with the Izalco Max and BMC with the Team Machine (and all the other brands), the higher level frames are being sold as "electronic only" as well as offering the neat integration. It's no coincidence. "Electronic only" isn't just about the absence of cable stops or the ability to house cable and batteries, it's about avoiding mechanical cables which can't turn the same corners as wires and hoses. Disc brakes and electronic groupsets provide manufacturers with the integration opportunity, which leads to the aero claims they get to make - but only if you can spring for the top model frameset, and the groupset that complements it. That said, I have no issue with this and will send you my address in a DM so you can send me one.
This model Tarmac CAN actually fully integrate mechanical groupsets.
@@remembervalor You've made me do a bit more research. I've found a review that backs up what you say, but I just couldn't see such a model on the Specialized website, obviously filtered to Australian models. Curious they'd decide there isn't an Australian market for such a configuration.
@@stewartmarler1416 The Tarmac Expert SL7 is running Ultegra R8020 with Roval C38s, but it's only available in certain regions, mine excluded.
The industry just got crushed by lightweight aftermarket parts, & had to come clean about selling everybody a bunch of junk they didn't need. Cheaper all-round bikes with really lightweight aero wheels were outselling all these ranges & common sense had to stop the industry from eating itself.
BSA?
Good question! BSA stands for Birmingham Small Arms, a British company that produced bicycles, cars and other durable goods
@@davidarthur from fress fit to BSA.? Normally the BSA used in less expensive models.
@@Marius.1926 yup it's threaded across the range.Specialized has been moving this way in recent years
@@davidarthur BSA with DUB axel utilizes smaller (teeny-tiny) bearings resulting in a reduced lifespan and durability.
BSA cause hopefully they wont f**k that up as well.
deep section and mechanical... eaaaasy!!!
Good choice!
ridiculous pricing for the S-Works in the UK you got to be an absolute idiot to pay £10500 for it when you could get a bespoke bike with custom geometry for a similar price, or a SL6 with Lightweight Milensten wheelset
Specialized tweaked Venge a little bit and named it SL7 Tarmac. They basically killed Tarmac, not name, but the bike.
I call total bs that it is faster than the emonda and madone. Total bs
Your talking s**t just like the rest of the idiots who buy into this nonsense. No bike is fast, it's the rider. Time people stopped drinking the kool aid on this s**t.
mark shutup scrub, i didnt ask for your opinion
Not an opinion, its fact😂
Also, I've got an old Venge that is 10r carbon. I don't know why these cheaper Tarmacs aren't with 11r if it exists. I would never buy a new bike that only has 10r like my old bike.
stiffer, more aero, more compliant , more from everything.
that's progress for you
@@davidarthur more like rip off
Its the Tarmenge.
Only one thing I need to know. Just plain way too expensive. Full of marketing jargon crap. Giant are currently best value bikes
I am a size 58 frame if wanna gift one of these bikes 😁
Yes, it's a nice bike. Lighter, stiffer, more aero and 45 secs quicker....really? In the real world unlikely. On the roads were I ride, an aero road race bike isn't the best tool for the job. So, I'll give this a miss.....
1) This is not an aero bike.
2) It's more compliant than the Venge.
Weapon
Not very aero, big gap between the seat tube and the rear wheel.
Of all drag-reduction measures to take, this section isn't as important. Even if the gap was smaller, the reduction in drag may be minimal.
This is first-hand info heard directly from Cameron Piper when he talked about the same gap found on the Shiv, so I reckon the same applies for the Tarmac SL7.
New cockpit... improved cable routing... ‘bout all Spesh could improve on... IMO quite sick of this “more aero” ploy... reminds me of golf clubs... “Faster...8 yards further” with every offering... at some point the promise of these “more aero” bikes should have us going Mach 1 🙄. Fact is, if you can’t push the watts, you won’t be any faster. New SL7 colors are hideous and the expert level Di2 no longer has C38’s... fail
I've been riding at Mach 2 for years now. Keep up ;)
@@davidarthur exactly what Paul_HD1 said, this is all bulls**t, making a bike needlessly less servicable with the exception of the bsa bb. Anyone endorsing this rubbish to the general masses is only making money of said endorsement.
If you see how big the improvements are compared to the previous model, then there is only one conclusion: the SL6 was probably the shittiest bike ever made.
Disc brake only? Pure moneymaking bs
Specialized, a Chinese company