2020 has been a strange year, and with no July Tour de France we missed all the new tech and gear that comes with that. BA1 1UA. Related: Specialized Tarmac SL7 Expert Review HOW MUCH DOES THE TARMAC SL7 WEIGH? 50km le premier jour, 128km le second et 50km le dernier jour, le tout entre Drôme et Ardèche, des terrains vallonnés à souhait qui correspondent parfaitement au caractère polyvalent du Tarmac. Like almost every Specialized bike ever made, the Tarmac SL7 is available in a combination of red and black, and that's what we have our hands on here, given the official name of 'Flo Red/Red Tint/Tarmac Black/White'. They want one bike that is fast everywhere. No compromises, the Specialized marketing materials shout. With the launch of the new Tarmac, Specialized brings its road-race bikes full circle. Which is good because it is so good at going fast and so smooth that (until I got used to it) I was often surprised at how fast I was entering corners. Being analytical, the first few rides have felt more towards the Venge's level when it comes to the harshness of the ride, which will be mostly down to the increased front-end stiffness. Piper says the SL7’s handling targets were the same as those of the SL6, though the SL7 has refinements that cut weight from most frame sizes without changing how the bike handles. Prove Humanity: Please click here to start. Specialized Tarmac SL7 2021: A first looks at the latest edition of Specialized's latest S-Works Tarmac, the SL7, which features an aero upgrade The aero claims seem to measure up: It punches through the low 20s into the mid to higher 20s with ease. This is a mere two grams more than our equivalent-sized Tarmac SL6 (which, granted, has been fitted with a slightly heavier CeramicSpeed OSPW system and 28c Turbo RapidAir tyres), so it's safe to say the new Tarmac is slightly heavier than the last, but the UCI limit will negate this for racers anyway. The most noticeable update for the SL7 was the introduction of the integrated cockpit. The frameset has seen various tweaks over its predecessor, and when paired with aero components like the handlebar and wheels makes the SL7 a very, very fast bike indeed. The underlying promise of the all-new Tarmac SL7 is that it’s as light and sharp as the old Tarmac SL6 and as aerodynamic as a Venge. My review bike is the $7,000 Pro Ultegra Di2. Cyclingnews is part of Future plc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. You can unsubscribe at any time. However, a good chunk of the SL7’s overall aero advantage over the SL6 doesn’t come from changes to the frame’s tube shapes. But instead of also completely replacing the outgoing Tarmac SL6, the frame that was used on the 2020 Tarmac SL6 Comp continues as the more affordable option for 2021 models. Wheels are Roval’s Rapide CL with DT-Swiss 350 hubs and j-bend spokes. Avant : Shimano Dura-Ace R9150 Di2 11 v. – Dér. However, both of the aforementioned sprinters have expressed personal opinions in strong favour of the Venge, so it remains to be seen how quickly the powerhouses will trust the data and accept what Specialized admits is a less aerodynamic bike – if, of course, they even have a choice. Specialized provides its fleet to men's WorldTour teams Bora-Hansgrohe and Deceuninck-QuickStep, and to Boels Dolmans in the Women's WorldTour. Bicycling participates in various affiliate marketing programs, which means we may get paid commissions on editorially chosen products purchased through our links to retailer sites. That’s because the SL7 is not just a fast bike, it’s fast and nearly perfectly balanced. Until now, I’ve felt this only in metal bikes—usually steel—but the SL7 has this feel without any trade-off in other areas of its stiffness. My test bike arrived with a Euro brake set-up (left front, right rear), and because I'm a typical Brit who does things backwards, I set about swapping them around. I will say, however, I didn’t find the tops of the Aerofly bar comfortable to hold onto in any situation, especially when the road was bumpy—though they seem to be reasonably compliant when holding onto the hoods or drops. The bike comes fitted with 26c tyres, but you can rejoice in the knowledge that the tyre clearances are plentiful. But if you want the best, UCI-legal bike for getting from point A to point B as fast as possible on pavement—up, down, flat, or otherwise—I believe that bike is the Tarmac SL7. But it’s also $4,000 less. With it, the American brand put the first nail into the coffin of its own aero bike, the Venge, by stating that there would be no advantage for a rider to choose it over the new Tarmac. I'll be honest: I'm not completely sold on tubeless road tyres just yet, largely due to the infrequency that I actually puncture on the road versus the increased time investment to setting up and maintaining tubeless in the first place. The new SL7 gets a threaded bottom bracket. The SL7’s stem is based on the Venge’s, but it’s 45 grams lighter without losing any stiffness. An amalgamation of the previous Tarmac and the aero Venge model, if you like. Sjældent har der været så meget hype om en cykel. Specialized Tarmac SL7 Road Bikes & Framesets. The S-Works SL7 12r carbon frame weighs the same as the S-Works SL6 disc frame: about 800 grams, painted (for a 56cm). You should not have to do this more than once. Tarmac SL7 Pro and Expert models—my review bike is a $7,000 Tarmac Pro Shimano Ultegra Di2—use a 10r carbon frame that’s about 120 grams heavier than the S-Works frame. The pavement around me is largely crap–and I do not shy away from dirt roads—and I found the SL7’s smoothness surprising, refreshing, and absolutely delightful. The tipping point when the Tarmac’s lower weight overcomes the Venge’s aero advantage happens on a 3 to 5 percent grade, depending on the rider's effort. That’s intentional, as Specialized knows the SL6 is a great riding and handling bike. It comes in 20mm and zero offset and—like the Venge’s post—the Di2 junction box resides just under the saddle clamp. With the new Specialized S-Works Tarmac SL7, the bike company is telling you that you can have it all, roadie. Over time, the two categories began to converge: The stiff and light bikes got more aero, and the aero bikes got stiffer and lighter. S-Works frame is more aerodynamic without any weight gain compared to SL6: still about 800 grams. Speed is freakishly easy to come by on this bike, and it seems to make going faster easier than any other bike I’ve ridden. The rim protrudes a good 2mm further out than the tyre on both sides, meaning there's a noticeable step from tyre to rim. A gruelling mountain stage with a finish sprint? For more information about how to do this, and how we hold your data, please see our privacy policy. That’s the goal of the new Specialized Tarmac SL7, which replaces the superb Tarmac SL6 as the company’s premier race bike—a no-compromise race bike that’s as fast as an aero bike and as light as a climbing bike. As such, the Tarmac retains the sharp handling performance of the SL6, but with the increased stiffness offered by the Aerofly II handlebar and the all-new Tarmac stem. Specialized have improved the routing for any configuration — mechanical shifting, traditional stems, round bars, etc. The problem for racers: If both bikes are advantageous at different times in the same race, which bike do you pick? According to Piper, the 56cm—the size used to measure for the brands weight claims—“is within 5 grams of its predecessor; every other size saw a more substantial weight savings over the SL6.”. The new Tarmac SL7 will tell you to bring it on! Not exactly, but very close. So, when you hear the company pitch it as a “no-compromise” bike and call it “the fastest race bike,” what it means is it’s the fastest all-around UCI LEGAL road bike it can currently make. The SL7 is, they say, … It tips in with a light touch, drops in predictably, and sets into its arc almost automatically—but that’s the way most good race bikes feel these days. The thing to remember about the Tarmac is that it’s subject to the UCI’s regulations because it is built for Specialized’s professional race teams. The S-Works with SRAM Red AXS weighs about 180 grams more than the Dura-Ace Di2 model (sorry SRAM fans). The S-Works Tarmac SL7 Dura-Ace Di2 is one of the latest top-end offerings from Specialized that now focuses just as much on aerodynamics as it does on weight – or lack of it. And I am a bit frustrated with the UCI race bike thing because I think they force brands into a box that encourages them to build really similar bikes. Tarmac-platformen fra Specialized er allerede ikonisk og blandt de allermest anerkendte og vindende cykler i den moderne cykelsport. Power meter users will be happy to note that there is plenty of clearance for all sorts of power meters, including left-side pods. Specialized sent my bike with the new Mirror saddle. Cadre : Tarmac S-Works SL7, carbone Fact 12 R – Fourche : Specialized Fact Carbon Disc (axe traversant) – Cintre : Aerofly II Carbon– Potence : Specialized Tarmac intégrée – Freins : Shimano Dura-Ace R9170 hydrauliques 160/140 mm – Dér. The same road, the same effortless feeling, the same 40-45kph, but a Tarmac SL7. More on that later. However, the ultra-wide rim offered on the front wheel, paired with anything less than a 28c tyre, just looks weird. Gear-obsessed editors choose every product we review. Thank you for signing up to Cycling News. How we test gear. Latest Reviews. Now uses a threaded BB for easier service, with no trade-off in stiffness or weight. Even though the stock front end is highly integrated, the SL7 is compatible with any handlebar and stem. On most race bikes I review, I’m chucking the stock tires as soon as I can and stuffing in the largest rubber I can fit in an effort to save my sanity. Specialized Tarmac SL7 first ride review: is it really good enough to see off the Venge? Hoses and housing are hidden from the wind to improve aerodynamics. Read our review of the Specialized S-Works Venge Di2. There's nothing radical going on with the SL7’s frame fit or handling geometry. Bien sûr, le nom Tarmac désigne toujours le vélo de course par excellence, mais justement, afin de rester le choix unique et évident des coursiers, Specialized l'a voulu plus polyvalent, c'est-à-dire surtout plus aérodynamique. It is a race bike fit: long and low. Specialized's tag line for the new bike is: "One bike to rule them all." The brakes are smooth at the lever with a firm bite and predictable power. The Aerofly bar and Rapide wheelset account for 15 to 20 seconds alone. Each bike was advantageous in different situations. One important note before I dive into my ride impressions: The SL7 is legitimately better than the SL6; however, the SL7 feels a lot like that SL6. Then the aero-road trend started and it presented riders with a choice: a stiff and light—but not at all aero—bike, or a heavier, less-stiff, aero road bike. Shimano Ultegra Di2: perfect. They are NOT a tubeless-ready wheelset, which is a bit of a bummer. A full rundown of the range, with images of all colourways, can be found at our first look. The excellent handling and responsiveness of the Tarmac lives on, … Priced at $12,000 / £10,500 / €11,499 / AU$18,000, it's bonkers money really, but there's no doubting it's a weapon of race destruction. De l'utilisation de notre FreeFoil Shape Library pour trouver les meilleures formes de tubes, au développement de notre prochaine génération de conception Rider-First Engineered™, le nouveau Tarmac SL7 est le point culminant de notre quête … Review: Specialized Tarmac S-Works SL7 est une fusée routière assez bien élevée. Advertisement. According to Specialized, this road bike is a symbiosis of Julian Alaphilippe’s … As outlined in the first post, the new Tarmac SL7 all but replaces the Venge. Getting the hoses to route via the guide beneath the stem was actually the more time-consuming task, but with help from multiple zip ties and a pair of mole grips, I eventually succeeded. The "entry-level" SL7 Expert model, features a Shimano Ultegra Di2 drivetrain, round alloy bar in place of the Aerofly II carbon model and an alloy DT Swiss R-460 wheelset. – and weighs almost a kilogram less. If you continue to see this message, please email hello@[the site's address] for support. The marginal gain that could have been made from a deeper down tube in high yaw scenarios would have added a considerable amount of weight.” According to Specialized, the tubes that “truly impact aero” are the seat tube, seatstays, head tube, and fork blades. — all while keeping its aerodynamic attributes. Developed using Specialized's FreeFoil Shape Library and having undergone extensive testing … Crédit photos : Deceuninck-Quick-Step / Wout Beel Le champion du monde Julian Alaphilippe sur son nouveau vélo Specialized Tarmac S-Works SL7 lors de la reconnaissance de Liège-Bastogne-Liège. Specialized Teases the New Tarmac SL7 Race Bike, The Specialized Tarmac Is the Razor Edge of Tech, Vincenzo Nibali’s Custom Specialized S-Works Tarmac, More aerodynamic: 45 seconds faster than the Tarmac SL6 over 40km. These are a good all-round tire, and pretty durable as well. A hidden seat binder resides in the top tube. The Specialized Tarmac SL7 is a solid all-arounder, basically matching the performance of the recently-added Cannondale Supersix EVO. Perhaps with the newfound free schedule courtesy of the Venge's discontinuation, Specialized could go and look for that Tarmac DNA it seems to have lost. Cycling Expert; 15/09/2020; Je vais vous faciliter la tâche: si vous recherchez une machine à vitesse totale pour rendre chaque trajet plus rapide, optez pour le nouveau Specialized Tarmac SL7. However, the frame and parts are heavier; it’s not as fast as the S-Works model is on a climb. Lastly, Specialized bumped tire clearance up slightly so the SL7 can fit tires up to 32mm. 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