Riding My New TARMAC SL8 For The 1st Time. Real World First Impressions For The Everyday Rider! 

Exactly mate 💯. Thanks for watching 👍

The SL7 is definitely a great bike 👍👏

Hey Josh, thanks for the message. Good to hear from a fellow Tarmac fan 😎... I guess I'll get a better feel for the SL8 over the summer and may be able to appreciate the subtle improvements a little more... Either way, it's still an incredible bike to ride ( as was the SL7 😁.. ) Thanks for watching and the support 👍

@@daveridesagainSl7 and 8 have theeaded BB so it’s poor solution for bikes. Giant TCR is way way better quality bike. Don’t listen marketing BS 👍

@Pablo_Coach I've ridden them all. TCR is a great bike no doubt about it, but I prefer my Tarmac 👍... Thanks for watching 😎

@@daveridesagain ok, but can You tell me why? Because of comfort wise?

@Pablo_Coach hard to pin point... I've ridden a couple of TCRs ( last was 2019 ). Great bike but the Tarmac just feels the better / faster bike ( to me ) . Both great bikes and comes down to personal choice at the end of the day.. Most riders wouldn't be disappointed with either.

Quickstep frame, wow 🤩.... I love the colour of that one mate. You've done well to get your hands on it 👏👏👏 You'll love the bike mate, it's awesome 🔥🔥🔥

@@daveridesagain yeah he said that he imported it from Europe, had to pay a bit more due to duty tax, but love the colour and will be more unique - yours looks great, enjoy your rides and subscribed :)

Thanks mate. Gotta take them where you can at our age 😂

🤣🤣🤣🤣.... Nice one mate, you have good taste in bikes 👍 Thanks for watching 😊

Awesome mate 👊... tough day weather wise for a big ride. The custom paint on my white SL7 is a showstopper 🔥... The SL8 is definitely more stealthy and understated 👍

@@daveridesagain deffo is mate, it’s absolutely gorgeous. Yeah weather was ropey as fuck, started cold, went warm, rain, wind, hail, sun again and then biblical rain for the last 20km. 163km with 1750m climbing, pretty chuffed in all.

@@LeeWright Great ride mate. Well done 👏👏👏

Thank you. 😊 Likewise, hope you have a great year on the SL7 👍

You'll more than likely have seen the group at some point. It's a regular loop for the team to do training sessions. They're always pretty quick.... :-) Thanks for watching.

Thanks mate 👍

Thank you mate. 2 great bikes!

All about the bling 😍😁

It's the one bike, I'll never sell 🔥

Happy days mate. The Roubaix is a great piece of kit. Enjoy & thanks for watching 👍

Thanks mate 👍

Thanks mate. It's an incredible bike and looks absolutely awesome! Thanks for watching.

I was never lucky enough to own a Venge, but yeah I’d expect the ride quality on the SL8 to be very different, given the difference in frame design/ weight etc. You’ll not be disappointed with the SL8. It’s an incredible bike 👌

Awesome mate, was looking at that exact colourway just yesterday in the store... Beautiful looking frame 😍 Enjoy the new bike and thanks for watching 👊

Thanks mate 👍

🤣🤣🤣

Thanks for watching!

Yeah, I'm with you.. Colours are important! I hope the Canyon was worth the wait and is living upto your expectations. Thanks for watching. :-)

Thanks Tony, Yeah I have mate, maybe one for the future 👍

Thank you for watching 😊👍

Thanks mate. 👍

Thanks mate, SL7 is an incredible bike.. 👌 Not sure on the chain gang, I'm a new member and don't get involved with the politics 😉... Drop John Davo a message mate, he calls the shots 😁

Any track in particular mate? Thanks for watching 👍

Hey Daryl, thanks for the message. Awesome that you found Infinity through my content and even better that you got hooked up with a new bike.... You'll love the bike mate, it's fantastic... Both wheelsets are pretty closely matched, I'd personally go with Roval as it nicely finishes the overall "package"...... If budget allowed, I'd also have a look at the Rapide CLs. They're another step up to both wheelsets you're looking at and still decent value.... I've got Rapide CL and a pair of the Rapide CLX 2 which are a grand more and can barely notice a difference... The guys in the store will look after you.... 👍 Thanks for watching 👊

You should get a nice 2nd hand Tarmac SL7 for 4k... There isn't tons around but if you find an Expert or Pro level bike within your budget, it'd defo be worth a look.

@@daveridesagain what’s difference with s works SL7 will I notice a huge difference as oppose to SL7 expert or pro

S-Works uses a different carbon layup, so a bit lighter and stiffer.... In terms of real world performance gains for the everyday rider, there's little difference between S-Works and the tier below ( which are still great bikes..... ) 👍

What are you using it for?

@@korsveien not racing or anything. Just casual but I do like to beat my times

Canyon update coming soon. Thanks for watching 👍

Noted mate, thanks for watching.

Bring it on.... We all want it. Will Specialized deliver🤔

Thanks mate

I do my best 😁 Thanks for watching 👍

I'm going to do an update on that bike soon mate... I've still got it. 👍

Be great to have an Aeroad vs SL8 vid given their respective differences

TBH I don't mind what people ride, that's upto the individual... As long as more people are cycling and enjoying it, then happy days 😊 Thanks for the comment and for watching 👍

or and the SLs look spot on, could be a good time to pick up an SL7

Its new to him, but I think he's pretty impressed. Its a good value bike too, great spec for the price. Definitely a good time to pick up a good 2nd hand SL7, if you can find one that fits in a colour you like. Thanks for watching.

Cheers and hopefully we'll see some more vlogs from the NE👍

Depends on what your priorities are. If you’re on a budget, want bang for buck and find an SL7 frame for say a couple of grand, I’d go with that. If you can afford it , want the lightest and appreciate the suttle differences, buy an SL8. I’ve ridden mine quite a bit more since this update and can confirm, it’s incredible 🔥 Thanks for watching 👍

Thanks mate 🤩

Thanks for the message. I'm fortunate to have ridden both. I sold the Aethos in a month and kept the Tarmac. They were both identical specs. Aero is pretty irrelevant at our level, mate, but to me, the Tarmac just felt that bit faster and more responsive... The geo is identical, so there is no difference in position.... If the bikes were like for like spec, I'd say go with the Tarmac, all day every day... BUT given the significant spec difference on the bikes you're looking at, I'd probably go Aethos... I also personally prefer Shimano over SRAM.... If you can, maybe test ride both to see what you think. Hope this helps and enjoy your new bike, whichever way you end up going.... and let me know what you think 👍 Thanks for watching 😊

Thank you very much for the quick reply Dave! I have the aethos as a loaner bike from a mate at the moment, but with the old 11 speed ultegra di2. I find the aethos to be the most comfortable bike I have ever ridden so far. Super quick and responsive, yet very comfortable. And I don’t have the option to try the Tarmac yet, but I figured the geo was the same and the main difference would be the aero gains. But because you mentioned in this video that the aero gains probably don’t matter much for an average rider like me 😅 I think the spec bump will do it for me due to the value of the group set. Thank you for the elaborate reply! Cheers Dave!

@@KasperPers you're welcome. 👍

Yep, everyone's entitled to an opinion and that's just the way it should be. Ride whatever you want 👍...

High disagree. When it has 1/3 fewer plies than some other frames, how can it feel the same?

@@Shadowboost , agreed 👍

Totally disagree…frames look similar because the computers and wind tunnels are steering the engineering similar ways (data-driven design convergence). However, there’s a wider range of riding/handling dynamics. As someone who test rode bikes for 10 months before deciding on a new one recently, I felt the differences in how the bikes handled was pretty glaring.

@OnThePeriphery I agree mate 👍

I’m not sure, I’ve never tried. Maybe 32mm but that would be a guess

Welcome and thanks for watching 👍... Although there isnt much real world difference in performance between the SL7 and 8, as there isn't a huge difference in the price, if the budget allowed I'd probably suggest going for the SL8, providing the spec on the SL8 stacks up. Ie, is at least on a par with the SL7.... They're both great bikes though and you'll not be disappointed with either.. 👍

@@daveridesagain Hi Dave, that's the issue. The specs are the same, same groupset (Sram Rival), same roval wheels etc.. Is it worth the money to chance to the SL8. The only difference is that de SL7 is from 2023 and the SL8 from 2024. Hope that you can help me in mine decision.

@leenvandertoorn4996 haha, it's your call to make mate. If they're identical in spec and you were to ride both blind folded, I doubt you'd be able to tell the difference. I go for the SL8 only because its the newer model, it'll hold its value slightly better and the price difference isn't massive.... Had there been a grand difference, I'd have said keep the SL7, but for £500 🤔🤔🤔 Your money and your call 👍 Hope this helps.

@@daveridesagain hahaha, I was afraid of this answer. Would indeed take the SL8 because it is a newer model. Think about it carefully over the next few days. Thanks for your help and keep making good videos.

@@leenvandertoorn4996As an economist I would say this comes down to the resale value.

Thanks mate. 56cm, I'm 175cm. Set up and fit is spot on 👌

I had an Aethos for a short while, preferred the Tarmac, so kept the Tarmac and sold the Aethos... Tarmac felt a bit stiffer, more responsive and all round just a bit faster... IMO the Aethos is pretty much redundant now with the weight reduction on the new SL8...

You won't notice a huge difference in performance, between S-Works and the tier down, but if it puts a bigger smile on your face when you ride it, you'll probably ride it more. Whatever you end up with mate, you won't be disappointed. Happy riding!

The frame is lighter for sure, but little difference in real world performance gains for the average rider. Still love the bike though.

Still got it mate. I'm going to do an update video on it soon 👍

It's the rider that counts

Decals for the SL8? The bike comes like this from stock in the UK mate. 👍

I am thanks 😊. Thanks for watching 👍

@@daveridesagain Thanks for making your video. Enjoy your future rides on that beast SL8.

Six and two threes IMO, mostly comes down to the paint finish as the decider 😁

😂😂😂 Thank you 👊

Ride what you like and what you enjoy mate... as long as you're riding, happy days 😊 Thanks for watching 👍