Specialized Tarmac SL7 Comp Review: The Budget S-Works 

Did it arrive and what did you think !

Much appreciated!

I can buy a 2021 sl7 expert with 10% off. I can switch the wheels from Roval C38 to zipp 404 firecrest. Its a cheaper wheel, should i change it or is the Roval way better? And do you also have mechanical ultegra? How does the mech ultegra hold up in sprints and races?

Thanks glad you liked it!! 😎👍

@@davidarthur I’ve been debating saving my pennies and upgrade to one of these, so your review was extremely helpful… almost got an S6, but the price point, in comparison to the S7 didn’t make sense… can’t wait to see the next one! 🍻

Thanks Malcolm and you're right the SL6 is available at lower prices now, should really have mentioned that but so many other things to get across as well. I'd quite like to get back on an SL6 now after riding this new SL7

Not a fair comparison, I'm sure this bike is not twice as good as the bike half its price

But you believe the marketing shite on your bike pmsl. Keep wasting your money

how much did that recall cost you?

@@TurnLeftNow My LBS contacted me the day the recall was announced. Gave me the update and said would be in contact when parts arrived. 6 days later, another call saying I could bring the bike in. Took it the next day. 4 hours later, collected my bike with new parts, detailed report with pictures showing my steerer had no signs of damage and it had been washed and lubed. All this for the massive sum total of zero dollars. Had a follow up call from LBS a week later to ensure all was ok. So to be honest, Specialized handled this extremely well and I cannot fault them here.

How much weight did you drop switching to those wheels and tubeless?

Thanks. Trying to review as many bikes at as wide range of prices as possible 👍

Thanks Steve. I've asked about an Emonda but supply issues hitting Trek hard so I'll see what I can work out - keen to get it reviewed to see how it compares

true, but to be fair aero trumps weight, even for many Sunday riders (like me). When you're not a pro you're more likely to prefer the flats and there again, aero trumps weight.

To be fair to them, people are not buying rim brake bikes, yeah they have fans but its a small proportion of their sales. Best we can hope for is that Shimano et al fix the issues with discs and bring the weight down.

You nailed it my friend

Don’t speak logically to illogical people they’ll only hate you for it!

A fool and his money and all that, other brands offer far more bang for your buck 👍

⬆️

What would you recommend? I have been looking on Giant TCR.

Bike from 5 years ago didn't have disc brake. It's a give an take here. Almost hit by a bus because my tarmac sl3 not a DB bike.

This is the downside IMO. I was able to get a frame and put on some carbon wheels that I already had. The wheels are just a blatant cost-cutting measure that, frankly, Specialized should be ashamed of. But with my set up it's just over 16.5 lbs, an absolute rocket ship.

The wider lower pressure tyres did help but it still didn’t feel as smooth as the Filante or TCR. I was amazed how smooth the Wilier was for an aero bike

@@davidarthur Thank you so much, David, your insight is invaluable to me, and I'm sure to many others - particularly in the complete absence of demo bikes these days. (The only demo I've been offered on either bike was a 'ride' on a turbo trainer - not the best way to assess comfort, or handling, or anything at all really.)

darn. I'm on a TCR 2021 atm, and I'm strongly considering moving to get myself a SL7. The comfort comparison though, has me rather concerned about what I'll be giving up going to the SL7.

I just ordered this bike, can you tell me what wheels you put on it?

@@davidabbs4459 Roval C38.

Yeah maybe 2022 if you’re lucky with the way things are inside Specialized. Better luck to just find a dealer who has it.

Definitely a 49 since you said there's no clearance between your crotch and the top tube of a Size 52. Don't follow the height-based size chart.

I'm 5'7 and I would say 52 is perfect for me. So yes, 49cm, if you get one. Good luck.

That's a good question. I did spend time riding the bike on different carbon wheels I'm testing with 28mm tyres at 60-65psi but the ride was still firm and full of feedback compared to other bikes that manage to be smoother with the same setup.The wide tyres definitely help though

@@davidarthur more feedback is better, especially when you're on the limit and you need to be able to trust the bike.

Size 56 is your ideal size, was the Size 58 recommendation from their size chart?

if you live in a hilly area it might make sense - definitely better value than this sl7 comp

Prices went up 800 euro within a 1/2 years time for a bike i was looking at last year. Thanks to covid, less production and higher demand. You won’t get a new focus for those old prices, they are not far from specialized and others nowadays. A lot of people ordered bikes; if they keep on cycling prices will rise, if they quit.. second hand market will be booming.

I completely agree with you, complete BS from the bike industry!. My 5 year old Colnago C59 with Di2 and tubular carbon wheels and rim brakes is 14.7 lbs and it was less expensive that this middle of the road Tarmac, what a Bull!!

Couldn’t of put it better. I’ve raced and ridden for the same amount of years. I rode at a decent level and riding years ago was just as fast and when turning up at a race we never looked at the bikes only the riders. No it’s carbon this, 3k plus wheels it’s total marketing bs. I always looked at golfers posing with Pringles on wasting money etc, definitely a good comparison. Also who used to insure their bikes? A decent rider used to turn up in the winter on a training frame with mudguards and go hard as hell. How many idiots ride through the winter on their race bikes?? The cycle world now is full of spoilt dumb asses who don’t know much, only what the media tells them. 🤪

@@murcielago188 you must have been living under a rock last year.. i was looking for a new bike, colnago c60 was one of them. Close to 6500 euro for a rim brake version with cheap rims etc. With nice paints etc it was close to 7000. Thats way more than this one. Don’t even mention the c60 disk brake version with di2… c59 should be compared to tarmac sl6. The tarmacs are cheaper than colnago’s.. colnago’s always were more expensive. Awesome, but really expensive.

Then buy a secondhand old light bike, nobody will stop you. You guys always complain about the bike weight like you already have achieved 3% body fat. The modern bike heavier than the older one because it has disc brake, which is way way safer. It's a give and take here. DB bike is heavier but you can use it safely during rainy season, it's called compromise. RimBrake bike is way way lighter and cheaper yeah, but when you use it during rainy or winter season, you'll endanger yourself. I'm not a DB fan until my tarmac sl3 almost force me use a wheelchair for the rest of my life. If you said you won't cycle in winter or whatever, that's also a compromise right? DB system is more expensive than RB because it has more parts obviously. Frame wise, the weight will be almost the same, you won't see a 3 kg carbon bike frame just because it use DB. Specialized frame is expensive yeah, but maybe it's because they give you a lifetime warranty. I don't think bike frame industries have balls to do it 5 years ago.

Absolutely. I purchased for mine. Easy install and working perfectly. And by far the most cost effective way to add power.

Rival etap is pretty heavy

@@saracen888 It sure is. Bike industry today: bikes cost more and are heavier. Go figure...

You pay a lot so you get a lot of bike ;)

@@saracen888 even sram red etap is heavy now

3200g groupset 😅😅😅😅

yeah its ridiculous

It's not a light bike made worse by SRAM rival being super heavy compared to Shimano Ultegra and even 105.

The average average de France cyclist weighs just under 60kg. Peter Sagan is 73. He must be a bad cyclist as he is so much heavier.

@@87togabito well he's been bad in 2021

Its not the same thing with bike being lighter.

Disc brakes? 12 speed? Electronic shifting?

Disc brakes for gravel. Rim for road. I can stop just fine with rim brakes. Electronic shifting? Pah. More expensive and heavy fat barrister gadgets to make you feel like a pro. Pure bs. If you RU-vid guys don’t toe the industry line you’ won’t get offered stuff to to test. Progress isn’t always for the better.

@@sneakerjoe23 disc brakes not needed

​@@stevetee4145 Late reply I know, but an important one. I have just gone from a 2015 Emonda SLR rim brake that weighed 6.7kg 1(4lbs 8oz in old/US speak) to an S Works Tarmac SL7 that is 7kg (15lbs 4 oz). If we used weight as the sole metric, it would seem I have gone backwards. However, I am significantly faster on the Tarmac. I would consider myself a decent rider - I held about 23.2mph over a 15 mile solo time trial over undulating roads. The same route I now hold 24.8mph for the same effort. 1.6mph faster may not seem much, but at my level it is very welcome and 2mins30secs faster over just a 15 mile distance is a huge deal.

Just took a look at the Pro SL Disc, at least it can run any 1 1/8-inch cockpit. Now that, is the kind of full internal routing I won't hate.

Ah good point - my memory isn't what it used to be. You still own/ride that classic?

@@davidarthur Yes I still do. About 20,000 miles on it at this point and looking to replace it with and old man endurance/gravel bike with wider gearing and electronic shifting, possibly a Grail CF 8.0 but I’m waiting to see if they offer Rival AXS. I’ve been following you for recommendations. FYI I almost bought the E5 Tarmac but the non standard sizing on it made me wait for the full carbon because I couldn’t quite find one that fit me right. Because the 54 was too small and the 57 was too big. Swapping stems just didn’t make it ever feel quite right.

The frameset blue is pretty, everything else is complete shit

Agreed, whoever is designing these should be sacked asap.

Agreed. I understand the weight concerns, but a comparison on weight alone isn't truly comparing apples with apples

Your bike is electronic shifter ?

TCR ADVANCED PRO DISC 2

go for the aethos, it'll feel more responsive

I’d say tcr so much better value for money!

Dave building tcr pro with rival axs and enve45, you'll see.

@@Nicky458itl yes but that’s more equal to the s-works. I’m interested in how this sl7 Comp compares to the advanced pro 0/1 as they’re more in the price bracket that I can afford.

TCR definitely

‘way better than’… nonsens. Have you ridden both? I have. Comparable sets and not very good. Canyon prices gone up aswell, and (were) hard to get. Aeroroad (2021 model) prices aren’t that much lower these days.. they all have their accountants. Ultimate will have a new model soon, with ofcourse higher prices. Hopefully without breaking bars…

4.5k with Rival is ridiculous, only Spesh think that much is budget

right on..maybe specialized wants to slow down riders for their safety

I'd expect it under 7kg for that price 😂😂

Just replace the Rival with Ultegra and you will take off like 3 kg lol

Nice bike that

If I had a set of wheels I would take the Specialized all day. Their build quality is fantastic compared to other major manufacturers.

@@jamsxr I understand that, but your talking min £800 for wheels to get an equivalent spec of the competition. It's all subjective isn't it, but I still think that their pricing is way out

Looking at 2023 to actually get a new ribble with that spec if you are lucky.

Cylingabout did a new video on bikeweight. If you dont race 1kg heavier is just marginal slower. It is all in the head. I love me some lightweight bikes they feel and ride amazing.

I think this topic of bike weight and how much difference it makes needs a video making, what do you think?

Canyon is too busy giving their bikes away to influencers than have any stock for me to buy!

Wouldn't mind a 1X Aeroad with Rival AXS. Would be heavy as hell but would be business.

have they fixed the design of the new aeroad?

Not when it has that unhelpful steerer tube expander plug.

You cant get a new canyon