Belgium flag S-Works Tarmac
Moderators: MrCurrieinahurry, maxim809, Moderator Team
I was never a big Specialized fan until I saw a mate’s Tarmac Giro d’Italia Celebrazione which impressed me enough to buy the Astana replica frame pictured below and this became my main steed for most of last year.
I really loved the ride qualities of the Tarmac with the smoothness reminding me somewhat of my old Colnago M10. For some bizarre reason, known only to the God of Crazy Things, in early January this year I took a major head stagger and sold the bike, an action I regretted almost immediately. So when I saw this red/black/hyper Tarmac online at a significantly reduced price a couple of weeks ago, I had to pull the trigger right away. Not quite Belgian flag but sometimes in the right light the hyper colour does look a little like yellow! Still think I prefer the look of the Astana replica a tad more but this one ain’t too shoddy either. Full build list:
Specialized S-Works Tarmac SL5 frame (1048g) and fork (343g cut) size 56cm
Shimano Dura Ace 9000STI levers and derailleurs
Specialized S-Works crankset with carbon spider 172.5mm
Praxxis Works Buzz chainrings 52/36
KMC x11 SL chain
Campag Super Record cassette 12-25
Custom carbon clincher rims 38mmx23mm wide with DT Swiss 240s hubs, Sapim CX Ray spokes
Veloflex Corsa tyres 25mm
Tune DC14 skewers
Continental Supersonic inner tubes
Veloplugs
TRP R920 brakes with Reynolds Cry0 Blue pads
Ceramic Speed BB and headset bearings with FSA top cap
Tune Gum Gum expander
3T Ergonova Team Handlebars 42cm
3T ARX II Stealth stem 110mm
Prologo Zero Nack saddle
Fizik Cyrano R1 seatpost
Velobuild carbon bottle cages
Total weight as pictured 6.69kg.
I really loved the ride qualities of the Tarmac with the smoothness reminding me somewhat of my old Colnago M10. For some bizarre reason, known only to the God of Crazy Things, in early January this year I took a major head stagger and sold the bike, an action I regretted almost immediately. So when I saw this red/black/hyper Tarmac online at a significantly reduced price a couple of weeks ago, I had to pull the trigger right away. Not quite Belgian flag but sometimes in the right light the hyper colour does look a little like yellow! Still think I prefer the look of the Astana replica a tad more but this one ain’t too shoddy either. Full build list:
Specialized S-Works Tarmac SL5 frame (1048g) and fork (343g cut) size 56cm
Shimano Dura Ace 9000STI levers and derailleurs
Specialized S-Works crankset with carbon spider 172.5mm
Praxxis Works Buzz chainrings 52/36
KMC x11 SL chain
Campag Super Record cassette 12-25
Custom carbon clincher rims 38mmx23mm wide with DT Swiss 240s hubs, Sapim CX Ray spokes
Veloflex Corsa tyres 25mm
Tune DC14 skewers
Continental Supersonic inner tubes
Veloplugs
TRP R920 brakes with Reynolds Cry0 Blue pads
Ceramic Speed BB and headset bearings with FSA top cap
Tune Gum Gum expander
3T Ergonova Team Handlebars 42cm
3T ARX II Stealth stem 110mm
Prologo Zero Nack saddle
Fizik Cyrano R1 seatpost
Velobuild carbon bottle cages
Total weight as pictured 6.69kg.
Last edited by liam7020 on Wed Mar 22, 2017 1:53 am, edited 1 time in total.
Tarmac SL6 & Campag Record EPS https://weightweenies.starbike.com/foru ... 0&t=153968
"Sometimes you don't need a plan. You just need big balls." Tom Boonen
"Sometimes you don't need a plan. You just need big balls." Tom Boonen
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Both bikes are beautiful and great builds.
As a team, I'm not a fan of Astana at all, but I always thought their bikes were the best looking ones of the Specialized team models. I photographed my friend's Astana Venge last year and it has so many sweet, hidden details.
As a team, I'm not a fan of Astana at all, but I always thought their bikes were the best looking ones of the Specialized team models. I photographed my friend's Astana Venge last year and it has so many sweet, hidden details.
CrankAddictsRich wrote:Both bikes are beautiful and great builds.
As a team, I'm not a fan of Astana at all, but I always thought their bikes were the best looking ones of the Specialized team models. I photographed my friend's Astana Venge last year and it has so many sweet, hidden details.
Nice Venge. Agree, despite Astana's dodgy past their Speshs were the best looking in the peloton. BTW, nice wall - a good wall is hard to find!
KCookie wrote:Amazing sharp pics, really sets off a great looking bike.
lovemyway wrote:Here's to me hoping that my Sagan Disc ViAS will turn out anywhere near as good as these..
Thanks lads!
Tarmac SL6 & Campag Record EPS https://weightweenies.starbike.com/foru ... 0&t=153968
"Sometimes you don't need a plan. You just need big balls." Tom Boonen
"Sometimes you don't need a plan. You just need big balls." Tom Boonen
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liam7020 wrote:
Nice Venge. Agree, despite Astana's dodgy past their Speshs were the best looking in the peloton. BTW, nice wall - a good wall is hard to find!
Yes... I agree, a good wall IS hard to find. If you want to check out more shots of the Venge, I did a full write up here.
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The two of your are very accomplished photogs in my humble opinion. Not a bad pic in the entire lot.
Congrats on the new bike. Get ready to do more dumb stuff - there is no antidote! I'm living proof.
(Your first Tarmac was the real beauty. Just saying.)
Congrats on the new bike. Get ready to do more dumb stuff - there is no antidote! I'm living proof.
(Your first Tarmac was the real beauty. Just saying.)
Last edited by Johnny Rad on Wed Mar 22, 2017 9:37 pm, edited 1 time in total.
CrankAddictsRich wrote:Yes... I agree, a good wall IS hard to find. If you want to check out more shots of the Venge, I did a full write up here.
Excellent article Rich, thanks for that link.
Johnny Rad wrote:The two of your are very accomplished photogs in my humble opinion. Not a bad pic in the entire lot.
Congrats on the new bike. Get ready to do more stuff - there is no antidote! I'm living proof.
(Your first Tarmac was the real beauty. Just saying.)
Thanks Johnny Rad. Yeah did really like the Astana replica - what possessed me to sell it?!!
Tarmac SL6 & Campag Record EPS https://weightweenies.starbike.com/foru ... 0&t=153968
"Sometimes you don't need a plan. You just need big balls." Tom Boonen
"Sometimes you don't need a plan. You just need big balls." Tom Boonen
kkibbler wrote:I call shenanigans on calling that "Belgium flag" but other than that it's a great looking bike (all of them in this thread).
Yeah I know but as a Belgiophile I had to try it!!
Tarmac SL6 & Campag Record EPS https://weightweenies.starbike.com/foru ... 0&t=153968
"Sometimes you don't need a plan. You just need big balls." Tom Boonen
"Sometimes you don't need a plan. You just need big balls." Tom Boonen
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The one thing I can't figure out... full DA9000, except for the brakes. Why TRP?
CrankAddictsRich wrote:The one thing I can't figure out... full DA9000, except for the brakes. Why TRP?
I've used TRP brakes on a number of my bikes without issues. The R920 brakes are lighter and cheaper than DA and I've found them to have excellent stopping power.
Tarmac SL6 & Campag Record EPS https://weightweenies.starbike.com/foru ... 0&t=153968
"Sometimes you don't need a plan. You just need big balls." Tom Boonen
"Sometimes you don't need a plan. You just need big balls." Tom Boonen
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liam7020 wrote:CrankAddictsRich wrote:The one thing I can't figure out... full DA9000, except for the brakes. Why TRP?
I've used TRP brakes on a number of my bikes without issues. The R920 brakes are lighter and cheaper than DA and I've found them to have excellent stopping power.
Ahhh, fair enough. I don't know anything about them. If they're good, they're good. I just thought it was odd to use a full DA other than the brakes.
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