Weight Weenies

First let me describe myself :-
I am 5'8" and weigh ~150lbs. I have started racing and I have had some good results and will be moving to CAT4. Where I live we don't have any big climbs unless I go to north Georgia but that's about once a year but we have a lot of punchy small hills. All my Podiums and top 5 have come in sprint finishes. I have been a riding a 2013 SuperSix Evo Red with ENVE 3.4s

I have been looking to buy a bike for a while now, and as my team is sponsored by a Specialized Bike Shop I am getting really good deal on Specialized. This narrows it down to Tarmac and the Venge Vias. We all know how good the Sworks Tarmac frame is so I have no doubts regarding that, but I am not too sure about the VIAS. I have been doing my research but there are a lot of questions that I am not able to find the answers to:-
1. Is the Aero advantage over Tarmac worth the weight penalty?
2. I know thy have improved the braking for the 2017(VIAS rim brake models are not on the website but they are in the dealer website and the VIAS module is about $2000 cheaper than 2016) models but was is it really bad before?
3. Although I will put SRAM eTap on whatever I pick, is maintenance on the VIAS really tough due to the internal wiring?

Looks don't matter to me much, performance does. Tarmac is one of the best performing bikes but Venge has the aero going for it. Is it really worth to get the Venge VIAS over the Tarmac on rolling or flat terrain?

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If the shop sponsors you ask for a demo Venge for the weekend, you won't know until you ride both.

For me the Tarmac was the winner as the ride quality was so much better.

Aero is talked about extensively in here viewtopic.php?t=136752

keyurbhatnagar wrote:First let me describe myself :-
I am 5'8" and weigh ~150lbs. I have started racing and I have had some good results and will be moving to CAT4. Where I live we don't have any big climbs unless I go to north Georgia but that's about once a year but we have a lot of punchy small hills. All my Podiums and top 5 have come in sprint finishes. I have been a riding a 2013 SuperSix Evo Red with ENVE 3.4s

I have been looking to buy a bike for a while now, and as my team is sponsored by a Specialized Bike Shop I am getting really good deal on Specialized. This narrows it down to Tarmac and the Venge Vias. We all know how good the Sworks Tarmac frame is so I have no doubts regarding that, but I am not too sure about the VIAS. I have been doing my research but there are a lot of questions that I am not able to find the answers to:-
1. Is the Aero advantage over Tarmac worth the weight penalty?
2. I know thy have improved the braking for the 2017(VIAS rim brake models are not on the website but they are in the dealer website and the VIAS module is about $2000 cheaper than 2016) models but was is it really bad before?
3. Although I will put SRAM eTap on whatever I pick, is maintenance on the VIAS really tough due to the internal wiring?

Looks don't matter to me much, performance does. Tarmac is one of the best performing bikes but Venge has the aero going for it. Is it really worth to get the Venge VIAS over the Tarmac on rolling or flat terrain?

Aero advantage as much as you think you are not great.

Breaking performance of 2017 vias has not yet been proven between the amateurs.

Therefore, I recommend the tarmac. Or recommend that waiting for a review of the 2017 vias.

Tarmac.

Honestly, buy whatever bike excites you more and you will be more excited to go out and train on. The training you do will be what leads to more success, not the bike. Either bike is way more than you need to succeed well into the Cat 1 fields.

New Tarmac wins for me.

Vias' frame profile looks aero, but it ended up being not so aero in Tour mag's test..

Also, you cannot even make 6.8kg bike with that frame without matt black finish..

If you want to go for high-end aero machine.. I would recommend new madone.

Tarmac. One of the best all rounder out there. May be not so aero- but:
Add a deep section wheels, an aero, integrated cockpit. You won't lose much, and probably gain more vs Vias in climbing and descending - which are where the real gap are created.

Here's another way to look at it, you already own a fairly light bike that is great for climbing. The Tarmac essentially replaces what you have with a similar level of performance. The Vias goes in a different direction.

Is the aero benefit that great? I can't really answer that. The bike may be super aero, but your position may negate any aero advantage. Remember, aero is as much about your position as it is the bike.

eTap will alleviate a lot of the set up concerns. You'll only have to worry about routing brake cables through the Vias set up.

Another option to consider is the Allez Sprint. It's supposedly as aero as the original Venge. And there are a ton of sweet paint jobs available now.

If I could afford a Vias, I'd probably get one. But, I already own a really light Argon that is great for climbing.

Thanks. I'll probably go for the Tarmac then. Its $1600 cheaper than the Venge and I don't see the aero benefits worth that price.

I have enve 3.4 but I think I'll add some 60mm in the future.

What aero bar/integrated cockpit do you suggest? I used a SWorks aerofly on my cannondale.

Those are pretty good already. For separated aerobar there are choices from Easton, Enve, Sworks, Zipp etc etc. a one piece bar stem check out PRO and FSA. They have beautiful shape.


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I've ridden both on a test event and switched between them during a ride. Tarmac would be a no-brainer for me.

It's way lighter, more comfortable, stiffer and it feels more direct.

Tarmac is better option.

Yeah you've got a nice current ride...

I love my 2016 S-Works Tarmac -- handles like a dream. Between the two, Tarmac hands down.

The old Venge is still a baller of a bike. It doesn't say S-Works on it anymore but get the best non-VIAS Venge if you're looking for an aero road frame. It's no boat anchor either. I had a Venge that I stupidly cracked a dropout on and had to do the crash replacement deal. I really liked that bike a lot. It also handled very well, rode well enough to do 6 hour rides. Won climbing RRs on it as well as crits and Merckx TT's.... VERY good bike.

Take the money you save from not doing the stupid VIAS and buy some team discount Rovals to put on either of the two bikes. Now you have a crit/flat RR bike with aero wheels and already have a climbing bike with some sweet wheels.

That's what I'd do anyway....

Thanks everybody. I got myself a SWORKS Tarmac and I love it.

Welcome the the club! Nice looking bike, I never saw that paint job before.

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