Help me choose a new frame SL4 or Galium Pro

[roelez]

Hello guys , 2 weeks ago i just have a terrible crash which caused my Colnago destroyed ..


But fortunately all my component is still fine without any damage , even my mavic slr still true and in a good shape !


so now im fully recovered and ready to build my new bike and i have 2 option which still on my budget
2012 Argon Galium Pro or 2012 Specialized Tarmac SL4

the component that is use to build this bike will be
Dura ace 7900
Mavic Cosmic SLR / Campagnolo Shamal
and 3T component

so could you guys help me to decide which frame should i choose ..

thank you

[btompkins0112]

Glad you are ok!

I cannot speak on either of those choices; but be sure to post whatever you decide on!

[jrennie]

SL4 all the way.

[Tinea Pedis]

Firstly, great to see you're ok.

Secondly, why not another Colnago?


Otherwise, just about everyone on here will say the SL4. And they are certainly great bikes. However I think Argon 18 are very underrated. If the Galium fits better, I would certainly take it.


btw, can I ask how you find the Mavic's? I'm weighing up which Mavic wheels to go with next season. Looks like they survived the crash without a worry

[maggierose]

I second Tinea; why not another Colnago? Otherwise I vote for the Gallium. Specialized is big, commercial, & litigious; traits I don't like in bicycle (in this case) marketers.,

[Don]

I own neither of your choices. A local bike shop sells Argons. When I commented to the owner that the Argon, XXSmall, that I was holding seemed heavy, he said that their experience is that Argons are heavy compared to other brands that they sell. A similar sized Cannondale in the store was noticeably lighter in weight. This may or may not be a factor in your decision.

[roelez]

Firstly, great to see you're ok.

Secondly, why not another Colnago?


Otherwise, just about everyone on here will say the SL4. And they are certainly great bikes. However I think Argon 18 are very underrated. If the Galium fits better, I would certainly take it.


btw, can I ask how you find the Mavic's? I'm weighing up which Mavic wheels to go with next season. Looks like they survived the crash without a worry

yeah i was thinking about C59 but , after looking around i got myself a used SL4 in a perfect condition and 30% discount for 2012 Argon galium pro , so i can save some money
i bought this wheelset when i was at singapore ,KHcycle , yeah it was a big surprised i was on 40 kmh when the crash happen !

[Ghost234]

I've owned an Sl3, and work in a shop that sells Argons - so I have had the chance to demo quite a few Gallium [pro].


The Sl4 is definitely lighter. However, I found the rear end (of my Sl3) to be quite stiff. The OSBB is a pain in the butt, it creaked quite a bit especially after riding in the rain. I would do a standard threaded BB if I were to do it again. Additionally, the Sl3 geometry was pretty relaxed - although I hear the Sl4 is slightly more aggressive.

The Gallium was much more comfortable. And I found it to be stiffer everywhere but the rear triangle. It also allowed for a much more aggressive position. I typically run a fairly aggressive position, so this was nice.


You can't go wrong with either. But I would lean more towards the Gallium Pro if you plan on doing longer rides in flattish terrain and can ride aggressively. If you want a more relaxed position and/or climb more often, the Sl4 is your best bet.

[micky]

Glad you're ok!

I second the ones who says that Specialized is bit too commercial compared for example to the Colnago you have now or the Gallium, but on the other hand, aesthetically speaking, Im perhaps liking more the S one.
Unluckily no chance to ride either of them.

[mec287]

Hi, Just taken delivery of a new 2012 SL4 and it's beautiful - not had chance to ride it yet (crappy weather) but will post when I do.

[topflightpro]

I bought a 2013 Gallium Pro back in September, and am so far pretty happy with it.

I have not put that many miles on it so far - I suffered a partial tear in a tendon in my knee two days before the bike arrived and am slowly upping my mileage - but I have no complaints. It rides smooth. Power transfer seems good. It handles and corners well.

I really like that the frameset is set up for Di2 or cable component systems. The internal cable routing wasn't that difficult to set up either. I also like the H3 headset system, which enables you to adjust the headtube height without using spacers. The Gallium Pro comes stock with a very aggressive geometry, but that can be softened a bit with the H3 spacers.

I have yet to develop an opinion on the PF86 bottom bracket. I have BB30 on my other bikes. They creaked, I Loctited it and everything was fine. I hear that the PF86 can develop a similar creak.

I was not able to weight the frame before it was built up - the shop installed the BB as soon as it arrived - so I cannot give you a frame weight, but once it was built, a size medium with the new Sram Red, Deda Zero 100 bars/stem, Fizik Arione CX saddle and a PowerTap wheelset, the total build came in about 15.5 pounds, if I remember correctly.

My wife has a 2010 Tarmac SL3. I've ridden it a few times, but mostly just around the block to make sure everything was working after I fix whatever issues she has. It seems like a perfectly solid bike from what I can tell.

I will add that my buddy and the guy who owns the LBS where I got the Gallium, had a Colnago EPS then got a Gallium Pro. He then sold the EPS and said he liked the Gallium Pro better. He sells both Colnago and Argon.

[topflightpro]

And here is a pic of my Gallium Pro - which is what it looked like when I weighed it.

I've made a couple of changes since taking this pic: Cages are Arundel Mandibles, stem is a Deda Zero 100, steertube has been cut down, and one of the H3 spacers has been removed.

[rhyslewisdavies]

Over the summer i couldnt choose between the two having sold my SL3. But LBS gave me a great deal on the SL4 in black and white and the specialied cranks.
it looks superb and rides beautifully and is very stiff which is what i want, im running record 11 speed and the internal cable routing makes the bike look really neat and tidy.
i would im sure also have been really happy with the gallium pro though

[NiFTY]

I have ridden neither a SL4 or gallium pro. I am on my 2nd specialized. I have a S works SL3 now, which was a warranty replacement for a S works SL. The finish on both is great. The SL3 rides nicer than the SL but much more heavily than my evo. That being said the SL4 is supposed to ride much better than an SL3. I have had no issues with either bike. My freind has a argon and the headset kept coming loose, very loose, within a single ride after taking it back to LBS. Seems to have resolved now though. For my own money i think the SL4 looks nicer, especially in the keyline red colourway. In regards to hating on specialized because they are a big company, well that is silly. They are large as a result of their success. They are successful due to good product. If you want a more exclusive product, that is a completely different kettle of fish, and specialized is certainly very common.

Not to disrail the conversation but have you considered an cannondale evo? Paint quality is not anyway near the specialized standard but they ride very well and are noticably lighter.

[mec287]

Hi - obviously my contribution is a bit one sided since I only have an SL4 to tell you about, but I rode it for the first time this weekend and I was blown away with how quick it feels on the flat, downhill and climbing. I'm comparing it to a 2008 S-Works Tarmac (which was also written off by my insurers following a crash, which is why I didn't get to ride the SL4 before I got it), which was a light, quick and very responsive bike (but also super comfy as it had the zertz inserts in the frame and forks).

The SL4 felt stiffer and far more direct - it was super responsive (the slightest input gave an instant reaction whether it was accelerating, braking, or changing direction) but it also felt very stable - not at all flighty.

I did just over 30 miles, with a very big climb in the middle (up to 20% gradient). Given that it's got standard 53/39T chainrings and an 11-25T cassette, I was pleasantly surprised how it (and I) coped with the climbing.

On the 'mass produced' side of things, my view is that yes you'll see lots of Specialized bikes around, but you wont see too many S-Works bikes. Also, their s-works frames are (IMHO) as good as any more 'fashionable' frames (possibly even better) - have a look at this review attesting to the strength of the frameset:

http://www.redkiteprayer.com/tag/specia ... armac-sl4/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;