2020 Specialized Tarmac SL7

[BBres]

From my personal experience - you'll get different opinions depending on the place where you ask that questions - here you'll find the specialized fanoys and most of them will try to persuade you the SL7 is better. Ask the same question in the Addict thread and you may get completely different answers.

Second: most of the factors you ask are very subjective - like comfort, ride quality.

Third: you never know who is giving you advice on the internet. The poster may be an experienced racer or some fat guy or a fanboy of a specific brand. Look at the specialized Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/919737964761106. Like 85% of the group members are people I would never take any advice from. They're just totally other type of riders than me.

I'd say the bikes are basically equal and both are excellent. The looks is the most important factor. Let's say - if you love the design of a bike you'll forgive it's a little less comfy or it's a little less or more stiff. Don't expect any huge differences between the bikes.

My example - I switched from the TCR to SL7 S-works and I bet 90% of asked people will say the s-works is better, because it's the s-works. Come on it must be better. But - for me - is not true at all. I find the bikes equal, yet the TCR was a little stiffer in the BB. Apart from that they're equal. But I like the design of the SL7 better.

[chorus88]

How would you compare the SL7 (not S-Works) to the Scott Addict RC? (Aero, ridequality, stiffness, etc.)
Would the SL7 be an upgrade?

Honestly, both bikes probably ride the same.

What's important to you.
I value Brand Warranty, aesthetics, bike weight, price & industry standard components (threaded BBs, Hooked rims).

Everybody is different!

[alanashd]

From my personal experience - you'll get different opinions depending on the place where you ask that questions - here you'll find the specialized fanoys and most of them will try to persuade you the SL7 is better. Ask the same question in the Addict thread and you may get completely different answers.

Second: most of the factors you ask are very subjective - like comfort, ride quality.

Third: you never know who is giving you advice on the internet. The poster may be an experienced racer or some fat guy or a fanboy of a specific brand. Look at the specialized Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/919737964761106. Like 85% of the group members are people I would never take any advice from. They're just totally other type of riders than me.

I'd say the bikes are basically equal and both are excellent. The looks is the most important factor. Let's say - if you love the design of a bike you'll forgive it's a little less comfy or it's a little less or more stiff. Don't expect any huge differences between the bikes.

My example - I switched from the TCR to SL7 S-works and I bet 90% of asked people will say the s-works is better, because it's the s-works. Come on it must be better. But - for me - is not true at all. I find the bikes equal, yet the TCR was a little stiffer in the BB. Apart from that they're equal. But I like the design of the SL7 better.

Yeah, sums up perfectly all of the communities that have expensive gear. I've seen same discussions on photography forums dudes literally comparing same lens and say one of them is sharper than the other while both of them extremely detailed and sharp lens already lol.

[impotentloki]

I came from a TCR Advanced SL, Cervelo Soloist, and now the SL7.

I can say the TCR rides as nice as the SL7, but TCR is slightly less comfortable because of the ISP system.

Otherwise I would say all 3 bikes are pretty comparable with one another, although the SL7 is by far my favorite bike in terms of color and design, this made me ride more often, and I am happy with it!

[ullmanz]

How would you compare the SL7 (not S-Works) to the Scott Addict RC? (Aero, ridequality, stiffness, etc.)
Would the SL7 be an upgrade?

I'd say that Sl8 Pro frameset is probably a better choice than SL7 Sworks.
Pretty much same weight, but SL8 Pro is more the newer one and apparently more comfy at same aero.
But probably neither of them are going to make a big difference to your current one

[ViperFFM]

SL8 Pro is more the newer one and apparently more comfy at same aero.

Thats incorrect. The "gainend" aero watts comapred to the Sl7 come from the Roval Cockpit alone. So everything under S-Works Tier has more drag.

[ullmanz]

SL8 Pro is more the newer one and apparently more comfy at same aero.

Thats incorrect. The "gainend" aero watts comapred to the Sl7 come from the Roval Cockpit alone. So everything under S-Works Tier has more drag.

wouldn't it still be same drag, but lighter?

[Mocs123]

I think ViperFFM is saying that if you just look at the frame itself the SL7 is faster than the SL8, and it's the advances in the new Roval Cockpit that make the SL8 with the new cockpit faster than the SL7 with the seperate bar/stem, and the most aero option would be the SL7 with the Roval Cockpit.

The SL8 is undoubtedly lighter and quite aero for a frame that light, but it's not quite as aero as the SL7 is.

[ViperFFM]

I think ViperFFM is saying that if you just look at the frame itself the SL7 is faster than the SL8, and it's the advances in the new Roval Cockpit that make the SL8 with the new cockpit faster than the SL7 with the seperate bar/stem, and the most aero option would be the SL7 with the Roval Cockpit.

The SL8 is undoubtedly lighter and quite aero for a frame that light, but it's not quite as aero as the SL7 is.

This.

And if you put the Roval Rapdie Cockpit on a Venge it will create a black hole im sure

[NealH]

Lighter and stiffer means it will generally climb and sprint better. Remember, the guys that win tours are the ones that climb and sprint well. If just riding flatlands or rolling terain, then either SL7 or 8 are fine.

[NealH]

Lighter and stiffer means it will generally climb and sprint better. Remember, the guys that win tours are the ones that climb and sprint well. If just racing in flatlands or rolling terain, then either SL7 or 8 are fine. And if you don't race then get whatever you want.

[CKvelo]

I came from a TCR Advanced SL, Cervelo Soloist, and now the SL7.

I can say the TCR rides as nice as the SL7, but TCR is slightly less comfortable because of the ISP system.

Otherwise I would say all 3 bikes are pretty comparable with one another, although the SL7 is by far my favorite bike in terms of color and design, this made me ride more often, and I am happy with it!

How would you compare the Soloist to the SL7?

[impotentloki]

I'm not a strong rider by any means, but I personally think that the SL7 is more comfortable on longer 100KM rides.

It feels more responsive and nimble when you get off the saddle and put power down.

But I like how the Soloist feels when descending downhill, the steering gives me confidence and the bike feels planted.

++ points for SL7 as it uses a BB that is more widely accessible to consumers, I had a hard time finding the T47A BB for the Soloist.

[wheelbuilder]

From my personal experience - you'll get different opinions depending on the place where you ask that questions - here you'll find the specialized fanoys and most of them will try to persuade you the SL7 is better. Ask the same question in the Addict thread and you may get completely different answers.

Second: most of the factors you ask are very subjective - like comfort, ride quality.

Third: you never know who is giving you advice on the internet. The poster may be an experienced racer or some fat guy or a fanboy of a specific brand. Look at the specialized Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/919737964761106. Like 85% of the group members are people I would never take any advice from. They're just totally other type of riders than me.

I'd say the bikes are basically equal and both are excellent. The looks is the most important factor. Let's say - if you love the design of a bike you'll forgive it's a little less comfy or it's a little less or more stiff. Don't expect any huge differences between the bikes.

My example - I switched from the TCR to SL7 S-works and I bet 90% of asked people will say the s-works is better, because it's the s-works. Come on it must be better. But - for me - is not true at all. I find the bikes equal, yet the TCR was a little stiffer in the BB. Apart from that they're equal. But I like the design of the SL7 better.

Chapeau! Should be a sticky.

[Sub2]

I've just purchased a July 2021 SL7 Pro and am wondering if there is a simple way for me to check if the steerer recall compression ring and extended bung have been fitted ?