tour magazine sl7

Best road bike in the world : Specialized Tarmac achieves new TOUR top rating

Julian Schultz

 ·  20.10.2023

So far, four competition models have topped the list of the best racing bikes in the world. The Canyon Aeroad , Giant Propel , Scott Foil and Specialized Tarmac SL7 earned the top rating in TOUR by top performance in the four most important criteria. The 1.4 seemed carved in stone, with the symbiosis of aerodynamics, weight, comfort, and stiffness hardly able to be improved upon. But with a great piece of engineering, Specialized is now setting a new benchmark - and giving an insight into the direction that competition bikes are likely to develop.

>> Tour de France: Tech briefing for every stage

Tarmac SL8: Perfect symbiosis

Making one of the already best racing bikes in the world even better: That was the challenge faced by Specialized and their chief engineer, Peter Denk . And they stayed true to their philosophy. The SL8 remains, among competition all-rounders, the bike that shows no weaknesses in its exclusive S-Works version. Already during the first test ride on the sidelines of the World Championships in Glasgow, this bike hinted at its potential . The measurements from TOUR’s lab and GST-Wind Tunnel confirmed this riding experience. The bike impresses above all with the perfect interplay of its characteristics.

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With its low weight of 6550 grams, the Tarmac accelerates like a bullet and effortlessly sprints up climbs. The exceptionally rigid frame set and the sporty, stretched riding position emphasize the character of this thoroughbred racer. Unlike our test bike in Glasgow, which was equipped with a 3D-printed saddle, the reviewed version comes with a conventional carbon saddle, which is slightly less comfortable. Overall, the SL8 provides a high level of comfort for a competition bike.

In the GST-Wind Tunnel in Immenstaad , the Specialized bike finally eliminated all doubts: with 209 watts of pedalling power to overcome drag at 45 km/h, the new model is only minimally faster than the SL7 (210 watts). In addition, there are competitors with better aerodynamics or more comfort. However, as an overall concept, no racing bike currently performs better.

The fastest racing bikes in TOUR

The Tarmac SL8 is exactly ten watts behind the fastest road bike in the TOUR test, the Simplon Pride II (199 watts). However, the aero bike from the Austrian bicycle manufacturer is also more than a kilogram heavier and more tightly tuned, which is why it cannot keep up with the agile handling of the Specialized.

In comparison to similar all-round concepts like the Cannondale SuperSix (207 watts) or Van Rysel RCR (207 watts), the Tarmac is almost on par in terms of aero performance. However, both the bike from its US competitor and the novelty from Decathlon’s own brand are also heavier and less stiff.

Expensive Fun

The price tag of the new record holder dampens the excitement. While the S-Works Tarmac SL8 with electronic Dura-Ace and aero wheels from their own brand Roval is slightly cheaper than its predecessor, 14000 euros is still a lot of money for a racing bike - no matter how good it is. Cheaper versions range between 6800 and 9000 euros, but they don’t match the impressive riding experience of the top model.

Specialized S-Works Tarmac SL8

• TOUR rating: 1.3
• Price: € 14000

Weights & Geometry

• Frame/Fork/Headset Weight: 723/383/58 grams
• Frame Sizes: 44, 49, 52, 54, 56 , 58, 61
• Seat Tube/Top Tube/Head Tube: 495/565/159 millimeters
• Stack/Reach/STR : * 574/389 millimeters /1.48
• Wheelbase/Trail: 990 /60 millimeters
• Groupset: Shimano Dura-Ace (2x12; 52/36, 11-30 teeth)
• Brakes: Shimano Dura-Ace (160/140 millimeters)
• Wheels/Tires (weights): Roval Rapide CLX II/S-Works Turbo Rapidair 2BR 26 millimeters (front/rear: 1136/1438 grams)

Measurements & Individual Score

• Bike weight: 6.6 kilograms | 1.3
• Ride stability: 106 Nm/° | 1.0
• Lateral fork stiffness: 55 N/mm | 1.0
• Bottom bracket stiffness: 61 N/mm | 1.0
• Frame comfort: 156 N/mm | 1.7
• Aerodynamics: 209 watts | 1.7

The TOUR rating

The TOUR rating is based on what is technically possible and reasonable. For example, we award a rating of 1.0 for weight if the road bike weighs less than 6.3 kilograms. The same applies to criteria such as stiffness and comfort - here, we use what is technically sensible as the benchmark. Making a road bike infinitely stiff is not desirable. While a rating of 1.0 can be achieved in this discipline, the values are capped. The theoretical overall rating for a bike is 1.0; however, since individual criteria such as weight and aerodynamics require conflicting measures in design, the challenge remains high.

With introduction of electronic shifting systems and disc brakes, we have adjusted our rating to account for technological advancements. This also applies to current tires with improved technical properties. Therefore, the new top grade of 1.3 cannot be compared to older bikes that achieved this score with rim brakes and mechanical shifting systems anymore.

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Summary of Reviews

We have read all expert and user reviews on the Specialized Tarmac SL7 . In summary, this is what cyclists think.

20 reasons to buy

• The Tarmac SL7 is a road race bike that’s “more aero than Specialized's previous generation aero bike”.
• Test-riders talk about the SL7’s “astonishingly direct” and “electrifying sense of power transfer”.
• Reviewers report a fast and “exciting” ride, aboard the SL7.
• Testers say the SL7’s carbon frame is “supremely stiff” and therefore highly efficient.
• Expert testers say the SL7’s geometry and spec urges them to push themselves harder and faster.
• With frames from 800g and complete weights from 14.55 lb, the SL7 is undeniably light.
• A 10-33t cassette allowed S-Works SRAM RED testers to maintain speed across fast flats and steep climbs.
• Testers report “agility” and “poise”, while cornering at high speeds.
• S-Works Dura-Ace testers says the bike’s drivetrain shifts quickly and crisply.
• Dura-Ace hydraulic brakes offer “loads of power”. SRAM RED options provide “top-level deceleration”.
• Experts are floored by the quality of the SL7’s “huge” componentry spec.
• SL7 users value the bike’s updated tire clearance for tires up to 32mm wide.
• Roval Rapide CLX carbon rims weigh only 1400g. Handling and stability impressed testers.
• Reviewers say the SL7 is comfortable, for a race-focused steed.
• Aerodynamics and “gorgeous” aesthetics are enhanced by concealed components and cables.
• SL7 buyers can choose from 6x builds, including 2x S-Works builds.
• Riders can choose from 7x frame sizes, starting at 44cm and moving up to 61cm.
• S-Works Dura-Ace & Comp Rival builds come fitted with tubeless-ready rims.
• S-Works owners are blessed with either a 4iiii or SRAM RED AXS power meter.
• Experts and DIY owners are pleased to see a standard, threaded 68 mm bottom bracket.

4 reasons not to buy

• Roval Rapide CLX rims’ are not tubeless-ready, disappointing multiple reviewers.
• Some testers note an “uncompromising” level of stiffness and road feedback, aboard the SL7.
• The SL7 is expensive compared to similarly-specced pro bikes, especially the S‑Works.
• A tester notes: the SL7’s deep rims are susceptible to crosswinds.

Bottom line

Expert reviews, specialized tarmac sl7 review.

The bike delivered a truly electrifying sense of power transfer that, combined with its low weight, meant it launched into attacks and sprints, accelerating with ease and eating up the road… its poise when sweeping through fast corners on descents was unfaltering. If there is a chink in this bike’s armour, I wasn’t able to find it.

Specialized S-Works Tarmac SL7 Dura-Ace Di2 Review

If your primary concern is going fast, I’d wholeheartedly recommend it. As with all top-end bikes, once you get beyond the realm of £5,000, you’ve entered the territory of diminishing returns – the bike is not going to be ‘twice as good’ – but it does have S-Works on the down tube, and you can’t put a price on happiness.

Specialized S-Works Tarmac SL7 Dura-Ace Di2 2021

The fastest bike I have ever ridden. As a complete package this S-Works is phenomenally efficient. Overall, this bike really does deliver on all the attributes you’d want of a top-flight race machine: speed, stiffness, handling and comfort. I have to say, if it was my money I’d go for the eTap model for the same money.

Specialized S-Works Tarmac SL7 Review

The new Tarmac is incredible — as it damn well should be for the price! A seemingly perfect blend of aero traits, light weight, adjustability, and ideal handling characteristics; excellent small-detail execution. Tubeless fans will be disappointed in the clincher-only wheels; handlebar ergonomics and low seat-tube mount might not work for everyone.

If the Specialized S-Works Tarmac SL7 were a person, it would be constantly, vocally egging you on, insisting you ride faster and hurt yourself more. It is a a fearsomely expensive, fearsomely effective speed machine that will delight go-fast riders with its ultra-stiff frame, sublime handling and engaging ride, but may just be too race-focused for more casual roadies.

Specialized S-Works Tarmac SL7 Review: A Proper Dream Road Bike for Those With Cash and Calories to Burn

It’s pure race-ready magic.

Specialized S-Works Tarmac SL7 in Review

If you’re looking for an off-the-shelf race weapon, you’ll find it here. A clear Best in Test! The Specialized S-Works Tarmac SL7 is the fastest race bike of the 2021 season… It is in a league of its own on the flats… However, strong crosswinds give it a hard time and anyone who appreciates a little more comfort…may have to think twice…

Independent Bike Test: Specialized Tarmac SL7 S-Works [Italian]

Compared to the SL6, there hasn’t been any improvement. On the contrary, the SL7 is less reactive, less comfortable and maneuverable… the weight of the complete bike…is higher. The price is exaggerated. I hope for an overall improvement in performance with the next SL8.

Test: Specialized Tarmac SL7 [Danish]

By far the ultimate racing bike. The most hyped bike of the year delivers on all parameters… It is stiff and responsive, quiet and fast on flat roads and it is well balanced.

We Tested the Specialized Tarmac SL7 Pro Ultegra Di2 [Norwegian]

We bow down and give the bike a five on the dice. This is simply one of the best bikes we have ever tested.

TEST Specialized S-Works Tarmac SL7 SRAM Red Tap AXS [Portuguese]

I have no hesitation in saying that this is the most versatile Tarmac ever built, which includes everything both a professional and an amateur could want: performance, lightness, speed, efficiency and comfort. I wouldn’t change a single component on this bike…

Specialized S-Works Tarmac SL 7 Review [German]

Aerodynamic, light, fast and extremely agile: The Specialized Tarmac S-Works SL7 achieved top values in all race model test categories. The handling, agility and balance are excellent. The equipment is very consistent.

First Test of the New Specialized S-Works Tarmac SL7 [German]

The Tarmac SL7 can currently claim the title of the best racing bike in the world.

Specialized Tarmac SL7 [German]

The brakes on SRAM’s top road bike group can no longer quite keep up with Shimano’s new Dura-Ace Di2; the Dura-Ace road bike disc brake can be better modulated and develops its full braking power faster in wet conditions.

S-Works Tarmac SL7 Additional Impressions | Summary of Impressions That Changed After Riding [Japanese]

How’s the ride quality? The descent is very nice. How about climbing? Not only is it simply not much different from the 6.8kg Venge, but unfortunately there was no drastic speedup on the SL7.

Specialized Tarmac SL7 Expert Di2 Tested [Portuguese]

A fast bike rolling, descending, climbing. Pure pleasure. This model is in the middle of the range of the Tarmac SL7, which leads us to wonder what the top of the range will be like… Specialized has fulfilled its objective. This is without a doubt a no-compromise bike.

Tested: Specialized Tarmac SL7 Expert [Dutch]

Specialized has managed to combine the best of all worlds: aerodynamics, weight, stiffness and comfort. It is the most all-round bike of this test…

Test Of The Specialized Tarmac SL7 Pro Ultegra Di2 [Norwegian]

The Specialized Tarmac SL7 marks a return to a one-bike solution for ambitious road cyclists. Equally good on flat ground as on downhills.

Léon van Bon Tests the Specialized Tarmac SL7 Pro [Dutch]

After this review, I’ll mount the Tarmac many more times. I’ll ride it a lot and enjoy it even more… In the Netherlands it is a great pleasure. This bike simply steers and rides wonderfully. It’s like it was made for me.

Test: Specialized Tarmac SL7 Pro – Ultegra Di2 [Slovak]

The geometry is made for racers, so the frame is very stiff and has great response under more aggressive acceleration. It reacts perfectly when quickly starting a sprint on the flat, but also when properly gripping the pedals uphill. It is stable on descents, nimble in sharp turns… This bike simply asks for speed absolutely everywhere.

Aboard the New Specialized Tarmac SL7, Your Old PRs Don’t Stand a Chance.

A nearly perfect race bike. If you want the best, UCI-legal bike for getting from point A to point B as fast as possible on pavement—up, down, flat, or otherwise—I believe that bike is the Tarmac SL7.

Review: Specialized Tarmac S-Works SL7 Is a Fairly Well Mannered Road Rocket

If you’re looking for an all-out speed machine to make every ride faster, go get the new Specialized Tarmac SL7. And particularly, the S-Works… I’ve set higher average speeds for every ride I’ve done on it and enjoyed every minute of it. Maybe it’s because this bike made me want to be better. To be faster. Maybe that made me push myself.

The New Specialized Tarmac SL7 Review: The Venge Is Dead

I love the Venge, and don’t want to see it killed by its own sibling… the next Venge will chuck UCI regulations out the window and come back faster than ever. I’d like that… Until then, this will be my favorite Specialized road bike.

The New 2021 Specialized S-Works Tarmac SL7 Is Out for (Re)Venge

The Tarmac SL7 is a spectacular bike. There’s something about it that makes you want to just give’er. Top-end Tarmac SL7 models come with power meters. On Shimano builds… it’s a set of sensors from Canadian company 4iiii.

A Climbing-Aero Bike? The Specialized S-Works Tarmac SL7

Welcome to ‘the singularity’. The Tarmac SL7 shows up with dual personalities—in the best way possible… The Roval Rapide CLX wheels…making the trademark “whoosh, whoosh” sound… Sprinting on the new Tarmac is akin to a supercomputer crunching numbers.

Brand New & Tested: Specialized Tarmac SL7 [Dutch]

Specialized tarmac sl7 expert is race bike of the year [dutch].

Just about the most important trend in racing bikes is the convergence of climbing bikes and aero bikes. Specialized’s Tarmac SL7 brings the best of both worlds. The Expert version was voted Road Bike of the Year 2021 by our jury!

Test of the Specialized Tarmac SL7, Ultra Versatility [French]

Apart from its very high price, it is difficult to find fault with this bike. Quite honestly, no matter how hard I look, I don’t see any.

New Specialized Tarmac SL7 [French]

One of the very best machines ever created. With the Roval Rapide CLX wheels as standard on the S-Works bike, the first sensations are a bit supernatural. So we are speechless when confronted with all this debauchery of technology.

Specialized Tarmac SL7 – First Test | Faster Than Ever [German]

As far as pure riding performance is concerned, nothing was left to be desired… The outstanding qualities are the almost unleashed pace and the balanced, perfectly predictable handling. It’s a shame that the Tarmac SL7 Expert doesn’t yet have the convincing aero cockpit. Then all would be right with the world. There is nothing to seriously criticize.

New Specialized Tarmac SL7: Mean but Rideable Race Machine [Italian]

Road behavior: this is where the Specialized Tarmac SL7 really impressed me. What is striking is the ease with which the SL7 accelerates and maintains speed, both on the flat and uphill. The more the speed and the effort increase, the more the qualities of the bike are appreciated.

Specialized Tarmac S-Works SL7 | Our Test [Italian]

Yes, it is a bike that caters to a competitive user base. It is also true that it allows you to go slow… the frame, no matter what size you consider, is always compact, a detail that affects its speed, responsiveness and agility. In fact, “you can turn it on a dime.” This sort of immediacy makes it quite fun.

Specialized Tarmac SL7, the Seventh Wonder Is Lightning in the Wind

What amazed us was the incredible ease that this bike has in reaching, and then maintaining, high speeds.

Test – Specialized Tarmac SL7 S-Works [Portuguese]

It’s justified for those who can and want to spend this much money. In terms of ride feel, for less money at Specialized itself there are bikes that offer a very good experience and performance.

Specialized Tarmac S-Works SL7 Test [Italian]

We can assure you that this Tarmac SL7 raises performance on asphalt, simply, to another level. Extreme speed, rigidity well above average and lightness . They are the three quintessential ingredients of a good competition bike. The ingredients that precisely, on this bike, have been raised to a level that we had not experienced so far on any other bike.

All-In-One Tarmac SL7 Launched, Integrating the Advantages of the Tarmac and the Venge [Chinese]

In terms of riding experience, as long as you set the Tarmac SL7 at a familiar angle, this bike feels like an old friend who has been with you for a long time, and it doesn’t take time to get used to it…

Evolution 45s Faster – 2020 Specialized Tarmac SL7 Zhangjiajie New Product Launch [Chinese]

It is very stable when cutting downhill and turning. The feedback of the whole bike is direct… It is light, tough, and exerts force directly. Rapide CLX wheels as standard …the inertia is fierce.

[Test Ride Report] Specialized S-Works Tarmac SL7 Brief Review [Chinese]

This iteration of the bike is full of pressure to ride… But if you care about light weight, you care about aerodynamic riding posture, then this kind of bike will really have an advantage, it only thinks about how to make the maximum efficiency conversion of the power of the rider, it is a very pure racing bike.

Specialized S-Works Tarmac SL7 Unboxing [Chinese]

Everyone feels different, at least I feel comfortable to ride and have a direct and quick response, so that’s fine.

Tested: Specialized S-Works Tarmac SL7 [Dutch]

This champ is not afraid of a little wind. And he also likes it raw. The S-Works Tarmac SL7 is very light-footed… You can safely fight against the wind for a number of hours without feeling broken.

Test: Specialized Tarmac SL7 Expert [Dutch]

It is a wonderful bike for both the fanatical asphalt eater and the relaxed touring cyclist. Women-specific bikes are an outdated idea at Specialized. As a female tester I had a Specialized Mimic saddle mounted… I ended up with a weight of 8.1 kg, not super light actually.

Review | Specialized S-Works Tarmac SL7 [Dutch]

The new Tarmac SL7 is a beast, a bike without compromises. It’s only when you ramp up the speed that you really appreciate the new Tarmac. Before I know it I’m riding a sloppy fifty an hour over the dike in a two-man breakaway.

100% Tested: Specialized S-Works Tarmac SL7 [Dutch]

The first impression is that of a true aero steed, where wattages are instantly converted into speed. After every turn, however, the trump card of light weight is thrown on the table. Compared to the SL6, this S-Works Tarmac SL7 is more direct in all areas, both in steering and pedaling.

Race Bike of the Year Award: Specialized Tarmac SL7 Expert [Dutch]

This Specialized in the same version won this competition two years ago. Now – despite the identical frame and wheelset – it is out of the running. How is that possible? In all honesty: the price of this bike has greatly influenced the odds. The Tarmac SL7 Expert is the most expensive participant in this year’s competition.

If our test has made one thing clear, it’s that this Tarmac SL7 is not just an evolution of the SL6, but a confluence of the Tarmac and the Venge. We clearly recognized that urge for speed from our time with the Venge, but the weight and the increased range of action scream ‘Tarmac’.

Specialized Tarmac SL7 Comp [German]

Compared to the outrageously expensive top model, the inexpensive version appears sluggish when starting and also uncomfortable.

Specialized Tarmac SL7 in the Test: What Can the Miracle Weapon Really Do? [German]

Despite upgrades, new developments, facelifts and much more, the new Specialized Tarmac SL7 remains true to its original characteristics and is still a real mountain goat.

Specialized Tarmac SL7 Pro 2021 on Test [German]

The Specialized Tarmac SL7 Pro leaves almost nothing to be desired. It accelerates effortlessly both uphill and in sprints. The handling is razor sharp, but always controllable and predictable.

Specialized Tarmac SL7 – An Unexpected Date [German]

Other Mums have nice road bikes too and it was a pleasure to have speed dated one of them. The test drive with the new Specialized Tarmac SL7 Expert was like that one-night stand that you don’t want to let go home the morning after.

First 1000 Km Test – Specialized Tarmac SL7: “Convincing All Along the Line…” [German]

We’ve ridden the bike under the most adverse conditions – including heavy rain – and it didn’t emit a moment’s uncertainty, even on fast descents. After almost 1000 kilometers in the saddle, the face of the Tarmac as a “World Tour Racer” shows itself clearly: whether uphill, downhill or in a sprint – the bike is convincing across the board.

[Test] New Specialized Tarmac SL7 [Italian]

The new Tarmac SL7 is a great climber who is also at ease on the flat when it comes to hitting the pedals.

S-Works Tarmac SL7 Review: Unraveling the History of the Tarmac, the All-Round Bike of Today and Beyond [Japanese]

In actual races…riders can rest assured that the SL7 has few weaknesses in each speed range. The vibration transmitted from the steering wheel does not leave a good impression.

S-Works Tarmac SL7 Review [Japanese]

The sprint was great.

If the Venge is a gorilla hammer, the Tarmac SL7 is a fencing rapier! If the Venge is pork bone ramen, the Tarmac SL7 is straight salt! If the Venge is the summer solstice, the Tarmac SL7 is the winter solstice! (?)

Unparalleled Overall Performance and Great Feeling on the Road: Specialized’s S-Works Tarmac SL7 Test [Japanese]

When the agility brought by the light frame – and the flexibility that the Rapide CLX boasts – are combined, the only words that leak from the mouth are “Wow, it’s crazy”.

A Venge Rider Tries to Ride the S-Works Tarmac SL7! The Tarmac SL7 Really Made the Venge a Thing of the Past!? [Japanese]

Compared to the Venge, which accelerates gradually, the SL7 launches with a bang. I have a notion that I may attack without caution and burn myself out.

Information/Lecture: S-Works Tarmac SL7 vs. SuperSix Evo Hi-Mod Performance/Speed Comparison [Korean]

I happen to have two all-round flagships. I bought a Tarmac SL7 last year and briefly compared it to the SuperSix Evo Ultegra I already owned… The SuperSix is a little harder and the Tarmac is a little softer… the SuperSix was 3 seconds faster …the power was 9 watts higher on average…as expected, there is little difference between the two bikes at the power level of the club.

Test – 2021 Specialized Tarmac SL7 Expert Road Bike [Polish]

Of course, it’s not like the Specialized SL7 is riding at 35 kph or providing 150W by itself. You have to pedal your own way, but remember that aerodynamic resistance increases exponentially in relation to speed, so even the smallest build detail counts significantly ….. and this build is very, very well thought out.

We Rode The New Tarmac SL7 [Portuguese]

It rides well; agile, precise and confident, while the front end is never twitchy at any time, which makes for a pleasant and easy-to-ride bike.

Specialized Tarmac SL7 Pro Ultegra Di2 Red Tint [Swedish]

I can state that the bike is fast and explosive. I also get a better effect on the bike when jerking and sprinting. Definitely aero and rolls great… I find this bike at least as fast even uphill. I think the bike is pretty too! The only thing that you should bear in mind is that this is not exactly a comfort bike.

First Pedal Strokes: New Specialized Tarmac SL7 (2021) [Spanish]

The truth is that now, myself, as someone who would always change something on all the bikes I’ve tried… I wouldn’t dare touch a single screw, because it would be impossible to make it better, let alone faster .

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2021 Road Bike Stiffness Chart

Moderator: robbosmans

Post by dbzznlqbqft » Sat Mar 13, 2021 1:23 am --> by dbzznlqbqft on Sat Mar 13, 2021 1:23 am

Post by spartacus » Sat Mar 13, 2021 1:37 am --> by spartacus on Sat Mar 13, 2021 1:37 am

by » Sat Mar 13, 2021 1:37 am --> by Weenie on Sat Mar 13, 2021 1:37 am

Post by dbzznlqbqft » Sat Mar 13, 2021 1:44 am --> by dbzznlqbqft on Sat Mar 13, 2021 1:44 am

spartacus wrote: ↑ Sat Mar 13, 2021 1:37 am What do all those numbers mean exactly? Lower number is less force to flex?

Post by stevesbike » Sat Mar 13, 2021 1:53 am --> by stevesbike on Sat Mar 13, 2021 1:53 am

Post by spdntrxi » Sat Mar 13, 2021 2:52 am --> by spdntrxi on Sat Mar 13, 2021 2:52 am

Post by dtwolfen » Sat Mar 13, 2021 3:11 am --> by dtwolfen on Sat Mar 13, 2021 3:11 am

Post by dbzznlqbqft » Sat Mar 13, 2021 5:15 am --> by dbzznlqbqft on Sat Mar 13, 2021 5:15 am

stevesbike wrote: ↑ Sat Mar 13, 2021 1:53 am very interesting - my climbing bike is a 2016 Scott Addict SL and my ride impressions have never been a lack of stiffness. Would be interesting to see weight factored in to see how stiffness to weight ratio works out (e.g., the entire frameset is about 1 kg).

Post by dbzznlqbqft » Sat Mar 13, 2021 5:20 am --> by dbzznlqbqft on Sat Mar 13, 2021 5:20 am

dtwolfen wrote: ↑ Sat Mar 13, 2021 3:11 am I take weight lose>comfort>stiffness and anything aero is extra. Sent from my SM-G973U using Tapatalk

Post by Cemicar » Sat Mar 13, 2021 5:38 am --> by Cemicar on Sat Mar 13, 2021 5:38 am

Post by Andrew69 » Sat Mar 13, 2021 5:39 am --> by Andrew69 on Sat Mar 13, 2021 5:39 am

dbzznlqbqft wrote: ↑ Sat Mar 13, 2021 5:15 am What I think is that such stiffness, aero, weight are just a number, and a good number brings joy for normal people. Even though SL7 BB stiffness seems to be shit, but it is already proven in competition, which means such BB stiffness might even be enough for professionals.

Post by dbzznlqbqft » Sat Mar 13, 2021 5:40 am --> by dbzznlqbqft on Sat Mar 13, 2021 5:40 am

Andrew69 wrote: ↑ Sat Mar 13, 2021 5:39 am dbzznlqbqft wrote: ↑ Sat Mar 13, 2021 5:15 am What I think is that such stiffness, aero, weight are just a number, and a good number brings joy for normal people. Even though SL7 BB stiffness seems to be shit, but it is already proven in competition, which means such BB stiffness might even be enough for professionals.

Post by dbzznlqbqft » Sat Mar 13, 2021 5:42 am --> by dbzznlqbqft on Sat Mar 13, 2021 5:42 am

Cemicar wrote: ↑ Sat Mar 13, 2021 5:38 am So Trek is generally inferior in stiffness? (but I remember they claimed BB90 was the best for the lateral stiffness or such). Still, the values of SL7, 2021 Emonda and Pinallero suggest threads BBs tend to flex.

Post by ichobi » Sat Mar 13, 2021 6:22 am --> by ichobi on Sat Mar 13, 2021 6:22 am

Post by syplam » Sat Mar 13, 2021 10:33 am --> by syplam on Sat Mar 13, 2021 10:33 am

by » Sat Mar 13, 2021 10:33 am --> by Weenie on Sat Mar 13, 2021 10:33 am

Post by mgrl » Sat Mar 13, 2021 10:36 am --> by mgrl on Sat Mar 13, 2021 10:36 am

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Take a Specialized Venge and a Tarmac SL6 and squish them together. This is what you get.

The underlying promise of the all-new Tarmac SL7 is that it’s as light and sharp as the old Tarmac SL6 and as aerodynamic as a Venge . No compromises, the Specialized marketing materials shout. The SL7 is, they say, the best of both worlds. So good and so fast that two of the brand’s existing road bikes, the SL6 and Venge, have reached overnight obsolescence.

Think I’m kidding? Specialized said it themselves.

“Based on the performance targets and where we landed, the Tarmac SL7 really is the complete package, and knowing that there are no compromises for the rider it is hard for us to tell anyone to go out and buy a Venge once this bike launches,” Specialized product manager Cam Piper told us on this week’s special CyclingTips Podcast .

“You’ll see that even with our WorldTour athletes, they’re all in agreement and really have validated the performance of the new bike, and will be racing that going forward,” Piper said. “So currently the Venge in our line right now does not meet much of a need for that rider looking for the performance product.”

Maybe we should call the new Specialized Tarmac SL7 the Cannibal, since it seems designed to eat its own.

Meet the Vengemac and/or Tarmenge

Though the SL7 technically replaces the previous Tarmac, in reality it appears aimed squarely at replacing Specialized’s own aero bike, the Venge. It’s just as much Venge as it is Tarmac. In fact, if the facts and figures Specialized presents are correct, there’s no longer any point in having the Venge in their road lineup.

This is an odd admission to make on Specialized’s part. The Venge was released only two years ago, and the Tarmac and Venge have co-existed peacefully within the company’s line for years. Why break up the power couple?

For the last few product cycles, the Tarmac and the Venge have been inching closer together. The latest Venge, for example, is both significantly lighter and handles much better than the Venge Vias it replaced. It’s quite Tarmac-like. It’s also, on its own merits, an exceptionally good bike. On the other side of the coin, when Specialized launched the SL6, they did so noting the aero cues in the head tube and dropped seat stays. It got slightly more Venge-like.

With the SL7, the two models have fully coalesced.

If one considers how bikes are designed these days, this starts to make sense. Designing a race bike is essentially a big optimization problem, balancing weight, stiffness, and aerodynamics.

To try to solve this optimization problem, Specialized once again leaned on modeling software developed by Ingmar Jungnickel, which runs CFD (computational fluid dynamics) and FEA (finite element analysis) for each shape and keeps working until it finds a shape that is drag optimized for particular weight and stiffness targets. What the software churns out is essentially a repository of tube shapes with known aerodynamic, stiffness, and weight qualities. Specialized calls this its Free Foil Library.

It is this optimization that leads to the conclusion that this new bike, the SL7, is as much the next Venge as it is the next Tarmac. It’s simply the next step in the optimization of both bikes. It’s a lighter Venge as much as it’s a more aero Tarmac.

So what is it? It’s a very fast race bike.

Tarmac SL7 FAQs

The new Tarmac SL7 makes big promises. We’ve had one for a few weeks, have ridden it extensively, taken it apart and put it back together, and have formed some initial opinions of the thing. Here’s a full breakdown, feature-by-feature:

What does the Tarmac SL7 weigh? Is it lighter than the SL6? The S-Works SL7 frame weighs a claimed 800 grams. That’s heavier than the 733 grams (claimed) of an SL6 , but lighter than the 960 gram Venge .

The complete S-Works SL7 with SRAM Red AXS that arrived at CT HQ weighs 6.73kg for a size 56. Claimed weight is 6.7kg for the Di2 model.

The SL7 Pro, which uses a lower grade carbon, has a frame weight of 920 grams and a claimed built weight, with Ultegra Di2, of 7.3kg.

Is the Tarmac SL7 stiffer? Specialized doesn’t make any claims surrounding stiffness of the SL7. The goal, it appears, was to mimic the feel of the SL6 while improving aerodynamics.

It’s worth noting that stiffer isn’t always better. In our discussion with Specialized engineers , they were clear that while there’s a floor that they were seeking in terms of stiffness, there was no specific target number. Part of the development of the SL7 involved building SL6 frames with various layups, some stiffer and some less stiff in various parts of the frame, and having pros ride them and provide feedback. The engineering team then sought to transfer the preferred ride qualities over to the SL7.

What’s the SL7 geometry like? It’s 100% identical to both the SL6 and Venge. Specialized has found a race bike formula it likes and is sticking with it. This doesn’t mean they all handle exactly the same, though. More on that in the ride review below.

Is the cockpit annoying? Not really, at least as far as integrated cockpits go. The design is very similar to the Venge, but with a few tweaks. For one, it’s a bit less stiff. The brake lines are run under the stem, not through it, making stem swaps easy.

The stem can be swapped and moved up and down on the steerer without having to re-run brake lines or Di2 cables, assuming line and wire lengths are adequate. The spacers all clam-shell so they can be pulled out or added easily.

That said, external routing is obviously way less annoying.

Is the Tarmac SL7 more comfortable? Compared to an SL6, I’d say no. Compared to a Venge, maybe a tiny bit. But this isn’t a bike built for comfort. It’s a race bike. It’s not uncomfortable, but there are no flexy bits or handlebar shocks to take the edge off.

If you want it to be more comfortable, run big tires. It’ll fit a 32mm tire easily.

Is the Tarmac SL7 more aero than a Venge? Not quite. The Venge is still a bit faster. The SL7 is roughly as quick as the old Venge Vias. The Venge Vias is roughly 8 seconds slower than the new Venge over 40km, according to Specialized.

The SL7 is certainly more aerodynamic than the SL6, though. Simply moving the cables and brake lines internal is a big improvement there (cylinders, like a brake line, are bad for drag figures). According to Specialized, the SL7 will save you 45 seconds over 40km compared to the SL6. However, Specialized stipulates that figure includes an upgrade from the SL6’s stock wheels, the old Roval CLX, to the new, faster Roval Rapide CLX . So part of that gain is certainly from the wheelset.

Specialized marketing materials include this handy little graph, the accuracy of which we can’t vouch for:

Does the Tarmac SL7 have any compatibility or integration issues? The Venge only takes electronic drivetrains, either eTap or Di2, but the SL7 solves that problem. You can run a mechanical drivetrain on the new Tarmac.

Di2 integration is excellent, placing the junction box in the back of the seatpost like the Venge.

In other good news, the SL7 sticks with a standard threaded bottom bracket. Specialized returned to threaded bottom brackets because they were tired of everyone yelling at them. So good job, people of the Internet, pat yourselves on the back for a job well done.

As evident below, the Tarmac SL7 is not cheap. Specialized will continue to sell the SL6 (effectively unchanged from before) at lower price points.

USD: S-Works eTap & UDi2 – $12,000 Pro eTap – $7,000 Pro UDi2 – $7,000 Expert UDi2 – $5,000 S-Works Frameset – $5,000 10R Frameset – $3,000

AUD: S-Works Di2 – $18,000 S-Works eTap – $18,000 Pro eTap – $10,500 Pro UDi2 – $10,500 Expert UDi2 – $7,500 S-Works Frameset – $7,500 10r Frameset – $4,500

GBP: S-Works Di2 – £10,499 S-Works eTap – £10,499 Pro eTap – £6,750 Pro UDi2 – £6,500 Expert UDi2 – £4,750 S-Works Frameset – £3,750

The TarmaCast: A deep dive with the engineers behind the new Tarmac SL7

Want even more? We sat down with the engineers and product managers behind the new Tarmac to dig into the bike’s development. You can listen to that episode here, or subscribe on your favorite podcast app:

First ride review of the Tarmac SL7

I’ll be honest, over the last few years the quality of these top-end race-oriented road bikes has converged to the point where differentiating between them feels like splitting hairs that have already been split six different ways. It feels almost silly trying to compare the new SL7 to the SL6 or the Venge in any meaningful way. They’re all phenomenal. Stiff, fast, fun.

But this is the new hotness, so allow me to try.

Is it stiff? Of course it’s stiff. It feels, in this regard, almost exactly like the SL6 I was on last.

The integrated cockpit looks nice and, like the Venge, is quite comfortable. I like the flat tops on the bars and the slight texture added so your hands don’t slip. The hood/top transition is nice and smooth with SRAM’s AXS shifters.

The SL7, like the SL6 and Venge, doesn’t apologize for its race-oriented handling. The 56cm frame I rode has a 55mm trail figure, quite steep by most modern road standards. When you stand out of the saddle and put pressure on one hood and then the other the front wheel flips back and forth. A bit of pressure on the right side of the bar sends the bike arcing right. It wants to corner. It almost begs to.

The stack is low, too. If you ride with your bars up near the same plane as your saddle, this probably isn’t the bike for you. If you want long and low, it might be.

There’s not much else to say about the geometry, which is identical across all three models. If you’ve ridden an SL6 or a Venge, you know roughly how the SL7 corners. But they do ride slightly differently despite using the same numbers.

If you’d asked me a month ago which Specialized road bike I’d pick for myself, it would be the Venge, hands down. The Tarmac SL6 is a great bike, but never felt as fast to me. The Venge corners and sprints and descends just about as well as the SL6, but does it all a bit faster. And fast is fun. I get on it and I feel like a bike racer again.

Today, if asked to make that same choice, I’d pick an SL7. Because it really does feel like an SL6 and go like a Venge.

The SL6 has a sharpness to it that is incredibly enjoyable. It’s a difficult sensation to describe. A bit more treble to the Venge’s bass, perhaps. There’s a reason why a lot of Specialized pros raced the SL6 most of the time, even though the Venge was, in theory, faster: it’s because the SL6 is a supremely confidence-inspiring bike when it’s chucked into corners or slotted through gaps or stood on to accelerate. You can feel the road underneath you, feel the bike move on it. Confidence is good for bike racers.

The SL7 has that same sharpness and combines it with a bit more raw speed. I’m not going to tell you I could feel the 45 seconds over 40km aero difference when just riding around – anyone who says that is lying to you. These are minuscule differences. Where I could feel it is descending.

There are a few descents around here where you can hit 80kph quite easily, and at those speeds small aero differences turn into a few kilometers per hour. These are descents I ride a few times a week. I know how fast I usually go, and an extra few kph is obvious. I even snagged the Strava KOM on one of them (though I think downhill road KOMs are a bit nuts and possibly shouldn’t exist). My previous fastest time on that segment was on the Venge.

Final thoughts

I still think Specialized has put itself in a bit of a pickle. Their marquee aero bike, by their own admission, is no longer the bike their own pros will be riding. I love the Venge, and don’t want to see it killed by its own sibling.

Or maybe it hasn’t been. Maybe the Tarmac is now the race bike for pros, and the next Venge will chuck UCI regulations out the window and come back faster than ever. I’d like that, if for no other reason than I want to see what those clever engineers could come up with. Until then, this will be my favorite Specialized road bike.

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Specialized S-Works Tarmac SL7 in review – The future of high-performance bikes?

Specialized’s new S-Works Tarmac SL7 road bike promises to be the perfect choice for gruelling mountain stages as well as fast finish-line sprints. Is it possible to combine aerodynamics with lightweight frame construction to create the perfect all-round weapon for World Tour stages?

The latest generation Tarmac is here and the American brand is really flexing its muscles with the new SL7, seeming to have ticked all the boxes. The new Tarmac SL7 isn’t just the SL6 with a facelift, more like a revolution the cosmos of high-performance bikes. In developing their latest frameset, Specialized have pushed the limits of what we previously thought was possible, resulting in a bike that is sure to have the competition shaking in their boots. Specialized want compromises to be a thing of the past. As such, the Tarmac SL7 should relieve you of the decision which bike to choose for the next stage, whether it’s Specialized’s aero bike, the S-Works Venge , or their race bike, the S-Works Tarmac SL6 . A gruelling mountain stage with a finish sprint? The new Tarmac SL7 will tell you to bring it on! According to Specialized, this road bike is a symbiosis of Julian Alaphilippe’s attacking and climbing skills and the aggressive power of Peter Sagan. The only decision left for you to make is how to time your attack.

The concept for the perfect race all-rounder?

Aerodynamic, stiff and yet just as light as the UCI rulebook allows: after almost two decades of development, the new Specialized S-Works Tarmac SL7 promises to be faster than ever before. Expressed in numbers, Specialized claim that it is 45 seconds faster over a distance of 40 km compared to the predecessor, the Tarmac SL6. Consistently keeping the weight to a minimum, this increased speed is said to have been made possible by the new tube shapes. Specifically the seat tube, seat stays, head tube and fork have been aerodynamically optimised without increasing weight or reducing stiffness. The Aerofly II handlebar as featured on the Specialized Venge now also comes specced on the Tarmac, keeping the cockpit nice and tidy with internal cable routing throughout. According to the manufacturer, the latest Roval Rapide CLX wheels are the world’s fastest all-round road wheels and should make the Tarmac slice through the air even quicker.

The stem is new too and was specially developed for the Tarmac, shaving off 45 g in weight compared to its predecessor and keeping the cables neatly tucked away. Thanks to the 31.8 mm clamp, you’ll be able to mount almost any other handlebar besides the Aerofly. Here, Specialized have successfully combined integration and compatibility. The angle of the integrated GPS mount is adjustable and it can accommodates almost all GPS devices on the market. Depending on the build, the bike comes with different headset covers: one for the integrated stem with an electronic drivetrain, one for the integrated stem with a mechanical drivetrain and one cover for a regular stem with round spacers for both electronic or mechanical drivetrains. Brilliant!

Components and geometry

The new Tarmac SL7 is available in a total of six builds which are all disc brake specific. The Roval Rapide CLX and CL wheels and the Specialized Aerofly II handlebar are reserved for the S-Works and Pro models. Our test bike, the Specialized S-Works Tarmac SL7, comes with a complete Shimano DURA-ACE Di2 groupset, FACT 12r carbon frame and Roval Rapide CLX wheels, priced at € 11,499. For those who don’t want to or can’t spend at least € 5,000, Specialized will still be offering three versions of the Tarmac SL6 with a FACT 9r carbon frame and mechanical Shimano groupset. This doesn’t only make sense for price reasons, as you’ll find out in our first ride review below!

Drivetrain Shimano DURA-ACE Di2, 2 x 11, 52–36t Cassette Shimano DURA-ACE 11-30t Brakes Shimano DURA-ACE 160/140 mm Wheels Roval Rapide CLX , 21 mm inner width, 51 mm rim depth Tires Specialized Turbo Cotton 700 x 26C Seat post 2021 S-Works Tarmac, 20 mm offset Handlebar Specialized S-Works Aerofly II, 420 mm Stem Specialized Tarmac, 100 mm Weight 6.82 kg in size 56 Price € 11,499 Availability as of now

Unlike its predecessor, the Tarmac SL7 comes in seven frame sizes, now going all the way down to size 44 for the shorter riders among us. While the reach and stack figures are different to those of the predecessor due to the new headset cover, the geometry is identical to that of the Specialized Tarmac SL6 and that of the Specialized Venge. Why change a winning formula? Thanks to their Rider First Engineered technology, Specialized promise the same levels of stiffness and comfort for every rider on every frame size.

Overview of the Tarmac SL7 models

Overview of the Tarmac SL6 models

The Specialized S-Works Tarmac SL7 first ride review

Our expectations of the new Tarmac SL7 were high. Very high! We previously crowned the Tarmac SL6 the best road bike of 2019 and Specialized’s claims of the latest model weren’t exactly modest. Can the brand new S-Works Tarmac SL7 send the previous Tarmac SL6 and the Venge into retirement, or have Specialized promised more than they can deliver? After only a few rides, it immediately becomes clear that the American brand have managed to create a high-performance road bike against which many other bikes on the market will have to be measured!

From 0 to 100 in 3 seconds – okay, the Tarmac SL7 isn’t quite that fast. But that’s almost what it feels like! This road bike accelerates with ease, allowing you to bring it up to speed in no time at all and stay there with minimal effort. It quickly becomes apparent that the new Tarmac is more efficient and quicker accelerating than the previous SL6, which helps spare the rider in this regard. The aerodynamics have been noticeably improved. In a blind test, after riding the SL7, the SL6 would feel as if you were constantly riding into a slight headwind. The Roval Rapide CLX wheels also help make the SL7 more aerodynamic while being less affected by cross winds compared to many other aero bikes. Unfortunately, the wheels aren’t certified tubeless ready, which has most of us shaking our heads in 2020. Specialized have always pushed for tubeless tires on road bikes and were the first bicycle manufacturer to equip their World Tour teams with tubeless wheels. Even if Roval is in independent company with its own mission and strategy, it would have been more consistent for the new Tarmac SL7 to come specced with a tubeless-ready wheelset.

If you go from level terrain onto an upward incline, you’ll notice the light weight of less than 6.82 kg for the size 56 bike. The S-Works Tarmac SL7 feels right at home in the mountains, even if Alaphilippe somehow manages to make it look much easier than we do. To get to World Tour level, we would probably have to train a little harder since having the right bike doesn’t seem to be enough 😉 The Tarmac reveals its best side when riding through corners. There may be bikes that are just as fast on level terrain and on the climbs, but when it comes to handling in the corners, there are few capable of keeping up with the SL7. The Tarmac can be pushed into the corners at high speed and easily carries this speed through and out of them. With a perfect balance of composure and agility, the SL7 can confidently wear the crown as the best handling road bike in Specialized’s portfolio. Lively and agile, it weaves through even the most technically demanding corners, quickly able to change direction while always staying precise. Expectations exceeded! Specialized’s in-house Turbo Cotton tires underline the bike’s balanced handling and offer lots of traction, though lacking in puncture protection. One thing is certain: aboard this red and black rocket, we promise you’ll improve on all of your PB’s on both the ascents and descents! However, if you want to push your limits, we only recommend this bike for experienced riders since beginners are likely to feel overwhelmed when riding such a precise, high-performance machine.

Tuning tip: Convert the S-Works Tarmac SL7 to a tubeless setup with 700x28C tires and tubeless-compatible wheels for improved long-distance comfort.

Specialized have gone a completely different route with the Tarmac SL7 than with the ultra comfortable Roubaix . Instead of “smoother is faster,” Specialized’s latest offering seems to adhere to the motto of faster is faster. While the focus of the Tarmac SL6 was on light weight and sufficient comfort, the new SL7 places much more emphasis on combining light weight with aerodynamic optimisation. It quickly becomes clear that the SL7 is not a replacement for the Tarmac SL6, but rather an extension of Specialized’s portfolio. While the SL6, which will remain available, is sufficiently comfortable for hobbyists and long-distance rides, smoothing out the road even with a passive riding style, the Tarmac SL7 is evidently trimmed more toward racing. Here, comfort only comes with an active and aggressive riding style, when you’re travelling at high speed and pushing the pedals. The vibration damping only works for ambitious riders and pros. You have to keep in mind that this bike is akin to Formula 1 car with brand-new technology. No one drives a Formula 1 car to work in the morning and back in the evening. This type of machine demands to be ridden at high speed with you pedalling as hard as you can, preferably in a head-to-head battle for gold!

Our conclusion on the Specialized S-Works Tarmac SL7

The new S-Works Tarmac SL7 is made for high performance, high speeds and maximum fun. Experienced riders will love the handling, which is second to none. The SL7 remains lively and precise through tight corners, guaranteed to put a grin on the pilot’s face. Long-distance comfort falls short. However, competitive riders can overlook this, knowing that the well-specced bike beneath them is always ready for a podium position!

• balanced handling
• fast in every situation
• World Tour level components throughout
• unaffected by cross winds
• cockpit compatibility

• not tubeless-ready in this configuration
• little long-distance comfort

You can find more information about the Specialized S-Works Tarmac SL7 at specialized.com and read all our current road bike reviews here .

Did you enjoy this article? If so, we would be stoked if you decide to support us with a monthly contribution. By becoming a supporter of GRAN FONDO, you will help secure a sustainable future for high-quality cycling journalism. Click here to learn more .

Words: Philipp Schwab, Benjamin Topf Photos: Valentin Rühl

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Once up to speed, aerodynamics comes into play, but they seem to be far more important at much lower velocities than most aero bikes I've ridden. Some, such as the Storck Aerfast and Orro Venturi, feel as though they require less effort to keep moving as they get to around the 23mph mark; a lot of deep wheels create this effect too, highlighting the sort of speeds at which aerodynamics really start to make a difference. On the S-Works, though, that feeling kicks in at around 18mph. Once you get the bike up there it just rolls along, like you are always on top of the gear, and it makes for a very efficient ride and an impressive average speed.

It even helps when you come to a climb as you can hit the base of it using a lot less effort than you normally would, so you can carry the speed into the incline. Then, as the aero benefits start to diminish, that low weight helps you power to the top of the hill.

A lot of the aerodynamic bonuses are coming from the Roval Rapide CLX wheels, the front especially with its 51mm depth and massive 35mm external rim width. It's a similar sort of design found on the  Hunt 48 Limitless Aero Disc wheels that I've been riding recently, a wheelset that is also unbelievably fast.

Alongside the low weight and wind-cheating design, the Tarmac SL7 also delivers on the stiffness front. Compared with a lot of the tightest frames out there, Specialized hasn't exactly gone for massive tube profiles to create the stiffness and nor has it gone for a wider bottom bracket shell that would use press-fit bearing cups located inside the frame. It has instead plumped for a threaded option, with the cups mounted externally.

Even with all of this stiffness, the SL7 hasn't sacrificed the comfort levels. It's a peloton-ready race machine, so don't go expecting a cosseting ride, but it's firm without any irritating levels of harshness.

I had the 26mm tyres pumped up hard and had no overall issues at all with discomfort in my hands or feet when riding for four to five hours at a time, but if you want to bring in a little bit more 'suspension' then you can exploit the Tarmac's 32mm max tyre width.

As you'd expect, the geometry is pretty aggressive – there is no relaxed endurance front end to be found here or an upright riding position.

This 56cm size has 73.5-degree head and seat angles and stack and reach measurements of 555mm and 398mm respectively, which gives quite a long and low setup on the bike. If it was my Tarmac, I would take out the 20mm of spacers sitting below the stem to really get the most out of the low position.

The steering is quick, which makes the S-Works an absolute blast when descending. Very light, stiff bikes can sometimes feel a little flighty over rough road surfaces at very high speed, but the Tarmac never really does. The whole bike feels very balanced and thanks to the handling being very precise, you can carry a lot of speed into the corners.

You get plenty of feedback from the supple Specialized Cotton tyres, too, which really helps the confidence levels.

Overall, this bike really does deliver on all the attributes you'd want of a top-flight race machine: speed, stiffness, handling and comfort.

Frame, fork and aero components

The SL7 was officially launched on the 28th of July, and Mat wrote a full in-depth piece on everything that you need to know about the new Tarmac which is definitely worth a read if you are interested in the design and manufacturing that went into its inception.

I'll give you a brief run-through here though.

Specialized has its own wind tunnel – or the Win Tunnel as it calls it – and it's obviously a big advantage having the ability to trial designs in-house.

For aerodynamics it'll come as no surprise that the company has focused on tube shapes. Traditional aero bikes use quite large tube profiles to achieve the wind-cheating benefits. Larger tubes mean more material, though, and that brings weight increases.

The head tube and seat tube, seatstays and fork blades all use designs from Specialized's FreeFoil Shape Library, a collection of aerofoil shapes that it has developed.

The head tube, for example, has an hourglass shape, only being wider at the top and bottom to accept the bearing cups.

The seatstays are dropped too, something Specialized has done for aerodynamic reasons right throughout its range all the way down to the aluminium Allez models.

The real key, though, is clean lines: everything that can be hidden is hidden.

From the front we'll start with the Aerofly II handlebar, which has been taken from the Venge. The bar has a very slim profile – it's almost three times wider at the tops than the front edge that is striking the air; not only is it aero, it's also stiff and, from my point of view, impressively comfortable.

Even better, Specialized has kept it as a standalone handlebar rather than an all-in-one system with an integrated stem. This means you still get the option of some adjustment.

The hoses and cables (or in this case wires) are internally routed through the bar and are held in position by a neat clamp arrangement in front of the stem before being fed down into the head tube via the spacers. This is one of the biggest changes I've seen to 2021 bikes, with many of those I'm currently testing following their own take on this design; it certainly gives a very clean looking front end.

Here you are only seeing the hoses/cables/wires again right before they are connected to the components.

The stem also has a clean look with a top cover that hides all of the bolts and headset gubbins. There are three options that come with the bike that will work with various builds, mechanical or electronic, and one that will work with a standard stem plus round spacers should you not want to trim the steerer straight away.

The seatpost hasn't been neglected either. It has a teardrop shape to it with a flattened rear to match the seat tube and there is no clamp as such: the Tarmac uses an expanding wedge design sat under the rubber cover on the top tube.

The seatpost also houses the Di2 junction box at the rear.

When it comes to material, the S-Works models use the top end FACT 12r carbon fibre grade, while others lower in the range use FACT 10r. The main difference between the two is weight, as both use the same tubing profiles and have corresponding stiffness levels.

FACT 12r uses less material to achieve this stiffness, so it's a lighter build by around 15% – around 800g, give or take.

Specialized offers the Tarmac in a decent range of sizes from 44cm through to 61cm, which equates to top tube lengths of 496mm to 595mm. The S-Works also comes in two colours, red/black with white decals, or this rather subdued natural carbon finish which has a bit of a silver/green finish to it when it catches the sunlight.

Everything else spec-wise about the frame is exactly as you'd expect really: flat mounts for the disc callipers and 12mm thru-axles front and rear.

Other than the special edition Sagan bike, this is pretty much the flagship of the Tarmac SL7 range, so it's no surprise to see a full  Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 groupset , with a power meter included.

Not only is it a beautiful looking gear system, you also can't fault the performance. The changes are fast and crisp, and the large buttons on the lever make sure you don't fudge a critical shift in the heat of the moment.

Can you tell the difference between this and Ultegra Di2? Barely – unless you are riding the two side by side, which I am lucky enough to have done, and then you find that Dura-Ace is just a little bit quicker and shifts a smidgen better under load.

Gear-wise Spesh has gone for a 52/36-tooth chainset paired to an 11-30T cassette, which gives a good balance of gears right across the range. While it is a pro-level bike that's probably more used to seeing a 53/39T chainset and a closer ratio cassette, for us mere mortals this setup works well.

I have to say, if it was my money I'd go for the eTap model for the same money. I love the ratios found on SRAM's latest 12-speed groupsets, which I talked about in my Vitus Vitesse Evo Team and  Canyon Endurace CF SLX Disc 8.0 reviews.

On the odd occasion that you need to slow the SL7 down, you'll find that the hydraulic setup is absolutely brilliant. Its 160mm front disc and 140mm rear offer plenty of stopping power.

The rotors can be a little flexible, mind, so you really need to crank up the tightness on the thru-axle otherwise, like me, you'll get some rotor rub in the corners and also when they heat up. It was most noticeable for me when I was stuck behind a tractor and trailer on a downhill and needed to drag the front brake a bit.

That aside, it's the usual thing from Shimano's braking components: loads of power but with loads of modulation whether wet or dry. The way I ride makes me a very heavy late braker and I've never locked up a front wheel in my life, even in the wet. The feel and feedback from the levers here mean that'll remain the case even with the amount of power you have at your fingertips.

Wheels and tyres

I touched on the wheels earlier. The Roval Rapide CLXs are deep and wide: 51mm deep and 35mm wide at the front, 60mm and 30mm at the rear.

The front is taking the brunt of the airflow which is why its shape is more pronounced than the rear. Both have an internal width of 21mm, which means they are still compatible with 25mm tyres, one of the most common sizes still used on race bikes.

The thinking is that the widest part of the tyre/rim combination needs to be about a third of the way back from the leading edge so therefore the rim needs to be wider than the tyre. It does look a little disconcerting from a rider's point of view when you look down and see all of this carbon fibre poking out either side of the tyre, but after testing the Hunts that I mentioned earlier, it really does make a difference to the aerodynamics.

One thing that some might find odd is that there is no tubeless compatibility. Specialized says that when the designers looked at what they wanted to achieve in terms of aerodynamics, weight, stability and ride quality, going tubeless wasn't possible.

Hunt managed it with the 48 Limitless, though, and while they are probably around 150g to 200g heavier, in the real world when I swapped them over there was no discernible difference.

Personally, on the road I can take or leave tubeless. On the gravel, yes, but on the road I'm not bothered about dropping tyre pressures for comfort. I like them high, and over the last 20 years punctures have been few and far between.

> What they don't tell you about tubeless

The Specialized Cotton tyres fitted here to the S-works have a 320TPI (thread per inch) carcass and they feel super-supple, even at high pressures – something you don't always get from a tubeless tyre.

The compound used is impressively grippy too, and I really loved chucking this bike into the bends hard.

The super-smooth rubber used for the central tread rolls very well and wear rates aren't looking too bad either. It is cool to see some little dimples in the tread too, which will let you know that they are wearing out.

And finally... the saddle

It's a Body Geometry S-Works Power with a carbon fibre base and rails. I especially like the stubby design – it suits the kind of hard, powerful riding I found the S-Works kept egging me on to do, and its firm padding is very supportive while being comfortable.

At ten-and-a-half-grand, value is a strange concept but let's just say that money is no object. How does it compare to other peloton-ready machines?

Trek has recently gone down a similar route with its  Emonda , giving it an aero edge while retaining the lightweight frameset. The similarly specced SLR 9 model comes in a few grams lighter (claimed), but costs £9,700.

> Buyer’s Guide: 21 of the best and fastest 2020 aero road bikes

Liam is currently riding Merida's take on the aero theme, the Reacto Team Disc . It weighs in at 7.5kg on the road.cc Scales of Truth, but even with the Dura-Ace Di2 group and power meter it 'only' comes in at £9,000.

As a technical exercise this is one hell of a bike. It really does deliver the whole package. It's great to ride, super-fast with sweet handling, and thanks to that low weight and the excellent wheels all it makes you want to do is smash it everywhere.

True, it's a lot of money, but wow!

Eye-watering price but an exceptional performance

road.cc test report

Make and model: Specialized S-Works Tarmac SL7 Dura-Ace Di2 2021

Size tested: 56cm

About the bike

List the components used to build up the bike.

Specialized lists:

HANDLEBARS S-Works Aerofly II

STEM Tarmac integrated stem, 6-degree

TAPE Supacaz Super Sticky Kush

SADDLE Body Geometry S-Works Power, carbon fiber rails, carbon fiber base

SEATPOST 2021 S-Works Tarmac Carbon seat post, FACT Carbon, Di2 Compatible, 20mm offset

SEAT BINDER Tarmac integrated wedge

FRONT BRAKE Shimano Dura-Ace R9170, hydraulic disc

REAR BRAKE Shimano Dura-Ace R9170, hydraulic disc

SHIFT LEVERS Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 Disc R9170

FRONT DERAILLEUR Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 R9150, braze-on

REAR DERAILLEUR Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 R9150, 11-speed

CASSETTE Shimano Dura-Ace R9100, 11-speed, 11-30t

CRANKSET Shimano Dura-Ace R9100, HollowTech 2, 11-speed, Dual-sided Power meter

CHAINRINGS 52/36T

BOTTOM BRACKET Shimano Dura-Ace, BB-R9100

CHAIN Shimano Dura-Ace, 11-speed

FRONT WHEEL Roval Rapide CLX, 21mm internal width carbon rim, 51mm depth, Win Tunnel Engineered, Roval AFD hub, 18h, DT Swiss Aerolite spokes

REAR WHEEL Roval Rapide CLX, 21mm internal width carbon rim, 60mm depth, Win Tunnel Engineered, Roval AFD hub, 24h, DT Swiss Aerolite spokes

FRONT TIRE Turbo Cotton, 320 TPI, 700x26mm

REAR TIRE Turbo Cotton, 320 TPI, 700x26mm

INNER TUBES Turbo Ultralight, 60mm Presta valve

SWAT Integrated cycle computer mount

Tell us what the bike is for and who it's aimed at. What do the manufacturers say about it? How does that compare to your own feelings about the bike?

Specialized says, "Why should you be forced to choose between aerodynamics and weight, between ride quality and speed? It's simple, you shouldn't. Enter the new Tarmac - climb on the lightest bike the UCI allows, then descend on the fastest. We've utilized our most advanced technologies, from our FreeFoil Shape Library to an all-new Rider-First Engineered™ frame, to deliver a race bike that is truly without compromise. The days of making sacrifices between "aero" and "lightweight" bikes are over''the all-new Tarmac is the fastest race bike, ever. One bike to rule them all."

It is a very fast and efficient bike while being extremely light too.

Where does this model sit in the range? Tell us briefly about the cheaper options and the more expensive options

At the top of the range is the Sagan Collection model for £11,000, then it is both this Shimano Dura-Ace model and a SRAM Red eTap AXS for the same price.

Below these come the SL7 Pro (SRAM Force eTap 1x at £6,500 or Shimano Ultegra Di2 at £6,250) and the SL7 Expert models which are £4,750. Two builds are offered.

Frame and fork

Tell us about the build quality and finish of the frame and fork?

The build quality looks and feels to be very good overall. I find the natural carbon finish a little understated, even with the added green/silver colour run, but it is also available in a much more striking red and black with white decals.

Tell us about the materials used in the frame and fork?

FRAME S-Works Tarmac SL7 FACT 12r Carbon, Rider First Engineered, Win Tunnel Engineered, Clean Routing, Threaded BB, 12x142mm thru-axle, flat-mount disc

FORK S-Works FACT Carbon, 12x100mm thru-axle, flat-mount disc

Tell us about the geometry of the frame and fork?

As you would expect, the geometry here is race orientated with a long top tube (563mm) and a short head tube (151mm). The head angle is steeper than you'd find on most endurance bikes too (73.5°).

How was the bike in terms of height and reach? How did it compare to other bikes of the same stated size?

Height and reach is well within the range of what I'd expect for this type of bike and size. The 56cm has a stack of 555mm and reach of 398mm. This gives a ratio of 1.39.

Riding the bike

Was the bike comfortable to ride? Tell us how you felt about the ride quality.

Overall comfort is pretty good for a bike of this style. The frame and fork are quite stiff but the supple tyres and comfortable saddle help out a lot.

Did the bike feel stiff in the right places? Did any part of the bike feel too stiff or too flexible?

Stiffness is excellent throughout the bike.

How did the bike transfer power? Did it feel efficient?

Thanks to the aerodynamic details and the low weight, this SL7 is very efficient indeed.

Was there any toe-clip overlap with the front wheel? If so was it a problem?

How would you describe the steering? Was it lively neutral or unresponsive? Lively.

Tell us some more about the handling. How did the bike feel overall? Did it do particular things well or badly?

The handling is great. The steering is quick and very precise which makes descending at speed a joy.

Which components had the most effect (good or bad) on the bike's comfort? would you recommend any changes?

The tyres bring a lot of comfort to the ride, as does the Power saddle.

Which components had the most effect (good or bad) on the bike's stiffness? would you recommend any changes?

All of the components tie in well with the frameset's stiffness levels. There is no flex from the handlebar, for instance, when riding hard out of the saddle.

Which components had the most effect (good or bad) on the bike's efficiency? would you recommend any changes?

The aerodynamics of the wheels give the largest gains.

The drivetrain

Tell us some more about the drivetrain. Anything you particularly did or didn't like? Any components which didn't work well together?

Shimano's top flight groupset can't be faulted for its performance, and the power meter is a bonus.

Tell us some more about the wheels.Did they work well in the conditions you encountered? Would you change the wheels? If so what for?

Loads of aerodynamic benefits and they seem durable as well as coming in at a decent weight. The lack of tubeless compatibility will be a boundary for some riders though.

Tell us some more about the tyres. Did they work well in the conditions you encountered? Would you change the tyres? If so what for?

A really nice set of tyres. The construction gives a very supple ride even at high pressures, and the rubber compound offers plenty of grip.

Tell us some more about the controls. Any particularly good or bad components? How would the controls work for larger or smaller riders?

I'm a big fan of the Aerofly II handlebar. It's comfortable even on the tops, and the shape of the drops isn't too extreme.

Your summary

Did you enjoy riding the bike? Yes

Would you consider buying the bike? Yes

Would you recommend the bike to a friend? Yes

How does the price compare to that of similar bikes in the market, including ones recently tested on road.cc?

Trek has recently updated its Emonda to create a lightweight climbing bike that also now focuses on aerodynamics. The Dura-Ace Di2 SLR 9 model is a very similar build to this Tarmac SL7, although it is a little bit lighter and costs £9,700.

The Merida Reacto Team Disc that we currently have in for test is another peloton-ready bike and comes with the same groupset. It's heavier at 7.5kg, but is priced at just £9,000.

Use this box to explain your overall score

In this build the S-Works Tarmac SL7 is phenomenal when it comes to speed, stiffness and handling. Yes, it is a big outlay, and more than some of the competitors, but it's still an exceptional bike – I can't give it less than 9.

Overall rating: 9 /10

About the tester

Age: 41   Height: 180cm   Weight: 76kg

I usually ride: This month's test bike   My best bike is: B'Twin Ultra CF draped in the latest bling test components

I've been riding for: Over 20 years   I ride: Every day   I would class myself as: Expert

I regularly do the following types of riding: time trialling, commuting, club rides, sportives, fixed/singlespeed,

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As part of the tech team here at F-At Digital, senior product reviewer Stu spends the majority of his time writing in-depth reviews for road.cc, off-road.cc and ebiketips using the knowledge gained from testing over 1,500 pieces of kit (plus 100's of bikes) since starting out as a freelancer back in 2009. After first throwing his leg over a race bike back in 2000, Stu's ridden more than 170,000 miles on road, time-trial, track, and gravel bikes, and while he's put his racing days behind him, he still likes to smash the pedals rather than take things easy. With a background in design and engineering, he has an obsession with how things are developed and manufactured, has a borderline fetish for handbuilt metal frames and finds a rim braked road bike very aesthetically pleasing!

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34 comments.

probably a great bike but some of us still like a bike that looks stunning esp at that price. Do all bikes have to be GREY or BLACK now?! It seems very unimaginative to me.

A nice paint job might cost a few grams but it makes for a much more desirable machine IMHO... (Willier seem one of the few superbike builders who still get this. But it is an Italian brand after all)

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Crazyhorse wrote: probably a great bike but some of us still like a bike that looks stunning esp at that price. Do all bikes have to be GREY or BLACK now?! It seems very unimaginative to me. A nice paint job might cost a few grams but it makes for a much more desirable machine IMHO... (Willier seem one of the few superbike builders who still get this. But it is an Italian brand after all)

If you take a look at the Specialized website you'll see that there are quite a few choices in the line-up when it comes to paint jobs.

https://www.specializedconceptstore.co.uk/allnewtarmacsl7/

My personal favourite is the Snake Eye/Satin Black frameset option!

You are right about Wilier though, I have the latest model here and its red paint job is stunning.

I don't think that the parts on the bike actually justify the price. 

I only started reading this to see how the comments got from 'expensive bike review' to 'sub prime mortgages and the last financial crisis'...

Well, you would need a mortgage to get one of these.  

Lengthy Interviews with inarticulate pros and £10k bike reviews were among the reasons I stopped buying Cycling Plus. 

Brexit - he started it, Miss. 

When did a range topping bike build like wot the pros ride ever not cost 10 grand? No one's forced to buy it, it's certainly not for me. I'd rather spend more and only get Campag mechanical with rims brakes

Lot of miserable f**kers on here.

It's a top end, pro spec bike. They have always been priced way out of range of most mortals - they are not meant to be bought in large numbers and neither will they be. They are an R&D experiment they use to advertise how good they are via publicity through their pro teams.

The frame will appear in a cheaper grade carbon in a year or two, but not as cheap as it should be thanks to Brexit.

Didn't realise this frame was made in the EU?

It isn't but that didn't stop big prices rises as a result of Brexit (pound to dollar/euro fluctuations and so on)

Pound was falling against the dollar long before Brexit.

In fact it fell more from 2014-2016 than 2016-2018 (Jan 1st each year).

EU tariffs on bicycles are also 14%.

It dropped during the GE which Tories won with a manifesto promising a referendum, it dropped during commons debate on the Bill, when the Bill was passed, it dropped when the referendum was announced etc etc but sure - the markets only react to things that have already happened and there's no such speculative trading, only the drop after 2016 was due to brexit 🙄 

I do enjoy the extent that people will go to to blame Brexit for things.

£ declining against the dollar in 2014 and 2015? Brexit.

How about the Suez crisis?

The exchange rate rocketed after the 2015 exit polls showed a conservative majority.

How does that fit with your theory?

We're going to need a graph for this

Is that Stage 19?

im not apportioning "blame" as you say, I'm not quite so narrow minded that there's only "good" and "bad" like you seem to be - I'm merely explaining the driving cause of the drop in £ vs $. If you would like me to explain how exchange rate mechanisms work, why a "worse" exchange rate can be beneficial, how markets react to uncertainty and other basic principles, I'd be happy to inform you on these things

Here's a better view of the rocketing

You seem to have unsurprisingly avoided the point I was making.

You suggested that the large decline in the £/$ exchange rate in the 2 years prior to the referendum was due to market uncertainty caused by the possibility of a referendum.

If that were true then surely you would expect a further large decrease in the £/$ exchange rate when one of the parties proposing a referendum gained a majority?

Given that the exit poll release led to an immediate and substantial increase in the £/$ exchange rate it would suggest your theory was nonsense.

Still sulking about leaving the E.U.? Grow up!!!

Brexit - less sulking, more really concerned: winter, Brexit, Covid, it's not a great combination.

Brexit is a pack of shape-shifting lies, making Britain vulnerable/ behoven to all sorts of malign international influences that don't have our best interests at heart. No-one who actually runs anything significant is in favour - they're just prepping for it in the same way as you prepare for strikes, severe weather and skills/supplies shortages. I can't prove chicken/egg on this, but we're seeing a new breed of violent individualism e.g. "I do own the road - get on the cycle path unless you want to be punched". Was it my imagination, or did it all take a turn for the worse after the 2016 ballot? There is a mentality that says "don't build any new houses because things likes roads are choked, GP surgeries and schools are all at capacity - no more people to arrive on our shores either - we're full up". The roads thing might well be true in the sense that they are worse than 30 years ago, but the other stuff is just parroted and not based on experience or evidence. You'd have to be nicely housed, thank-you to say this and also - it's not a matter of xenophobia - not be capable of any empathy towards the Plight of the Channel boat people. "We can't help you, we've got our own problems." I blame the car, drivers of which recognise the roads are full and don't want t lose so much as a metre, for magnifying this feeling of over-population, and indirectly causing this rising selfish parochialism. 

Last little hassle-free while with Bike 24, Holland Bike, Lordgun and Ridewill.

You are obviously far more knowledgable and intelligent than I am and your opinions, stated with such certainty, must be utterly correct. I think all the small and medium business owners (not to mention some of the larger ones) who disagree with you will be very pleased to hear that they do not run 'anything significant'.

njblackadder wrote: Still sulking about leaving the E.U.? Grow up!!!

I like your style, even if I might not agree with your opinions!!

So basically Specialized have admitted that all its past frames are made to pretty crappy tolerances? The pressfit design is better than threaded (which is still a pressfit design when you think about it) but very few manufacturers have the QC to make sure each frame leaves with the correct tolerances required. 

Then there's the wheels. Specialized have been banging the tubeless drum for years. Their latest tubeless S-works tyres have been "proven" to be faster than their tubulars (although I've read some shocking reports of fit issues and constant pictures) but to meet the stringent aero/weight requirements the new wheels have been made clincher only? This surely will affect sales?

An SL6 with a hambini bottom bracket and a set of Hunt Limitless 48 seems to be a better option.  

Expect a load of price bashing in the comments which is boring. You're buying something uncompromising and the very best, price doesn't matter. The great thing is that R&D from bikes like this will trickle down into more relevant bikes for the road cc masses in due course. 

Can you please list what's going to trickle down? Is there anything conceptually new here with this bike? Is it drastically different from SL6? Maybe it's 2x11 wired groupset, or threaded bottom bracket, or "revolutionary weight" for a bicycle frame, or non-tubeless wheels that may be slower than Hunt's wheels? The only thing that trickles down is pricing.

10k for something that ugly...

Lovely looking bike, especially with the Turbo Cottons.

It would be interesting to get some measurements on how well the frame is made. i.e. is the bottom bracket round? Does an ultrasonic scan turn up any defects? That kind of thing. For the money it should be perfect. 

A beautiful machine but 10k, really ? Bike manufacturer BS

Agreed. Take the wheels and groupset etc out of the equation...

D & D costs but then it not a great deal to actually produce the frame in Asia.

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THE SPECIALIZED “TARVENGE” HAS ARRIVED

Specialized launches the two-in-one tarmac sl7.

When it comes to launching new race bikes, the folks at Specialized are fairly predictable. Like Trek, they seem to follow the same pre-Tour de France formula on timing, and even when faced with this year’s less-than-ideal conditions, that timing was only slightly modified. As many know, the Tarmac SL6 has been one of our favorite bikes and the base for many of our wheel and component reviews.

So, when the SL7 was dropped off at our doorstep, we had a few mixed feelings. At first glance, the new Tarmac SL7 looks as if the SL6 and their Venge aero road bike had mated. We wondered, did we get too much of the Venge and not enough of the SL6?

We wondered this because the last time we reviewed their aero-prioritized Venge ( RBA , November 2018), we were neither fans of the aero handlebars or the harsh ride in the saddle. Additionally, the fork was also not as laterally stiff as we hoped and would cause a bit of brake rub as the pads would shift under heavy braking.  

As is typical of most brands that sponsor WorldTour teams, Specialized couched the new “merged” design as a gift to the pro riders who would no longer have to choose between a climbing bike or an aero bike. So, what about the new Tarmac SL7?

The Tarmac SL7 bike we received is the Pro level, so it is constructed of Fact 10r carbon instead of the higher-end Fact 12r that comes on the S-Works models. Specialized claims the frame weight is 920 grams painted, while the S-Works version is 800.  

The overall geometry is nearly identical to the previous version, and it is obvious that Specialized has found a general set of numbers they are happy with, because nearly all of their road bikes share the same geometry. The slight changes are to the head-tube length, which is 1cm shorter on paper for our size 54 at 13.3cm (same as the current Venge.) This is a bit misleading, though, because with the needed headset cap, the lowest stem position is identical.

“Specialized couched the new ‘merged’ design as a gift to the pro riders who would no longer have to choose between a climbing bike or an aero bike.” 

The wheelbase remains the same at 97.8cm with a reach of 38.7cm and a stack of 53.4cm. The biggest changes come in the form of added emphasis on the aero refinement of the frame tubes. We’re told the SL7 has 17-percent less surface area than the current Venge while hitting the same weight as the current SL6 Tarmac.  

The biggest change is the adaptation of completely hidden, internally routed cables and hoses. There is no steerer stop, which we appreciate, and if you desired, a traditional stem and handlebar are easily swappable.  

While not as sexy as frame shapes go, perhaps the best news for the SL7 comes in the form of the updated bottom bracket. All of the SL7 frame levels will now have a threaded English bottom bracket, meaning no deciphering what OSBB (Over-sized bottom bracket) is and no more creaking bottom brackets. This also means that the Specialized’s own Power Cranks that used a 30mm spindle will no longer be compatible.  

The bike has 41cm chainstays with more tire clearance. The bottom bracket junction remains a very similar design to the previous, but with slight refinements to offer the extra clearance. With no seatstay bridge, the new SL7 will be disc brake only.  

Our bike is the only one in the line-up that runs a 1x drivetrain, which left us a bit disappointed. And, it’s not that we don’t think it’s a viable road option, just more difficult to validate in our local SoCal terrain that favors a fairly large range between the steep and sustained climbs with matching extended descending. To best achieve this, you lose the tight gear gaps that you want on a “race bike.” This makes pace-matching difficult in fast-group rides or races.  

Our build uses the new 10-36 SRAM cassette with a wide rear derailleur and a 46T chainring. As a bonus, there is a Quarq power meter on our model, adding value and making it more training/race-ready. The SRAM Force electronic group is a great option, and the best part is, it is easily upgraded to a 2x system with a few parts.

As mentioned before, the aero bars are the same as what has been supplied on the Venge. There is a new stem design that very closely resembles the one found on the current Venge, but it’s been slimed down, with the 100mm version weighing in 45 grams lighter. The underside of the stem clamps the brake hoses and directs them into the gated and internally routed steerer spacers.

“…the Pro level is probably the way to go for most.”

Also new are the Rapide CL Roval wheels that feature different (front and rear) external widths and shapes. The rear wheel is 61mm deep, while the front is 52mm deep. The front is 35mm wide external with 6mm hooked beads on each side. This offers an exterior rim profile that is wider than our 26mm tires that measure 28mm. The rear is 27mm wide external and looks much more like the current Roval lineup with 2.5mm hook beads. The 21mm internal widths are the same and should be tubeless-ready ( click here for the whole story on why they are not ). Because the internal dimensions are identical, tire sizes remain constant front to rear, even though the external width profile is 8mm different.

The new seatpost also takes inspiration from both the Venge and SL6. The truncated aero post most resembles the SL6 but with a bit more aero depth. As you get to the top, like the Venge post, the new SL7 post has a position to house the Shimano Di2 junction box or, in our case, a cover plate. Atop the post is the popular Power short saddle with Ti rails.

On the road, the SL7 feels and responds like its predecessor. Cornering is predictable and responsive, offering lots of confidence even when pushing the limits. Out of the saddle, the bike responds to efforts instantly. In the saddle, the SL7 is a bit stiffer than the SL6 but significantly more comfortable than the Venge.  

The ride characteristics of this bike have remained some of our favorites. The added benefit to fit 32mm tires with room to spare makes it even more versatile. With that said, it is still very much a race-oriented bike. This doesn’t mean you need to race it, but a confident rider with moderate experience will get the most out of it.  

THE VERDICT

As we step back and analyze the new SL7, it’s clear to us that Venge owners will get a fairly significant overall gain if they make the switch. SL6 owners will gain some aero advantage, but ride quality is a bit stiffer in the saddle. For anyone that has been shopping for a new bike, the Tarmac SL7, or as we have been calling it the “Tarvenge,” offers a very balanced road race style with aero optimization. The choice to be aero- or mountain-optimized is simplified.  

Also to note that there is no gender-specific sizing, and all SL7 frames are optimized for the frame size and range from 44cm to 61cm.

For us, the bike is a great option, and to be honest, the Pro level is probably the way to go for most. Yes, it’s constructed of a lower grade of carbon, but it’s only 120 grams different in total frame weight. If you choose the $12,000 S-Works version, you’re paying a premium for the badging and some fancier parts. There might be a slight uptick in performance, but we think it would be hard to quantify.

This may sound odd, but what got us most excited about the new SL7 is simply the fact that it has a threaded bottom bracket. Sure, marketing companies have pounded BB30 or PF30 into our brains for years, including Specialized, but the truth is, Press-Fit bottom brackets have been the single-most problematic aspect of any bike we’ve tested.  

The SL7 is available in a variety of builds and framesets, starting off with a 10R $3000 frame and fork or $5000 for the S-Works version. An Expert will set you back $5000 with Shimano Ultegra Di2 and $7000 Will get you one of the two Pro models. A whopping $12,000 for either S-Works version with SRAM or Shimano top tier components.

PUNCH LINES

The “Tarvenge” is born

Finally, a threaded bottom bracket  

Nothing is really “new”

Price: $7000

Weight: 16.75 pounds

Sizes: 44cm, 49cm, 52cm, 54cm (tested), 56cm, 58cm, 61cm

www.specialized.com

Helmet: POC Ventral Air Spin  

Jersey: Gore C5 Cancellara

Bib: Assos Cento EVO  

Shoes: Sidi Wire 2 Air Vent Carbon

Socks: Rapha Pro Team  

Glasses: Oakley EVZero Path

Gloves: Mechanix Wear Camp 9

8 OF THE LATEST 2021 ROAD BIKES MODELS

BMC TEAMMACHINE SLR

Price:  $2899

Weight:  17.8 pounds

www.bmc-switzerland.com

PINARELLO PARIS 

Price:  $2950

Weight:  19.94

www.pinarello.com

CERVELO CALEDONIA

Price:  $6500

Weight:  17.18 pounds

www.cervelo.com

BASSO VENTA

Price:  $3795

Weight:  18.79 pounds

www.bassobikes.com

ZEROUNO ATOMIC HC DISC

Price:  $6670

Weight:  980 grams (frame)

www.zerounobikes.com

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Specialized Tarmac SL7: could be THE best road bike of 2020, here’s why...

Specialized Tarmac SL7 pairs the handling and climbing prowess of the Tarmac with the sprint finish skills of the Venge

Specialized Tarmac SL7 is, so the brand boldly proclaims, the ‘One bike to rule them all. The idea is that it combines the undisputed handling and climbing prowess of the Tarmac with the race-winning aero properties of the Venge to create the best road bike you can buy in 2020. 

• We now have a full Specialized Tarmac SL7 review – the S-Works version, no less

The supreme bike in the new SL7 range is the S-Works model which comes in at a not entirely affordable £10,500 – that's with either Shimano Di2 or SRAM eTap groupset. It's got a HUGE RAFT of premium features designed to reduce drag, increase performance and keep weight down to an impressively low level. 

• Find out more about Specialized Tarmac SL7 now

The Specialized Tarmac SL7 has also had input and feedback from the pro peloton in its creation, since Specialized sponsors a number of teams including BORA-hansgrohe, Deceuninck-Quick-Step and Boels Dolmans. While the 2020 race season has been truncated for pro-riders and amateurs alike, you’ll still see the S-Works model of this bike in action ridden by the likes of Peter Sagan and Anna van der Breggen in the near future. 

If you’re a dedicated road bike racer looking for a bike that’ll give you a competitive edge, here’s why you should take a VERY close look at the new Specialized Tarmac SL7.

• Best road bike under £1000
• Best road bike under £500
• Best electric bike

You’ll win races*

The new Tarmac SL7 inherits some serious winning pedigree. The Tarmac spent 14 days in the yellow jersey at the 2019 Tour de France – and that was a Tour with more elevation than any in the last eight years. The Venge set a record for the fastest average speed for a race over 200km at the 2019 Vuelta. 

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Blend the best of both bikes, and you’ve got the new Tarmac SL7. Specialized claims it’ll be like having both the climbing style of Juliana Alaphilippe and the sheer power of Peter Sagan. 

There is  certainly nothing marginal about the claimed speed advantage the Tarmac SL7 promises: 45 seconds faster over 40km than the Tarmac SL6 thanks to those aforementioned aero elements plus the low bike weight. 

The acid test will of course be how the bike performs in the upcoming and somewhat truncated UCI race season; we can’t wait to see how it does. 

*Victory not guaranteed; there may be a few other factors involved. 

• Specialized Roubaix Sport review
• Specialized Tarmac Disc Expert review
• Canyon Aeroad CF SL Disc 8.0 review

You’ll save money (because you’ll only need one bike)

Or to be completely accurate, according to Specialized the new Tarmac SL7 will mean you no longer need to choose between racing the aero-focused Venge, and the race-ready handling and performance of the Tarmac. 

Given that the current S-Works models of each of these bikes comes in at £10k a piece, being able to run just one bike does certainly save you a double handful of cash. 

For the pros, it’s less a case of cash and more a case of compromise. Choose the Venge, and the speed is great at the expense of handling. Choose the Tarmac, and it climbs brilliantly but doesn’t sprint as well. 

Cameron Piper, Specialized Product Manager, says, "No matter how fast the Venge was, no matter how well the SL6 handled in the mountains, we knew choosing between the two meant our riders had to make compromises on race day.”

From the sounds of it, Specialized has engineered the semi-mythical feat of making a bike that’s more aero without being heavier; stiffer for power transfer without losing compliance where it’s needed for longer distances; and able to muster up sprint speed without compromising all-round handling. 

While the S-Works model may be the top end of the bike price scale, prices for the Tarmac SL7 start at just £4,750. That's for the Expert model, which features a frame with the same engineering with regards to aerodynamics and handling, plus plenty of the same features as it’s premium siblings. That includes the integrated stem, S-Works Tarmac seatpost and power saddle. Less expensive Shimano Ultegra groupset and Roval C wheels complete the package. The weight does go up as the price comes down, however. 

Women and men get the same high-performance kit

The new Tarmac is a unisex bike; no men’s and women’s versions here. This means that women who race get access to the same high-level innovation and tech as their male counterparts. And it’s not surprising, given that Specialized sponsors the Boels-Dolmans Cycling Team with stars like Anna van der Breggan and Christine Majerus. 

Specialized has moved away from sex-specific bikes or, as it puts it, ‘beyond gender’. It collates data from thousands of bike fits from men and women plus body dimension databases, and uses this to develop bikes like the Tarmac SL7, making them truely unisex. According to the data it’s collected, there are more differences between two men of different sizes than a man and woman of the same size, so getting the right size bike plus a good fit is more important. 

Even the saddle, one of the key contact points where female riders often have to accept compromise, should work well for many women. The Specialized Power saddle with its truncated nose was originally designed for women, then it turned out plenty of men found it comfortable too, so it’s good to see this fitted to the new Tarmac. 

You can train and race with power

For the serious racer, knowing and monitoring your power output is as essential as getting the right nutrition. 

The S-Works and Pro Tarmac SL7 bikes come with power meters as standard. Quarq does the honors on the SRAM eTap version, while on the Shimano-equipped bikes it will be Specialized’s own Power Pod.

It’s as light as it’s legal to be

The Tarmac SL7 S-Works model with Di2 gears comes in at an impressive 6.7kg out of the box, in the 56cm frame size. Yes, that’s under the UCI legal weight limit of 6.8kg, but add pedals and bottle cages, and it should be pretty much spot on, as the UCI weight is judged on the full build. 

In fact, the frame of this model weighs an impossible-sounding 800g without any compromise on strength, stiffness, aerodynamics or ride quality, according to Specialized. It’s all due to careful, painstaking engineering building up layers of Specialized’s premium FACT 12r carbon and innovative painting techniques to create a frame that has exactly what it needs and not a fleck of carbon more. 

The slightly lower spec SL7 Pro and Expert models aren’t chunky monkeys either, both coming in with a frame weight of 920g and 7.3kg and 7.65kg respectively, due mostly to the use of slightly weightier FACT 10r carbon used and a different layup.

It’s as aero as the Venge

When it comes to a sprint finish or breakaway, the aerodynamic drag is a major force that inhibits speed, and the Venge was carefully engineered to reduce this force across the bike. 

The new Tarmac SL7 incorporates those key aerodynamic profiles on the tubing of key areas of the bike — head tube, forks, seat tube — identified, tested and refined using Specialized’s in-house Win Tunnel. 

Yes, Win Tunnel. It is a wind tunnel but no, that is not a typo. 

Aero is everywhere on this bike, including the new Roval Rapide CLX wheelset and the cockpit. There’s a new aero cockpit, too. The Tarmac SL7 doesn’t just get the aerodynamic Aerofly II handlebars from the Venge; it also features a brand new Tarmac stem that keeps those messy cables from disrupting airflow around the front of the bike. Another aero boost in action. 

You’ll still want to attach your computer of course, so the stem also features an integrated mount that’s compatible with Wahoo, Garmin , Polar, Cateye and Bryton computers, and you can get a separate compatible mount for your GoPro action camera , or Specialized Flux and Stix lights.

And 3 reasons you might NOT buy the Specialized Tarmac SL7…

• It’s not cheap if you want the best…

If you want the range topping, race-ready Tarmac S-Works SL7 with Di2 or eTap groupsets and all the whistles and bells, it’s going to take a £10,500 chunk out of your wallet.

But, as we mentioned above, that’s still cheaper than buying two bikes, right? 

• It’s not tubeless-ready. 

Surprisingly, the shiny new Roval Rapide CLX wheels launched in June 2020 are not tubeless or tubular tyre compatible, which means you will need to run inner tubes on these wheels. 

The Rapide CLX wheels are designed to be fast, all-round racing wheels with less drag due to aero features on the rim and hubs, and a claimed weight of just 1,400g. They feature DT Swiss Ratchet EXP freehubs and sealed cartridge bearings, and are disc-brake compatible only, which leads on to the next point...

• It's disc-brake only

This may dismay the traditionalists out there, but there is no rim-brake version of the Tarmac SL7. All models are compatible with disc brakes only

That's not a big surprise given the growth in popularity once they became UCI-legal, though. Disc brakes offer more control and stopping power in a range of conditions. Given 2019's Tour de France saw everything from mud-slides to hail storms, this is all too likely to come in handy…

Writer, journalist and Spindrift Podcast host Aoife has over 10 years product-testing experience, and has written and reviewed for Red Bull, MBUK, Trek UK, Bikeradar, BikePerfect, Cycling Plus, Fit&Well and of course T3 (and a few others). A keen cyclist, mountain biker and outdoor adventurer, you’ll usually find her out in the forests or up a mountain somewhere. 

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2024 Trek Madone SL 7 review: This is the one to get

The flagship Madone is lighter and very slightly more aero, but also more than twice as expensive.

Second-tier models – ones that look the same, but use less-expensive materials and parts to lower the cost – typically aren’t nearly as exciting as their more premium cousins. But in the case of the Trek Madone SL vs. the Madone SLR, the difference in performance is so small – and the difference in cost so dramatic – that it’s hard not to consider the “lesser” version to be the one to get, even if you have the money for the flagship model.

The short of it: The same cutting-edge aerodynamic performance of Trek’s flagship Madone SLR, distilled into a much more affordable package. Good stuff:  Heaps lighter than before, tangibly speedy, surprisingly good ride quality, superb handling, lots of tire clearance, user-friendly two-piece cockpit, sharp lines. Bad stuff:  Polarizing IsoFlow aesthetics, poor weathersealing, narrow wheels and tires.

An aero primer

Trek went perhaps a little too far down the “aero and comfy” rabbit hole with the 6th-generation Madone, which was impressive in the wind tunnel and surprisingly comfortable to ride, but also among the heavier options in the category what with its complicated (and hefty) IsoSpeed pivoting seatmast design. With the latest iteration of the Madone launched last June, Trek supposedly improved the bike’s aerodynamic performance while also simplifying the structure, ditching IsoSpeed in favor of an even more radical-looking seat cluster configuration called IsoFlow.

In short, IsoFlow comprises a giant hole where the seat cluster would normally be. The seat tube stops just shy of its normal height, the seatstays bypass that area entirely and connect further forward on the top tube, and the semi-integrated seatmast is now cantilevered off the back of the top tube like the business end of an ice hockey stick.

Trek claims IsoFlow yields smoother airflow through that area, saves almost 150 g relative to the outgoing Madone (for the flagship SLR trim, at least), and – thanks to some clever carbon tuning in that area – also supposedly provides a better ride quality than you’d otherwise expect from such chunky frame proportions.

Trek has been one of the biggest proponents of Kamm-tail tube profiles since first using it on the Speed Concept way back in 2009, and those flat-backed shapes are very much alive and well on the latest Madone – if anything, they’re deeper than ever thanks to recent revisions in the UCI technical guidelines. The down tube, seat tube, seatstays, and fork blades are all more aggressively shaped than ever, and the head tube and cockpit areas are particularly sleek so as to keep air flowing cleanly over the carefully sculpted surfaces. 

The revised frame shape only accounts for about half of the new Madone’s claimed aerodynamic performance gains, however. The other half comes from the rider – or, more specifically, handlebars that have been radically narrowed by about 3 cm across the board in order to place the rider in a more aerodynamic position. 

Taking all of these factors together, Trek is touting some bold performance gains, saying the 7th-generation Madone frameset module (including the frame, fork, cockpit, and seatpost) is not only about 300 g lighter in total than the 6th-generation one, but also about 19 watts more efficient aerodynamically in a wind tunnel (at 45 km/h), which Trek says translates to a 60-second advantage per hour at that speed.

A single letter with small differences

All of those changes sound well and good, but keep in mind that when those announcements were made in June 2022, they only applied to the flagship Madone SLR models, whose retail prices start at US$8,000 / AU$11,800 / £7,600 / €8,200 (for a Shimano 105 Di2 build!) and top out at a whopping US$13,200 / AU$19,000 / £14,500 / €15,700 with a SRAM Red AXS groupset. More power to you if you can swing that kind of cash, but for most performance-minded riders, that’s just not in the cards. 

Trek has for years offered a less-expensive version in the Madone SL, but given how the 6th-generation Madone SLR was already overweight, the Madone SL was a veritable boat anchor. For example, a sample I tested a couple of years ago with a mid-range SRAM Force AXS wireless groupset and Bontrager’s reasonably light Aeolus Pro 51 wheels came in at a whopping 8.59 kg (18.94 lb), a tough pill to swallow, aero advantage or not.

Thankfully, the weight loss plan introduced with the Madone SLR now also carries over to the recently updated Madone SL. Despite the lower-grade carbon fiber blend here, claimed weight for a 56 cm Madone SL frame is now 1,200 g, plus 476 g for the matching fork. That’s still 208 g more than a comparable Madone SLR frameset, and hardly a featherweight given the selection of sub-800 g options now on the market, but still pretty good all things considered. If you take Trek’s aero claims at their word, those extra grams aren’t going to matter much at all against the stopwatch on most courses, and realistically speaking, the person considering a Madone these days will probably be more concerned about grams of drag.

Like with the previous Madone SL, this one again uses the exact same shape as the Madone SLR, so its aerodynamic performance should be identical, with one exception: the cockpit. The Madone SLR uses Trek’s latest one-piece carbon fiber handlebar/stem, but the Madone SL uses a more conventional two-piece setup that includes an aero-focused forged aluminum stem with a separate aero-shaped carbon fiber handlebar. And whereas the hose routing on the Madone SLR is fully internal, it’s hidden – but still largely accessible – on the Madone SL, with the brake hoses peeking out just a bit underneath the bar clamp before ducking away again into a plastic shroud bolted to the underside of the stem. 

Trek says this equates to a six-second hit to the Madone SL’s aerodynamic performance relative to the Madone SLR. Don’t worry; I’ll get to that soon enough.

Trek also says there’s a negligible difference in chassis stiffness – less than 5% – and ride quality shouldn’t take much of a hit, either. If anything, the lower grade of carbon fiber in the Madone SL might even make that bike more comfortable than the Madone SLR, not less.

Aside from the different carbon fiber blend and the two-piece cockpit, the rest of the feature list is identical, including Trek’s slightly modified T47 oversized and threaded bottom bracket shell, a built-in chain keeper, and the brand’s now-signature semi-integrated seatmast. Unlike true integrated seatposts, though, this one doesn’t have to be cut and will still squeeze into most standard travel cases, and Trek has gone to great lengths to ensure a proper rider fit. If the included proprietary seatpost doesn’t quite accommodate your position, Trek also offers a longer option – each with 65 mm of total height adjustment – and both are available in 0 mm and 20 mm offsets. Given the rather goofy component dimensions, Trek thankfully has a broad range of dedicated front and rear accessory mounts to accommodate stuff like lights and computers, too.

Both versions are also offered in eight sizes: impressive for a mainstream brand.

Otherwise, the differences between the Madone SL and Madone SLR simply boil down to more economical build kits. 

My Madone SL 7 test sample is the nicer of the two complete Madone SL bikes Trek offers currently, and comes equipped with a complete Shimano Ultegra Di2 2×12 wiredless electronic groupset, Bontrager Aeolus Pro 51 carbon fiber clincher wheels wrapped with 25 mm-wide Bontrager R3 Hard-Case Lite tires, a Trek RCS Pro forged aluminum stem, Bontrager RSL Aero carbon fiber handlebar, and a Bontrager Aeolus Comp snub-nosed saddle. 

Actual weight for my 52 cm sample is 8.01 kg (17.66 lb), without pedals or accessories, and retail price is US$6,500 / AU$10,300 / £7,500 / €8,000.

You know what feels fast? Money left over in my pocket

Having fun on a road bike largely revolves around going fast – and holy cow, is the Madone SL fun in that respect.

For however many full-blown aero road bikes I’ve ridden over the years, it’s still shocking every time I get on a particularly good one and can so immediately feel – feel! – how much faster they are. It’s startlingly easy to hit – and hold – high speeds, but it’s also tangibly easier to just casually cruise if that’s what you feel like doing that day. The beauty is that the option to go fast is always there if you want it, and even after however many years I’ve done this, that thrill never goes away.

Those huge tube sections and all that material are also put to good use in terms of chassis stiffness. It’s wonderfully responsive when you lay down the watts, and it feels every bit like the race bike it’s supposed to be. High-speed jumps are where the Madone SL excels given that aerodynamic shape, but the combination of that stiffness and the new weight loss make it a surprisingly good partner on steep climbs, too. That rigidity also feels nicely balanced from tip to tail with no section of the frame coming across as more flexible than another. The Madone SL obviously doesn’t feel as light heading uphill as something truly feathery, but sub-8 kg is still pretty darn light, and if speed is truly what you’re after, the aerodynamic benefits should more than make up the difference. 

I fully expected my test sample’s 36 cm-wide bars (at the hoods) to feel very weird – and to be fair, they did, but literally only for the first few minutes, after which I almost completely forgot about it. I did miss the additional leverage of my usual 40 cm-wide bars on particularly steep climbs, but that was about it. Consider my eyes opened.

That the Madone SL efficiently cuts through the air and feels fast doing so shouldn’t be a big surprise. The old one was known to be very aerodynamic, and this one is supposedly a big step up from there. But a big aspect of being fast on the road is also being comfortable, and more specifically, that you are able to achieve and maintain an efficient position while also producing a lot of power.

And that’s where the Madone SL’s two-piece cockpit comes in.

One-piece cockpits may look cool, but I don’t always get along with them. Even if the bar width and stem length is correct, sometimes the bend just isn’t my favorite, or the cross-section doesn’t feel right in my hands, or the drop dimension isn’t quite there, or whatever. More often than not, I find myself having to adapt to the bar since there aren’t any other options available instead of the other way around. 

The two-piece setup on the Madone SL may be slower than the fancy (and lighter, and far more expensive) one-piece cockpit on the Madone SLR, but being able to easily adjust and tune the front end to my liking is something I find invaluable. In the case of the Madone SL, the stock bar actually worked quite well for me: an appropriately deep drop with a semi-anatomic bend, a nice flat platform behind the hoods to rest your wrists, and tops that are aero-profiled but still refreshingly comfortable to hold. 

The stem, on the other hand, was a hair too short given my shorter-legs-longer-torso proportions. On a one-piece setup – particularly one with fully internal routing – even a simple adjustment like that on an internally routed one-piece setup is literally hours of work. And while Trek may offer the fancier one-piece setup in fourteen different size combos, you still have to buy the thing (unless you go through Trek’s Project One custom program and pick the right one from the start). But on the Madone SL, it took me all of ten minutes (and many dealers would likely be willing to swap the stem for you). Oh, you also want to try lowering the stem for a bit before cutting the steerer? Just stack some totally normal round spacers on top for a bit. Brilliant. 

Such simple things shouldn’t be so refreshing, but these days, they are.

Speaking of comfort, the Madone SL rides much better than I’d expected. While the ride quality is on the firmer side, it’s very well damped and also effectively takes the edge off of bigger impacts. Tactile feedback is still superb, too, and it’s striking how well the front tire communicates grip levels through the bars without feeling harsh. And as much as I enjoyed the cushiness of the old IsoSpeed system, I have to admit that there seems to be something to Trek’s claims about how the IsoFlow mast flexes over bumps. I’m not sure what it’d feel like under someone appreciably heavier than my modest 72 kg (159 lb), or how well that sort of cantilevered arrangement will hold up over time, but I’ll be damned if it isn’t impressively comfy.

If you are after an even softer ride, don’t forget there’s room for tires with a measured width up to 33 mm – or even more if you’re willing to stomach the risk of running less than 4 mm of clearance at the chainstays.

Handling is another bright spot, as the Madone SL feels much like every other Madone I’ve ridden over the years. The steering geometry is quick and incredibly intuitive without ever feeling twitchy or nervous. It initiates turns with but a flick of the wrists and just a little tilt of your hips, falls naturally toward the apex, and then readily snaps back upright when it comes time to rocket out of the corner, never fighting you at all along any point of the process. High-speed stability is fantastic, too, with not a hint of drama – just relax and keep it pointed where you want to go. That magical combination is something I’ve long enjoyed about the Madone, and I hope Trek never changes it.

One change I’m quite fond of, however, is the new Madone SL’s edgier aesthetic. Gone is the incongruent mix of shapes on the previous model in favor of a more cohesive assortment of mostly straight edges. I’m particularly keen on how the seatstays, down tube, top tube, and chainstays seem to form a perfect parallelogram in profile. There’s beauty in the symmetry. 

That all said, it’s hard for me to ignore some of the Madone SL’s quirks, too.

Trek has engineered a surprising amount of saddle height adjustment considering the relative stubbiness of that integrated seatmast – not to mention the fact you never need to take a hacksaw to your brand-new bike. But the gap between the seatpost and seatmast base is big and unsightly, and the exposed slots further down are begging to suck in whatever’s flying off of your rear tire. 

Trek says that area is entirely sealed off from the rest of the frame so you theoretically shouldn’t be regularly filling your bottom bracket area with gnarly road spray. “You could drain any water that may get in there by tipping the bike upside down, and the material is carbon so there wouldn’t be any damage if water got in,” I was told. Ok, but wouldn’t it be better if it wasn’t so easy for water to get in there in the first place? And sure, the main parts are carbon fiber, but let’s not forget all of the metal hardware that fixes those pieces in place – hopefully not permanently someday. Trek has long demonstrated the ability to mold rubber bits in places like wire and hose ports, so it’s a mystery to me why the seatpost area is left so comparatively unfinished.

Speaking of sealing, just as I’ve noticed on other recent Trek road bikes, the upper headset bearing is perilously exposed to the elements. In fact, there’s enough of a gap between the headset cover and the head tube that you can very easily see the shiny (for now) silver of the upper bearing’s outer race. Trek may very well be using stainless bearings (I didn’t bother to ask), but even if so, that only applies to the races – not the bearing balls – and given the enormous cost and hassle of servicing headset bearings with fully internal routing, I want to see headset bearings be more protected, not less. 

“We’ve had a high volume of bikes in the field with this same RCS-stem compatible headset bearing cover with similar clearance to the frame for some time (Gen 4 Domane SLR and SL, for example) and have not seen an uptick in the amount of headset service reported by Trek shops,” explained Trek bike product marketing coordinator Jake Glahn.

Consider the old shop mechanic in me unconvinced.

Build kit breakdown

Trek has outfitted the Madone SL 7 with solid, no-frills component mix and I have few complaints.

I’ve extolled Shimano’s latest Ultegra Di2 12-speed wiredless groupset several times in the past already, and my opinions haven’t changed. Shift performance is superb front and rear, lever ergonomics are excellent, and the brakes are strong and mostly silent, and with superb lever feel. Riders in particularly hilly environments might want to consider adjusting the 52/36-tooth chainrings and/or the 11-30T cassette, but Shimano’s use of a long pulley cage across the board for this latest generation of Ultegra Di2 at least lessens the financial hit.

The Bontrager Aeolus Pro 51 carbon wheels share the same rim profile as the higher-end Aeolus RSL 51 – just with different carbon materials – and the DT Swiss 350-based hubs aren’t quite as nice as the RSL version’s DT Swiss 240-based one, either. As such, they’re essentially a wash in terms of aerodynamics, and while the nearly 200 g weight penalty can be noticeable when sprinting or climbing, it’s not a huge deal in the grand scheme of things. 

Perhaps more questionable are the Bontrager R3 Hard-Case Lite tires. The tires themselves are perfectly reasonable for everyday use: decent rolling resistance, reassuring grip (at least in dry conditions), seemingly good puncture protection, surprisingly comfortable ride quality. But with even top road pros moving to 28s and beyond , the choice of 25 mm-wide casings here seems a little behind-the-times, even though the actual inflated width is just a hair over 28 mm. 

Bumping up a size would enhance the ride quality even further while also improving cornering grip, and there’s certainly room in the frame and fork to spare. The reduced weight of this latest Madone SL was clearly a big story for Trek, though, and my guess is the product manager didn’t want to add any more. But another likely explanation is the shape of the Aeolus Pro 51 rim, which is currently aerodynamically optimized around that tire size. My hunch is the next generation of Aeolus wheel grows in width, at which point I’m guessing the tire size will grow as well. 

“25 mm tires are what’s fastest on our current lineup of 23 mm internal-width rims,” Glahn said. “Further, 25 mm tires on 23 mm internal-width rims are what was used in the wind tunnel testing for the Gen 7 IsoFlow Madone, and therefore contribute to the basis of our aero claims for this platform.”

As for the Bontrager finishing kit, the Aeolus Comp saddle is one of my favorites: a sort of hybrid between a Specialized Power and a Pro Stealth, mixing the overall profile of the former with the wider nose of the latter. It seems hard at first, but the high-density padding offers excellent support that arguably gets better as the hours tick by. 

I know I’ve already mentioned this, but the Bontrager RSL Aero handlebar was a pleasant surprise. The narrow width is initially jarring, but the overall shape is very comfortable, and there’s excellent wrist clearance when you’re in the drops. Kudos to Bontrager for not merely following trends and slapping a shallow drop on this thing, too. It’s an aero bar meant for performance riding, and so the 80 mm reach and 124 mm drop strike me as just about right. I do wish Bontrager had included more room in the middle for a computer mount, though. Unless you’re running something with a particularly narrow clamp, you’re stuck with some sort of stem-based computer mount.

It’s a winner for me

I haven’t always been a fan of the Madone SL in recent years. Although I loved the aerodynamic performance, it was just too darn heavy. Now that Trek has lopped so much weight off of it, though, it’s not only become much more appealing in my view, but also arguably the one to have if only for that more livable two-piece cockpit design.

If you’re on a budget, yes, there’s also the Madone SLR 6 that comes with Shimano’s new 105 Di2 wiredless electronic groupset, which would more closely align with the old “buy the best frame you can afford” mindset. The complete bike is about 250 g lighter overall than the Madone SL 7 despite the groupset being 130 g heavier, comes with the same wheels, shift quality would be virtually identical, and if the mid-compact gearing of the Madone SL 7 seems a little too tall for your liking, the 105 setup includes a friendlier 1:1 ratio for clawing your way uphill. 

But the braking performance of 105 isn’t quite as good as Ultegra, you can’t add remote shifters, and the supplemental upper buttons on Ultegra and Dura-Ace that are so handy for things like controlling your computer are missing, too. And then there’s that potential fit and comfort issue of that Madone SLR’s one-piece front end I’ve already mentioned, plus the Madone SLR 6 is still US$1,500 more expensive. 

Get the best frameset you can afford, sure. But when the second-tier one is this close, I know which one I’d be buying.

More information can be found at www.trekbikes.com .

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Trek Madone Gen 8 SL7: First ride review

Trek's new madone supersedes its aero champion and kills off the emonda altogether - so is this one bike to rule them all.

Early Verdict

The new Madone has big shoes to fill by replacing two of the most impressive bikes on the market, but initial impressions indicate it's done just that

Fantastic ride quality and comfort

Rigid in power transfer and handling

Stunningly light

A blisteringly fast bike

The accompanying water bottles may take some getting used to

You can trust Cyclingnews Our experts spend countless hours testing cycling tech and will always share honest, unbiased advice to help you choose. Find out more about how we test.

It’s hard to conjure a bike more iconic to pro cycling than the Trek Madone. The Madone was born out of the glory years of Lance Armstrong’s now-shamed successive Tour de France wins, and named after his key training climb – the Col de la Madone. But the Trek Madone achieved the rare feat of surviving the Texan’s fall from grace and living on independently with its own unique legacy. 

The Madone Gen 8 is arguably the most true-to-nature version of Trek’s flagship racer since its original iteration - combining the aerodynamics of the previous Madone with the lightweight design of the Emonda and doing away with the latter model altogether in the process. It brings Trek’s entire performance road bike line back to basics - the Domane is still there for the comfort-cum-cobble market, but the Madone is now Trek’s one and only flagship racer. In the years before the dedicated aero bike, that was the norm, and Trek claims to have returned to that with no downside.

Trek claims that the new Madone SLR hits a frame weight of 765g and a fork weight of 370g, making it the same weight as the outgoing Emonda. It also manages that while exceeding the aerodynamics performance of the previous aero-focussed SLR - by a slender 0.1 watt at 22mph (and marginally faster all the way up to 40mph).

With its shift back to narrow tubes and lightweight performance, alongside the end of the Emonda, it seems fitting to pull back and take a look at how the Madone evolved to reach this latest and perhaps most complete iteration.

The Trek Madone - from the start and back again

Originally billed as an aerodynamic lightweight racer in 2003, it didn't dazzle in weight terms and aerodynamics was limited to a fin on the seat tube. The bike arguably didn’t disrupt that status quo until its second iteration in 2007, and in 2009 came a sub 900g OCLV masterpiece in the bike’s third and most iterative design. However, it still looked, largely, like a bike.

In 2015 that was no longer the case, as Trek unveiled a new Madone which completely transformed the genre. In (unintentional) sync with the launch of the Specialized Venge Vias, the Madone 9 series was the first road bike to completely conceal its front cabling – making the front of the bike completely clean with the help of integrated Bontrager brakes developed specifically for the Madone. To facilitate that, the headtube of the bike had retractable carbon flaps which would open when the handlebars were moved to an acute enough angle, in order to let the brakes pop out from within the headtube.

This was a truly unhinged design (albeit with actual hinges) which offered a seismic leap in aerodynamic performance and overall speed - I attended the launch in 2015 and assumed I was suffering from jetlag delirium. The weight suffered as a result of the aero design. That was exacerbated by the IsoSpeed decoupler on the seatpost which compensated for the harsh aero tubes. In the era of rim brakes and early aerodynamic advances, though, overall weight being a kilo over the UCI minimum weight limit was nothing compared to the enormous watt savings. 

Since then, the Madone developed an adjustable IsoSpeed and gained disc brakes which negated the carbon flaps, before gradually converging back toward a more all-around bike. The 2022 update of the Madone sided for lighter weight at the expense of the IsoSpeed, providing instead an exhaust-like cantilever chasm in the seat tube known as the IsoFlow - still present in the design of the Madone Gen 8.

Indeed, having already taken a step toward being an all-around racer, the Gen 8 looks like the last generation Madone has been on a diet with thinner tubes, radically reshaped for aerodynamics and comfort, all powered by improved 900 OCLV Carbon – Trek’s proprietary blend of carbon fibre.

On the whole, though, Trek’s goal was clearly to make an irrefutably fast bike, which wins both on the ascents, descents and solo into the wind.

More of everything

“To our knowledge this is one of the if not the fastest road race bike that exists within the professional peloton and in the market,” says Jordan Roessingh, Director of Road bikes at Trek. 

“When you're comparing both attributes [weight and aero] of either previous platform, it's 77 seconds per hour faster than Emonda. So that's an enormous difference in aerodynamic performance compared to the previous Emonda despite the fact it's the same weight.” 

The real sell is that the new Madone nails the Emonda’s weight while matching the previous Madone’s aerodynamics. “When you're comparing to a Madone, it's the exact same aerodynamic performance,” Roessingh says. “But 320g lighter – so an enormous weight saving between those two. So again, we're taking the best of both worlds here and merging them and still achieving the highest performance of both attributes.”

The new tube shapes play a big role in the lower weight, better ride and claimed aero benefits. It’s odd as the cross-sections of the aero tubes look blunt and devoid of aerofoil or Kamm-tail shaping. However, when taken as a whole system, sandwiched between a horizontal cross-section of the front rim profile, aero bottles and the rear bottles, the tubes form a sort of neat holistic aerofoil.

Said with almost a grimace, as it’s become an industry cliche, Trek boasts that the bike has better vertical compliance alongside more lateral stiffness. The central IsoFlow seat tube gap claims an 80% improvement in the Madone’s vertical compliance and a 24% improvement over the IsoFlow-less Emonda.

The new Madone carries over the same splayed integrated bar concept as the Gen 7 - positioning the rider 2cm inward on the hoods compared to the drops for aero gains while sitting on the hoods (which has increasingly become the standard aero position).

Strangely, Trek claims the handlebars are less aerodynamic than the Gen 7 iteration, but with a wider cross-section offer a better overall aero performance when air interacts with the bars and then the rider.

In another gravel-like nod to versatility, the new Madone has clearance for 33mm tyres - up from 28mm on the previous Madone. Trek argues that the previous Madone could have handled 30mm or larger in most rim combinations, and for the Gen 8, similarly, 33mm is a conservative estimate. We can believe that given the visible clearance.

Sizing, spec and bottled-up speed

Trek’s aero bottle design is intriguing because this is ground that the bike market had trodden before. Aero water bottles have been commonplace in triathlon and time trial for over a decade, and have crept up into the build of aero road bikes from time to time but never managed to break through.

It’s also intriguing because the Madone is slower than its previous iteration with round bottles. What’s more, without any bottles on the bikes at all, it’s slower - so no ditching your bottles at the base of the climb.

Given the fixation on aero gains, it’s surprising that the claimed 3.7-watt gains with Trek’s RSL water bottles haven’t been adopted across the peloton. In reality, though, aero bottles present a few issues. Typically the aero cages restrict the use of round bottles, while any minor challenge in liberating a bottle is a big issue to a WorldTour rider on a critical climb. Trek claims to have solved both of those problems. 

“These bottle cages are compatible with round bottles” explains Adam Bird, Trek’s Design Engineer for the Madone. “So from a practical perspective, it's something that we expect the pro riders to be trying at the Tour de France – they're actually intending on using aero bottles at the tour. But they need to be able to grab any water bottle from any team or any neutral service and be able to put it in there. So we're balancing the aerodynamic performance with practical performance.”

In terms of breaking through to riders in the WorldTour where in the past the idea may have been dismissed as impractical, Bird argues, "There's a difference in the rider mentality… a lot of the riders now in the peloton are really young. They're very interested in learning about all those slight performance gains that they could potentially find.”

“Ten years ago, we would have shown them this water bottle and they would be like: screw off! There's no way we're gonna practically try them in a peloton. Three Watts? We don't really care about that.”

The proof of concept will be in whether Lidl-Trek riders commit to these bottles throughout the Tour - a piece of minutiae of team tech which I’ll personally be following closely.

The bottles are still not able to be stacked upright, given their angular nature. So don’t pop it on a table ready for a refill.

The change is a bold one given the cycling community’s aversion to change, and for now will be shipped as standard only with SLR – the bottles will be an add-on for lower-tier SL bikes (hence making them comparatively slower than the outgoing Madone SL).

The new Madone is set to go from a 105-equipped SL5 for £3,250.00 ($3,499.99) to a £14,700 ($16,999.99) Madone SLR 9 AXS P1 (Interstellar) with the only deviation in the frame itself being 500 series OCLV in the SL vs new 900 series OCLV in the top-tier SLR. The SLR is also compatible only with electric drivetrains.

Interestingly, the overall offering has shrunk from eight sizes to six.

“We had a lot of sizes that had a lot of overlap,” Roessingh explains. “Many riders could actually ride two different sizes and that created some confusion of just what frame size to ride, as there were some that were like unbelievably close to each other.” In some cases as little as a 4mm difference in stack height.

The fewer sizes are billed as reducing confusion and consolidating the design of each size. The cynic in me naturally assumed that there was perhaps some manufacturing saving at work there, but Roessingh later walked me through some of the logistics of manufacturing on the scale needed for the Madone. Essentially, reducing eight moulds to six may offer substantial savings for a small frame manufacturer, but when selling thousands of frames per year the turnaround of worn moulds means fewer mould sizes doesn’t necessarily mean fewer moulds.

First ride impressions

Trek’s global launch took place near Cebreros in a mountainous corner of the Castile and León region in Spain. Our riding took us directly into the mountains and into open windy plains. 

I was riding the second-tier (Ultegra Di2-equipped) SLR 7, though it was identical to the top-spec SLR 9 as far as the frame design and material. No surprise, then, that there was an immediate sense of speed, power transfer and sharpness riding the Madone.

The previous aero-focussed Madone always excelled in comfort, however, its bulky tubes ultimately gave it the sensation of driving a beefy sports car, while the new SLR not only felt palpably lighter but seemed so much closer to the Emonda in general ride quality. This has the sharp turn of speed and lively handling of a lightweight climber while promising the same speed as an all-out aero machine.

When it comes to all-out speed, it’s very hard to quantify that through a pair of initial test rides. Perhaps the best I could say is that it carried speed well on flat terrain, and at times felt simply blisteringly fast, and was truly a beast on the descents.

It has been too long since I’ve been on a long alpine descent, and despite the relatively shallow inclines, I found myself happily edging toward 80kph. The Madone definitely dared me to take more speed into corners, with a rigid handling character and sat extremely steadily at high speed. 

While I always rated the IsoSpeed system for its abundant comfort, the slight detachment between the front and back of the bike with the 9 series was a bit of a sacrifice for the resulting ride quality. With the IsoFlow system, I didn’t notice any discomfort or bumps on the rear end that I felt needed to be filtered out, and the reward in weight and connection to the road was palpable.

The finishing kit tweaks were probably the most surprising element of my first ride. The squeezed-in handlebar hoods make so much sense. The slight splay in a bar has long been a trend in gravel - offering the wider drops for stability and the narrow for speed. It works very well on the Madone and I was left wondering why we ever bother with hoods that are 42cm apart. 

The bottles, despite my scepticism, were easy to handle and never once a hassle to stow or release from the cage.

Early verdict

While I’ve only had a fleeting ride experience with the Madone, my first impression is this is a bike that really shows the maturity of cycling tech at its best. While it’s common to chase wattage gains from minor frame changes, Trek is right to focus on the bike holistically from an aero perspective, where a saving of 3 watts on the bottles could eclipse huge cost and weight gains if those same aerodynamic margins were sought on the frame.

Meanwhile to hit 7kg (in the top-spec SLR 9) with range-topping aerodynamic and stiffness performance is something we didn’t dream of with a disc brake road bike even five years ago. That comes with the benefits of wider tyres and a better experience across climbing, descending and sprinting, alongside great comfort.

With that in mind, the new Madone is very much the everything race bike, but one that could bridge that considerable gap between the needs of the WorldTour’s best and the normal enthusiasts.

I’m excited to spend more time with it, and where this new direction will take one of the most storied bikes in cycling’s history.

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Peter Stuart has been the editor of Cyclingnews since March 2022, overseeing editorial output across all of Cyclingnews' digital touchpoints.

Before joining Cyclingnews, Peter was the digital editor of Rouleur magazine. Starting life as a freelance feature writer, with bylines in The Times and The Telegraph, he first entered cycling journalism in 2012, joining Cyclist magazine as staff writer. Peter has a background as an international rower, representing Great Britain at Under-23 level and at the Junior Rowing World Championships.

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The new 2021 Specialized S-Works Tarmac SL7 is out for (re)Venge

The pro road machine gets more aerodynamic and a big vote of confidence.

With the new Specialized S-Works Tarmac SL7, the bike company is telling you that you can have it all, roadie. In a riff on Keith Bontrager’s quip—”Strong, light, cheap: pick two.”—Specialized says, “Aero, stiff, light: pick three.” That line made me raise an eyebrow. But it was what a Specialized product manager said about another one of the company’s bikes that made me raise both eyebrows.

But first, look closely at Keith Bontrager’s line. It clicks because it not only makes sense from an engineering and economics perspective, but really, how we understand the way the world works. Take training, for example. As you work on your endurance, your top-end power will dwindle. If you want to build your explosivity, your base work will have to wait. You can’t have it all. The best you can do is strive for balance, ideally, at the right time and place. You always pay a price, somewhere.

Yet, Specialized is pretty confident about the new S-Works Tarmac SL7’s all-round abilities. So, if the aerodynamics are so dialed on the new Tarmac, what’s the role of Specialized’s aero road bike, the Venge, in the company’s lineup? I asked that question of Cameron Piper, who is the product manager on the Tarmac. His answer was heavy on diplomacy. “We believe in the performance of the new Tarmac SL7. It’s a bike that has no compromises for our riders,” Piper said. “All our professional riders will race the Tarmac SL7 moving forward. The Venge itself—the idea is still there within our brand, but the platform for this upcoming model year will only exist as a frameset for markets that do take that in. But it will not be a complete bike model.”

In short, Specialized is so sure of the Tarmac that it’s telling Peter Sagan and all the riders of Bora–Hansgrohe, as well as Julian Alaphilippe and the riders of Deceuninck–Quick-Step that the Tarmac SL7 is the one bike they need on race day. (Well, except for the Roubaix at the Cobbled Classics.)

The ‘aero-ification’ of the climber’s bike

The trend with climber’s or Grand Tour race bikes this year is the addition of aerodynamics. You saw in May with the Canadian launch of the new Giant TCR and again in June with the launch of Trek’s new Émonda. Specialized had already been ‘aero-ifying’ its Tarmac a few years ago. The tube shapes on the SL6, Specialized said, made you “approximately 45 seconds faster over 40 km.” With the Tarmac SL7, the company says it’s made the same improvement once again: the frame is 45 seconds faster throughout 40 km compared with the Tarmac SL6. “The new Tarmac is now faster than the Venge Vias,” says Piper, referring to the aero-to-the-max road frame that came out in 2015, “while still more than 1 kg lighter.”

It’s still really light

The test model I have with SRAM Red eTap AXS drivetrain, Roval Rapide CLX wheels, S-Works Power saddle, integrated computer mount and even two S-Works Carbon Rib Cage III bottle cages (and no pedals) tipped my scale to 7.07 kg. Piper says the Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 model is 6.7 kg out of the box. A size 56 frame is 800 g. To keep the bike light, the company reduced wall thickness on the tubes where it could as well as surface area, deploying its carbon-fibre formula, dubbed FACT 12r, judiciously. Because the frame is so light, and makes it easy to build a complete bike that hovers around the UCI minimum of 6.8 kg, Specialized could afford to add weight in practical aways. The BSA threaded bottom bracket on the SL7 should do a good job of keeping the BB silent much better than the BB on the SL6.

Addressing integration inconvenience

When Specialized came out with the Venge Vias, with its rear caliper brakes affixed at the midpoint of the seat tube, it made a bike that was not for the average home mechanic. But Specialized isn’t alone in making their complete bikes so, er, specialized. For example, there are a few brands that require you to use their stem and bars on their frames. With the Tarmac SL7, Specialized gives you some user-friendly features, as well as component options. The bar is the Aerofly II, which comes from the Venge. On my test bike, the hydraulic brake hoses sneak out the bar (remember, there are no shifter cables with the wireless SRAM gruppo), run beneath the S-Works Tarmac stem and into the uppermost spacer. It’s sharp and clean. You can, however, run any handlebar with a 31.8-mm diameter, but the look might not be as clean.

Each spacer is made of two pieces that lock and unlock together, so you can remove or add them without having to re-cable. If you want to have some extra length to the steering tube that would sit proud of the stem, you can. You’d need to use the stem cover that allows the steering tube to pass through. Then it’s a matter using traditional round spacers to account for the extra length. This is a nice option to have if your fit needs change throughout the season and off-season. (Note, the stem cover in the photos does not allow for tube pass-through.) There are also three headset covers. One works with the Tarmac stem and its aero spacers. Another works with the Tarmac stem for mechanical routing. The third is a universal cover that lets you run round spacers and a traditional stem. The choice is yours.

Same geometry, better compliance and stiffness

“We wanted to marry the Venge’s stiffness with the SL6’s compliance and responsiveness,” Piper says. The fit of the Tarmac stays the same on the new SL7. You’ll notice, however, that the stack and reach numbers are the same as the Venge. Specialized measured the stack and reach to the centre of the head tube, as you do. The head-tube top is recessed so it sits below the top tube. Once you put on the headset cover, the fit numbers end up being the same among the SL7, the old SL6 and Venge.

Specialized offers one bike for all genders. There are good reasons for gendered bikes, as well as good reasons for non-gendered bikes. In the latter camp, Specialized notes that there is more physical variation across genders than within them, so the fit throughout the Tarmac sizes—44 cm to 61 cm—should cover all riders.

If you want power (meters), you got it

Top-end Tarmac SL7 models come with power meters. On SRAM models, you find the rock-solid Quarq power meter. On Shimano builds, you won’t see the Japan-based company’s power meters. Instead, it’s a set of sensors from Canadian company 4iiii. Specialized has been running the 4iiii pods for a few years and is continuing with that brand. The metrics gained from the 4iiii power meter are integrated with the Specialized Power Cranks app, as well as its Ride app.

Wheels and tire clearance

New components of note on the Tarmac SL7 are the Roval Rapide CLX wheels. In keeping with the story of the frame, the house-brand hoops are lightweight and aerodynamic. Specialized says the front and rear CLX wheels have different rim shapes so that together then handle better in corners and crosswinds. I get a measurement of a 50-mm rim depth on the front and 60-mm depth at the rear. The company says the CLX set has less drag than most 65-mm wheelsets and is 25 per cent more stable when hit with gusts compared with the CLX 50. The come with 26c Specialized Turbo Cotton tires. The frame has clearance for treads as wide as 32c.

Canadian prices and availability

Specialized S-Works Tarmac SL7 first impressions

I’ve taken the Tarmac SL7 on a few rides. It just zooms across familiar roads. The smooth, effortless power transfer managed by the frame and seemingly frictionless rolling of the CLX wheels make for a stunning package and ride experience. The colour, a kind of British racing green, is hot. It actually sparkles in the light.

The steering is sharp when it comes time to switch into a corner. The bike has good, but not exceptional, straight-line stability. Don’t get me wrong: I’m not looking for the planted-feel of an all-road bike, but there are a few other high-end racers that track slightly better with less of your input.

Also on the topic of required rider input, I found steering from the hoods to be noticeably more work than from the drops of the Aerofly II handlebar. The levers’ default positions seem to demand a disproportionate reach. When I was out of the saddle and my hands were on the hoods, I felt too tall, too perched, until I did some tinkering. The flat. aero bar tops don’t seem really designed for, well, hands. The drops though. That’s the place to be with the Aerofly II bar. Then you’re put in a nice little speed pocket.

These quibbles aside, the Tarmac SL7 is a spectacular bike. There’s something about it that makes you want to just give’er.

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Jane’s Addiction Concert Ends Abruptly After Perry Farrell Throws a Punch at Dave Navarro, Is Forced Offstage by Crew

Fans posted dramatic video of the escalating confrontation and the enraged singer's removal from the stage.

By Chris Willman

Chris Willman

Senior Music Writer and Chief Music Critic

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• Jane’s Addiction Concert Ends Abruptly After Perry Farrell Throws a Punch at Dave Navarro, Is Forced Offstage by Crew 22 hours ago

Been caught sparring: A concert by the reunited Jane’s Addiction in Boston came to a sudden end Friday night when a clearly enraged Perry Farrell threw a punch at guitarist Dave Navarro — and was restrained by crew members, still appearing physically agitated as he was hustled offstage.

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Video of the lead-up to the scuffle shows Ferrell fiercely grunting in the direction of the audience, before he turns to his right and begins issuing those bellows at Navarro, face to face. He appears to aggressively bump shoulders with the guitarist during a solo, and Navarro eventually stops playing and puts a hand up to Farrell’s chest to establish distance. Then the singer appears to deliver a punch. At that point, as the stage lights are lowered, three men, including bassist Eric Avery, surround and grab hold of Farrell, who is finally forced offstage, still apparently struggling as he’s hustled into the wings.

Once Farrell was gone, the rest of the band — including Navarro — stepped to the front of the stage to give the crowd a gentler farewell, appearing calm as they hugged one another, applauded the audience, tapped their hearts and offered a peace sign.

The altercation immediately blew up on social media, with no shortage of jokes — including countless Oasis comparisons — along with more serious concerns expressed for the well-being of the band members involved.

“Jane’s Addiction broke up before Oasis omg,” came a typical tweet, from the user @Tribecalledflex .

On setlist.fm , the notations section for the Boston show offered an ironic juxtaposition of trivia about the gig, reading: “Note: Stephen Perkins’ drum kit was outfitted with balloons in celebraton of his birthday. The set ended early after Perry Farell punched Dave Navarro.” 

Press representatives for Jane’s Addiction and the tour promoter, Live Nation, could not immediately be reached for comment Friday night.

Chatter had already circulated in social media about the Jane’s Addiction shows earlier this week in New York City, held at the Rooftop at Pier 51. At the first of two concerts there, Farrell admitted to the audience he was not in great vocal shape, reportedly saying, “Ladies and gentlemen, I have to be honest with you. Something’s wrong with my voice. I just can’t get the notes out all of a sudden.” The next day, bandmate Eric Avery posted to Instagram, “Looking forward to getting another crack at this spectacular rooftop venue tonight. I’m optimistic we will be better.”

The following night in New York, things indeed took a turn for the better, according to a reviewer for JamBase who wrote, “I had seen the reports of Farrell’s condition on Tuesday, so I had trepidation as Jane’s Addiction came on. All my fears quickly eased away as my first Jane’s experience was a great one. Farrell sang well, Perkins crushed it behind the kit, Navarro shredded and Avery anchored the band with his steady work on bass. … Some of (Farrell’s) stories were engaging and others rambled as he chugged from a bottle of wine. He also was fixated on a device that I’d imagine was supposed to add effects to his voice but didn’t have much impact to my ear. However, when it came to singing the songs, Farrell nailed most of them.”

Ironically, in light of what has since transpired, the singer halted a beef at the band’s second New York show. “Farrell actually stopped the latter tune after he spotted a fight in the audience,” JamBase reported. “Farrell had a fan named ‘Bobby’ make up with the crowd member he was feuding with.”

Jane’s Addiction’s first tour in 15 years is a co-headlining one, with another beloved ’90s group, Love & Rockets, sharing the bill.

Friday night’s fateful Boston show came about 20 dates into the groups’ dual tour itinerary, with 15 left to go. As of this writing, the tour is still scheduled to continue and wrap up Oct. 16 at L.A.’s YouTube Theater, returning to where the group already successfully performed once near the beginning of their outing in mid-August.

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Oasis Fans Balked at High Ticket Prices. But Were They ‘Dynamic’?

A regulator said it was opening an investigation into Ticketmaster’s actions, but the company disputed that “dynamic pricing” came into play.

By Ben Sisario

The return of Oasis, the chart-dominating bad boys of ’90s Britpop, has been one of the biggest stories on the music beat this summer, with a slate of surprise reunion shows in Britain and Ireland selling out instantly over the last week.

But the rush also introduced many fans to the frustrating vagaries of online ticketing, where the prices are not always what you expect (and they usually go up).

Last weekend, after the first batch of shows went on sale, angry Oasis fans took to social media to complain that many tickets that had been advertised at 148 British pounds (around $195) ended up more than doubling in price to £355 (about $468) by the time they went to pay.

The band came under fire, and in Britain — where the reconciliation of the group’s long-feuding leaders , Liam and Noel Gallagher, was front-page news — politicians readily took up the cause.

“About half the country was probably queuing for tickets over the weekend,” Keir Starmer, the prime minister, said in Parliament on Wednesday when asked about the furor. “But it is depressing to hear of price hikes.”

It was the loudest uproar over a concert ticket sale since Taylor Swift fans — and bots — crashed Ticketmaster nearly two years ago. Oasis fans and the news media were quick to point to “dynamic pricing,” in which fluctuations in demand can push the cost of a ticket well above its original face value, often with little or no warning to the consumer.

A British regulator, the Competition and Markets Authority, said on Thursday that it was opening an investigation into Ticketmaster’s handling of the sale, “including how so-called ‘dynamic pricing’ may have been used.”

Even Oasis cited that system. In an announcement this week adding two more dates to its itinerary — bringing the total to 19 so far — the band said that it “at no time had any awareness that dynamic pricing was going to be used,” though added that its managers and promoters had agreed to “a positive ticket sale strategy, which would be a fair experience for fans, including dynamic ticketing.”

Ticketmaster has been largely silent about the news. But in response to questions from The New York Times, the company disputed that the Oasis sale involved dynamic pricing — at least as consumers commonly understand that term, as a complex computerized system resulting in constant, minute pricing changes in response to demand.

“Ticketmaster does not set prices, nor do we have or offer algorithmic surge pricing technologies,” the company said in a statement. “Furthermore, Ticketmaster did not change prices during this sale — prices were established before the sale began.”

To fans who ended up paying far more than they had expected, however, that distinction may be a matter of splitting hairs. Even more confusing, many fans noticed that Ticketmaster had labeled the pricey tickets as “ in demand standing .” In some ways, the spikes for those spots seemed to resemble what Ticketmaster calls “ platinum ” pricing, in which, the company has said, seats are “dynamically priced up and down based on demand.”

Larry Miller, the director of the music business program at New York University’s Steinhardt School of Culture, Education and Human Development, said in an interview that in either case, the result is the same — fans paid more.

“Whatever the tools were,” Miller said, “we’re looking at a large and vocal number of fans who were disappointed that after spending hours in a queue, the price they were presented was not the price that they were advertised.”

“However that different, higher price was achieved,” he added, “Ticketmaster needs to do a better job communicating that to the fans in the queue.”

Whether it was used for the Oasis tickets or not, dynamic pricing has been an important part of Ticketmaster’s tool kit for years. And despite some bad publicity when prices reach stratospheric levels, it has largely been embraced in the industry as a way to maximize sales and combat scalpers by pricing tickets closer to what fans are ultimately willing to pay — an amount that is often revealed on resale sites like StubHub and SeatGeek.

The system has left many fans feeling exploited, though its larger effects are unclear. For his most recent tour, Bruce Springsteen — who for decades had deliberately kept ticket prices low — drew rare blowback from fans when dynamic pricing caused some seats to go as high as $5,000.

Yet once last year’s receipts for Springsteen’s global tour were counted, the average price paid per ticket was only $110 , according to the trade publication Pollstar. That was well below the mean price of $131 for last tear’s top 100 tours, and a bargain compared to Drake ($260) or Beyoncé ($209), who also used dynamic pricing.

And it is not going away.

On an earnings call with investors in February, Michael Rapino, Live Nation’s chief executive, said the company is in the process of expanding dynamic pricing around the world.

“Outside of the U.S., we’re in the first inning,” he said. “We’re just rolling this out around the world. So that’s the great growth opportunity, obviously.”

Miller, of N.Y.U., described the Oasis ticketing problems as the latest in a series of controversies in recent years over fan access to the hottest concerts — like Swift, Springsteen and Beyoncé — where it is inevitable that demand will outpace supply. But too often, fans end up feeling not just left out but ripped off.

“Maybe this is a reality check,” Miller said, “for everybody in the live music value chain."

Ben Sisario, a reporter covering music and the music industry, has been writing for The Times for more than 20 years. More about Ben Sisario

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Bret Michaels Says He’s Hoping for a Poison 40th Anniversary Tour in 2026

Bret Michaels has his eyes on the prize when it comes to a Poison 40th anniversary tour.

“I just want to clarify to all the amazing family, friends and fans who I remain forever grateful for, that it’s no secret I have stated previously that in 2025 I’m planning to perform limited shows to focus primarily on health, starting with my diabetes, which needs a tuneup,” the Poison frontman, 61, wrote in a lengthy post via Facebook on Thursday, September 12. “Not to mention a little R&R as everyone knows my tireless work ethic and passion for performing music, as well as some much-needed personal family time.”

After comparing himself to a muscle car that’s still “fast and fun to drive” but “needs a little more maintenance,” the “Every Rose Has Its Thorn” singer revealed his hopes for the band in 2026.

“However, in 2026, I’m excited to say it will be Poison’s 40th anniversary since the release of ‘Look What The Cat Dragged In’ in 1986 … so it would make perfect sense to have the possibility of a reunion in 2026,” he continued. “In my opinion, it would be the perfect 40th Anniversary Tour, with 40 awesome limited dates to go out, play real live hit songs and rock the world”

Related: Celebrity Health Scares Through the Years

Noting that “none of this is confirmed” and that it “takes much coordination and planning to have a successful tour,” the Rock of Love alum explained why he’s so excited about the prospect of a 40th anniversary tour.

“Good things happen in 4’s for Poison – four original band members, 40th anniversary, 40 limited dates, Parti-Gras 4.0 and May The 4’s be with you!,” he concluded. “To all the incredible fans, thank you for continuing to rock the world not only with the Bret Michaels Parti-Gras currently touring but also with Poison. I appreciate you letting me take a minute to clear any confusion. Stay tuned [and] have an awesome day!”

Fans of the musician were quick to share their support for Michaels in the comments section of his post.

“Health is important, much rest is needed after giving 100% at your shows. We can all look forward to seeing an awesome 40th Anniversary of poison until next time you come to Jersey. Take care of yourself,” wrote one fan. Another said, “Health and family first! Much respect and continued admiration and respect.”

Michaels, who was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes when he was 6 years old, has long been open about his health and how it can affect his performance onstage.

While speaking exclusively with Us Weekly in June, Michaels opened up about the early hard-partying days of Poison, explaining that there were times that he didn’t take care of himself as he should.

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Related: 10 Classic Albums That Never Won a Grammy Award

“We’d go to the free clinics, and they had to make sure I wasn’t a junkie,” he recalled of making sure he had insulin and supplies on the road. “Because they’re not just gonna hand you a syringe. … They go through, they test, they check, and it is an absolute struggle that I knew was coming. So I just learned to deal with it. But I had some absolutely really tough days.”

After Michaels famously collapsed onstage during the band’s first show at Madison Square Garden in 1987, he decided to go public with his diagnosis when media reports suggested he had overdosed on drugs.

“What was great about that was instead of what a lot of people thought would happen, promoters would walk away — ‘If he’s diabetic, what if he gets sick? We have to cancel shows’ — they embraced it with me,” Michaels told Us . “The fans embraced it. And this was long before the internet, so in letters, people were like, ‘Oh, my God, my kid’s diabetic. I’ve been diabetic.’ And it added a great new chapter to my life. … What could have been a disaster turned out to be a great triumph.”

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Justin Timberlake Accepted DWI Plea Deal to 'Move on,' Family & the World Tour Are 'Priority': Source (Exclusive)

Timberlake reached a plea deal in his case that will see him plead guilty to a less serious offense

Kevin Mazur/Getty

Justin Timberlake is focused on the future after a difficult summer.

PEOPLE confirmed Timberlake, 43, recently reached a plea deal in his DWI case — and now a source tells PEOPLE that he’s ready to put the legal drama behind him.

“He’s a family man, and this is his focus. He accepted a plea deal because he wants to move on,” the source says. “The court case has been a distraction. He doesn’t want his family to be affected by it.”

The “Selfish” singer — who is married to actress Jessica Biel , 42, with whom he shares sons Silas, 9, and Phineas, 4 — was arrested in Sag Harbor, N.Y., on June 18 and charged with driving while intoxicated.

Jerritt Clark/Getty Images

He’s due in court for a hearing in New York on Friday, Sept. 13, and TMZ and the Associated Press reported that he has agreed to plead guilty to a less serious offense. His attorney Edward Burke Jr. has maintained that the star was “not intoxicated” when he was arrested. Still, Timberlake had his license suspended for a year in the state of New York at a hearing in August, something Burke said was “standard.”

“It’s not like he’s getting off completely — his license is still suspended,” the source adds. “Jess has not been happy about it. She’s encouraged him to accept the plea deal.”

The 10-time Grammy winner is currently on his Forget Tomorrow World Tour , which the source says is “his priority as well.” He is next scheduled to play on Sept. 28 in Newark, N.J. and will be on the road through June 2025. The tour is on track to land in the top 10 of the year-end tours list per Billboard .  

JB Lacroix/WireImage

At a Chicago concert in June shortly after his arrest, Timberlake told fans he'd had a "tough week," but that he appreciated their support.

"I know sometimes I'm hard to love but you keep on loving me and I love you right back," he said to cheers.

A source told PEOPLE at the time that Timberlake and Biel had “moved on from the arrest,” and were focused on work, with him on tour and her shooting the upcoming Prime Video series The Better Sister .

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Specialized Tarmac SL8 first ride review - no wonder the internet got excited

The latest iteration of Specialized's WorldTour race bike claims to be its 'fastest ever'. But how does it ride?

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My takeaways

• Suggests improvements

The Specialized Tarmac SL8 has finally been launched . 

Now in its eighth generation, the American brand is making all the claims one expects to hear from a modern WorldTour-ready bike. More aero, lighter, stiffer and, of course, faster over the all important 40kms. 

The aero claims aren’t quite as large as they were when SL6 turned into SL7 . Winding back the clock four years will show a claimed 45 seconds improvement over 40 km, while going from SL7 to SL8 only represents a stated improvement of 16.6 seconds. Aero improvements are just one part of the package, and the drop in weight is perhaps a more impressive metric.

Specialized says, ‘We began by simply applying our 585 gram Aethos layup strategy and our top spec FACT 12r carbon to the new Tarmac SL8 shape’. This resulted in Specialized making a claimed 15% improvement in weight, bringing the frame down to 685 grams. 

When looking at a full build, Specialized says the top-spec S-Works SL8 in a 56 cm size tips the scales at 6.6 kilos. When I got my hands on the same bike, but in a 52 cm size, the Cycling Weekly scales of truth read out the same, 6.6 kg. 

This reduction in weight has meant that the stiffness to weight ratio has improved by 33%, the question I was left with is, how relevant is this metric? Perhaps, stiffness alone hasn’t been improved on by much, but the crash diet has simply created a nice number for the marketing teams to band around.

All these claims by the brand only left me wanting to ride the bike. Luckily I got my hands on an S-Works model for a couple of days pre-launch and managed to get in a few rides. I also had the opportunity to ride a SRAM Force AXS equipped Pro version of the bike.

Sam tries to hide his excitement about the S-Works Tarmac SL8. Fails.

My very first ride with the SL8 was a 30km loop with around 500 metres of climbing, this was followed by a shorter, flatter ride. 

The last ride I had on the SL8 was a rolling 35km loop on typical British countryside roads. No major climbs, just lots of short inclines that vary in gradient - perfect for testing a bike's reactiveness as well as my ability to attack each and every one. 

Despite being a metric Specialized hasn’t directly referenced as being one they dramatically improved, the stiffness is incredible. The bottom bracket feels rock solid. No matter how hard I pushed on the pedals, out of the saddle, up a climb, it did not budge. It felt like everything I was putting in, I was getting out, and I know how clichéd that sounds. Perhaps riders with more weight and power in them would be able to induce some flex, but I believe the majority of my recorded peak of around 800 watts didn’t get lost to the frame.

It wasn’t just the bottom bracket that felt stiff as the head tube and bars mirrored the feeling. I was yanking on those bars like there was no tomorrow, and they felt impressively solid.

The ride feel is one you would expect from a race bike, where compliance and comfort aren't always the primary concerns. It wasn’t unsettled, but if you went over a stone, you’d know about it. It’s very clearly a bike that wants to go fast, not a bike designed for rough roads.

One thing I’d should mention is that I was riding 26c tyres and I didn’t have the opportunity to refine the pressures for my first ride. Once I had for my second, the bike felt better. If you do need more compliance, there's room to fit 28c tyres - and wider - to increase your contact patch with the road and also allowing you to lower the pressures further without sacrificing rolling resistance.

The stiff head tube and bars meant the handling was direct; however, at times, it was slightly more jittery than I expected. Perhaps it’s because the bars weren’t fully slammed, but personally, I would have liked the stem to be 10mm longer. Bike fit and riding style is a very personal thing, but I think having a slightly longer stem would have improved the handling. 

I also can’t ignore that when I first rode this bike, it was lightly raining and, since I was one of the first people to ride the SL8, I didn't want to be the first person to crash it - so perhaps this timidity played into the experience!

The geometry is the same as the SL7, so the position feels very familiar. The snappy rear end and playful characteristics are very much present. It doesn’t have the same aggression as a Trek Madone for example, but it still rewards those who want to get stuck in and see what they’re capable of on any parcours.

Suggested improvements

That’s not to say that I wouldn’t make changes, though. First off, I would dial in the fit, as anybody would. For me, this would include dropping the bars down the steerer and elongating the stem by 10 mm (bear in mind, in the case of the S-Works bike, this requires a new cockpit).

Secondly, for summer riding, I’d swap the tyres to the Continental GP5000 TT TRs for maximum speed and perhaps controversially, I’d set them up tubeless to further the weight savings. 

I’d also change the bottom bracket and jockey wheels to full ceramic numbers, and then wax the chain for ultimate smoothness. It was a shame to see that the S-Works bike is not fitted with a ceramic bottom bracket from stock. This was something Specialized used to do with previous top-tier bikes and there's no excuse to not fit a ceramic bottom bracket to a £12,000 / $14,000 superbike.

This bike feels like a successful combination of multiple component parts - you have many elements from the Aethos, lots of hereditary features carried over from the SL7, and a few genuinely new innovations which are now distinctly SL8. 

Do I like this bike? Absolutely. Is it still one of, if not the best road bike on the market? That’s hard to say, perhaps it's too subjective, but after my limited time with the bike, I believe that Specialized has done it again. It has created a bike that masses of road cyclists will love, pro and amateur alike. 

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After discovering his love of cycling in college, Sam has always kept two wheels very close. Having spent over five years working in a couple of local bike shops, it's fair to say he enjoys getting hands on. He also loves to push himself to ride ever longer distances and to explore as many new places as possible. 

Sam has been Cycling Weekly's video manager since January 2022. You'll find him on our YouTube channel where he brings you the latest cycling tech news, rides, reviews and all of the most important new launches while taking in some incredible cycling adventures too.

We look at No.22's beautifully made but ruinously expensive mudguards, plus other eye-catching tech that will test your bank balance to the limit

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What Is Agenda47? What To Know About Trump’s Policy Agenda If Elected

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Former President Donald Trump is set to face off against Vice President Kamala Harris Tuesday in their first debate—where he could push policies from a years-old platform that includes stricter rules for schools, more hardline immigration policies, scrapping climate regulations and creating entirely new “freedom cities.”

Former President Donald Trump speaks to the National Fraternal Order of Police fall meeting on Sept. ... [+] 6 in Charlotte, N.C.

Trump’s “Agenda47” consists of proposals his campaign issued on its website during the primary election season, from December 2022 to December 2023, many of which may require congressional action but some of which could be enacted through executive orders—and are separate to the Project 2025 proposals developed by third-party organizations.

While Trump’s Agenda47 proposals and videos were long linked on his campaign website, his website’s homepage now only links to a shorter set of proposals and includes a separate link to the Republican National Committee’s broader platform—but the links to his more detailed Agenda47 proposals remain active , offering more insight about the ex-president’s priorities than what’s listed on his website now.

Education: Trump’s proposals for K-12 schools include having parents elect school principals, cutting federal funding to any school teaching “critical race theory,” ending teacher tenure, creating a new credentialing body to only certify teachers “who embrace patriotic values,” encouraging prayer in schools, making it easier to kick “out-of-control troublemakers” out of school, supporting school districts that allow teachers to carry concealed firearms and pushing “school choice” policies.

Universities: Trump has proposed getting rid of existing accreditors for colleges and universities and creating new ones who impose his party’s values on institutions, along with levying significant fines on colleges and universities that he believes “discriminate” against students—with a plan to use those fines to create a free online “American Academy” that “cover[s] the full spectrum of human knowledge and skills.”

Climate Change: The U.S. would again leave the Paris Climate Accord, and the ex-president has proposed getting rid of President Joe Biden’s policies restricting emissions and targeting 67% of new vehicles to be electric by 2032 and massively scaling up oil and gas production.

Justice Department: Trump has pledged to appoint 100 U.S. attorneys who would be aligned with his policies and investigate some left-leaning local district attorneys, also pledging to establish a DOJ task force on “protecting the right to self-defense” and fight purported anti-conservative bias at law schools and law firms.

Crime: Trump has vowed to invest in hiring and retaining police officers (and increase their protections from legal liability), push policies like “stop and frisk,” direct the DOJ “to dismantle every gang, street crew, and drug network in America,” deploy federal troops including the National Guard “to restore law and order” when local officers “refuse to act” and impose the death penalty for drug dealers, drug cartels and human traffickers.

Immigration: Trump plans to prohibit undocumented immigrants from receiving any benefits, end birthright citizenship for the children of undocumented immigrants, reinstitute a “travel ban” from certain countries, pause refugee admissions, mandate “extreme vetting of foreign nationals,” block federal grants to sanctuary cities, end the “catch-and-release” practice of releasing migrants while they await immigration hearings, close the southern border to asylum seekers and suspend visa programs including the visa lottery and family visas.

Economy: Trump proposes cutting taxes and slashing federal regulations, also proposing baseline tariffs on foreign goods in hopes of spurring American manufacturing, which will go up for countries who have “unfair trade practices.”

Healthcare: Trump has proposed requiring federal agencies to buy medicines and medical devices manufactured in the U.S. and barring federal agencies from other countries from purchasing “essential” drugs; he also has plans for an executive order saying the government will only pay pharmaceutical companies the “best price they offer to foreign nations.”

Foreign Policy and Defense: Trump wants European allies to pay back the U.S. for depleting its military stockpiles sending weapons to Ukraine; he has also taken a hardline stance on China , calling for new restrictions on Chinese-owned infrastructure in the U.S., and wants to build a missile defense shield.

Social Security: In a shift from some pre-Trump GOP politicians’ views, Trump has said there should be no cuts to Social Security or Medicare “under any circumstances.”

Homelessness: Trump plans to work with states to ban “public camping” by homeless people and instead give them the choice of receiving treatment or being arrested, and calls for creating large “tent cities” where homeless people would be relocated, which would have doctors and social workers on site, along with expanding mental institutions.

Transgender Rights: Trump takes a hard stance against transgender rights, calling for any healthcare provider providing gender-affirming care for youth to be terminated from Medicare and Medicaid, stripping federal funding from any school where an official or teacher suggests a child could be “trapped in the wrong body,” and encouraging Congress to pass legislation saying “the only genders recognized by the U.S. government are male and female—and they are assigned at birth.”

Big Tech: In line with conservatives’ claims that social media platforms are biased against them, Trump said he’ll pass an executive order barring any federal department from working with other entities to “censor” Americans and prohibit federal money being used to combat misinformation, also announcing steps like altering Section 230 to open up social media platforms to more legal liability.

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What Does Trump’s Website Say Now?

The “platform” section of Trump’s campaign website now lists a set of 20 vague priorities, which are the same as those in the Republican National Committee’s formal platform and often overlap with his previous Agenda47 proposals. The proposals now outlined on the website include “seal[ing]

What Is Project 2025—and Is It Similar?

Trump’s Agenda47 is distinct from Project 2025 , a potential policy blueprint for the next conservative administration—namely Trump’s—developed by the Heritage Foundation along with other third-party groups. While Agenda47 was released directly by the Trump campaign, the ex-president has said he doesn’t have any involvement with Project 2025 and has attempted to distance himself from it, even as the 900-page policy guidebook was created with help from more than 100 people who served in his administration. Trump has also praised the Heritage Foundation’s policy work in the past. The two policy proposals do have many commonalities—like calling to leave the Paris Climate Agreement, kicking out career bureaucrats, pushing “school choice” policies and railing against transgender rights—and it’s unclear how much of Project 2025 Trump could choose to implement if he’s elected.

What To Watch For

Many of the items in Agenda47 and Project 2025 would probably require acts of Congress, but both agendas have proposed expanding the president’s control over the executive branch. Trump’s Agenda47 proposes reviving Trump’s 2020 executive order (which Biden rescinded) that makes it significantly easier to replace career civil servants with political appointees. He also wants to “overhaul federal departments and agencies” to get rid of “corrupt actors,” crack down on government leakers and implement a “Truth and Reconciliation Commission” to fight what the GOP calls the “Deep State.”

Since the last Agenda47 video was released in December 2023, Trump has announced other policy proposals separate from those released under the Agenda47 heading. On abortion , Trump has said he believes that the issue should be left to the states—though many abortion rights advocates still believe he’d restrict abortion if elected. He and the GOP have also vowed mass deportations of undocumented immigrants, which is not mentioned in Agenda47’s immigration plans. He’s also pushed to eliminate the federal income tax on tips for service workers. Over the weekend, Trump called for mass arrests and prosecutions of people who oppose his claims on voter fraud, which he claims would include “Lawyers, Political Operatives, Donors, Illegal Voters & Corrupt Election Officials.”

What We Don’t Know

What Trump will do once in office if he’s elected. Trump’s initial Agenda47 was released during the primary election and with the proposals on his website now offering much less detail, it’s still unclear what policies Trump could actually impose if elected. The ex-president has tacked slightly more to the center in the general election on issues like abortion, but it remains to be seen what policies he would adopt once he’s back in the White House.

Surprising Fact

In addition to proposals around more expected issues like immigration, education and defense, Trump’s Agenda47 also includes a proposal for “freedom cities,” as the ex-president has called for using federal land to create up to 10 new cities, which would be roughly the size of Washington, D.C. Plans for the cities would be chosen via a nationwide contest, and Politico reported in March 2023 Trump’s proposal includes investing in “vertical takeoff-and-landing vehicles” akin to human-sized drones and “baby bonuses” in hopes of staving off a declining birth rate.

Key Background

Trump will debate Harris Tuesday night, marking the first time the two candidates have gone head-to-head since President Joe Biden left the race. The ex-president released his Agenda47 videos as he faced what was initially a crowded field of Republican primary candidates, though Trump ultimately proved to be the clear frontrunner, clinching the nomination in March. The GOP’s policy proposals have come under increased scrutiny in recent months—particularly as Democrats used the controversial Project 2025 to oppose Trump’s candidacy while President Joe Biden faced criticism over his age—though Project 2025 and Agenda47 have both been published since last year.

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