Where did you get your Tarmacs - LBS, online, somewhere else? @Nate_Pearson, you might have said on the podcast at some stage, but what does your, @Jonathan and @chad Venges all weigh in their current set up…?? These days expect to see him climbing and suffering on a road bike, or talking it up on the trails with mates. For the girls, check out the Specialized Ruby. From what I read online, the Venge was in the neighborhood of 16.5 lbs (stock SWorks). If all you want to know is weight difference and don’t want to discuss aero qualities, I’d recommend changing the title of the post. Although the bike continues with a tapered head tube, Specialized have reverted to a 1 3/8" lower bearing to save weight, but have also beefed up the carbon join to retain stiffness. Everyones help will be greatly appricated. Specialized has been one of the major leaders in bicycle innovation for the last two decades. Viewed in profile, the Tarmac SL7 looks like it splits the difference between the Tarmac SL6 and the Venge, with tubes slimmer than the latter, but larger than the former. Love the Tarmac! See this thread for a more full discussion with Cameron Piper, Specialized product manager and pro racer, for a discussion of the differences between the Tarmac and Venge (and Roubaix) . Tarmac got more aero, Roubaix got more aero and more tarmac-like, Venge is getting lighter. Loved the 6 but after a testing the Venge I was sold. Who is it for?This is a race bike and is all about efficiency, stiffness and weight. My advice: test both and make up you own mind based on feeling. These days there is a bike for every occasion: sprinting, climbing, rough roads, aerodynamics and then on into women's specific and time trialling. There’s plenty of opportunity to be confused! Is it as bleeding-edge aero as the Venge? The Tarmac is the super-efficient race bike with an overall Tour de France victory and multiple stage wins under its belt. With disc brakes and big tires, seems to me there isn't really a penalty to push you away from the Venge other than maybe a bit of weight. Although these numbers are different than the Tarmac SL6, the fit geometry is identical between Tarmac SL6, Tarmac SL7, and the Venge. The tipping point when the Tarmac’s lower weight overcomes the Venge’s aero advantage happens on a 3 to 5 percent grade, depending on the rider's effort. The Venge frame is said to result in 20% aero savings over a traditional non-aero bike (like the Tarmac). Geometry of the Venge and sl6 is identical. Update: I’m pleased to report that I’ve published the Trek/Specialized endurance bike comparison – so now you can read it: Trek Domane vs Specialized Roubaix: Endurance Road Bike Comparison Now, quick show of hands. Venge Pro Disco. Named after the famous Classic and a winner on multiple occasions, the Roubaix helped define the endurance road category. Specialized women's race teams use the female version called the Amira. Who is it for?Make no mistake, a properly kitted out Roubaix is an effective race weapon (just ask Tom Boonen or Fabian Cancellara). You get the idea. Depending on your preferences, one bike will be better suited to your needs that the other, but you won’t go wrong with either! The bike is all about stiffness to weight ratio and smooth handling qualities which make it the standard go to bike for three Pro Tour teams this year. A good bike for those who ride, rather than race, or maybe you aren't as flexible as you were ten years ago. The good news is that the Venge is also a very capable all-rounder. btw: I bought the 2019 S-Works Tarmac w/SRAM AXS. Here is a quick look at Specialized and some of their popular road racing models. Launched in July of 2020, the Tarmac SL7 is designed as a no-compromise race bike that combines the best of the Venge's aero properties and the Tarmac's light weight and sharp handling. If you like road.cc, but you don’t like ads, please consider subscribing to the site to support us directly. venge is obviously lower drag (by some ill defined amount at real speeds) and tarmac is lighter - about 450g believe. Specialized Tarmac SL7 weight Brands have been able to make aero bikes pretty lightweight for a while now. This bike has all the technology of its male counterpart but with smaller frame sizes, shorter head tube and shorter chainstays. In common with the Roubaix and Tarmac ranges, the second S-Works offering of the Venge line sees the electronic offering replaced with a Dura Ace 9000 mechanical groupset for a saving of £2,500. I know that @Nate_Pearson went with the Venge as there was no weight difference in the 61cm frame. Nope, but it isn’t that far off either, plus the added compliance improves power output and the ability to maintain a more aero position. However, it’s really light and incredibly comfortable. Club, amateur and professional road racers would benefit and it is a nimble bike for a criterium or all day training in the hills. My emonda is on full time trainer duty now. The current bike tips the scales at just over 8kg (17.7 lbs), and the Tarmac build will be 6.8kg (15 lbs) on the dot. ASK (and ANSWER) in our NEW Rider's Forum! Of course, that hasn’t slowed down Chris Froome. Venge looks nice. They have also created a one piece bottom bracket and chainstay area. My previous bike was a Tarmac sl5. If true this means faster speed, less time and less fatigue. is there really a notable comfort difference? I have a 2019 S-Works Tarmac. The compliance of the Tarmac. The handling is absolutely amazing. Both are awesome bikes, and I guess it really depends what you want from it? And before the replies start down that path, I’m quite aware of the ‘aero’ benefit of the venge, and of the Specialized Podcast episode with regard to choosing a bike to match the biggest benefit you’ll get in a race. The writing was on the wall two years ago when Specialized launched a new Venge that looked and rode, well… a lot like a Tarmac. The Roubaix uses rubber inserts in these areas to isolate the rider from fatigue inducing harshness from an otherwise stiff bike. If true this means faster speed, less time and less fatigue. This is the result from Specialized. The biggest noticable difference in going from a 2015 Tarmac to a SL6 was the aero benefit. I live in a rather flat country but riding in the alps last holiday was great to. I added aero handlebars, Specialized RapidAir 26’s, and Enve 5.6’s to my Tarmac SL6. This is the perfect bike for those riders. Currently in the process of working out my 2020 bike and was hoping to get some information. The downside of an aero frame has always been additional weight, but then this bike isn't designed for maximum watts per kilogram like the Tarmac. The Tarmac SL7 doesn’t quite deliver, with the Venge, Aeroad 2021, and Tarmac Pro presenting better options across the board. I have never tried the Venge, but I prefer climbing oriented bikes (Cannondale Supersix > Systemsix, Canyon Ultimate > Aeroad, Bianchi Specialissima > Oltre), so it might not be surprising that I absolutely love my 2019 Tarmac. The integrated handlebar and stem also weigh in lighter than the previous version. I like the venge better btw, … Het frame is lichter dan een Tarmac SL5 Disc, aerodynamischer dan de Venge ViAS, en laat zich messcherp sturen dankzij het Rider-First Engineered ™-ontwerp - het is alles wat een aero-fiets zou moeten zijn, en is sneller dan je ooit voor mogelijk had gehouden. We’ve enlarged the points which lie along the bottom-left of the grouping, since these are the top performers. The Tarmac is extremely light and climbs well. If you have a healthy wallet you could purchase a top-shelf model where weight would not be an issue, but most of us would probably shirk at the price tag. The SL6 Tarmac is as aero as the previous generation of Venge. In the last decade their dominance has grown, particularly on the road, with wins in the Tour de France (overall and stage) and also the classics like Flanders and Paris-Roubaix. You need to be signed in to use that feature! As a subscriber you can read road.cc ad-free, from as little as £1.99. These alone should cost you five times more, than the wattage difference between frames. As well as having room for 33mm tyres for added comfort. I’m also on the heavier side of things (180lbs) and bike weight tends to matter less for bulkier riders. The two bikes would be either an SWorks Venge or Tarmac (56cm), the rest of the build would be identical so the real question comes down to the weight difference between the two. Thanks all for the advice and information. These tests were done as close to real-life conditions as possible, with the bikes fitted with the Roval CLX 64, Specialized Turbo Cotton 26mm tires at 90psi, Shimano Dura-Ace Di2, S-Works Power Cranks, and 2 bottles and cages. @bobmac, very interesting read and enjoyed it so thanks. . I chose the Tarmac because I climb a lot, especially steep grades over 8%, and I want some comfort as well. 1 kg saved riding up the local equivalent of Alpe d’Huez here in Oslo equals 10 seconds time saved, and for me, setting a PR up the hill trumps riding fast on the flats. Once you compensate for the height of the necessary headset cover on each bike, your stem's lowest position ends up at the same point in space on any of them. . Red = Specialized Venge S-Works: the most aero frame in game (798,800 Drops, level 33) Green = Specialized Tarmac SL7: a balanced all-arounder (674,500 Drops, level 5) Blue = Specialized Tarmac Pro: formerly the best climber in game (408,300 Drops, level 11) Black = Canyon Aeroad 2021: the new best climber and all-arounder (532,500 Drops, level 23) I’m sure this has popped up on the TR Podcast and they’ll went for the Venge, even over the hillier courses. This is crucial for stiffness and power transfer. The Dogma, like the Tarmac above, has never chased grams and the new F10 frame is still north of 800 grams. … I’ve recently bought a Venge and love it. Plus the current Tarmac is plenty aero for me compared to my previous version. both are said to handle really well the venge looks amazing to me. The venge being only two seconds faster over 40k doesn't stay the same in case you'd choice the much slower Alpinist wheels on the tarmac. Now if it would stop raining here I could ride outside more. I don’t have the ability to lose any more weight on the body side, 187cm (6ft 1.5in) and 72kg (158 lbs) at 7% body fat with an FTP of 360W (5.0W/Kg) so the difference between the two bikes actually makes a big difference for me. Just don’t drop that seatpost screw down the seat tube, right @Nate_Pearson ? The chassis has become more aerodynamic – even more so than the Tarmac SL6 (by 8-10 seconds), and it’s lighter than the Venge. Compare the Venge vs. Tarmac vs. Roubaix (with mid level specs) side-by-side. Those comments all are great and make sense. BORA-hansgrohe Specialized Allez Sprint Disc team builds. So like the new Tarmac SL6 Disc then. Become a member now and get the following benefits: Oops! If anyone can see anything wrong with this logic happy to hear your thoughts. Regardless of the numbers, testers have overwhelmingly reported they 'felt' as though the bike cut through the wind very well indeed. I don’t get draft a lot when i’m riding and that’s why i chose the venge over the tarmac even though i live in a hilly area. For the record, I prefer everestings to chain gang riding. I think I’m 16.8 or 17.0 lbs. As far as I can tell, the three main differences are weight (~0.5 kg), that the Venge has a cleaner setup in the front (less external cables and integrated stem/handle bar), and that the Venge geometry and design is more suited to flater courses and the Tarmac more to hillier profiles. However I was wondering what the difference was in the 56cm. The Tarmac has some aerodynamic tuning and it is a bit lighter, smoother, and better handling (in some situations) than the new Venge. My guess is that most folks will come here to talk aero. The Venge is a super stiff aerodynamic road bike for sprinters and guys who spend much of the day off the front in the wind. This is certainly a stiff bike, but far from an uncomfortable ride and could be the do everything bike you've been looking for. There was a weight difference but the Corsa tires vs the tl 5000 made up the difference along with SRAM axs vs red. We have had both bikes in store recently and I've given them the '3 lap RP' test. The more budget bike also uses the same top-tier FACT carbon fork from the Tarmac SL6 and the aero FACT carbon seatpost from the Venge. Nice. Mountain bike groupset comparison: Shimano vs. SRAM, Stay up to date with the latest news & advice, Save your address for more accurate local bike shop results, Pre-register for upcoming Demo Day events. We leven en ademen aero, maar met de nieuwe Venge zijn we nog verder gegaan. Here is a look at some of these bikes and who they are most suited to. The Venge frame is said to result in 20% aero savings over a traditional non-aero bike (like the Tarmac). I’m sure the Venge is also great, but as an everyday, all round bike, my personal preference is the Tarmac.