Kai Winters

As the title says...neva shoulda dun it...but I did...sigh
I've posted in the "what are you wrenching on" or something like that thread that I have been building a Spesh Tarmac SL8 SWorks with a full Dura Ace Di2 12 speed grouppo...
I've built bikes of this level many times in the past but not for near 20 years until this year.
It was a dream to build...the frame was perfect and went together like a...well like you'd expect a bike of this caliber and cost to go together...like a dream lol.
The customer wanted a crank mounted power meter so we sent it off to "Stages" and they installed a power meter on the drive side crank.
The customer also bought a Garmin 1040.
I not only had the pleasure to build the bike but to also set up all the electronic fiddly bits.
The drive train set up perfectly...I do have experience with them having worked on a few Di2 systems and also building my Aethos last year...I used the "working mans drive train...105 Di2 12 speed...and that build too went perfectly. Using the Etube app to set up the drive train worked smoothly and the shifting was fast and butter smooth.
The Garmin set up very easily and I love the new user interface...almost enough to replace my 830 with an 840...especially the 'climb pro' feature is very cool.
The Stages power meter app detected the meter and the 1040 as well and all the electronic fiddly bits synced and worked as they should.

Now comes the sucky...the really sucky part...I had to ride the damn thing...The customer came in to pick it up today so I had to sync the devices to the bike and power meter and then take it for a test ride to make sure everything was working correctly...As soon as I pedaled half a dozen pedal strokes I realized how smooth, precise and quick this bike is...it made not a sound and just seemed to want to run fast...I was really surprised at how fast the bike felt and all I was doing was a very short test ride in jeans and hiking shoes lol. Thank goodness the frame is a bit too big for me or I may have just kept going lol.
I can't say it was any faster or smoother than my Aethos...it really wasn't...but wow did it ride nice.

I'm also not a fan of the 'super bike'...I come from the New England racing scene of the 80's and 90's+ and did more crits than I can remember...My "crit" bike was an old C'dale for awhile because it was fast and didn't cost me much so a crash was just a battle scar to be proud of...I'd never have ridden a bike like the SL8 in a crit...I'd be terrified on the replacement cost of frame, wheels, parts, etc. But boy oh boy for the Saturday shop or group ride I'd ride her every time and every day for that matter.

Well that's all I've got to say and I've gotten it off my chest lol...it is a super bike and to all of you that own and ride a Tarmac, you have a wonderful bike with a great history of performance and evolution and the SL8 is truly worthy of the name...

Koyote

If you can't afford the bike, get yourself the Garmin 1040. More affordable, and it's the best cycling computer on the market.

Yan 

Can't get past the look of this frame. Not just the speed sniffer but also the bow of the top tube.

calamarichris

Anyone else's mind go here?


Now it's time for a breakdown....
Neva shoulda dunnit
Neva shoulda dunnit
Neva shoulda dunnit
Neva shoulda dunnit, ....Neva dunnit (woowoowooWOO!)

CAT7RDR

I was waiting for "you crash it, you bought it" phrase.

Wildwood 

Some of us need pics to keep up with all the Spesh, Trek, Giant, etc models.

Remco's (from La Vuelta) should be top flite, too.

Wildwood 

to quote Jimi - Well if 6 turned out to be 9, I don't mind, I don't mind

8 kinda looks like 7, almost looks like 6. I'll wait for 9.

SL7

SL6 - slam that stem!

BTinNYC 

Tarmac SL8 Dura Ace. Whew, that is pure TOTL bicycle there.

Kai Winters

I just bought the 840...the size and extra cost of the 1040 was a bit much for me but the 840 fits the bill nicely.

wheelreason

I fire any mechanic that gets gooey over a bike, (and then rehire him during the busy season for less money)...

Leisesturm

Not seeing objectionable bow in the top tube, but the fastback seatstays have got to go, urrgh ...

Leisesturm

$599.99? That's $50 more than I paid for my racebike. New!

Koyote

The computer costs $13,400 less than the bike. That's what "More affordable" means.