# Tarmac 2011 - 2014 base model frameset (SL2 and SL4 8r/9r) - differences, weight etc?



## MaxSE (Aug 27, 2014)

Looking to get a Tarmac as either a very cherished "bought on a whim, sat in a bedroom, one ride round the block" etc private purchase or new from trade (likely 2013/14 model on sale).

To be clear I'm looking at the base model cheapest in each year Tarmac (ie *not *Elite/Pro/"Expert SLR"/S-Works etc) and to be clear again this is for the frameset only, any other parts spec on a complete bike I'm not interested in as I have the components lined up and anything it comes with will be sold if surplus.

I only just realised that the 2014 was designated* 9r *carbon and *SL4* so pretty much same as top spec from a year or two earlier. The 2011/12/13 models all seem to be designated *SL2* and *8r* and differ very little to my eye and limited research.

Main thing I can see is internal cabling on the 2014 of course but delving deeper how does:

a) the frame build method/compliancy/tube shapes differ?

b) the resulting ride differ?

c) the weight? I've struggled to find actual rider-weighed stats for any of these basic frames. Has anyone weighted their bare frame from recent years and can give accurate figures?

Thanks as always guys.


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## Dunbar (Aug 8, 2010)

Search over on weightweenies.com forums for frame weights. No idea on the ride difference of the Tarmac but I can tell you that the Roubaix SL2 to SL4 is a huge difference (I've owned both.) I would have a hard time going with the look of external cable routing in 2014 since being on an Roubaix SL4 for almost a year. ICR just looks so much cleaner IMO.


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## 1Butcher (Mar 15, 2011)

I'm certain the engineers would be upset to say the SL2 and SL4 are the same. Although, they may measure the same, I would think the ride qualities are different. 

Read up what they did to the SL3 and then the SL4 and you will find the slight differences the engineers were shooting for [compared to the SL2].


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## 1Butcher (Mar 15, 2011)

2010 Tarmac Elite [Saxo Bank] 58cm frame 1260g. Fork cut 420g [no bearings/hardware on fork].


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## MaxSE (Aug 27, 2014)

Thanks for that - that's pretty heavy for a decent brand carbon frame and fork (relatively speaking of course and by today's standards) but hopefully the more recent ones are a little less porky!


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## 1Butcher (Mar 15, 2011)

FWIW, My 2011 58cm S-Works Tarmac SL3 [11r] weights 950g frame and 340g fork.

The SL2 is my rain bike I'm building, not too concerned about weight [well, not as concerned].


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## MaxSE (Aug 27, 2014)

Very nice!  No offence was intended BTW re' the porky comment but as things move on with sub 800g frames etc many (like me) always imagined carbon frames were super light.

Be great to see if anyone has the weights for the recent year Tarmacs' especially in the base model - working my way through searches on weight weenies but it's a real tricky search to dig them out...


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## 1Butcher (Mar 15, 2011)

No offense taken. Can't say i disagree with you. Too poor to buy anything new. Cannot justify to myself on getting a frame that is 200g lighter at this time. 

Hard to justify an expensive bike used for bad weather training. That is why an older/heavier Tarmac.


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## TSW910 (Aug 8, 2012)

not sure if this will help .. I recently upgraded my 2011 SL2 Tarmac (8r) to a 2014 SL4 Tarmac Expert (10r) frame, moved all components over

SL2 - 17.2
SL4 - 16.6 

This was taken with my luggage scale


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