# My SL3 arrived today :-) I want my own SL3 post!



## IAmSpecialized (Jul 16, 2008)

*My SL3 arrived today; PHOTOS  I needed my own SL3 post!*

Yes, my SL3 frame arrived today. Carbon grey, 54cm. Swapping over my 2010 Force gruppo I bought 6 months ago. Will probably end up changing the cranks out to Fulcrum RS the end of the year and get some Red shifters for Christmas.

The frame weighed 943 grams ~ 2.00769 pounds.


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## PJ352 (Dec 5, 2007)

That is one beautiful frameset. Congrats and post pics when you've built it up.


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## IAmSpecialized (Jul 16, 2008)

PJ352 said:


> That is one beautiful frameset. Congrats and post pics when you've built it up.


Almost finished building it up now. All that's left now is to cut the steerer in the morning, then putting on a new 1090r chain and new cables/housing and she'll be ready to ride.

I seriously need to find a nice handlebar and stem to put on it besides the plain ugly speshy ones. Still looking for just the right combo...

Thanks for all the advice on a previous thread about sizing...really spared me a lot of heartache with this purchase ;-)


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## Dr_John (Oct 11, 2005)

Very impressive frame weight, considering it has a threaded bottom bracket shell. BB30 drops, what, 20-40 g?


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## PJ352 (Dec 5, 2007)

IAmSpecialized said:


> Almost finished building it up now. All that's left now is to cut the steerer in the morning, then putting on a new 1090r chain and new cables/housing and she'll be ready to ride.
> 
> I seriously need to find a nice handlebar and stem to put on it besides the plain ugly speshy ones. Still looking for just the right combo...
> 
> *Thanks for all the advice on a previous thread about sizing...really spared me a lot of heartache with this purchase *;-)


That's nice to know, glad I could help. Did you end up with the team geo or standard?


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## foofighter (Dec 19, 2008)

OH MAN, I got the go ahead for my own SL3 as well, however, i really wished they offered that carbon gray as a built up bike i like the colors of the SL3's but i'd prefer that stealth darth vadar look


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## IAmSpecialized (Jul 16, 2008)

*DR JOHN:* I'm not exactly sure how much weight the BB30 saves. I thought it was around 27-28 grams average; I could be wrong. I'm no complaining about my 943 grams 

*PJ352:* I ended up getting the standard geometry, hence no BB30 with Speshy cranks. Tis ok though. I'm 150 pounds and I am not a sprinting powerhouse. I dont' think I would be able to detect any difference in BB stiffness either way in an SL3. There is the q-factor to account for, but the Fulcrum RS cranks will put me very close to Speshy BB30 q-factor.

*FOOFIGHTER:* Buy a frameset or module and build it up. I haven't done the exact calculations, but given the expense of the built up SL3's, I think it is probably more cost effective to build up one's own frame...especially if you already have a decent wheelset.

Just woke up. Going to have the steerer tube cut in a few hours, then it's ride time. I'll report back.


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## joep721 (May 4, 2009)

Beautiful bike. One of those frames that makes me stop and look. Love it.

About your comment to Foofighter - I was playing around last week and ran some numbers - frame, force, mavic or reynolds wheels and either fsa or ritchey stem and bars and the cost (and I was probably missing something) was around 6k. Nice savings from the SL3 superlight. And if you have components then even a bigger savings.


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## mikeharper123 (Jan 14, 2009)

You will love how it rides.

I am a bigger guy so I got the module with the team geo and love it.

I did build mine up, already had the SRAM Red group off my older bike. Much more cost effective than buying the whole bike.

But now I am debating wheels. Mavic Ksyerium Sls or Carbone SL. Want to stay away from deep carbon wheels until I get below the magic weight number of 200 lbs to get those....

Anyone have a go to wheelset? Right now riding on Mavic Ksyerium equippes....
BTW, sorry for the hijack


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## PJ352 (Dec 5, 2007)

IAmSpecialized said:


> *DR JOHN:* I'm not exactly sure how much weight the BB30 saves. I thought it was around 27-28 grams average; I could be wrong. I'm no complaining about my 943 grams
> 
> *PJ352:* I ended up getting the standard geometry, hence no BB30 with Speshy cranks. Tis ok though. I'm 150 pounds and I am not a sprinting powerhouse. I dont' think I would be able to detect any difference in BB stiffness either way in an SL3. There is the q-factor to account for, but the Fulcrum RS cranks will put me very close to Speshy BB30 q-factor.
> 
> ...


AFAIK, BB30 is offered on any built up bike equipped with the S-Works crankset including the module. The framesets (both std and team) have threaded BB's. 

No matter, because I think you did the right thing going w/ the std geo for several reasons. IMO the jury's still out on the performance gain with BB30 and although indications are favorable that Spec. has (finally) improved their cranksets, I'd stay with Shimano (or similar) - at least for now. 

I agree that Foofighter should consider a bike build up. Even if there needs to be some compromises made short term on components/ wheelset, the frameset (the heart of the bike) won't have been one of those compromises.


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## foofighter (Dec 19, 2008)

well the groupo that i have now on the roubaix are 105 group...it's not the best. I dont know if buying the SL3 frameset/module is beneficial. I'm getting a really sick deal on a built version and the price difference between built and frame is miminal that it's better to buy the built bike. *sigh* 

I know it sounds vain but damn i love that darth vadar look.


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## IAmSpecialized (Jul 16, 2008)

Bike is built up. Switched to white cable housing. WIll get pics up soon. It looks SICK!

Weighed the bike with pedals and 2 plastic bottle cages. Weight is 15.92 pounds. My pig heavy wheelset is almost 1900 grams. So I figure when I get my Easton EC90 SLX wheelset, change to from Krylion to ProRace 3's and get my Specialized team pro carbon handlebar...well...the bike will be 14.5 pounds...easy. If you guys could see the grin on my face. Now it's time to go ride a little this afternoon! See photo below.


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## foofighter (Dec 19, 2008)

dont tease pics!!!


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## IAmSpecialized (Jul 16, 2008)

The bike is completed, for now, see pics below. Was only able to ride for 10-15 minutes, but all I can say is WOW. STIFF! But soooooooooo smooth. Not at all what I was expecting. This is nice, so nice, so nice, just nice. Specialized has outdone themselves with the SL3.


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## foofighter (Dec 19, 2008)

beautiful


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## IAmSpecialized (Jul 16, 2008)

Just finished 3 hours on the bike. All I can say is it is VERY NICE. It was a very nice ride. The bike is so responsive but definitely not "twitchy." It just goes exactly where you tell it. It's uber stiff, couldn't feel a bit of flex, but I'm only 155 lbs at my heaviest off season weight. The thing that really stood out to me is the ride is just smooth as glass. Despite how stiff the frame is, the ride was super smooth. My tire pressures were on the high side, so I can only imagine how much smoother the ride would be when I drop the pressures some.

I am definitely happy with my purchase!


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## PJ352 (Dec 5, 2007)

IAmSpecialized said:


> Just finished 3 hours on the bike. All I can say is it is VERY NICE. It was a very nice ride. The bike is so responsive but definitely not "twitchy." It just goes exactly where you tell it. It's uber stiff, couldn't feel a bit of flex, but I'm only 155 lbs at my heaviest off season weight. The thing that really stood out to me is the ride is just smooth as glass. Despite how stiff the frame is, the ride was super smooth. My tire pressures were on the high side, so I can only imagine how much smoother the ride would be when I drop the pressures some.
> 
> I am definitely happy with my purchase!


Seeing as we both have extended experience with the '08 Tarmac Comp, I was curious to read what you thought of the SL3 after a couple of hours in the saddle. Now I know.  

I'm glad you're enjoying your new ride!! :thumbsup:


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## ksanbon (Jul 19, 2008)

Love it!

Congratulations and thanks for sharing!


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## IAmSpecialized (Jul 16, 2008)

PJ352 said:


> Seeing as we both have extended experience with the '08 Tarmac Comp, I was curious to read what you thought of the SL3 after a couple of hours in the saddle. Now I know.
> 
> I'm glad you're enjoying your new ride!! :thumbsup:


Oh man, didn't know you were on an 08 Comp. i actually like my 08 Comp. It was my first bike and it is a lot nicer than most people get as a first bike. With that being said, the SL3 is light years ahead of the Comp. The Comp just feels dead, bland, unexciting and now i know there is a complete lack of road feel with the Comp. From the moment you start the first pedal stroke on the SL3, you know you're on a S-WORKS machine. there is really no good way to describe the ride and no matter how good you try to make it sound you would still be doing the SL3 an injustice. I think it has to be experienced to be understood.

If you are considering an SL3...you will NOT be dissapointed. It's meant to be rode, rode alot, and rode very hard.


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## PJ352 (Dec 5, 2007)

IAmSpecialized said:


> Oh man, didn't know you were on an 08 Comp. i actually like my 08 Comp. It was my first bike and it is a lot nicer than most people get as a first bike. With that being said, the SL3 is light years ahead of the Comp.* The Comp just feels dead, bland, unexciting and now i know there is a complete lack of road feel with the Comp. *From the moment you start the first pedal stroke on the SL3, you know you're on a S-WORKS machine. there is really no good way to describe the ride and no matter how good you try to make it sound you would still be doing the SL3 an injustice. I think it has to be experienced to be understood.
> 
> If you are considering an SL3...you will NOT be dissapointed. It's meant to be rode, rode alot, and rode very hard.


I like the Comp a lot. It actually replaced a custom steel bike ('90 Serotta) because ride qualities most closely resembled the Serotta, so it's interesting to read your impressions now that you've ridden the SL3 for awhile. Makes me think I shouldn't.  

I thought that eventually I'd upgrade to the Pro, but have recently been rethinking that plan. Either way, I'll go with a frameset and build the bike up myself, for a variety of reasons. But I digress...

From your impressions I'm assuming you nailed the bike fit issue going with the 54cm standard?


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## IAmSpecialized (Jul 16, 2008)

PJ352 said:


> From your impressions I'm assuming you nailed the bike fit issue going with the 54cm standard?


You don't know the Comp is dead until you ride the SL3. I always thought my Comp was very lively and really put me in touch with the road. Then i road the SL3 today and had a revelation.

Yep. Definitely nailed the bike fit. I actually would have been happy with the team geometry but it would have locked me in to being in a racey aggressive position 100% of the time and taken away the option to have a little more relaxed geo for the occasional long slow touring ride. I don't have a separate "touring bike." Generally though, i just get a much wider range of positioning available with the standard geo. It can get plenty aggressive. In the drops my head/neck is below my lower back. i guess you could say it's flatter than flat. 

right now I'm riding the standard geo with the stem slammed to the headset and flipped the specialized stem upside down and turned the shim for greatest drop which gives me a -21 degree drop which actually gives me the exact saddle to bar drop I would have using the team geo. this is how we setup the demo last weekend to emulate the team geo. However, with the standard geo all i have to do is flip the stem up for a +17 or +21 degree rise and then raise the stem up on the fork tube by using the 20mm of spacers and presto, I have a relaxed touring position. not ideal, but it works when I am reliant on one bike right now. 

for most of my rides i'm riding with the stem slammed and flipped for -17 or -21 degrees and it feels perfect.

don't ride the SL3 unless you're prepared to buy one.


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## joep721 (May 4, 2009)

IAmSpecialized said:


> don't ride the SL3 unless you're prepared to buy one.


Truest words said....


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## IAmSpecialized (Jul 16, 2008)

Just finished my second real ride on the SL3. Put 3 hours on the bike. My first ride I was riding with a 110mm stem flipped to -21 degrees. I've now lengthened the stem to 120mm with a 0 degree rise. I think this is perfect. 

So I've gone from a 52cm Tarmac with a 90mm stem to a 54cm Tarmac with a 120mm stem and my saddle to bar drop has gone from about 4.5cm to 9.5cm. All I can say is I feel sooooooooooooo much better on this bike. I didn't even know I felt so sh*tty on the 52cm setup until I've been riding my bigger more stretched SL3. I am in HEAVEN I tell you!

I must say this again, DO NOT TEST RIDE AN SL3 UNLESS YOU'RE PREPARED TO BUY ONE. Yes, it's that good.


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## biobanker (Jun 11, 2009)

The funny thing is that in about 6 yrs the SL3 will probably be the Comp and it will suddenly become bland and dead, too. 

Sweet ride today tho!


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## IAmSpecialized (Jul 16, 2008)

biobanker said:


> The funny thing is that in about 6 yrs the SL3 will probably be the Comp and it will suddenly become bland and dead, too.
> 
> Sweet ride today tho!



Yes, it most likely will. But I'm going to be riding one hell of a fine machine for the next 6 years


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