# Tarmac SL4 Pro SRAM RED -vs- SUPERSIX EVO 2 RED



## twaing (Nov 29, 2011)

Specialized Tarmac SL4 Pro SRAM RED -vs- Cannondale SUPERSIX EVO 2 RED

Both bike cost the same. I rode both and both rode great. Cannondale felt a bit more like a Ferrari while the Specialized felt a bit more like a Cadillac.

Ride mostly in flat areas about 150 miles per week. Wanting to get a bike that will keep me satisfied for a while. 

Any comments on either or why one over the other?

Thanks


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## Special Eyes (Feb 2, 2011)

They're fairly equivalent. (nitpickers won't ever agree). If only we could compare bikes in a blindfold test. It often gets down to style and color of the machine.


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## mdloc0 (Nov 23, 2011)

Let me know how you go - I love the Cannondale name and i'm lookin at the evo 2 red myself. Havn't got around to a ride yet but i hear the Tarmac are great too. 

Have you ridden the supersix 1 at all (dur-ace)

MDL


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## Peanya (Jun 12, 2008)

Try the Synapse and Roubaix as well. If you don't race, they might be a better fit overall.
Between the two you listed, I do agree with SpecialEyes in that they're both good. Get the one you like the most. That's the better of the two.


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## twaing (Nov 29, 2011)

Rode them both again today. Tough choice and I went with the Tarmac. Although it was a little less responsive it was a much smoother ride and felt less tender than the Supersix evo.
Now I wait until February to get my size and color.


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## TheBarista (Jul 11, 2011)

Twang,

I am going with a Tarmac SL4 Pro Red after having ridden (and enjoyed) the '08 Tarmac Elite. I too was told that complete bikes were not available until Feb, so I decided to get a frameset and build it up instead. Hope to have mine by the first week in January.


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## B.Garcia (Nov 21, 2011)

I hope to have mine by January too! Nice little x-mas gift to myself =D


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## TheBarista (Jul 11, 2011)

Just got word yesterday that my frameset is at my LBS. Now to get the full Red groupo!


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## petalpower (Aug 10, 2009)

I'm looking at both these as a replacement for my 2010 Tarmac Elite. I've even been considering and trying to justify the $2000 price increase for the S-Works SL4, but just can't decide between the three of them. 

I'm leaning towards the Tarmac mainly because I like the geometry of the fram and the way it handles, and am afraid to change it up. Unfortunately, I can't test ride these bikes in my area.


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## squareslinky (Aug 13, 2009)

Twaing - what color did you get?


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## twaing (Nov 29, 2011)

I got my Tarmac SL4 last week. For about the same price I went with the Ultegra Di2 electronic shifters. Only comes in white. Rode a bunch of miles last weekend. I'm happy with my choice. Bike rides smooth and very responsive. Nice tight feel and faster than my last bike. Di2 shifters are a treat to use and state of the art. I'm happy with my choice and Flying Fish Bikes took good care of me.


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## GeneT (Feb 17, 2008)

*It's Amazing*

It is amazing the different takes that people get from the same bike. I rode the Tarmac SL4yesterday, Pro Red group with Force brakes and Roval Fusse SL wheelset, tires set at 105 lbs . To me it is a completely different bike than the Evo. 

Now not that I have ridden that many bikes but of what I have ridden it is torsionally the stiffest bike I've been on and vertically it is VERY stiff two, about like setting on a 2x4. The Roval wheel set uses steel spokes and looks reasonably compliant, I can't imagine how stiff it would be with a harsher wheelset and I am told the SL3 was even stiffer. 

If I was a racer I would be seriously interested in the Tarmac especially for crits and sprints as there is no waisted energy going into this frame, if you put the hammer down the bike is going forward. 

I've ridden the Evo at least 4 times, once with my ROL-SLR wheelset, the rest of the times with the default Ksyrium Elites (which are virtually the same weight as the SLR's) and in all cases with the tire pressure set to 105. I used 105 as a center point in case I wanted to try a little more or a little less pressure. The Evo was not as torsionally stiff as the Tarmac but it was stiff, I thought it was a little easier on the large bumps and not a lot different in the amount of road buzz transmitted but I'd have to say I did like the frequency of the buzz transmitted a little better in the Tarmac, part of which may have even been that I liked the sound the buzz created better in the Tarmac, it had a different, less annoying sound or chatter to it. Of the two bikes I'd definitely say the Evo was softer in the back end and more compliant overall.

I've read several reviews on the Evo that claimed it was a little hesitant to leap, or slow.. for example see the review at Bike Radar.
Cannondale SuperSix EVO — First Ride - BikeRadar
I couldn't see calling it hesitant, unless you are comparing it the SL4, or another bike I rode recently the Scott Addict R1 and I still wouldn't call it hesitant, just a little softer at the back. 

By comparison to the Roval wheelset on the SL4, the Evo's Ksyrium Elites are a heavy bladed, stiff slightly heavier (maybe 50 grams of so?) wheelset. My ROL-SLR's are more like the Rovals by using Sapim C-xray steel spokes and they did kill some of the Evo's buzz, but I would have to try the SLR's at several different pressures and maybe with a tire or two before I would form a final judgment to their performance on that particular bike.

I had the bike shop weigh both bikes and before taking them out, as fitted both were a little over 15 lbs but I'm loosing track of pedals mounted or not and need to weight them both again. 

In trying to make fair comparisons, the default tires on the two bikes are different and the seats are different. Part of what I deem vertical compliance could be how the SL4's seat fit me but there is absolutely no question in my mind it was a brick (as to stiffness not to speed) and as said earlier it had the most compliant wheelset.

I do think of the Evo as being a little more of a Ferrari, as for me it road like the lighter of the two bikes regardless of how close both were in weight but I couldn't begin to say if it had any real speed advantage and I suspect it was more related to the difference in the feel of the two frames.


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## beriro (Apr 10, 2012)

What do people about the difference between the supersix evo and the specialized s-works sl3 2012? I am considering either buying the s-works and building it up or buying the cannondale complete. It's a difficult choice so any advice will be greatefull recieved. I am 100kg btw....not sure if that will affect your opinions?


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## GeneT (Feb 17, 2008)

I have not ridden the SL3 but folks who I know have, say the (pre SL4 version of the) SL3 is stiffer yet than the SL4 and the SL4 is a BRICK. I don't mean that in the bad sense, just as I said earlier it is the stiffest bike I've been on and the EVO is a completely different ride, more of a lightweight all-arounder. Me, I ended up buying a Lynskey Helix, I couldn't be happier and it is a killer good bike which I'm writing up a review on.


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## mikeyp123 (Mar 9, 2007)

beriro said:


> What do people about the difference between the supersix evo and the specialized s-works sl3 2012? I am considering either buying the s-works and building it up or buying the cannondale complete. It's a difficult choice so any advice will be greatefull recieved. I am 100kg btw....not sure if that will affect your opinions?


I've heard time and time again, from various shops that if you're going to get a Tarmac get an SL4. There's a even a video on youtube with a Specialized engineer stating that the SL4 Pro is lighter and all-around better than the S-Works SL3. I'm paraphrasing, but was something along those lines. I was thinking about building an S-Works SL3, glad I didn't. Ended up getting an SL4 Pro frame set, putting a red build on it. Great bike. I came from a Cannondale System Six, which was quite the brute. Stiff as all hell, but a crazy harsh ride. SL4 is just as stiff, but on a hugely different level in the comfort department. Does everything very very well. Feels SO much more confident as compared to the System Six. BTW, I'm running HED Ardennes SL wheels at low psi.

No experience with the EVO, but have only heard good things about it.


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## T K (Feb 11, 2009)

GeneT said:


> I've read several reviews on the Evo that claimed it was a little hesitant to leap, or slow.. for example see the review at Bike Radar.


Peter Sagan must then be even more of a badass than I thought.:thumbsup:


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