# New 08 Tarmac (6r FACT / XL-58 Frame)



## Scott in MD (Jun 24, 2008)

I've spent this summer training for my fall triathlon and banging away on a twelve year old Cannondale CAD3/58cm/650c tri-bike that just doesn't fit me anymore. I can either aero-tuck or see in front of me, but not both at the same time. I've also been trying a bunch of bikes. I've got some related forum posts about all the different bikes including Scott CR1 Team and Pro, Cannondale Six13, Giant TCR Rival, Fuji Team SL, Trek 105, and the titanium BD Ultegra SL. II rode most of the bikes for at least an hour, and many of them several times. My favorite ride was the Tarmac, by far. It just felt funner, and I have a lot of good history with Specialized on my Stumpjumper FSR. So I finally purchased a size XL (582 mm top tube) Specialized Tarmac Elite. This bike has the 6r carbon frame ... slightly softer and more compliant than the higher-end 8r, and also I've noticed that the seat stays on the 6r merge into one tube before intersecting the down tube as compared to the 8r's twin seat stays all he way to the seat joint. I got a great end-of-season deal on the bike while on a business trip and used the difference for some upgrades including Ultegra SL compact crank, brakes, and rear derailleur; an Ultegra 12/77 cassette; a Cat Eye wireless computer, a DA chain; and off-road SPD Shimano PD540 pedals. Also, part of the reason for the great price on the bike was that the stock wheels had been replaced with Neuvation M28 Aero-3's... I saw this as an upgrade from the Mavic CXP22's, but I guess they are pretty similar. Alltogether, I am into this bike for right at two grand (no kidding... I thought it was a really great deal...) PLUS $135 for the frame and cleat fitting at my LBS in Frederick, Maryland. The fit process was fantastic. I learned a lot about bike geometry and ended up switching out the 110mm/+16 degree stem with a 90mm/+12 degree Specialized ProSet stem. I also made some minor tweaks to my seat position. If anyone's on the fence about the value of a professional fit by an experienced fitter, I'll tell you thatI thought it was the single best upgrade I made on the bike! Anyway, I've now ridden about 100 miles, mostly on the hilly but exhillarating Maryland highway 40 bike route through central Maryland (parallels the Appalachian Trail) and also on the flat, scenic and truly sublime Western Maryland Rail Trail through historic Civil War regional Maryland. I am very new to long road biking... most of my riding is off road and for shorter tri's... so reaching 42.6MPH downhill was blast! I've been training all year for The Nation's Triathlon in DC in two weeks ... this is a flat course that would probably work well for aero bars... but I am jazzed about riding the much more comfortable Tarmac. 

Photos attached. Comments welcome. And...one more thing... all you guys in the TX-LA-AL Gulf of Mexico corridor... good luck this Labor Day with the hurrican'.


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## PaulRivers (Sep 11, 2006)

That is one good looking bike!


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## Ivanhoe (Mar 21, 2008)

great score! I just picked up my '08 Tarmac as well. All stock components though... I may be ditching the toupe though...


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## garciawork (Aug 14, 2008)

Just bought an 08 elite as well, and by just, I mean at 11:00 this morning, and have since put 30ish miles on it, then went up a huge hill at the end... bad idea. Great bike though, plan to put ultegra brakes on and maybe an ultegra compact crank, and some new wheels. Great ride.


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## Scott in MD (Jun 24, 2008)

*Same thinking...*

Ivanhoe - I switched my Toupe saddle for the Body Geometry Gel Saddle I had from an old Stumpjumper... so I was thinking the same thing. The Toupe is really light...

Garciawork - I was happy with the upgrades I made (brakes and compact crank). I got them from ProBikeKit. The Ultegra brakes on PBK were about 1/2 of the price I found anywhere else. All that being said.... the 105-caliber brakes on the stock bike are just fine, and the weight difference is probably about the same as the ice cube I add to my watter bottle. Here in hilly Maryland, I really like the compact crank, but with the 11/28 rear cassette that Specialized specs on the stock bike, you get a pretty low bottom gear (39/28 = 1.39 ratio on the stock Tarmac, compared to 34/25=1.36 or 34/27=1.26 on the compact). I went with compact 50/34 and switched to 12/27 on the rear. If you do install the compact, be sure to drop the front derailler about 4mm on the mount to accomodate the smaller diameter chain ring. And since you'll need to take a link or two out of the chain (again, for the smaller diameter) maybe think about adding an Ultegra or DA chain.

You guys probably know all this, but I didn't... I learned this while upgrading.

Happy trails.


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## garciawork (Aug 14, 2008)

I have nearly the same bike. 08 Tarmac Elite, Neuvation R28 Aero 4's, black DEDA bar tape, full ultegra SL, different bars but pretty darn close to the same thing. Rides AMAZING.


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## Scott in MD (Jun 24, 2008)

*Tarmac Awesome*

Yeah this bike is awesome. 

I was going to keep my eye out for a good deal on left-over Dura Ace 7800 shifters to upgrade the stock 105's (to go along with the rest of the SL drive train), but it's shifting with the Ultegra deraillers flawlessly so "it aint' broke / I don't fix". 

You got any pics of yours? 

My Tarmac has been worth ten minutes - unbelievable - on my Olympic tri times. I am trying to get down below 3 hours this year and so have focused on the bike with a lot more riding and spinning... plus it's more fun than running! 

Oh, yeah, did I mention I got a sweet 29r project underway this year...? 

Happy trails.


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