# SL2 vs SL3



## chisler63 (Feb 20, 2011)

Am contemplating new bike with a budget of $2500ish. Ride a few short road races, the occasional charity ride, but mostly use road bike for training. Options: buy Tarmac SL2 with 105 components or buy SL3 frame and switch over Ultegra components (2-3 years old) from old bike. In other words, is SL3 frame with older components worth the price of new SL2 bike all over?

Any thoughts? Thanks.


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## PJ352 (Dec 5, 2007)

chisler63 said:


> Am contemplating new bike with a budget of $2500ish. Ride a few short road races, the occasional charity ride, but mostly use road bike for training. Options: buy Tarmac SL2 with 105 components or buy SL3 frame and switch over Ultegra components (2-3 years old) from old bike. In other words, is SL3 frame with older components worth the price of new SL2 bike all over?
> 
> Any thoughts? Thanks.


What year is the SL2? Which year/ model SL3 are you referring to?


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## chisler63 (Feb 20, 2011)

Sorry ... both the SL2 and SL3 would be 2011, though at my Specialized bike shop there is a leftover 2010 SL2 that is also an option, at a lower cost of course, but without updates (?) that occurred with 2011. Thanks.


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## PJ352 (Dec 5, 2007)

chisler63 said:


> Sorry ... both the SL2 and SL3 would be 2011, though at my Specialized bike shop there is a *leftover 2010 SL2 *that is also an option, at a lower cost of course, but without updates (?) that occurred with 2011. Thanks.


From everything I've recently read the new Specialized SL3's seems to be comparable to the older S-Works SL2's, with the latter still having a slight edge in weight/ performance. 

Since prices haven't been mentioned and are out of the equation, with a choice of new (non - S-Works) SL2 or SL3 if you're racing and weight matters, the 2010 S-Works SL2 or 2011 Specialized SL3 are probably the better bets. OTOH, if the bulk of your riding consists of fast training/ fitness rides IMO any of your choices will do.

EDIT: Just a FYI... there was no 2010 SL2.


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## dcgriz (Feb 13, 2011)

What wheels you plan to put on the SL3 if you go with this option? I think you need to consider that as well prior to making the choice between the SL2 and SL3.

BTW: To the best of my knowledge the 2010 S-Works is on a SL3 frame while the 2010 Pro down to Expert is on the SL frame. No SL2 frame for 2010. The 2009 S-Works has the SL2 frame.

2010 TARMAC Models MSRP 

S-Works Tarmac SL3 Di2 $9900 
S-Works Tarmac SL3 Super Light $9200 
S-Works Tarmac SL3 Dura Ace $7700 
S-Works Tarmac SL3 SRAM $7200 
S-Works Tarmac SL3 Module $3300 
S-Works Tarmac SL3 Frameset $2900 
S-Works Tarmac SL3 Frameset Team Geo $2900 
Tarmac Pro SL Dura Ace $5000 
Tarmac Pro SL Compact Dura Ace $5000 
Tarmac Pro SL SRAM $4400 
Tarmac Pro SL Compact SRAM $4400 
Tarmac Pro SL Frameset $1900 
Tarmac Expert SL Double $3300 
Tarmac Expert SL Compact $3300 
Tarmac Comp Double Rival $2700 
Tarmac Comp Double $2700 
Tarmac Comp Compact $2700 
Tarmac Elite $2200 
Tarmac Elite Compact $2200


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## ukbloke (Sep 1, 2007)

It also depends on whether keeping your current Ultegra bike as a back-up or rain bike is important to you, or whether you plan to sell it on. As dcgriz says, your wheels preference is also a big deciding factor as to whether to buy a frame or a bike.


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## chisler63 (Feb 20, 2011)

The wheels would be mavic aksium race from old bike. But my thinking is that I would upgrade those in a year.

I have been thinking about the utility of having a rain bike, which is an issue and haven't yet come to any conclusions.

Wiith respect to the frames, it's 8r vs 10r. Is 10r that much better with respect to stiffness and to weight to justify sacrificing old bike?

Thanks for all the comments above.


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## ukbloke (Sep 1, 2007)

chisler63 said:


> Wiith respect to the frames, it's 8r vs 10r. Is 10r that much better with respect to stiffness and to weight to justify sacrificing old bike?


If you want the second bike, then no, it is not worth it in my opinion. 

However, ... if you don't need/want a second bike then I would choose to move over the Ultegra components and build up the SL3 frame-set. I'm assuming that the Ultegra is 10-speed 6600 (or the SL version) and has a reasonable amount of life left in it. In this case the 2-3 year old Ultegra components are pretty much awash with current 105 5700, unless you really want the under-bar-tape routing of 105. Upgrading the wheels later, and keeping your current wheels as spares, also makes sense especially from an occasional race perspective. This approach will end up as a significantly nicer bike (lighter, stiffer, more compliant, etc). with the SL3 10r frame and your choice of upgraded wheels, then buying the SL2 bike off the shelf.

I have a 2009 Tarmac Pro SL with the 10r carbon built up from the frame-set. This one bike does it all for me from training rides, group rides, up-hill races and century rides ... except for rain which is why I also have a back-up bike.


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## dcgriz (Feb 13, 2011)

what ukbloke said :thumbsup: 
I also think that for most of us a set of good wheels will make more of a difference than the change in stiffness from SL2 to SL3.


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## PJ352 (Dec 5, 2007)

dcgriz said:


> what ukbloke said :thumbsup:
> I also think that for most of us a set of good wheels will make more of a difference than the change in stiffness from SL2 to SL3.


Yup, I'll second that... good thoughts. I also agree that some consideration should be given to the wheelset, although IMO weight (specifically) is much more of a consideration when racing versus training. 

As always, intended use(s) should drive any decision.


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## chisler63 (Feb 20, 2011)

Thanks again for all of your input. Quite in line with my thought process but really helped christalize the process.


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