# Building S-Works Tarmac vs Buying Complete



## DarkoBWM (May 29, 2010)

So I was sitting here looking at the Tarmac S-Works and was just wondering, how much cheaper would it be to build the bike myself? 

Anyone here have an S-Works they built themself? Total cost?


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## purdyd (Jun 18, 2010)

If you have some existing wheels or some other major parts you can reuse you can save some money. I figure I saved about $2K by using my dura ace wheels and building up my SL3 S-works on my own - vice buying the stock s-works SRAM sl3


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## PlatyPius (Feb 1, 2009)

Unless you already have parts for it, it is almost always cheaper to buy a complete bike than to buy a frame, drivetrain, wheels, etc.


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## clayton.cole23 (Feb 25, 2011)

Not an S-works but a SL3 pro frame. Used my old wheel (that I love) and bought SRAM red from Velomine for a good deal. Check out my bike on the pics to see how it went. Figured I saved enough but built it up the way I liked it. If you are particular with your group and other items build it up but spend time searching for good deal so you save money.


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## DarkoBWM (May 29, 2010)

clayton.cole23 said:


> Not an S-works but a SL3 pro frame. Used my old wheel (that I love) and bought SRAM red from Velomine for a good deal. Check out my bike on the pics to see how it went. Figured I saved enough but built it up the way I liked it. If you are particular with your group and other items build it up but spend time searching for good deal so you save money.


Yea I remember talking to you in the bike pic thread. My Tarmac will be my road race bike, with my current bike (10 Allez) being my crit bike. So I don't have any spare parts. I think I'm just going to buy the SL3 expert, or SL3 pro SRAM. Not sure yet.


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## clayton.cole23 (Feb 25, 2011)

DarkoBWM said:


> Yea I remember talking to you in the bike pic thread. My Tarmac will be my road race bike, with my current bike (10 Allez) being my crit bike. So I don't have any spare parts. I think I'm just going to buy the SL3 expert, or SL3 pro SRAM. Not sure yet.


That’s right I remember. you are going to love it either way. Just did 100 miles with my club team yesterday, over 2 passes. Total of 2,100m of climbing (brag, brag)  . Bike preformed so well though, It really does good on the climbs and when I take my turn up front, 42-45kph is a lot easier. Sprints, I'm not a sprinter but I can hold my own pretty good now with the bike My first race this year is next weekend, looking forward to it. I'f you are drooling over the SRAM Red like I did , do it :thumbsup: . You will not regret it. I ran ultegra on my old bike and the change is easy.


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## DarkoBWM (May 29, 2010)

clayton.cole23 said:


> That’s right I remember. you are going to love it either way. Just did 100 miles with my club team yesterday, over 2 passes. Total of 2,100m of climbing (brag, brag)  . Bike preformed so well though, It really does good on the climbs and when I take my turn up front, 42-45kph is a lot easier. Sprints, I'm not a sprinter but I can hold my own pretty good now with the bike My first race this year is next weekend, looking forward to it. I'f you are drooling over the SRAM Red like I did , do it :thumbsup: . You will not regret it. I ran ultegra on my old bike and the change is easy.


See I'm not a climber at all. More of a time trialist/sprinter. My team says they don't want to train non-climbing routes with me when I get my new bike because I can literally ride away from most of them on the bike I have now, imagine with something like a Tarmac hahahah. (brag brag ) 

My bike right now has sora (puke) so Ultegra/Red would be a HUGE upgrade. You think the extra $1,000+ (compared to the SL3 expert) is justifiable for the SL3 pro with Red? (if I go top tier I want Red over Dura-Ace)


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## clayton.cole23 (Feb 25, 2011)

For me the jump from Ultegra to Red was more of a small performance jump. The shifting of both is superb, the weight if obviously a factor. I’m 69” and 149lb so I take weight off the bike, don’t think I have but a pound left in me. The hoods feel different but not so much were I prefer one over the other. Braking is the same, you pull the lever and it stops you. The biggest factor for me is that I just love the look of the RED group, looks like F1 parts on a bike. I’m happy now when I look at my bike and happy when I’m on it because that was what I wanted more than any other component. So is $1,000 worth the jump for you? Performance for you, no I don’t think so, you will enjoy both groups. Bling factor, well that’s up to you. If you are not a climber like me, weight is marginal and barely any of it is rotational weight (I run a ultegra cassette BTY). Big choice, get want you want with this kind of money involved, if you don’t you will be back on the internet looking at the stuff you should have gotten.


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## DarkoBWM (May 29, 2010)

clayton.cole23 said:


> For me the jump from Ultegra to Red was more of a small performance jump. The shifting of both is superb, the weight if obviously a factor. I’m 69” and 149lb so I take weight off the bike, don’t think I have but a pound left in me. The hoods feel different but not so much were I prefer one over the other. Braking is the same, you pull the lever and it stops you. The biggest factor for me is that I just love the look of the RED group, looks like F1 parts on a bike. I’m happy now when I look at my bike and happy when I’m on it because that was what I wanted more than any other component. So is $1,000 worth the jump for you? Performance for you, no I don’t think so, you will enjoy both groups. Bling factor, well that’s up to you. If you are not a climber like me, weight is marginal and barely any of it is rotational weight (I run a ultegra cassette BTY). Big choice, get want you want with this kind of money involved, if you don’t you will be back on the internet looking at the stuff you should have gotten.


I was thinking about buying the expert and then saving up for Red, putting red on the expert and putting the ultegra on my Allez. 

I'm gonna go talk to my LBS and see how long the wait time is for a 56. I might just wait for the 2012 models and hope for a cool paint job. :thumbsup:


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## clayton.cole23 (Feb 25, 2011)

DarkoBWM said:


> I was thinking about buying the expert and then saving up for Red, putting red on the expert and putting the ultegra on my Allez.
> 
> I'm gonna go talk to my LBS and see how long the wait time is for a 56. I might just wait for the 2012 models and hope for a cool paint job. :thumbsup:



I think that will be a good choice to put the ultegra on your Allez for racing.


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## RkFast (Dec 11, 2004)

I did this excersise for my SL3 Works build. Did a total comparison for every part, right down the line, and I found even with a huge discount on a Dura Ace group I was getting, I would save a grand total of $300 building it myself. Not worth the trouble, so I bought whole. 

Now if it would only show up........


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## DarkoBWM (May 29, 2010)

Well now I'm looking at Cervelo S2.....I hate bike shopping ahahhaah


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## Ryder321 (Sep 8, 2009)

DarkoBWM said:


> So I was sitting here looking at the Tarmac S-Works and was just wondering, how much cheaper would it be to build the bike myself?
> 
> Anyone here have an S-Works they built themself? Total cost?


 I built my own 2011 Tarmac S-Works. Savings was well into four figures vs. the full bike from Specialized. (Actually, it's still in the box; been there for the past week.)

I'm not going to stipulate exactly how much I saved, because I don't wish to draw negative attention to my dealer who discounted the frameset.

My principal savings were on the components, however, which I purchased between last fall and this spring, always shopping for the best bargains. I waited patiently.

I built my bike with the best components that met my needs and desires, arguably better than the OEM bits. I built my S-Works my way and saved a substantial sum, despite buying components that cost as much or more than the OEM bits. I built it with full Dura-Ace 7900 and top-line FSA carbon cockpit with a ridiculously expensive SMP saddle.

One can _readily_ save money on a custom-built _S-Works_ in the Specialized line-up. It's easy -- it just takes time. I think the S-Works models are priced too high.

It is _difficult to impossible_ to save money on any of the Specialized _Expert _models, no matter what sales one finds. That's why I regard the Expert models to offer the best value, assuming one is willing to spend that much on a bicycle. For me, the law of diminishing returns sets in above the Expert level.

One does not _save_ on the build by using components one already owns. One did not buy those for free. That is good for your immediate cash flow, though. Having the components at hand already, helps justify buying only a frameset and building it up.

Buying a full complement of new components to build an Expert-equivalent bike ... will almost certainly cost more than buying the complete bike from Specialized. Try it as a hypothetical exercise and see for yourself. The Expert models are a good buy at Specialized. Get a previous year model at a hefty discount, and one saves even more.

But, if one wants an S-Works, it is well worth investigating the cost of building one's own from a frameset. Do your homework and you'll be rewarded. :thumbsup:


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## RkFast (Dec 11, 2004)

Ryder321 said:


> I built my own 2011 Tarmac S-Works. Savings was well into four figures vs. the full bike from Specialized. (Actually, it's still in the box; been there for the past week.)
> 
> I'm not going to stipulate exactly how much I saved, because I don't wish to draw negative attention to my dealer who discounted the frameset.
> 
> ...


You have to give more info on this....because in the comparison Im giving above, its with me getting the DA7900 AT COST, using a Shimano "Pro Card." And it STILL came out about even for building vs. buying whole.

The only thing I can think of is if you assumed you would pay full boat for buying off the shelf, which is not fair becuase 9 out of 10 shops will haggle on prices for their high end bikes.

And the other thing you are taking out of the equasion is the time factor. How much is your time worth? All the waiting that goes into your approach is worth something. Plus the time for spe'cing out the parts. I built my own mountain bike and in the end it added up to about 200 hours when all was said and done, given all the research for every part, decision making, and of course the actual build time. It was fun, but it was often a PITA, too. You have to account for that.


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## Midwest Playa (Sep 12, 2008)

I purchased a 2011 Pro Tarmac 52 CM from a good friend for $1500 and I transfered all my components from my Super Six and heres what I ended up with.

Components:
Sram Red Shifters
Sram Red Cassette 11/28
Sram Red Front and Rear Derrailleures
Yokozuna Cables
3T Stem
3T Ergonova Carbon handlebar w Fizik Tape
Chris King Headset
Specialized Tarmac Seatpost
Selle SMP Carbon Saddle
Edge Garmin 500
Zero Gravity NERD Limited Edition 
Specialized side loader bottle cage
Cannondale BB30 Hallowgram SL W Enduro Ceramic Bearings 
Rotor Q rings
Time I Clic Titan Carbon Pedals
KMC X10SL Gold Chain
Industry Nine Custom Wheels W Ceramic Bearings
Continental Gran Prix 4000
Conti inner tube

14.395 lbs

I am sure it will be lighter if I slap the Reynolds DV3KT Tabular wheels

Platy made a good point I am saving cash because I only transfered the components from my other bike which I am going to be selling, Otherwise it is cheaper to buy the whole complete bike and with that you might end up w parts you dont particularly care for, the good ole Pros and Cons


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