2018 S-Works Tarmac Disc

[Reminisce32]

Are most of you getting ultralight and is it noticeably different and worth the upgrade?

[TobinHatesYou]

Are most of you getting ultralight and is it noticeably different and worth the upgrade?

At the expense of getting a paint option you want? Not to me.

[willmac]

Is it just me or is Specialized full of their own BS. No doubt this is going to be a great ride but when they released the rim brake they were claiming it was 730 odd in a 56 and now they say this is an amazing feat to make it the same and it weighs 800? As I said, I’m not knocking the bike, I would take one in an instant but the crap they talk and expect us to swallow is way over the top

[TobinHatesYou]

They claim the disc UL 56cm is 733g. The regular S-Works is supposedly 800g.

Can we get a definite confirmation that the black silver stenciled logo 52cm frame weighing 792g is an UL? I don’t care what the box says, let’s see the SKU on the frame itself.

That’s still significantly more than 733g, but considering rim brake ULs keep coming in around 820-880g, I suppose it’s an improvement.

[thorerik]

This is looking great.
If they only had made the brakehoses integrated this would have been on top of my list.

[Cemicar]

I found SL6 pretty meh, but the disc one seems to be very solid. It greatly helps they offer Ultralight with little up-charge(I know a bike manufacturer that goes with the exact opposite strategy).

But yeah I'm surprised they didn't integrated hoses into the head from a dedicated stem, even if it would require some extra weights.

[spazmaster]

Here in the Netherlands I see a Specialized store giving the following prices:

Regular S-Works Tarmac Disc Frame € 3.699
UL S-Works Tarmac Disc Frame € 3.899
Complete S-Works Tarmac Disc (incl powermeter) € 9.999

source: https://www.bikeshop.nl/nieuws/tarmac-disc-2018

I went for the white lining-black shiny logo-on black matte and just ordered a complete S-Works Tarmac Disc, yay

[Torbjorn]

Are most of you getting ultralight and is it noticeably different and worth the upgrade?

Was going to, but it's currently sold only as a frameset, which I would be fine with, except that I wanted to get in on that Specialized/4iiii power meter action coming with the full bike. And that I understand that the weight difference is miniscule (for example, no eeBrakes replacing the Dura-Ace ones on the disc version). So, going with the black complete bike.

They claim the disc UL 56cm is 733g. The regular S-Works is supposedly 800g.

Can we get a definite confirmation that the black silver stenciled logo 52cm frame weighing 792g is an UL? I don’t care what the box says, let’s see the SKU on the frame itself.

That’s still significantly more than 733g, but considering rim brake ULs keep coming in around 820-880g, I suppose it’s an improvement.

Yes, I still can't make sense of OliverRB's posts. On the one hand, one of the key touted features of the Ultralight is the special super light paint to reduce the weight of the bike. It just doesn't make any sense at all then that there is an Ultralight version with the exact same paint job as the regular version. On the other hand, as far as I can see so far, the regular black bike with black logo/silver border is not offered as a frameset only.. However, OliverRB appears to unbox only the frameset of this frame. It's confusing. Until it's corroborated from other and perhaps more official sources, I think the bike in that photo is a regular bike. Which is still an awesome bike.

[Dsweeney33]

I hope to have my UL 61 cm frameset today. I will post pics, SKUs and weights once it arrives (Christmas come early!).

A question was asked about whether the UL is worth it. While I guess the answer lies in exactly what you want to do with the bike & your budget. Hey, this is the Weight Weenie website, so I am going to make a subtle case for a super light build.

If you want to build a light bike, I understand why one would start with a frameset that is approx. 150 grams heavier. Listen, if the pros could ride an UL they would. But with sponsors wanting bright paint jobs for the cameras and the UCI rule, the are forced to use the heavier framesets. Even Froome went to a lighter version of the Dogma F-10 for the Tour.

In my case, I wanted to build the best, lightest (to an extent) and durable bike I can. I also plan on taking this bike to France this summer during the Tour and climbing some of the famous Cols. I already have the cranks (THM), stem (THM), wheels (ENVE 3.4 disc), DA Di2 and rear derailleur (Ultegra 8000r Di2 - going with a 11-34 cassette for Mt. Ventoux and Alp D'Huez). Going with a regular frameset while painstakingly trying to be conscious of the weight in other areas of the bike just did not make sense to me, but may to others.

The Tarmac is an all-round bike, but also a climber. I thought saving 150+ grams on the paint (depending on frame size) gives you a disc brake frameset at no additional weight penalty cost. I'm also a 41 year old, 6'4" ex-college b-ball player. Any technological (not pharmaceutical) advantage I can get to stay and hang with the short, light, fast sherpas I ride with....well heck...I'm all in!

Lastly, I am also a firm believer that it's the engine, not the bike. It's always better to drop 5 extra pounds than debate about an UL version of the Tarmac. But then again, life is too short and tomorrow is certainly not guaranteed.

and so the debate continues....

Will post pics of the build once complete...if I could only get my hands on my new frameset.

Keep the discussion & photos going. Would love to see and hear about what others plan to do (or have done) with their Tarmacs.

Cheers and keep ridin'!

- Dan

[L3X]

The one thing I still find very annoying is that the specification on weight is never clear. If I go over to my local dealer and ask them for the weight of a frameset in my size, I expect they can provide that number and the actual number being within +/-5% of that given number. If it's different per paint scheme provide that as well.

I really disliked the fact that the UL rim was advertised as 733g frame at first but none in real life seemed within 5% of that. I don't mind a 850g frame but I do mind being lied to. I'm quite sure the UL versions are just handpicked out of the S-Works batch, so maybe that explains it a bit.

[Trkorb]

I'm very confident the frame I weighed is the UL. Can anyone confirm a black frame with white lettering actually exists, or is just a concept replaced by the frame I weighed?

I don't think we will agree on this until someone from Specialized actually gets in here and confirms it, which is unlikely considering they are steering clear of the frame weight issues.

[MRM]

Here in the Netherlands I see a Specialized store giving the following prices:

Regular S-Works Tarmac Disc Frame € 3.699
UL S-Works Tarmac Disc Frame € 3.899
Complete S-Works Tarmac Disc (incl powermeter) € 9.999

source: https://www.bikeshop.nl/nieuws/tarmac-disc-2018

I went for the white lining-black shiny logo-on black matte and just ordered a complete S-Works Tarmac Disc, yay

Congrats! Hope the weather picks up even more and you get to ride it a lot this year!

[MRM]

Judging by Ron jones' instagram the black Tarmac disc should have holographic details:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BgTfBHLjSi0 ... oughswedes

the Ultralight is full white lettering isn't it?

[Torbjorn]

Yes, that's what we think (greyish lettering, though, not white). But OliverRB indicate otherwise. So now there is some confusion

[spazmaster]

Here in the Netherlands I see a Specialized store giving the following prices:

Regular S-Works Tarmac Disc Frame € 3.699
UL S-Works Tarmac Disc Frame € 3.899
Complete S-Works Tarmac Disc (incl powermeter) € 9.999

source: https://www.bikeshop.nl/nieuws/tarmac-disc-2018

I went for the white lining-black shiny logo-on black matte and just ordered a complete S-Works Tarmac Disc, yay

Congrats! Hope the weather picks up even more and you get to ride it a lot this year!

There were only 20 frames and apparently 0 complete bikes available for the whole of Benelux(!).
I was just told I have to wait till end of May

Specialized really must be having manufacturing issues with such super low numbers.