'09 Tarmac Pro SL- 200 mile review

As most of you have already read, I cracked my '05 Tarmac S-works and received an '09 Tarmac Pro SL as a warranty replacement. Again, props to Specialized for their service! Well, yesterday marked mile 200 on the new frame and so I thought I would offer some early impressions.

Specs:
56cm (56.5 Top tube)
Fact 10r carbon
Oversized lower HS bearing 1-1/2 in
Huge tubes throughout

Appearance:
Specialized Tarmacs have always seemed a bit understated to me and while there are some exceptions to that this year, the black and red Pro SL certainly fits the understated bill. While it is understated it is not ugly IMO. Unlike the SL2 model the frame does have a cosmetic carbon weave overlay which I honestly could do without esp. knowing it is not structural but as one teammate put it, "is likely there just to make sure the frame weighs more than the SL2." Overall appearance wise...well, the lines are fast looking and I do like the subtle pinstriped graphics on the top-tube and chain-stays. Grade B

Performance:
The only complaint I ever really had about my '05 Tarmac was the the handling was a bit "twitchy." I learned to live with it and truth be told, at times even like the "really need to be paying close attention to what your doing feeling." I had heard that complaint from several people as well as that the new tapered head-tube had remedied that problem. I also had test-ridden both the Pro SL and the SL2 earlier this year and from what a person can tell from a 20 min test ride thought the bike did feel more stable. After 200 miles, including 1 60 mile race, I can confirm that, while it is by no means a slow steering bike, its twitchiness is gone. IMO Specialized has struck a perfect balance of stability and liveliness. Mee likey a lot.

The area of greatest praise I had for the '05 Tarmac was its stiffness. From the moment I first mashed the pedal of that bike I was in love with the frames ability to transition my pedaling force into forward momentum. Fortunately the stiffness of the '05 did not come at the cost of ride quality. I did numerous centuries on that bike and it never left me seeking a dentist. In the are of stiffness I have to admit I did have a bit of a trepadacious feeling when it came to the new frame. Would the '09 Pro SL match the '05 S-works in this area? Well, I am not disappointed! It is even a bit stiffer and at least as comfortable! I guess with 4 years of engineering there should be some improvements. The stiffness of the bike's front end is the most significant. The over-sized lower steer-tube allows for the down-tube to be oversized and this combination really stiffens-up the front end (though I never complained about the '05). As far as the rest of the frame's stiffness, I honestly cannot tell if there is really any real difference, but I'll consider that a good thing, it is at least equal in stiffness.

I should also note that I have ridden a '09 SL2 and I can honesty say that given the price difference between these two frames ($1900 msrp vs. $2900 msrp) there is no way IMNSHO the SL2 warrants the extra 1K. BTW, the only difference in the frames is the carbon, Fact 10r vs fact 11r that equals about 145 grams in a 56cm frame-- the tube shapes are identical. Don't get me wrong, I would have taken an SL2 if they had given me one but if I were using my own cash I would either pocket the 1k or buy another wheelset.