Specialized Tarmac SL6 vs Trek Domane SL5

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Yeah, the question about what someone does for a crust and wealth should have been met with a f**k right off sunshine 🙄
 

vickster

Legendary Member
Yeah, the question about what someone does for a crust and wealth should have been met with a f**k right off sunshine 🙄
I put it a bit more delicately :laugh:
 
I’m 5ft 7 with a 29” inseam. I ride a 52cm top tube and a 48/50cm seat tube due to my short ape index but have to usually install a longer stem to compensate for fit. My height is usually on the limits with the 54cm falling into a 5ft 7 to 5ft 10 category so a 54cm sounds right.
 
What bike have you got now OP and what do you want the new bike for. You do seem to chop and change a fair bit ?

Super bike to gravel bike to road bike ?

I'd get a Brompton. đź‘Ť
 
OP
OP
Distorted Vision
The gravel bike was a moment of madness. Please discard that. I want an endurance bike although I hope to own an aero bike one day.
I've pretty much decided on getting the Trek Domane SL5. Just have to wait until Trek get stock in the spring.
 

vickster

Legendary Member
The gravel bike was a moment of madness. Please discard that. I want an endurance bike although I hope to own an aero bike one day.
I've pretty much decided on getting the Trek Domane SL5. Just have to wait until Trek get stock in the spring.
You might want to place an order with your LBS, mine has been saying that any anticipated stock is already reserved before it arrives!
 

Paul_Smith SRCC

www.plsmith.co.uk
Location
Surrey UK
You might want to place an order with your LBS, mine has been saying that any anticipated stock is already reserved before it arrives!
Most of the Domane SL5 are showing sold out for the entire production run; all pre ordered by dealers already.

Your LBS will be able to advise what they have on order together with a rough ETA, if they do have what you are looking for on the way then it would be a good idea to secure one. Note the ETA will be subject to fluctuation, often by quite a bit; odd times at the moment! Your LBS may also be able to advise both the best size and Bike Fitting
 
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monkers

Veteran
 

monkers

Veteran
Think he needs a 54.
That is blingtastic though!:sun:

What's wrong with screwing bits of wood on the pedals? I saw plenty of folk with bikes like that in the 50s.
Think he needs a 54.
That is blingtastic though!:sun:

I think the colour and finish are superb - really like it. It's a very fair price too, worth a bit of travelling to collect. I wouldn't hesitate myself but I've had one new bike this year and very pleased with it.
 

SkipdiverJohn

Deplorable Brexiteer
Location
London
What's wrong with screwing bits of wood on the pedals? I saw plenty of folk with bikes like that in the 50s.

i really can't believe anyone is going to worry about a difference in frame size of just over three quarters of one inch either side of a theoretically optimal fit if the deal on offer is right. Bikes have a degree of adjustment that will easily accommodate such small differences. I had a quick test ride on a 25" road frame belonging to a colleague yesterday, whereas I normally try to obtain 23 1/2" bikes when I'm buying for myself. The standover clearance was a bit marginal, but I survived. I didn't want to mess up his preferred set up so I didn't meddle with the saddle height, which was about 1/2" too high for me, but there was easily enough seatpost on show for me to have lowered it if I was going to ride that bike any distance or even buy one that size myself. It wasn't optimal, but it was still totally rideable and that was a much bigger difference than 54 cm vs 56 cm.
 

monkers

Veteran
i really can't believe anyone is going to worry about a difference in frame size of just over three quarters of one inch either side of a theoretically optimal fit if the deal on offer is right. Bikes have a degree of adjustment that will easily accommodate such small differences. I had a quick test ride on a 25" road frame belonging to a colleague yesterday, whereas I normally try to obtain 23 1/2" bikes when I'm buying for myself. The standover clearance was a bit marginal, but I survived. I didn't want to mess up his preferred set up so I didn't meddle with the saddle height, which was about 1/2" too high for me, but there was easily enough seatpost on show for me to have lowered it if I was going to ride that bike any distance or even buy one that size myself. It wasn't optimal, but it was still totally rideable and that was a much bigger difference than 54 cm vs 56 cm.

I tend to agree within reason. I'm 5' 8'' with an inside leg of 31.5''. Trek and LBS both recommended a 54cm frame. The bike I wanted was only available in a 56 - I bought it anyway. I managed to sort out a seat position with a little work, and the reach seemed a bit long, so I swapped the handlebars to reduce width by 2cm and reach by 2.5cm - that cost ÂŁ30; then I took 1 cm more out of the reach with a shorter stem, cost about another ÂŁ20. Now I'm happy, though I might play around with it a little more later on if or when I become a bit more flexible as I hope.
 
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vickster

Legendary Member
If I’m spending 2-3k on a bike, I want it to be the correct size. Not something I will compromise on (due to joint issues).
If spending £30 or nothing, I would perhaps (not that I’ll ever buy a £30 bike :laugh:)
 

SkipdiverJohn

Deplorable Brexiteer
Location
London
If I’m spending 2-3k on a bike, I want it to be the correct size. Not something I will compromise on.

Define "correct". In reality the human body can adapt to riding different sizes - within reason. When we were kids, me and my mates often used to have a go on each others bikes. We weren't all identically tall and the frames weren't all exactly the same size, and neither were the saddles all set to the same height. So long as we could touch the ground when straddling the crossbar, we didn't care. We just rode them anyway. Now on the wrong side of 50, I haven't suffered any ill effects from riding all those "wrong sized" bikes as a youngster.
@Blue Hills (I think it was) recently made a good point about bike sizing. He asked what size is a Brompton? I see all sorts of riders on them. You can adjust the saddle height, but the top tube length is fixed. What about all the other multi-user utility bikes out there?. Raleigh Twenty, Dawes Kingpin, Dahon folders, Boris Bikes?
They will be designed around an "average" rider, but plenty of people quite a bit either side of that average still manage OK with them.
I spotted a nice flat bar 531 framed Raleigh for sale a couple of years ago. No size info, but it was local-ish and the money was right. Turned out to be the 22 1/2" I thought it might be, rather than the 23 1/2" I would go for if given the choice of both. Set the saddle height and moved it back a fraction on the rails and it rides fine, really nicely in fact. It does feel a bit different from my 23 1/2" flat bar, as the top tube is slightly shorter but once underway you soon get used to it and don't notice. If I had been really sniffy about insisting on "perfect" sizing, then I would have passed up a really high quality bike in excellent condition for beer money. Would I have ordered a brand new 22 1/2" frame at full price? No, I would have gone for 23 1/2", but in this case the compromise was small and the amount of bike on offer for the money was large. I compromised with no regret.
 
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