contemplating purchasing either Specialized Tarmac SL6 Disc OR BMC teammachine SLR01 Disc. Want a road bike that is fast on the flats ( e.g crits) but also good on climbs. So don’t want something that is too areo or extremely light weight
anyone had experience with these bikes
I have test ridden the BMC, and it is a triumph. It is more comfortable than my soft endurance road bike, carved through corners like a hot knife through butter and felt really quick. Did I mention how much fun I had on the downhills with corners?
I haven’t tried the Spec, but IMO you cant go wrong with the Team Machine.
The two bikes are fantastic; it would be like comparing two supercars - you cannot go wrong either way.
I haven’t tried the latest iteration of BMC’s top bike, but I have ridden my Tarmac SL6 Disc for >50 hours now, and my references are Cannondale Supersix, CAAD10 and Canyon Ultimate CF SLX. I have also ridden the 2015 BMC Teammachine SLR01 a fair bit. The Tarmac has a slightly different, and more nervous or nimble feel to it than the other bikes mentioned.
My Tarmac is size 56, with the naked carbon design, and with Roval CLX 50 wheels, Speedplay Ti pedals, King Cage bottle cages and a K-Edge Wahoo mount, the weight is exactly 6.80 kg - so it is extremely light for a disc bike.
I have set new PB’s on every single segment I ride with the Tarmac. It is responsive, comfortable, lightening fast and a pure joy to ride. I would assume that the BMC would offer a similar experience, depending on your preferences, so the different geometries are worth considering.
A couple of points worth considering:
The Tarmac comes equiped with an S-Works crank with an inbuilt power meter (4iii technology) that works perfectly well (at least as far as I can tell; I compared power data on a 20 min FTP test on the Wahoo Kickr against the S-Works power meter, and the numbers follow one another consistently). With the BMC you may need to consider a power meter in addition.
The Tarmac does not have an integrated stem/handlebar solution, and the cables are not integrated either. I think it is an advantage to be able to change stems easily, but esthetically the BMC may be more pleasing to the eye.
I love my Tarmac SL6 disc. Will be a bike I keep for a vvvveeerrryyyyyy long time.