With reduction to Shimano 24 mm axle yes.
Yes, as @milanv says, you need the adapters. However, I swapped the ceramicspeed bearings for a wheelsmfg external threaded BB. It was superior in every way!
Could this be the handlebars, saddle, wheels and tyres though? its not a like for like with just the frames swapped.
No, it is quite common that you have two different versions of the same frame, one being lighter than the other. There might also be subtle differences in how the frames ride. Usually, the lighter frames have a more involved carbon layup, which means they are more expensive to produce but also can have better properties such as compliance, and can be made lighter. Very often only the most expensive variant of a frame is on sale separately, so it isn’t always easy to find out weight differences between two frames.
Still, to give you an idea, here is a comparison between Open’s UP (= normal variant) and the UPPER (= lighter, more expensive version of the same frame): in size M the frame of the UPPER is 160 g lighter (880 g vs. 1040 g), the fork is 20 g lighter (370 g vs. 390 g). So you save about 15 % in term of weight for the frame and 5 % on the fork, or about 13 %. However, the UPPER is about 50 % more expensive than the UP.
It is very common for companies to have two models of the same carbon frame. BMC’s Teammachine and Roadmachine come in two carbon variants, my mountain bike frame, a Merida, came in two variants, etc. The exact weight savings of course might be smaller or bigger in other cases. So my example with the Open is really just that, an example.
Conclusion: the weight difference is real, but so is the price difference. Is the price delta justified? Depends on your definition of justified. It is almost always better to make a “reasonable” build than an all-out build.
I am aware of the difference in layup, the fibres will be slightly different and resin more optimised.
I’m saying the difference between the feeling of the different models could be that the components are better, bars, stem, wheels all make a huge difference on the feeling of the bike, and that the difference between the feeling of the frames is much smaller than people think.
Put dura ace, carbon bars and stem, and a set of rapide CLX on a Sl7 pro and an Sworks and i bet you cant tell the difference by ‘feel’
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I would definitely say that the differences are very small and that other factors such as handlebars can easily make a more significant contribution.
Although I’d turn it around: I think there are very subtle differences in how two versions of a bike feels, but things like wider tires or a change of wheels will be much, much more impactful.
E. g. I’m not sure whether the cockpit of the two Teammachines was the same (both were BMC cockpits, clearly, but I don’t remember the details). However, the rest of the config was quite similar, and I did try several different bikes. Of course, confirmation bias and the placebo effect are real, so it could be just that.
I never found complete builds by specialized a good deal at all.
In the EU, a full build is €14,500 for an SL7 Di2.
Frame + Seat Post + Stem is €5,200.
A full Di2 9200 with PM is some €3,200 atm from what I found with 2 minutes of googling.
Rapide Handlebar is €300
Saddle and bar tape €300 or so.
€200 CS BB
€9200 without wheels and tires.
So even if you go for something crazy expensive, you should still be significantly cheaper, and have more choice in frame color ways.
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Plus, when you are spending this kind of money, I’d probably want a heavily customized bike anyway.
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