Specialized SL8 Review | 100kg rider sub 7kg bike. New Bike Day

[@StopTheRot]

THANK YOU for this review. Specialized are so clever with the way they control media output, but I’ve looked at the frame, and know the weight, and have always felt sure that the frame and BB MUST flex. Frame stiffness is number one for me.

[@taxi9554]

Thor arrived for a bike ride ☝️on the new specialized Thormac SL8 ❤

[@thewattlife]

Ha that’s a better video title

[@HawkEurope]

I'm at 95kg and ride a size 61 Tarmac SL8, S-Works frame, SRAM Force AXS with DT SWISS ARC1100 wheels. The frame in 61cm is a lot heavier than smaller frames. I think Specialized added more carbon to the larger sizes to account for heavier riders at taller sizes. I didn't notice any flex or issues and I now have ~2500km on the bike. Having some brake rub during sprinting is kinda normal to me. Haven't ridden a bike that hasn't done that.

[@ambulowan]

I always wondered if they do this as i find most Frames under L are plenty stiff. Even all the Gravel bike Frames are really Stiff. the big difference in stiffness is noticeable in the bigger Frames. At what weight does your Bike come in?

[@NoahStephens]

Love how you played big cycling brother to Ryan. Also crazy he had to put out 200 more watts to maintain the same speed uphill

[@thewattlife]

Yeah the hill watts are crazy. I’m building a bike to take his SL8 PRO down- will see what that does to my watts

[@andybroadhurst]

My fellow 100kg plus rider! love to see it!

[@thewattlife]

Big bois, big watts

[@TomHassan.]

I sit at 103-104kg and ride an Aeroad. Big up Ryan

[@fukairen9601]

I was 103kg back to march, now 91kg, ride an ultimate slx.

[@thewattlife]

I might have to try get him into track sprinting

[@ryan.libbey]

@@thewattlifeIm in

[@1carusjohn32]

At around 70kgs I don't have to worry too much about how light my frame is, other than as an engineer, slightly older and more risk-averse, it does a little, and it would stop me buying something down at say sub 800g frame weight .. but that's just me. At 100kg, with a lot more power on tap, I would certainly be a little more worried about an ultra light frameset, also the spoke count, as I expect the wheels come spec'ed for some lightweight GC rider. Even north of 85KGS, wheel builders would probably be increasing spoke count. At 100kg, a few kilos on the bike would matter not as it isn't going to affect the outcome of climbing a hill where less flex would probably win out, and on flats or descents it is pretty much irrelevant anyway. He should talk to a wheel builder and a frame builder. What I wouldn't want with that mass and energy numbers at speed, would be a catastrophic failure from any of the carbon components. (that frame weighs something like 700g, the engineer in me says this is no good when considering stopping forces, pothole impacts etc for 100kgs at speed)

[@DDai-qd8uk]

So your expert internet engineer opinion seems to be different from the absolute idiot backyard fake engineers at specialized. Yeah right. Time to go back to school buddy.

[@paulseandaniels5031]

It's a very traditional looking bike with short seat stays.Much like Alot of the other bikes out now. The new Trek Madone Gen7 or Gen 8 is just class!

[@bernadetteoliver290]

Great informative video particularly with an inexperienced road cyclist on top end bike

[@thewattlife]

Thought it would make it a bit more unique

[@littlevo9]

Je fais 89/92kg sur un S-works SL7 2023 et ce vélo est un roc! Il ne bouge pas,il est précis en virage et au freinage il ne subit absolument pas mon poids .

[@tonyg3091]

This guy doesn’t need to know what compliant means, for him everything is compliant. 😂

[@ronfeldman4386]

Honestly I would rather see a review for a higher end bicycle by someone that is a power monster. This will show exactly how the frame reacts to real power.

[@kentao4]

I appreciate this! I may be biased because I have the same bike and same height and weight although I want to drop about 20 lbs and build up 10. I weighed mine and it was around the 17 lb mark with pedals

[@saracen888]

That's a lovely bit of kit

[@thewattlife]

If he got it in a 56 that would have been better

[@thewattlife]

For me

[@saracen888]

@@thewattlife Agreed. I'd recommend anyone in the South to try before you buy and demo the bikes at Just Pedal (Denbies Wine Estate) where they have a Specialized demo centre. It's a stones throw from Box Hill so you can do a few efforts, get a feel for the bike and try different sizes.

[@thewattlife]

I didn’t know that. Thanks for the info

[@paulmarron5470]

How much did you say Ryan weighs ?

[@thewattlife]

lol. Can’t remember… think I mention it somewhere

[@ambulowan]

At 100kg the smallest Gear on a 48-35 with 10-33 gives you 12,7 km/h at a cadence of 90. At 70 it's 9.87 km/h which is better. At 100kg even if you are fit this would make you go into the Zone5 starting at 5% after some distance. on higher grades it starts even on shorter distance. To ride at 12.7 km/h at 10% you need 409 Watt. To ride at 9.7 km/h at 10% you need 310 Watt. How has he been coping with this? For heavier riders it's kind of a paradox. Because you don't want to ride that slow with such a bike but physical reality will make you go into the red even at these slow speeds. And you definitely don't want to exhaust yourself on every ride.

[@cyclingunboxed]

loved that power overlay on dark hill!

[@thewattlife]

We should do a sprint video soon

[@noam3d]

Does your bike have front fork alignment issue?

[@thewattlife]

The SL8 or my bike the T1550?

[@noam3d]

@@thewattlifeSL8s are affected

[@ozgurinsan]

A lot of pro race sprints are won by SL8 so i dont think BB is flexy.

[@markfly480]

I think an ultralight bike is important for feel especially on hills but only if the rider is also light, hence the bike weight is a higher proportion of overall system weight. I am less than 70kg and ride a Cervelo R5 (under 7kg bike), so it feels responsive esp out of the saddle. I think if i was 100kg i would focus primarily on a very aero bike 😊

[@thewattlife]

I agree and if you are regularly putting out over 1,000 watts just by virtue of riding your bike then a stronger BB and aero gains might be more important

[@tonyg3091]

You are wrong. No matter if you are 60 kg or 100kg, you feel the difference in the weight of the bike. Also, bike weight doesn’t matter too much on the climbs. Proper gearing is waaaaaaaaaaay more important.

[@walterramos1054]

I have a sl7 and I don’t think to upgrade for now

[@thewattlife]

I shouldnt think upgrading would make much sense just yet- the SL7 is great

[@jonm8423]

Did he not let you have a go?

[@thewattlife]

He’s got SPD’s and I have LOOK!!! 👀 Going to do a comparison review of it soon ✌🏻

[@mikehhhhhhh]

Bizarre that anyone can criticise bottom bracket stiffness of the 10r SL8. At 83kg with a modest peak of 1300w and 20 second power of 1000w, it feels so much stiffer than the SL7 it replaced for me. Lots of reviews seem to draw the same conclusion!

[@thewattlife]

I think everyone will have an opinion on it. Personally i dont think i would notice as i cant put down over 1200 watts in a sprint but im taking it for a ride soon so i guess ill have a chance to find out.

[@piotrbanach4077]

I am pritty sure the sound was not from the BB, but from the wheels. Tube valves rattle...it is typical for this wheelset :(

[@thewattlife]

Yeah I think it was his wheel flexing laterally and rubbing on the discs

[@piotrbanach4077]

Yeah, I guess it was both 😅 I have the same bike and despite lower weight of 73kg I face same issues. Love the bike, but it drives me crazy, hope to fix it soon.

[@thewattlife]

You can fix rattling tube valves with a little bit of black tape pressed over them

[@VC30577]

Thic boys in the back leggo hahaha. 90 kg here 😂🎉❤

[@StephenDone]

Will we see you on Made in Chelsea next? 😀

[@thewattlife]

I’m not sure a 40 yr old man in Lycra appeals to their target demographic

[@neiltruswell8620]

How much does Ryan weigh ?

[@thewattlife]

I might have forgotten to mention it

[@michaelknibb4460]

Would be really cool if you could ride a SL8 and then compare it to the Winspace.

[@thewattlife]

Fingers crossed- I might get to compare the SL8 to a Winspace SLC Gen 3

[@cornelhughes]

Me too expecially since the frames are about the same weight

[@forzamark]

Being a big rider I would be more worried about the wheels than the frame.

[@maggyvelasquez4450]

Please tell me the make of your sunglasses…

[@thewattlife]

These are the SunGod Arias

[@paulseandaniels5031]

I find it strange that specialized say that the SL8 is stiffer . How does one make those claims when the bottom bracket is visibly smaller and thinner, yeah maybe due to different carbon layups etc, then you still get companies with thicker aero tunes, father bottom brackets saying it's better and stiffer. I can't believe a bike like this is more aero or stiffer than a trek Madone Gen 7 or perhaps a pinarello Dogma F.. marketing strategies will have you!

[@martincburns]

Size of him 😅 makes me feel good about being 6 foot and 81kg.

[@TESTA-CC]

BananaWax TdF ChainWax Save Ryan Some Watts 😁😁 He is Massive 💪💪

[@thewattlife]

Ohhhh good point- I didn’t ask if he’s waxing or oiling his chain

[@DanTuber]

Those wheels would make most bikes feel pretty good. Give him some alu and his opinion on the bike would change. video tip: when you're talking, please turn the music off. it's distracting.

[@thewattlife]

Well the bike comes with the wheel package from SPECIALIZED so in some senses it’s about riding the complete offering. Any bike would ride different with cheaper aluminium wheels I should imagine

[@kylewish3949]

Sub 7kg?

[@thewattlife]

Yes, I weighed this after without pedals and I was 6.9kg

[@darrenbarlow5759]

Ryan needs to hit the gym 😅

[@graemeross1998]

I need to stop eating crap and get out more get bsck to 76

[@thewattlife]

We all have the same thoughts.