Trek Madone Gen 7 vs. Specialized Tarmac SL8

Sorry about the editing error. Tunnel of trees should be segment two. But here are links to the two rides.

Hill Climb

Tunnel of Trees Flat segment

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[maxt]

Great video because you didn't focus on the data and measurements like many YT videos do, and instead had a free rolling conversation about the *feel of the bikes* under different circumstances... which is exactly how the rest of us think (rather than w/kg, wind tunnels etc.). Thank you.

[jiyangchen]

I've watched so many videos trying to get a sense of how these bikes ride and always end up with the "it feels stiff, it feels fast" answer, but this video finally described it in ways I could understand.

[Chibster]

I currently ride a Tarmac SL 6. I think the Madone looks amazing, and if I were in the market for a new bike, I’d probably switch. Great video!

[sfef]

I picked up a Madone gen 7 SL7 Ultegra with the RSL bars as an upgrade to my current gen Emonda and I could instantly tell why most guys riding the TDF for Lidl-Trek stuck with the Madone even in the mountain stages. It's a faster, better bike despite the weight

[student_of_God]

I don't care about the results... I'll choose madone over any other bike on the planet because of how gorgeous it looks...❤ The madone looks like a proper superbike thanks to the aerodynamics(tbh somewhat similar to the ALR system used in Lambos lol)

[LOGICAL-JAY]

Finally..lol..i swapped frames yesterday..i gave up my 2022 s-works tarmac sl7(blue lagoon w stripes) for my new madone SLR gen7 in all matte black..i really didnt want to give up my tarmac but it beats me up after 40miles..i needed more comfort with the speed..plus this is my 4th tarmac..😅

[tekesbur]

Spesh dropped the ball on that stem/spacer/HT area. Wonder who greenlighted that design.

Also, appreciate the honest review. 👍

[cheec]

Madone looks better and from the test seems also has better performance and comfort.. thanks for the video!

[rickmoses]

The PEOPLE have spoken. We say “MADONE”🚴🏻‍♂️🚴🏻‍♂️🚴🏻‍♂️🚴🏻‍♂️

[thewisconsingravelcyclist]

Being from Wisconsin i'm partial to Trek and would love a Madone! To be fair though I honestly feel Trek and specialized are the top two in the game at the moment and hard to go wrong with a Specialized as well. Looking forward to more videos like this.

[徐維澤-yc]

I think that difference might come down to the difference of the rolling resistance of the tires, I noticed that the madone has a gp5000 str on it, which the tire itself has a way lower rolling resistance compared to the one on the tarmac, so that may be the reason why the madone was slightly faster? Kinda funny to see how bike frame itself doesn't really make that much of a difference while changing the tire could change alot.

[deetee]

Tried my friend Domane, became a Trek fan. When we meet up, the first thing I do is reach for his Trek. It’s so comfortable. Trek is comfortable

[JoshThompson-vt]

First time I've watched this channel...loved your approach and report. Uber useful as I own the 2023 SLR 7 gen 7 and i have a number of friends on the SL 8: They've been asking about ride quality and you don't know what you don't know, so it nice to get a review that tells me in real time the subjective details of that experience. Also, I've owned my new madone for 4 months (came from a madone sl 6) and without fail, every 5min or greater segment is conquered 5% faster with 5% less watts...amazing! Can't explain it except what they tell us in the marketing

[andreapaponi]

I can see from the video, that the Madone has a Continental GP5000 (top tyres), and Tarmac hasn’t the same.
That could explain the difference time and confort.. what do you think about?

[ronnyhyman]

I started riding during Covid, after my research Trek won. Domane sl5 to sl6, hopefully my next bike in 2024 is the Madone. First time watching your channel thank you 👍🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👑kRT

[DEXVD]

Did the SL8 have the stock 26c tires? Sounds like it would benefit from a set of 28s or maybe even 28 FR, 30 RR. Would like to see longer segments for the testing if possible, maybe like a rolling terrain vs flat terrain but more like 20 or 30 minute segments, most of the brands talk about savings over an hour, even then its often only a few seconds. Sure you could extrapolate things out but when the differences are so small, wonder if its a margin of error, rather than an actual difference.

[philipdavies]

What a great video…. I don’t often sit through longer videos but this one had me captivated. Full of interesting content, well done guys…. subscribed 😀😀👍

[sktub]

I just swapped my Parlee for the Madone SL Gen 8. Incredible ride.

[superwoofer]

I'm riding tarmac sl8 in the same color. I can't believe tarmac was beaten on uphill regardless of the ride feeling. Maybe 4.5% hill climb isn't steep enough for the lightweight, snappy bike to shine, and madone have an edge over tarmac on that moderate uphill?

[Bluesky_skyblue]

around 3:40 when you display comparison data, you should keep the data overlay on the left so that the data can be viewed side by side, without having to go back a few seconds to see the other bike's data.