bigbadwullf

Specialized Tarmac Elite Rival Mid-Compact. Oh, Specialized and their bike names...lol. Went in to get some cleats for my shoes and left ordering a bike. Price was too good to pass up. Good thing is the Allez and the Tarmac are supposed to be nearly identical geometry, so I should be used it once it gets set up.
Help me out here. This is my first full carbon bike. What to do? What not to do? Being a mountain biker also I tend to have a bad habit of bunny-hopping bumps and such. Good/bad? I'm guess to keep that to a minimum but do it if it winds up being smoother than hitting the obstacle.

GlennR

Once you go carbon... you never look back.

Allegheny Jet

Nice choice! I love my CF Tarmac Pro and never have considered it breaking when hitting a pothole or bump. I think the "carbon bikes exploding" thing was just some belly aching from the aluminum crowd.

FrenchFit 

Really? Not to be a pooper but my FC Roubaix is hardly the bike I prefer to ride. It's probably #4 in the stable, the rest are steel or Al.

There is no particular bad, just try not to crash it...don't over torque bolts.

bigbadwullf

Buzz killer. LOL.

jdon

My SL3 was run over by an Escalade. CF does explode.

Nice bike, ride it and enjoy. Most people have at least CF forks and never give a second thought to them coming apart. My Epic MTB is CF as well and I don't hold back with it.

bigbadwullf

I wasn't really thinking of it 'exploding'. Was more worried about cracks and such.

missjean

I am also a mtbr and my road bike is a Trek 5000 carbon and I don't baby it at all. Up here in New England we tend to have very rough roads -pot holes galore, frost heaves, cracks, patches etc. and I've ridden over them all in the 3 years I've had the bike with out any issues. I don't bunny hop on it tho, but I do roll off of curbs & over traffic islands and ridden on a number of dirt roads - there are a lot of those up here too.
Ditto on the don't over torque bolts, don't clamp things onto the frame and don't let the tires go out of true so much that they start to rub through the frame(saw the result of all of those at the bike shop)
Enjoy the bike.

bigbadwullf

Thanks Jean. I appreciate it. Oh the joys of the South....no ice-induce potholes . But we do have some of them but nothing like you guys. Nothing like the whole state of Pennsylvania has...lol.

Esteban58

Looks very nice... is it common for the 2012 models to go on sale at this time of year? I've been 'shopping' (really just browsing) carbon road bikes for a while now, with the idea that I'd get myself a nice Christmas present. But if now is a better time to buy...?

Yen

I see lots of hills in your future.

NOS88

Buy a good torque wrench and only use it when tightening anything with carbon in it or anything attaching to the carbon.

teachme

Nice!

Mobile 155

I just love my Tarmac. I worried that it would be too agressive for me because at least half of my friends that ride Specialized prefer the Roubiax or Ruby. But after dialing it in it has become my favorite ride. I just finished putting Cf and Cermic Cranks on it and I can't think of anything that would make it a better ride.

bigbadwullf

Yeah, I'd think now is the time. They don't want "old" stuff sitting around. If I were a manufacturer I'd have new stuff out at Christmas.

BluesDawg

Ride the hell out of it.

stapfam

Lots of things said about CF so hope you got a good test ride. I was disapointed with mine when I got it but it has turned into my long distance and hills bike. I prefer to ride Aluminium but that is me.

But ain't taking you shopping- That was one expensive pair of cleats but I have done the same before. Funny how the allure of a new bikes overcomes the need factor. Just hope the cleats fit the new bike.

Early days of C.F. and there were a few production issues and it was not limited to one manufacturer. Some of the big names were involved aswell but Warranty works with a big name. Haven't heard of any problems for several years now but there are a few things you should note. It takes a lot of polishing so get the beeswax out and start now. Cables can mark the frame even if they only appear to be near it so get the "Plastic" protection strips on before riding it- and put a couple of gels and cereal bars in the pockets. Rides seem increase on length when you are enjoying yourself.

bigbadwullf

Cleats will fit. Pedals coming off my old bike

MinnMan

When I was out in California this summer, I rode a rented Tarmac for about a month. I think it was a little older (maybe 2008?), but I absolutely loved it. Back home, I ride an entry-level Al bike (Trek 2.1) and I KNOW I'd be happier on a good CF bike.

But I haven't yet been able to justify the expense. I don't have any illusions that the CF bike would make me faster and I like the fact that I can let the Al bike accumulate scratches without feeling like I'm trashing a big investment.

Just the other day I was in the LBS and they had a Madone 5.9 with Ultegra DI2 marked down about $400 (or about 10%). What a sweet bike. My tongue was on the floor, but I didn't get near pulling the trigger. Maybe after my daughter gets through college.

Mobile 155

I agree the bike itself can be a big factor in how much you enjoy the ride. My Klein has turned out to be a close second to my Tarmac. And the Klein is my second Aluminum, no third Aluminum bike. The klein feels stronger and has no side to side flex so you can simply attack short hills and rollers. The Jamis and Masi wanted smoother pavement and made better around town bikes. Still I use my Tarmac for centuries as well as fast club rides and if long climbs are on the menu the CF bikes always seem to come out even amoung those rare club riders that have classic steel. I do have one friend the has his Klein set up for climbing. I hate climbing so I need all the help a CF bike can give me.

skilsaw

I want a carbon bike so that people will notice it, and not me with my svelt 250 lb physique.
Fighting off the women is such a bother.

phread59

Big Bad You're not just whistling Dixie there. I live in Cedntral PA. Regularly we see potholes in the news. Saw one a 6'3" guy was standing in with his arms crossed in front of him. They were even with his shoulders. The freeze/thaw cycle destroys roads around here.

I ride an older Fuji Professional with 16 spoke wheels. Held up fine this summer. Enjoy the Tarmac, they're sexy.

Mark Shuman

GlennR

One thing about carbon bikes, if it needs a torque wrench, there's usually the spec printed on the bike.

FormerFF

Your bike shop has torque limited allen wrenches. Get one, they take the worry out of adjusting the seatpost, and for that matter, everything else.

con

I have three decent bikes; one carbon, one aluminum, and one steel. I like all three for different reasons.

Enjoy the CF bike; there is a lot to love about them.