I am new to this forum, so I apologize if I am posting in the wrong section. I was unsure if I should post this in the Hybrid, Commuting or some other section. I am contemplating purchasing a Specialized Sirrus bike. I ride about 60 miles a week mainly for exercise. I am looking at two different Sirrus models. The first is a 2015 Sirrus Pro Carbon (2014 is no longer in stock). I would not be able to get this bike until September and would have to pay close to MSRP (approx. $3k) when it is released. I also have the opportunty to buy a brand new 2013 Sirrus Limited SL4 at a similar, sightly higher price. As best as I can tell, the benefits of the 2015 Pro Carbon is it is a newer model and has disc breaks. The benefits of the Limited SL4 is it has a 10r carbon frame (as opposed to 8r carbon), Shimano Ultegra Di2 front and rear (electric) derailleurs. It does not have disc breaks. The list on this bike is $5,000, but I can get it at a nice discount due to the fact that it is a 2013 model. Any advice or suggestions would be appreciated.

Hmmmm........that's actually a tough question. I think it would depend on where you put the precedence. I don't think brakes are a big deal. (just, imho) I know the mfgrs are force-feeding us disc brakes, but I think they just want it for money & change which equals expanded product offerings, which equals more stuff to buy and ultimately, well, more money.

My new Evo has significantly better brakes than my Quick but both work well and will stop either bike.

That said, I'm also not huge on groupsets either. My Quick has Alivio stuff and my Evo has Ultegra. Not the night & day difference I was expecting. Sure, Ultegra is nice, but I have no problem with Alivio and in either case (especially in the nicer shifting Ultegra) I can't see where I'd have any desire for electronic shifting. I know it's supposed to be nice (and cool) but I just don't see needing it. (If I rode a Di2, I might think otherwise)

That might not help, but I think either frame will be great so really more about Di2 vs disc brakes, imho.

(shrug)

Show us a pic of that Evo! Must be a hoot to romp around the neighborhood on.

I like the 2013 Sirrus Carbon bikes, they are compact race designs and feel different than the 14 Carbon Sirrus bikes, more towards longer distance riding feel to me. The compact race design is on my Allez and feels very nimble.
The brakes on the 14 Carbon Sirrus are killer, stop on a dime any hill practically.

Are you able to test-ride either? I think that electric shifting is incredibly cool, but have to admit that I've never tried it. Some people seem to love it and claim that they'd never go back to mechanical; other people dislike it and claim that they prefer mechanical. I assume that I'd really like electric shifting, and for that reason I'd prioritize the bicycle with electric shifting over the disc brakes. And from a practical standpoint, unless you're riding in an area with many stop signs and traffic lights, it's likely that you'll shift more than you brake, so... unless you're either cool to or actively dislike the electric system, it makes sense to spring for that.

Another way to look at things is to assess the cost of aftermarket upgrades. If both disc brakes and the Ultegra Di2 shifting system are important to you, how much would it cost to add disc brakes to the 2013 model vs. adding the Ultegra Di2 to the 2015 model? I'd imagine that the former would be cheaper but I admit that I have not priced out either.

OP,

It all depends on your preferences. Some points to note.

1. AFAIK, the geometry on the 2013, 2014 (certainly) and 2015 (probably) carbon Sirrus models is identical. They are all, without exception, Roubaix frames with flat bars slapped on them. So, one from one year isn't going to be 'racier' than another, etc. If you're happy with that adaptation, then they are all going to be similar re. handling etc.

2. You can't retrofit discs to a 2013 Sirrus Pro; ditto calipers to the later ones.

3. You can (probably) change the drivetrain to electronic on a 2015.

4. The 2013 Pro, as you note, has 10r carbon; it will be a little lighter/stiffer than 8r.

That's about it (price etc. aside); choose your priorities/buy the one that floats your boat. They're all lovely bikes, if they suit/fit, I'm sure.

Go to a shop that sells Specialized brand bikes is step 1.

in this county it's in another town .. Owner wants to retire ..

so You could Buy the whole Shop.

Thank you for your responses. The big thing driving my decision at this point is I cannot locate a 2014 Pro Carbon and the 2015 probably won't be obtainable until September at the earliest. The 2013 Limited was just that a "limited" tricked out version with several upgrades that I probably never would have spent the extra money to buy. However, due to the fact that it is a couple of years old, with the discount, it is priced the same as the Pro Carbon model. I have not been able to test drive either yet, although I will test drive the Limited model prior to buying it. I won't be able to test drive the Pro Carbon because they are not yet out. My guess is I will buy the Limited if I like the ride because I can get it immediately.

Considering it has a Roubaix frame, if you like the ride, its definitely a smart buy.

Wait... the 2014 Sirrus Pro is the bike I want... And you're saying we can no longer get them?

Why is that? Is that a common thing to happen?

What does the 2015 look like?

yeah, its common for the bike makers to run out of stock by now. When I was shopping for a road bike weeks ago no more 2014 52 size Allez left in the lineup to be brought or 52 cm 2014 Tarmacs for the matter.
So I just bought a 2 year old leftover bike instead.

I would get the 2011 because it has a better frame. Unless you plan to ride in the rain disc brakes aren't necessary and will add extra weight to your bike.

If OP lives in a mountainous area or rainy place, disc brakes are definitely a plus.

The 2014 Pro Carbon run is sold out when I asked my local Specialized dealer. I wasn't going to buy the Pro Carbon anyways, but asked if it was available along with the Expert Carbon Disc (interested, but also sold out). I ended up buying the next model down, 2014 Comp Carbon Disc, and very happy. When I got mine (Small frame) there was 12 left in the warehouse at Specialized. Dealer also said new 2015 Sirrus models will not be here until Sept/Oct.

I live in Florida--don't get any flatter than here.

If it rains frequently, you'd want to have them. Disc brakes are light and powerful.

I would wait for the ONE I wanted. It is always worth the wait, to get exactly what you want. Dont settle, as youwill always have regrets MHO

The problem is I do not know which one I want. I clearly want the better one, but I am not sure which one is better. One has disc brakes and is a newer model. The other has electric Di2 shifting and a 10r Carbon frame, but it is an older model. I also do not know what changes will be made to the 2015 model.

"Better" is subjective and depends on your uses and riding style. Does your riding style and personal preference favor disc brakes, or electric shifting?

Specialized makes a Roubaix model with both disc brakes and the Ultagra di2. It's not what you're looking for, but it shows that they do have at least one model with both of those features. As [MENTION=27981]Wanderer[/MENTION] suggested, you could wait for "the one" that has it all... we can't predict Specialized's product roadmap, but if there's a Roubaix with both of those features this year, maybe there will be a Sirrus with them next year. No guarantees on the cost, though... (the Roubaix with both costs something over $6000.)

I would imagine that even if they made a Sirrus with Ultegra di2 and disc brakes it would be $5k or more. That seems like a lot of extra money simply to get disk brakes-- and it probably would only be the 8r carbon. The 2013 Limited has 10r carbon. Not the biggest deal, but still a nice upgrade. I am leaning towards the 2013 model. Will use it for a couple of years and if I love the Sirrus will get a new one then.

If you can find the Expert Carbon Disc, get it, fantastic bike. The Pro is worth the extra money if you can afford it, and you can find one. If not, you will be happy with the Expert Carbon Disc. I bought the last one within 50 miles, and it was a Large Frame. Exact size for me. I LOVE it! Couldn't be happier with the choice. Cause at the end of the day, that's what matters, since you will be the one riding it 60+ miles a week.

I can't wait to see what Specialized does to the 2015 Sirrus Carbon bikes, the styling of the 2014 carbon models is among the best ever <<< see My Bikes

do you have any opinion on the 2013 Limited SL4 compared to the 2014 Expert Carbon Disc or the Pro Carbon?

I would get the 13 Limited SL4 if you can get it at a steep discount. Raqball has it and he posted something like 16 pds and change which is very low in weight and will be super fast with the SL4 frame.
OTOH, you might really like the looks of internal wires and disc brakes of the 14 Sirrus Carbon Models. Those brakes are a luxury stopping on steep hills, no effort and you stop NOW.

I'm not a fan of the color scheme of the Pro, it's a really nice bike, if you can afford it. That's a personal preference...

The Pro upgrades over the Expert: Shimano 105 FD, Shimano Ultegra RD, Carbon Cranks, and Shimano SL-R780 Rapidfire Shift Levers being the main upgrades on the Pro. $750+ gets you a lot of upgrades you can do yourself. So, I went with the Expert Carbon Disc, out the box it is a sweet bike, and you can upgrade to better componets with the $750+ saved. The Pro does have better wheels, but lets be honest, we'd swap them out anyways.

I didn't notice a huge difference in the upgraded FD and RD and Shifters to warrent the extra cost, the ones on the Expert shift smoothly, and the cranks, I got a set of S-Works on order.

I swapped the Handelbars, Stem, Seatpost, and Wheels, sold them on Craigslist. Replaced with Thompson all around (even the seat clam and stem cap, meh, why not) and Mavic Wheels 700X32 (way better than the stock 700X25) with the saved money and sold items.

The 2013 Limited was my first choice, but the LBS only had one in a small. It's a tough choice, either way you will be happy.

Thank you for your help. I can get the 2013 Limited SL4 for $3200. This is about $1800 off (36%) its original MSRP. The MSRP of a 2014 Pro Carbon is $3,000, but they are no longer available anywhere. The 2015s will be out in about 6 weeks, but I do not know the changes Specialized will make to the model nor do I know the MSRP. At least at the start, I would have to pay close to MSRP for the 2015--which I assume will be right around $3,000. I live in South Florida--very flat. Leaning towards the Limited. Have to make a decision soon.