Comments on: Flying the Specialized Tarmac SL3 “Blackbird”

By: cdjug

cdjug — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 22:35:12 +0000

my next bike

By: marek

marek — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 14:22:09 +0000

I see a really nice computer on your superlight. a perfect color combo. Could you tell me what is it?
Cheers
Marek

By: Jon Moss

Jon Moss — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 09:05:37 +0000

A spectacular-looking bike and a half. Stealth in action.

I wonder what the radar signal is like?

I’d never heard of TRP brakes before, so I’ve learned something new too.

By: David Irvine

David Irvine — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 12:01:29 +0000

Even a humble mug plugger like myself cannot help but be astounded. This would do some damage to the “The Tab”!

By: Lee

Lee — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 20:57:44 +0000

SRAM Red for the win! Light weight, serviceable and less expensive than other brands.

By: vectorbug

vectorbug — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 22:26:48 +0000

ugh, long day. Specialized’s bikes all look really great for 2010, is what I meant to type out.

By: vectorbug

vectorbug — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 22:26:18 +0000

Almost all of the big S’s bikes this look really really great. Even the entry level mountain bikes. This is truly a velodramatic.

By: kurt

kurt — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 15:05:29 +0000

Sounds like it may be time for ABS? Might as well add another function to the grouppo for the electronic age.
The SL3 is very cool and the matte black just makes it look badass and ready for battle.

It is a rare luxury to be able to test different bikes and components.

Just had a near miss myself this weekend. At the end of our group ride, we had the usual “Peacock” called from the front.
Their were actually four and everyone went into lockdown from a steady 20 mph. I was 4 guys back in a double paceline. My rear tire began to skid as my front tire rapidly approaches the rear wheel of the chap just in front of me. I ease my front tire to the right, as it closes in on the guys rear derailleur and I fear an entanglement is eminent. I am so focused on the tiny gap that seperates the two bikes that I cannot breath. As the gap widens after what felt like eternity my buddy Guillermo next spouts in his thick latin accent, “Oooh, Kurt I saw you on the ground”. We laughed together as the air returned to my lungs and the mood lightened. The peacocks and the Gringo escape unscathed.

I think I am going to need to add some braking practice to the regime.

By: Velodramatic

Velodramatic — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 21:05:29 +0000

Wheel/Brake/Pad combination is very good actually. The TRP 960s have plenty of stopping power shoe’d with Zipp pads (I believe). The TRP front and rear mechanisms appear to be identical and I’m used to Campy having a dual pivot for the front brake and a single pivot for the rear brake. In practice that gives the brakes a front bias.

I think the TRP action on the rear wheel is just too strong. I’d cop to the charge of rider error, except the rear brake was so hair trigger in its action that I’m not sure there was much point having it on the bike.

By: BR

BR — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 20:25:24 +0000

M – you mentioned the brakes as a factor in your (velo)dramatic dismount. Were the wheels the culprit or are those brake pads that effective? Cool looking bike and it must have been a treat to ride.