One Big Reason Why This Year’s Tour De France Was The Fastest Ever

Even your sluggish rides are fairly rattling quick on the 2022 Specialized S-Works Tarmac SL7. That’s how I titled a current 70-mile journey on Strava.

In case you do Strava, the journey title is one thing you ponder because the miles and hours go by. There are even plug-ins to automate the titling of rides. It’s a giant a part of how we use the platform. Must you be intelligent, ironic, literal? Or simply default to “Morning Journey”?

On this explicit day, my plan was to do some lengthy, sluggish distance (LSD) coaching. The route I selected has this gradual climb up Route 248 between Park Metropolis and Kamas, Utah. As I hit the bottom of the climb, I might see a rider manner up forward with a rear flasher mild. Although I used to be taking it sluggish, I observed I used to be simply barely reeling him in. I resisted the urge to push it, as that’s my aggressive nature, and settled right into a tempo beneath 200 watts. This climb crests with a epic views of the Jordanelle Reservoir and Mt. Timpanogos earlier than descending into Kamas. By that time, I’d lower the hole in half.

The descent is equally lengthy and gradual—as in, you’ll be able to sometimes pedal to keep up pace with out operating out of drugs. That is when my closing pace ramped up. We had been each pedaling for the primary mile, which really flattens out for a bit earlier than the steeper closing part. I ended pedaling once I hit that pitch, however my tempo nonetheless elevated. I might now see that I might overtake him earlier than the underside, regardless that he was nonetheless pedaling. As I coasted by him, I famous that he was on a contemporary, carbon-fiber street bike and that he was about my measurement. I’m about 180 kilos, so I are inclined to have a weight benefit on the descents, however that wasn’t the case right here. The tempo distinction was completely within the bike I used to be using.

This introduced me again to a dialog I’d had with a buddy a pair weeks prior in regards to the unimaginable tempo of this yr’s Tour de France. I stated one thing to the impact that I hoped it wasn’t associated to undetected doping. His response went one thing like this: “It’s the know-how, silly.”

Certainly, throughout the doping period of the early 2000s, the tempo of the Tour was unimaginable. However riders had been additionally utilizing gear that was downright primitive by right this moment’s requirements. This yr’s Tour averaged 42.068 km/h (26.14 mph), which is a document. That’s insanely quick given all of the climbing. And I’m cautiously optimistic that dishonest was not the rationale, as I’ve skilled the very palpable benefit that groups like Bora-Hansgrohe, Fast-Step, and TotalEnergies get pleasure from—groups that each one journey the Specialised S-Works Tarmac SL7 as their major race bike.

Body Set

The SL7 debuted in 2020, so this isn’t a brand new mannequin, however I’ve taken the freedom of constructing it up from the body set to create a dream model. For reference, although, the entire SRAM Red eTap AXS variant retails for a gulp-inducing $14,000, which is $2,000 greater than it was earlier within the yr. That’s the ‘22 inflation impact, but you’ll be onerous pressed to seek out one to purchase. That’s the ‘22 provide impact, which is a giant think about stated inflation impact. I used to be in a position to safe a body set, although, and began from there.

My expertise with the SL7 really pre-dates this bike within the type of the Specialised S-Works Venge, which was an aero bike. The Venge opened my eyes to the potential of recent aero body design. I say “fashionable” as a result of we’ve had aero bikes for years, however they had been so stiff and abusive that they had been all-but unridable. They had been heavy and couldn’t climb price a rattling. The Venge represented a quantum leap in journey high quality, aero effectivity and all-around efficiency. It really climbed fairly properly, particularly when fitted with climbing wheels.

To be clear, the aero benefit is basically the place you might really feel the distinction. Actually, from the second you first put energy to pedals, it was as if the bike raised a center finger to atmospheric drag. The closest factor to that feeling was the primary time using an e-bike—that sensation of super-human power and easy pace. At the moment I used to be using a Pinarello Dogma F10 Disc, which is neither mild nor aerodynamic, so there was super distinction. To place a finer level on it, the Pinarello is an overrated race bike that depends extra on its sponsorships and Italian title than goal efficiency to justify its worth and standing. It’s inferior to the Specialised in each manner.

With the debut of the SL7, Specialised endeavored to mix the aero qualities of the Venge with the climbing and race qualities of the Tarmac. Certainly, that mission has been achieved in a 56cm body that weighs simply 800 grams—a full kilogram lighter than the Venge however with the identical ultra-low drag coefficient. This entire construct with pedals, laptop mount and bottle cages weighs an excellent 17 kilos.

Cockpit

The SL7 body set consists of an aero seat submit, stem and handlebar that each one contribute to its slippery nature, full with inner routing for a clear look. Specifically, I’m an enormous fan of the Roval Rapide bar (42cm), however the aero qualities are secondary. It’s only a very snug and ergonomic design. The flattened tops of the bar kind an excellent using platform with an array of various hand positions. They’re additionally skewed ahead, which makes for a extra pure using place out of your fingers to your elbows and shoulders. It additionally places the hoods farther out from the stem, which is partly why I went with a 90mm stem as an alternative of the usual 100mm. Lastly, I selected to wrap the complete bar with Lizard Skins DSP 3.4 Grip Tape V2 as an alternative of stopping on the hoods. This simply provides extra consolation to the bar tops even when it undermines the aero design.

You’ll additionally discover the SRAM eTap AXS Wireless Blips built-in on high of the bar, the place they are often triggered with a thumb. They is also mounted contained in the drops so that you don’t have to make use of your finger to shift whereas sprinting. Since they’re fully wi-fi, they may really be mounted wherever. I largely use them when climbing.

Wheels & Tires

The most important improve to the SL7 past what you’d get from an entire bike is that this set of Zipp 353/454 NSW Tubeless Disc wheels, that are a few of the most superior street wheels available on the market right this moment. Plus, they’ve a novel aesthetic that completes the SL7’s slippery race look.

Zipp’s tubeless NSW line is filled with a lot know-how and development that it’s powerful to know the place to begin. Are these climbing wheels? Aero wheels? Gravel wheels? Racing wheels? The reply is sure. They’re provided in three dish dimensions: the shallow 353, the medium 454 and probably the most not too long ago launched 858. You should buy every as a set, however I opted to spec the 353 for the entrance and the marginally deeper 454 as a rear wheel. This was the identical setup Alejandro Valverde ran in Strade Bianchi this yr, the place the 41-year-old veteran completed second. It is a spring traditional greatest identified for its lengthy gravel sections.

When Zipp got down to create the last word street wheel, the staff appeared on the 4 forces working in opposition to you on the street—gravity, wind, rolling resistance and vibration—and proceeded to design round every of them. The NSW’s “Sawtooth” tech, which is instantly noticeable, presents various wheel depth by shaping the within of the wheel like an ocean swell. This reduces the impact of crosswinds, which have been the Achilles heel of deep-dish wheels, whereas growing structural integrity with much less materials i.e. stronger and lighter. A set of 353s weighs simply 1,255g, and the 454s add about 100g. So this combined set is true round 1,300g.

The NSW’s aero properties begin with the rim depth and lengthen to the inner width and hookless design. The 353’s inner width is a really beneficiant 25mm, whereas the 454 is a good 23mm. This allows you to run wider tires, such {that a} 28c is definitely the narrowest tire they assist. And with hookless rims and tires, the sidewall of the tire extends vertically from the rim to create a extra aerodynamic profile and higher contact with the using floor.

Lastly, this mixture of specs allow you to run a lot decrease tire strain. These rims max out at 73psi, which you’ll really discover continues to be too excessive when you weigh lower than an NFL linebacker. That is counterintuitive to old-school roadies who consider larger strain equals much less rolling resistance. Numerous research have debunked this considering. What’s extra, as street surfaces turn into extra tough and textured, the tire’s malleability additional reduces rolling resistance by absorbing the terrain (at decrease strain) versus pushing again in opposition to it (at larger strain). So that you’ll go sooner, and the journey might be extra snug, steady and forgiving.

As for treads, I’ve shaped quite a lot of tire biases over time as a result of completely different producers excel in creating tires for various biking disciplines. For the longest time, the Continental Grand Prix was my street tire of alternative, nevertheless it’s now been changed with relative newcomer Pirelli.

The Italian producer and Components One tire sponsor has developed a full line of high-performance biking tires starting from street racing to gravel using, mountain biking and downhilling. For this construct, I used two completely different tubeless fashions: the P Zero Race TLR 30c and the P Zero Race TLR SL 28c. Each assist the hookless spec of the Zipp NSW rims, which is a requirement that comes with that 73psi max. The usual Race TLR weighs 320g within the 30c width, which is a implausible all-around efficiency tire. Personally, 30c has turn into my new candy spot for tubeless street tires. The additional girth enhances consolation and grip with minimal weight penalty, and the information present {that a} bigger contact patch with the pavement really reduces rolling resistance. These additionally characteristic some additional tread for moist circumstances. I’ll go as much as a 32c tire for early-season using, when roads are nonetheless messy, after which I’ll mount the TLR SL 28c treads for giant climbing days. These sacrifice some flat safety and tread in favor of making a really quick and light-weight (275g) tire for this tubeless/hookless class. And it’s nonetheless very snug to journey at 60psi (for my weight). Lastly, they’re very straightforward to mount and swap tires when you can handle the sealant mess. One shot from the air compressor is all it takes to seat them.

Drivetrain & Brakes

Having chosen all the above, the final huge determination was drivetrain and brakes. Given the Zipps and the way evenly matched top-of-the-line street drivetrains have turn into, it made sense to go along with a SRAM Pink eTap AXS group. However there’s definitely extra to it than that.

The Red eTap AXS Shift-Brake lever packs a bunch of nice options. First, the hand really feel on the hoods is very assured. The hoods are huge and encourage loads of confidence in a number of completely different hand positions, not least of which is having two large handles when climbing out of the saddle or navigating tough sections of tarmac.

Then there’s the default shift sample. Like a contemporary race automotive, you click on the left paddle to downshift and the appropriate paddle to upshift. (And also you click on each for the entrance derailleur in both course.) Why is it like this? As a result of eTap was designed for the post-mechanical period. Again once we had cables, you had one shifter for the entrance derailleur (left) and one shifter for the rear derailleur (proper) as a result of that’s how the cables had been routed. The introduction of digital and wi-fi shifting allowed us to take a step again and ask, “What’s the best strategy to shift a street bike?” And that’s how SRAM got here to this conclusion. So it nonetheless amazes me that Shimano Di2 defaults to the outdated manner of shifting (one shifter for every derailleur), and you must manually reprogram the buttons to how digital shifting needs to be. It’s a bit like when Steve Jobs launched pure scrolling to Mac computer systems. He stated, “That is how you must scroll. You may swap it again, however my default setting is the appropriate manner.” Shimano must do the identical factor.

If you elevate the hood on the SRAM shifter, you additionally discover a simple strategy to alter the brake pads (as soon as centered) that decide how a lot lever throw you need earlier than making contact, which successfully tunes the extent of brake modulation. That is how the brakes really feel. How progressive the braking strain is as you pull the lever, which is extremely private. All it takes is a 5mm Allen wrench to dial this in, which is a superb characteristic.

For gearing, I selected the Goldilocks 48/35t chainring configuration, which is absolutely built-in with the SRAM RED AXS power meter to shave weight and maximize effectivity. It is a dual-sided energy meter, which must be desk stakes at this degree. Subsequent, I selected the large vary 10-33t RED XG-1290 cassette to offer me a bailout gear for HC climbs like Pine Canyon Road.

Backside line: Cash can’t purchase happiness, however it will probably purchase bike pace. In case you can correctly suit your physique inside this WorldTour race geometry (that’s a giant IF), you’ll go sooner. On the climbs, on the descents, the flats, sprints, corners and every other kind of paved terrain. Assured. It’s simply science. The S-Works Tarmac SL7 challenges the legal guidelines of Nature as we’ve identified them. It does really feel a bit like dishonest. As such, it conjures up you to push more durable since you get extra in return in your effort—extra pace, extra miles, extra PRs and a helluva lot extra enjoyable.