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Radon Vaillant vs Specialized Tarmac SL9
Pick up to 4 bikes. Rows line up component by component. Highlighted rows differ, and green marks the best value where lower or higher is clearly better.
Key differences
- The Radon Vaillant starts €1,300 cheaper (€3,199 vs €4,499 for the Specialized Tarmac SL9).
- Our verdict scores the Specialized Tarmac SL9 higher overall: 84/100 vs 77/100.
- The Specialized Tarmac SL9's lightest build is 0.15 kg lighter (7.1 kg vs 7.25 kg).
- The Radon Vaillant comes in 5 sizes, the Specialized Tarmac SL9 in 7.
Radon Vaillant
Specialized Tarmac SL9
| RadonVaillant | SpecializedTarmac SL9 | |
|---|---|---|
| Overview | ||
| Brand | Radon | Specialized |
| Build | Vaillant 10.0 | Tarmac SL9 S-Level - Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 |
| Build notes | Liquid Red over UD carbon with deep black. Radon weighs the smallest size without pedals. On 6 Oct 2026 Radon listed it at €3,999 against the €4,499 UVP. | Colours: Satin Carbon (US); Gloss White Silver Metallic (UK, Germany). Weight of a painted production bike as pictured. |
| Price (MSRP) | €4,499€4,499€4,499 | €10,499$10,000£8,749 |
| Bike weight | 7.25 kg16 lb | 7.1 kg15.7 lb |
| Weight measured on size | XS | 56 |
| Model year | 2026 | 2027 |
| Generation | 2024 version | SL9 |
| Launched | 2024-03 | 2026-08 |
| Discipline | Aero road | Aero road |
| UCI legal | Not stated | Not stated |
| Verdict (out of 100) | ||
| Overall score | 77 | 84 |
| Aero | 72 | 80 |
| Frame | 70 | 85 |
| Components | 74 | 76 |
| Fit | 68 | 84 |
| Practicality | 66 | 76 |
| Price | 99 | 90 |
| Weight | 91 | 94 |
| Frame & fork | ||
| Frame material | Carbon (UD carbon visible under the paint on the 9.0 and 10.0) | FACT 10r Carbon |
| Fork material | Full carbon | FACT 12r Carbon (Flow Fork) |
| Frame weight | — | 822 g29 oz |
| Weight measured on | — | Frame 822 g as stated by Specialized on the S-Level product page (painted production frame; BikeRadar gives it for size 56) |
| Max system weight | 115 kg253.5 lb | 125 kg275.6 lb |
| Frame sizes | XS, S, M, L, XL | 44, 49, 52, 54, 56, 58, 61 |
| Colours | Liquid Red / deep black (10.0), UD carbon / deep black (9.0), Quick / deep black (8.0) | S-Level: Satin Carbon, Gloss White, Gloss Cayenne Metallic (US), Gloss White Silver Metallic (UK/EU); Expert: Gloss Pacific Blue Metallic, Gloss Black, Satin Warm Smoke Metallic, Gloss Silver Dust; Comp: Gloss Dolomite Metallic, Gloss Charcoal Tint, Gloss Vivid Red (varies by build and region) |
| Also available as | — | S-Works Tarmac SL9 (FACT 12r frame and fork, 687 g frame); no FACT 10r frameset is sold |
| Compatibility & standards | ||
| Brake type | Hydraulic disc, flat mount | Hydraulic disc, flat mount |
| Max rotor size | — | 160 mm |
| Wheel size | 700c | 700c |
| Max tire width | — | 32 mm |
| Bottom bracket standard | Press-fit (Shimano SM-BB71-41B or SRAM DUB Road Pressfit as fitted) | BSA threaded, 68 mm |
| Front axle | 100 mm hub spacing | 12x100 mm thru-axle |
| Rear axle | 142 mm hub spacing | 12x142 mm thru-axle (UDH dropout) |
| Drivetrain compatibility | — | 1x and 2x; Shimano Di2 (wired routing) and SRAM AXS. 2x chainrings: Shimano 34-42 / 50-55T, SRAM 35-41 / 48-54T; 1x 46-54T. Cassettes: Shimano 11-36 max, SRAM 10-46 max. |
| 1x compatible | — | Yes |
| Max chainring | — | 55T |
| Front derailleur mount | Braze-on | Removable braze-on hanger; cover for 1x |
| Cable routing | Internal, through the one-piece cockpit | Internal |
| Hydration & storage | ||
| Bottle mounts | — | 2 |
| Bottle mount locations | — | Down tube and seat tube |
| Fit & adjustability | ||
| Cockpit | One-piece carbon bar and stem with internal cable routing (Radon 'Vaillant Aero Carbon') | One-piece Roval Rapide Cockpit on S-Level builds; Expert and Comp use a Roval Rapide alloy stem with a 31.8 mm Specialized alloy drop bar |
| Seatpost type | Radon Vaillant carbon seatpost shaped to the frame, 350 mm | S-Works Tarmac SL8 Carbon seatpost, D-shaped (35.9 x 18.4 mm), 15 mm offset, integrated wedge |
| Fit notes | — | Seven sizes from 44 to 61 cm with size-specific layups. Stock bar width 380 mm (44-54), 400 mm (56) and 420 mm (58-61) on every trim; stem length 75 mm (44-49), 90 mm (52), 100 mm (54-56) and 110 mm (58-61) with the S-Level cockpit, the Expert and Comp stems being 80 mm on sizes 44 and 49. Headset spacers up to 35 mm. |
| Aerodynamics | ||
| Manufacturer aero claims | — | Same tube shapes as the S-Works SL9: Specialized calls the SL9 the most aerodynamic road race bike it has tested and claims 4 W less drag than the SL8; the Speed Sniffer head tube is 4 mm narrower for a 10% smaller frontal area, with the rear brake hose routed beside the steerer (Offset Steerer) to make room. |
| Testing method | — | Specialized Win Tunnel with a moving-leg mannequin, plus race-course simulations |
| Tube profile | — | Speed Sniffer head tube, dropped down tube, Win Fin rear, twisted-blade Flow Fork |
| Travel, maintenance & warranty | ||
| Headset bearings | IS52/IS52 | Stainless steel bearings, Specialized custom 49.5 mm OD x 40.5 mm ID x 6.5 mm, 45° (top and bottom) |
| Derailleur hanger | — | UDH (SRAM Universal Derailleur Hanger) |
| Maintenance | — | Front rotor 160 mm only, rear 140 or 160 mm. The user manual lists tubeless compatibility as 'Only S-Works (OE spec)'; the Expert and Comp ship with inner tubes. No rack, fender, bag or kickstand mounts; 2.3 kg seat-bag limit. |
| Proprietary parts | — | Roval Rapide one-piece cockpit (S-Level), D-shaped seatpost and wedge, custom headset bearings |
| Frame warranty | 5-year crash replacement on carbon frames from the date of purchase (original owner, in addition to the statutory warranty) | — |
| Sold via | Direct online through Bike-Discount, delivered locally with Radon service partners | Specialized retailers and specialized.com |
| Drivetrain | ||
| Groupset | SRAM Force AXS E1 | Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 R9200 |
| Launched | 2025 · current generation | 2021 · current generation |
| Speeds | 12-speed | 12-speed |
| Electronic | Yes | Yes |
| Wireless | Yes | — |
| Drivetrain | 2x | 2x |
| Shifters | SRAM Force AXS E1 | Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 R9270 |
| Notes | Combined shift and hydraulic brake levers | — |
| Crankset | SRAM Force AXS E1 Power Meter | Shimano Dura-Ace R9200 |
| Chainrings | 50/37 | 52/36 |
| Crank lengths available | — | 165 mm (44-52), 170 mm (54-56), 172.5 mm (58-61) |
| Spindle | DUB | — |
| Material | Carbon | — |
| Power meter | SRAM Force AXS E1 Power Meter | 4iiii Precision Pro |
| Launched | 2025 · current generation | — |
| Type | Spider | — |
| Measurement | — | Dual-sided |
| Bottom bracket | SRAM DUB Pressfit | Shimano Threaded BSA |
| Standard | Press-fit road | BSA threaded, 68 mm |
| Front derailleur | SRAM Force AXS E1 | Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 R9250 |
| Notes | — | Braze-on |
| Rear derailleur | SRAM Force AXS E1 | Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 R9250 |
| Cassette | SRAM Force XG-1270 | Shimano Dura-Ace R9200 |
| Range | 10-36 | 11-34 |
| Speeds | 12-speed | 12-speed |
| Chain | SRAM Force E1 | Shimano CN-M9100 |
| Notes | — | XTR M9100 chain with quick link |
| Brakes | ||
| Brake calipers | SRAM Force AXS E1 | Shimano Dura-Ace BR-R9270 |
| Type | Hydraulic disc, flat mount | Hydraulic disc |
| Rotors | SRAM Paceline | — |
| Front rotor | 160 mm | — |
| Rear rotor | 160 mm | — |
| Mount | Center Lock | — |
| Wheels & tires | ||
| Wheelset | Newmen Streem A.49/A.54 | Roval Rapide CL III |
| Front rim depth | — | 51 mm |
| Rear rim depth | — | 48.5 mm |
| Internal rim width | 24 mm | 21 mm |
| Material | Carbon | Carbon |
| Tubeless ready | — | Yes |
| Hubs | — | DT Swiss 350, 18H front, 24H rear |
| Spokes | — | DT Swiss Competition Race straight-pull |
| Notes | 1,440 g per set, as stated by Radon; 100/142 mm hubs | — |
| Tires | Continental Grand Prix 5000 S TR | Specialized Cotton TLR |
| Tire width | 28 mm | 30 mm |
| Notes | — | Specialized also lists 700x24-34 mm inner tubes with 80 mm valves |
| Cockpit | ||
| Handlebar | Radon Vaillant Aero Carbon | Roval Rapide Cockpit |
| Type | One-piece bar and stem | One-piece bar and stem |
| Integrated stem | Yes | Yes |
| Widths available | — | 380 mm (44-54), 400 mm (56), 420 mm (58-61) as fitted by size |
| Cable routing | Internal | — |
| Material | Carbon | Carbon |
| Notes | — | Stem length 75 mm (44-49), 90 mm (52), 100 mm (54-56), 110 mm (58-61) |
| Headset | IS52/IS52 | — |
| Saddle & seatpost | ||
| Saddle | Selle Italia SLR Boost Kit Carbonio Superflow | Specialized Power Pro with Mirror |
| Widths available | — | 155 mm (44-52), 143 mm (54-61) |
| Rails | Carbon | Hollow titanium |
| Seatpost | Radon Vaillant Carbon Seatpost | Specialized S-Works Tarmac SL8 Carbon Seatpost |
| Offset / setback | — | 15 mm |
| Material | Carbon | FACT carbon |
| Notes | 350 mm, shaped to the frame | 300 mm long (44-52), 380 mm (54-61); Tarmac integrated wedge binder |
| Bar tape | ACID RC 2.5 CMPT | Supacaz Super Sticky Kush |
| Included extras | ||
| Pedals | None included | — |
| Geometry (smallest – largest size) | ||
| Sizes | XS, S, M, L, XL | 44, 49, 52, 54, 56, 58, 61 |
| Stack | 517–599 mm20.4–23.6″ | 501–612 mm19.7–24.1″ |
| Reach | 374–404 mm14.7–15.9″ | 366–408 mm14.4–16.1″ |
| Seat tube angle | 72.8–74.8° | 73–75.5° |
| Head tube angle | 72–73.3° | 70.5–74° |
| Head tube length | 107–190 mm4.2–7.5″ | 99–204 mm3.9–8″ |
| Effective top tube | 515–590 mm20.3–23.2″ | 496–595 mm19.5–23.4″ |
| Seat tube length | 470–590 mm18.5–23.2″ | 433–545 mm17–21.5″ |
| Chainstay | 415 mm16.3″ | 410 mm16.1″ |
| Wheelbase | 976–1,020 mm38.4–40.2″ | 970–1,013 mm38.2–39.9″ |
| BB drop | 68–70 mm2.7–2.8″ | 72–74 mm2.8–2.9″ |
| BB height | — | 266–268 mm10.5–10.6″ |
| Fork length | — | 370 mm14.6″ |
| Fork offset | — | 44–47 mm1.7–1.9″ |
| Trail | — | 52–71 mm2–2.8″ |
| Front centre | — | 567–609 mm22.3–24″ |
| Standover | — | 722–833 mm28.4–32.8″ |
| Wheel size | 700c | 700c |
| Crank length | — | 165–172.5 mm6.5–6.8″ |
| Stem length | — | 75–110 mm3–4.3″ |
| Handlebar width | — | 380–420 mm15–16.5″ |
Geometry overlay
Pick a size for each bike to see frames and arm-pad ranges on top of each other.
Drawn to scale (how to read it).