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Specialized Tarmac SL7 vs Trek Madone SL Gen 8
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 Trek Madone SL Gen 8 starts €500 cheaper (€2,799 vs €3,299 for the Specialized Tarmac SL7).
- Our verdict scores the Trek Madone SL Gen 8 higher overall: 78/100 vs 71/100.
- The Trek Madone SL Gen 8's lightest build is 0.40 kg lighter (7.87 kg vs 8.27 kg).
- The Specialized Tarmac SL7 comes in 7 sizes, the Trek Madone SL Gen 8 in 6.
Specialized Tarmac SL7
Trek Madone SL Gen 8
| SpecializedTarmac SL7 | TrekMadone SL Gen 8 | |
|---|---|---|
| Overview | ||
| Brand | Specialized | Trek |
| Build | Tarmac SL7 Sport - Shimano 105 | Madone SL 7 Gen 8 |
| Build notes | Colours: Gloss Oasis Tint Silver Dust (US), Gloss Black (Germany), Gloss White. Not listed on Specialized's UK store. Weight of a painted production bike as pictured. | Claimed weight with TLR sealant, no tubes. Trek DE lists two run-out colours (Matte Lavender Haze/Deep Smoke, Gloss Crystal White/Matte Deep Smoke) at €5,999. Launch MSRP in June 2024 was US$6,500 / £6,000 / €6,500 (Escape Collective). Trek also sells this build as the 'Madone SL 7 Gen 8 - The First 50 Replica' paint edition (US$6,599.99, £5,000, €5,949). No pedals. |
| Price (MSRP) | €3,299$3,300€3,299 | €5,949$6,000£5,000 |
| Bike weight | 8.27 kg18.2 lb | 7.87 kg17.4 lb |
| Weight measured on size | 56 | ML |
| Model year | 2021 | 2027 |
| Generation | SL7 | Gen 8 |
| Launched | 2020-07 | 2024-06 |
| Newer generation | SL8 (2023) | — |
| Discipline | Aero road | Aero road |
| UCI legal | Not stated | Not stated |
| Verdict (out of 100) | ||
| Overall score | 71 | 78 |
| Aero | 58 | 76 |
| Frame | 60 | 72 |
| Components | 55 | 62 |
| Fit | 82 | 80 |
| Practicality | 76 | 76 |
| Price | 98 | 100 |
| Weight | 71 | 79 |
| Frame & fork | ||
| Frame material | FACT 9r Carbon | 500 Series OCLV Carbon |
| Fork material | FACT Carbon | Carbon (Madone Gen 8 full carbon fork, tapered carbon steerer) |
| Frame weight | 1,010 g2.23 lb | 1,054 g2.32 lb |
| Fork weight | — | 363 g12.8 oz |
| Weight measured on | Frame 1,010 g as stated by Specialized on the Tarmac SL7 Sport product page | Size ML, painted (frame only and fork only), as stated by Trek |
| Max system weight | — | 125 kg275.6 lb |
| Frame sizes | 44, 49, 52, 54, 56, 58, 61 | XS, S, M, ML, L, XL |
| Colours | Gloss Oasis Tint Silver Dust, Gloss White, Gloss Black (varies by region) | US (2026-10): SL 7 in Gloss Fury Red/Matte Deep Smoke or Era White; SL 6 AXS in Gloss Dark Star/Matte Deep Smoke or Matte Cobalt Blue/Trek Black/Living Coral; SL 5 in Gloss Dark Star/Matte Deep Smoke or Era White; frameset in Gloss Dark Star/Matte Deep Smoke (earlier Dark Star and Crimson framesets on closeout). Trek GB and DE also list Matte Lavender Haze/Deep Smoke and Gloss Crystal White/Matte Deep Smoke in a few sizes. |
| Also available as | Tarmac SL9 (FACT 10r) and S-Works Tarmac SL9 (FACT 12r), the current generation | Madone SLR Gen 8 (900 Series OCLV carbon, one-piece Aero RSL cockpit, electronic only); 'The First 50 Replica' paint edition of the SL 7 |
| Compatibility & standards | ||
| Brake type | Hydraulic disc, flat mount | Hydraulic disc, flat mount |
| Max rotor size | — | 180 mm |
| Wheel size | 700c | 700c |
| Max tire width | 32 mm | 32 mm |
| Bottom bracket standard | BSA threaded, 68 mm | T47 threaded |
| Front axle | 12x100 mm thru-axle | 12x100 mm chamfered thru-axle (Bontrager Switch) |
| Rear axle | 12x142 mm thru-axle | 12x142 mm thru-axle (Bontrager Switch, removable lever) |
| Drivetrain compatibility | — | Electronic or mechanical routing (mechanical front derailleurs need a housing stop); 1x and 2x |
| Mechanical shifting possible | — | Yes |
| 1x compatible | — | Yes |
| Max chainring | — | 56T |
| Front derailleur mount | — | Braze-on; removable aero chainkeeper |
| Cable routing | Internal (Clean Routing) | Fully internal through the RCS Headset System |
| Fit & adjustability | ||
| Cockpit | — | Two-piece cockpit: Trek RCS Pro stem (-7°) with a 31.8 mm bar, Bontrager Aero Pro carbon on the SL 7 and Bontrager Comp alloy on the SL 6 AXS and SL 5; the one-piece Aero RSL bar/stem is available aftermarket |
| Standard stem and bar possible | — | Yes |
| Seatpost type | S-Works Tarmac Carbon seatpost, 20 mm offset, Tarmac integrated wedge | Madone aero carbon seatpost, 0 mm offset, with IsoFlow seat tube; reversible wedge, short and tall seat masts |
| Fit notes | Seven sizes from 44 to 61 cm in the geometry chart; the US store offers 44-58 and the German store 44-61. Stock bar width 360 mm (44) to 440 mm (58-61), stem 70 mm (44) to 110 mm (58-61), crank 165 mm (44-49) to 175 mm (58-61). | Trek's Road Race geometry, the same table as the SLR. Stock stem length changes with frame size (80 mm on XS, 90 mm on S-M, 100 mm on ML-L, 110 mm on XL); bars are 35/38 cm to 41/44 cm control/drop width on the SL 7 and 36/40 cm to 42/46 cm on the SL 6 AXS and SL 5, all with 80 mm reach. Trek lists saddle rail height ranges for the short and the tall seat mast. |
| Aerodynamics | ||
| Manufacturer aero claims | — | Trek's Gen 8 tunnel figures (about level with the Madone Gen 7 and 11.3 W faster than the Émonda at 35 km/h) were run on the SLR with its RSL Aero bottles; the SL shares the tube shapes but ships with a two-piece cockpit and without the aero bottles, which Trek sells separately. |
| Testing method | — | Wind tunnel with a pedalling mannequin at 35 km/h plus CFD, in the SLR configuration (Trek's Madone aerodynamics page) |
| Tube profile | FreeFoil-shaped tubes, dropped seatstays | Full System Foil |
| Travel, maintenance & warranty | ||
| Headset bearings | — | RCS Headset System (RCS Pro) |
| Derailleur hanger | — | UDH (SRAM Universal Derailleur Hanger) |
| Proprietary parts | — | RCS Pro stem and headset top cap, Madone aero seatpost and seat mast, aero chainkeeper |
| Sold via | Specialized retailers and specialized.com | Trek retailers and trekbikes.com; not offered through Project One |
| Drivetrain | ||
| Groupset | Shimano 105 R7100 | Shimano Ultegra Di2 R8100 |
| Launched | 2023 · current generation | 2021 · current generation |
| Speeds | 12-speed | 12-speed |
| Electronic | No | Yes |
| Drivetrain | 2x | 2x |
| Battery | — | Central battery (Shimano BT-DN300) |
| Shifters | — | Shimano Ultegra Di2 R8170 |
| Notes | — | Trek also lists R8171 |
| Crankset | Shimano 105 R7100 | Shimano Ultegra R8100 |
| Chainrings | 52/36 | 50/34 |
| Crank lengths available | 165 mm (44-49), 170 mm (52), 172.5 mm (54-56), 175 mm (58-61) | 160 mm (XS-S), 165 mm (XS-ML), 170 mm (M-XL), 172.5 mm (L-XL), as listed by Trek |
| Bottom bracket | Shimano Threaded BSA | Praxis T47 |
| Standard | BSA threaded, 68 mm | T47 threaded, internal bearing |
| Front derailleur | Shimano 105 R7100 | Shimano Ultegra Di2 R8150 |
| Notes | Braze-on | Braze-on, down swing |
| Rear derailleur | Shimano 105 R7100 | Shimano Ultegra Di2 R8150 |
| Max cog | — | 34T |
| Cassette | Shimano 105 R7100 | Shimano Ultegra R8101 |
| Range | 11-34 | 11-34 |
| Speeds | 12-speed | 12-speed |
| Chain | Shimano CN-M7100 | Shimano CN-M8100 |
| Notes | SLX M7100 chain | — |
| Brakes | ||
| Brake calipers | Shimano 105 | — |
| Type | Hydraulic disc | — |
| Rotors | — | Shimano RT-CL800 |
| Front rotor | — | 160 mm |
| Rear rotor | — | 160 mm |
| Mount | — | Center Lock |
| Wheels & tires | ||
| Wheelset | DT Swiss R470 | Bontrager Aeolus Pro 51 |
| Internal rim width | 20 mm | — |
| Material | Aluminium | OCLV Carbon |
| Tubeless ready | Yes | Yes |
| Hubs | Specialized sealed-bearing thru-axle hubs, Centerlock, 24H | — |
| Spokes | DT Swiss Champion 14G stainless steel, brass nipples | — |
| Freehub options | — | Shimano 11/12-speed |
| Tires | Specialized Turbo Pro | Bontrager Aeolus Pro |
| Tire width | 26 mm | 28 mm |
| Type | — | Tubeless Ready, with Bontrager TLR sealant |
| Casing | — | 120 tpi, aramid bead |
| Cockpit | ||
| Handlebar | Specialized Shallow Drop | Bontrager Aero Pro |
| Type | Drop bar | Drop bar, 31.8 mm clamp, Di2 routing |
| Widths available | 360 mm (44), 380 mm (49), 400 mm (52), 420 mm (54-56), 440 mm (58-61) as fitted by size | 35/38 cm (XS), 37/40 cm (S), 39/42 cm (M-L), 41/44 cm (XL), control/drop width |
| Bar reach | 70 mm | 80 mm |
| Bar drop | 125 mm | 124 mm |
| Material | 6061 alloy | OCLV Carbon |
| Notes | 31.8 mm clamp | — |
| Stem | Specialized Tarmac integrated stem | Trek RCS Pro |
| Stem length | 70 mm (44), 80 mm (49), 90 mm (52), 100 mm (54-56), 110 mm (58-61) | 80 mm (XS), 90 mm (S-M), 100 mm (ML-L), 110 mm (XL), -7° |
| Notes | 6 degrees | — |
| Saddle & seatpost | ||
| Saddle | Specialized Power Sport | Bontrager Aeolus Elite |
| Saddle width | — | 145 mm |
| Widths available | 155 mm (44-52), 143 mm (54-61) | — |
| Rails | Steel | Austenite |
| Seatpost | Specialized S-Works Tarmac Carbon Seatpost | Trek Madone aero carbon seatpost |
| Offset / setback | 20 mm | 0 mm |
| Material | FACT carbon | Carbon |
| Notes | 300 mm long (44-52), 380 mm (54-61); Tarmac integrated wedge binder | Short length |
| Bar tape | Supacaz Super Sticky Kush | Trek EcoTack |
| Notes | — | Trek also lists gel cork tape |
| Geometry (smallest – largest size) | ||
| Sizes | 44, 49, 52, 54, 56, 58, 61 | XS, S, M, ML, L, XL |
| Rider height min | — | 143–188 cm4′8″–6′2″ |
| Rider height max | — | 158–199 cm5′2″–6′6″ |
| Stack | 501–612 mm19.7–24.1″ | 507–610 mm20–24″ |
| Reach | 366–408 mm14.4–16.1″ | 370–402 mm14.6–15.8″ |
| Seat tube angle | 73–75.5° | 73.4–73.8° |
| Head tube angle | 70.5–74° | 71.6–73.9° |
| Head tube length | 99–204 mm3.9–8″ | 100–201 mm3.9–7.9″ |
| Effective top tube | 496–595 mm19.5–23.4″ | 517–584 mm20.4–23″ |
| Seat tube length | 433–545 mm17–21.5″ | 404–609 mm15.9–24″ |
| Chainstay | 410 mm16.1″ | 410–412 mm16.1–16.2″ |
| Wheelbase | 970–1,013 mm38.2–39.9″ | 971–1,007 mm38.2–39.6″ |
| BB drop | 72–74 mm2.8–2.9″ | 68–72 mm2.7–2.8″ |
| BB height | 266–268 mm10.5–10.6″ | — |
| Fork length | 370 mm14.6″ | — |
| Fork offset | 44–47 mm1.7–1.9″ | 40–50 mm1.6–2″ |
| Trail | 52–71 mm2–2.8″ | 57–62 mm2.2–2.4″ |
| Front centre | 572–613 mm22.5–24.1″ | 572–604 mm22.5–23.8″ |
| Standover | 723–834 mm28.5–32.8″ | 704–863 mm27.7–34″ |
| Wheel size | 700c | 700c |
| Crank length | 165–175 mm6.5–6.9″ | — |
| Stem length | 70–110 mm2.8–4.3″ | 80–110 mm3.1–4.3″ |
| Handlebar width | 360–440 mm14.2–17.3″ | — |
| Handlebar reach | — | 80 mm3.1″ |
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).