Specialized Tarmac or Scott addict?

Brian Duffy has given us a very difficult choice between two bikes that are world class and top of the range. Specialized and Scott make great bikes and Brian wants us to choose one of them for him. A very hard job!

Question:
My new bike choice has come down to the Specialized Tarmac Pro with Sram Red or the Scott Addict R2 with Dura Ace 7900. Both bikes feel great and are about the same price. I do mostly rides with a couple of friends and they like to do a lot of hills mostly under 50 miles.
Thanks,
Brian.

Hi Brian,

Nice choice and I can see why you don’t know which to turn, very difficult to split the two bikes as they are very good, you could race on either of them in any Pro peloton. We have ridden the Scott Addict many times as one of the staff owns one and we now the SRAM Red very well from our Astana team Trek test ride a last year and lets face it the Shimano Dura Ace group set is (possibly) the best you can get. Now the Specialized Tarmac Pro we have only had the chance to ride once for a very short time and it felt very nice, but the one we rode had the Campagnolo Record group set and not the SRAM Red, but saying all this we have used all the frames and groups in one configuration or the other.

First let’s look at the Specialized Tarmac Pro:

This one of the best Carbon frames around built by bonding and monocoque methods, semi sloping frame design and just the frame dimensions for a snappy ride with a bit of comfort. The SRAM Red group set is top quality and seen on many pro bikes these days. Mavic Ksyrium SL wheels and all the other parts are Specialized branded, including the compact or normal sized carbon chain set and bottom bracket, all these are very well made and are not a worry. This is a great bike, well made, good proportions and could win races, with the right pair of legs!

Now the Scott Addict R2:

We know this bike so well, it’s the bench mark to test all other bikes, and it weighs in at 6.4 kgs, has great performance on any road and is a dream to ride. Shimano Dura Ace is faultless, the other parts are either Fizik or Ritchey and the wheels are Mavic Ksyrium Premium. This bike has it all and maybe a little more than the Specialized.

Scott Addict R2

Our Conclusion:

They are both great bike and any rider should be proud to own and ride either of them. We like the look of the Specialized and the SRAM is on every bike you see in the magazines and on many teams and once you get used to the gear change it OK. The Scott gets the vote, but only just. The Scott is lighter and it comes with Fizik and Ritchey parts and not Specialized own brand which could be from anywhere. Also the Shimano Dura Ace chain set and bottom bracket we know is very good and trustworthy, not that we are saying there is anything wrong with the Specialized, but we know all about Shimano workmanship. So there you have it, go for the Scott Addict R2, but they are very close, if the Specialized had the Dura Ace or the Scott had the SRAM, then I don’t think I could pick one above the other. Tell us which you go for? You’ll enjoy either very much.

Specialized also in White