Bike Choices?

Ted Cherry has an enviable decision to make; he can’t make up his mind to buy either a Dogma from Pinarello or a Tarmac SL3 from Specialized. Tough choice!

Question:
With so many different bikes available and so much hype from various manufacturers that suggest that theirs is the best, etc., an actual choice becomes very difficult. I’m looking for a good top end bike and my choice has been narrowed to either the new Pinarello Dogma or the new Specialized Tarmac SL3. I will not be doing any racing; I’m just one of those nuts that likes to ride on a top end bike.

Hi Ted.

I would agree that both bikes are the top end in the world frames and a very difficult choice between the two. Just because you are not racing that doesn’t mean you can’t ride the best that is on offer. Appreciating the best is not something to apologise for, wanting to ride a top bike just shows you have good taste and the cash!

Our Choice (Very difficult indeed!)

Specialized SL3

The S-Works SL3 is an improvement on the SL2 with added strengthening fibres and integrating the chain stays with the bottom bracket as a monocoque making the rear end much stiffer. At the front they have used more stiffening ribs around the head tube as have the forks, so the frame is now one of the most rigid on the market. For comfort the seat stays are wide to lower lateral flex, but are thin to give some road absorbency.

The Specialized looks like a normal frame, the main tubes are nearly round, and the top tube flattens as it comes to the seat tube and has a look of a “hump” in the middle. The chain stays look big, but this is because they are flat and the pencil thin seat stays are very similar to the ones used by Cervelo.

Maybe the Specialized SL3 is a little more “conservative” in its look, but it is classy and very workmanlike and weighs in at just over 13 lbs fir the complete bike, for sure a great frame.

Pinarello Dogma
The Dogma from Pinarello looks like no other frame with its shaped tubes and forks. The chain and seat stays have a “wiggle” in the middle and the forks have two bends with a definite different look to them. The top tube also has a bit of a hump in the middle and the head tube has a shaped area which also gives the frame a different look.

The seat tube has an aero shape which means you also have to use a special aero shaped seat pin. The main tubes are large and flat giving a very aero look. The material used for the carbon Dogma is 60HM1K which means that the rigidity is 60 tons per square centimetre which makes it very rigid, but has the draw back of being brittle, so Pinarello have fitted shock absorbing elastomers to take away the chance of cracks.

 

Both bike will handle like you would expect from the best, Specialized and Pinarello have Pro riders winning on both frames, so they both have the pedigree and the feed back from the riders must make a difference to every facet of the frames.

I would say that if you want something different I would go for the Pinarello, if your choice is more towards the normal look then it has to be the Specialized.

My choice….The Pinarello, probably!

The next problem will be which equipment to fit? Let us know what you decide.