Ha! Unlikely I’ll slam it (it’s got 20mm spacers under the stem as seen), but maybe get to 15 or 10 at some point. I think I’d want to move the training bike down that little bit at that point too, so we’ll see.
Did a four hour ride this weekend, and I’ve got another planned for today. I’ll try to chuck some first impressions in here.
Got another 2 hours in today (Tuesday) after 4 on Sunday. Sunday was a fairly spirited group ride on mixed terrain. The bike is setup with the same DT Swiss wheels that were on my S5. That’s made for a kind of cool chance to really compare the frames. Some thoughts:
- The SL7 feels faster up climbs and accelerating. It just feels peppier. I’m not sure if this is geometry, lay up, new BB, slightly less weight (.5 kg+).
- Both frames feel racy, and for the S5 you’re always aware of it, which can be really cool. The SL7 lets you switch off a bit more, for better or worse.
- On the same wheels and tires, the SL7 is pretty clearly more compliant, but doesn’t feel any less nimble. The S5 feels tight on descents, and tracks well. The SL7 feels quicker to take input, but not twitchy.
- Hard to say which is faster in a straight line, but money would be on the S5. That difference would be really marginal. With lots of change in elevation feels like it would be the SL7 from the riding I’ve done.
- Aerofly II bars and Barfly mount are good on the SL7, same kit is good on the S5. Threaded BB on the SL7 is kind of cool, but honestly think that’s more for pro teams who are building/rebuilding them all the time. I think the SL7 was unabashedly designed for pro riders, whether it’s versatility over long courses or relative ease to wrench on. Depending on the kind of amateur racing you do, your mileage will vary.
In summary, if one of these two frames had the better spec kit, that’d almost certainly be the better performing bike. Looks-wise, I think the S5 is a lot more interesting, and I give Cervelo credit for really stretching on the design. The SL7 will probably be better for resale (except for the steerer 
) and might be a better race bike on all around feel.
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Nice feedback thanks Jesse. Sounds like it’s getting harder to draw differences between high end bikes now. That always on feel about the S5D I’ve read a few places too, one of the reasons I’d love a go on one. All these bikes are a PITA to work on now no matter what!
Hope you end up loving the Tarmac though. Enjoy and keep the feedback coming if your opinion develops!
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