I can't compare the 2 but bought a 2017 GAN S from Excel Sports a few months back and have been really happy with the ride quality. Excel's prices seem pretty good and they swapped out components to do a custom build for me. They were great to work with so you might want to check them out online at least to compare price to your local shop..

I do not know much about the Gan... Is the Gan Pinarello's equivalent to the standard Tarmac while the Dogma F10 the equivalent to the S-Works Tarmac? If so, then I would get the Gan. My original race bike was a Pinarello, and I have deep Pinarello love. Eventually, I will have a Dogma road bike.

I have 8 years on the S-works Tarmac and deciding on a replacement would be easy; a new S-works. I don't believe there is a better all around bike on the market right now. But a lot of them are good, so whatever you chose should serve you well.

The GAN does retain some of the ride quality that makes the F8 so special. I can't quantify why, but the S-Works Tarmac felt boring and uninspiring, whereas the F8 felt alive and just like an extension of me. Could very well be that the Pinarello geometry just fits me better... who knows?

So, yes, highly recommend the GAN.

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"Suddenly the thought struck me. My floor is someone elses ceiling"-Nils Ferlin

Gan has the same tube shapes as the f8, so it will be a fast bike. F8 has been tested in the tunnel by tour and specialized and it didnt embaress itself, not the most aero but certainly in the conversation. If you're looking for aero i would go with the gan.

I recently spent a week on the new Sworks Tarmac, absolutely loved it and I owned an older Tarmac before and hated that bike. Was very light and accelerated as good as my Venge I don't know how to describe it but it felt more "right" than any other bike I have ridden.

Full disclosure I work for a Specialized retailer and was at Specialized HQ for a week of training.

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Jim

**Note above poster works for a retailer selling bikes and related gear*

I was curious, so I had to search reviews. The Gan ≠ Tarmac; its a totally different design approach. It is an endurance bike, more relaxed than the K bikes. And it is made from lower grades of carbon (3 to pick from). The Tarmac is a pure road race bike. If you want Tarmac handling, you probably won’t like the Gan. I would get the S-Works Tarmac, between those two.

the gan is virtually identical design and geometry to the F8 which would be considered a race bike - in the 46.5 size i'm looking at the reach is identical, stack is 1mm higher. a few of the frame geometry measurements are a few mm different but acknowledging that i'm no expert on how geometry affects handling, i don't see there being much difference.

can you clarify why you think the gan is an endurance bike? there is a gan k which is an endurance version, maybe you're looking at that?

It may not look as different in the smaller sizes. Compare the differences in wheelbase— length of the tail and front, and the B.B. drop. Those are the dimensions that relax handling. The Gan is longer all around. It will not have the sam e sharp handling as the Dogma F10. The Gan and F10 have the same fork angle, which surprised me. It is a 1/4” longer stretch limo.

If you want to compare the three (Tarmac, Gan, F10) bikes in their common sizes, setup a table that looks at tail length, BB-front wheel, BB drop, seat tube angle, and head tube angle. Shorter and steeper is quicker handling.

thanks, will do

interestingly i found a statement from Chris Yiu at specialized that the new tarmac is actually as aero as the original venge - basically all down to kammtailed forks and seat tube plus dropped seat stays. the official line is "approximately 45 seconds faster over 40km compared to other lightweight bikes in the same category".
not sure if i entirely believe it but assuming its vaguely true that says quite a bit about how far frame aerodynamics have come over the last few years and i'm glad to see an increasing move towards frames that are good at everything rather than climbing frames and aero frames as distinct categories.

I have an S-Works SL6 and I keep getting surprised by how fast it goes! Didn't rode the SL5 and earlier versions but it is definitely more aero than my other road bike.

Yeah, I’ve had an S-works SL6 Ultralight for the past couple of weeks, and it is something else. I also have the S-Works SL2 and SL4, but I may need to sell them as I’m not sure how much they’ll get ridden. Same with the Venge Vias.

Ian

Difficult to take that claim seriously without him naming names. Almost every other race bike in their current model has had the tubing and overall design aero optimized. Maybe not Cannondale but that's about it.

Personally I love my Gan, a so-called easy fit due to the small size (46.5) similar geometry to F8 but different carbon used.

I worked in a shop that sells both for the past 6 years. The F8/F10 is a fantastic bike, it handles the road very well and is very well designed. Everything from the cable routing, the threaded BB, and internal Di2 junction port are well thought out. The Gan brings many of these qualities over, with a few differences (I'm sure you've already done some research). I've ridden one for a while, and it was a good bike, but not quite like the F8/F10. It just doesn't have as quick of a snap or as smooth road feel.



The SL6 is a very different bike. It is very snappy and lively. Where the Pinarello's tend to have a more "muted" road feel, the Tarmac is a bit more lively. The handling is a bit different as well as part of it may be the short chainstays and steep(er) seat tube angle. Very snappy feel and stiff in the BB/headtube area. The clearance on the Sl6 is something to behold as well. I've put on 28c tires on a Hed + rim (measured to 29.5) and had ample clearance. I'm sure I could put a low profile CX tire and be fine. Direct mount brakes are also a welcome addition over traditional, and very easy to adjust. The downsides? BB30 is not my favorite standard and the mechanical cable routing isn't very clean. If you run di2/etap, it is fantastic and one of the cleanest setups available, but mechanical looks bad.


Most of the guys that work here are buying the new Tarmac. It just nails so many things right. Light, stiff, ample tire clearance, looks, etc. I bought one for myself and one of my co-workers has a downpayment on one and is hoping for some new paint schemes to come out this summer.

great feedback thanks.
tarmac it is - partly for the snappier feel and lighter weight, partly just because its the one that "feels" right

Good decision. Can't go wrong with Tarmac.

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Cannondale Slice 08
look keo pedals
fizik k3 arione saddle