Have ridden both, though not extensively. In terms of comfort I really doubt that with the same position and finishing kit (saddle, tires, wheels, bar tape) you could tell any difference between them. Or for that matter between most high end carbon frames.

First off would get yourself fit. The Venge is a little longer and lower in each size, that might be a factor. Agree that the Venge looks awesome but IMO riding an aero bike with a bunch of spacers is not a good look! Bit like buying a sports car then sticking a roof box on it...

Assuming you can fit well on either bike then probably comes down to a mix of priorities and personal preference on cosmetics. Both great bikes. If the bunch racing was a priority then personally I'd go Venge. Aero advantage might be small but in a sprint or a breakaway every watt counts. For long training days and more social group riding I prefer a slightly more relaxed geometry so would go Tarmac. So for your list of activities you really need both ;-)

I owned an S works tarmac sl3 for 8 years. Loved the bike. I recently went to a Roubaix as I wanted a fit hat I didn’t need an inch if spacers like I did the Tarmac. Both bikes ride similar to me for my use and type of riding.

Not sure about the venge. Assuming both fit you, I would go with your gut.

I own both (2017) models and the tarmac is a softer ride.
The venue has fast acceleration.

I suggest buying both.

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i have owned both. Tarmac better all-rounder and will happily sprint. Feels pretty snappy. Whatever that means, really. Climbs well. Venge feels more aggressive - feels a bit more road buzz, stiffer. Its the clubber lang of bikes.

Thats my velonews description. To be honest its hard to tell them apart if the set up was the same. If your looking at the latest versions of said bikes, id get the tarmac as its fairly aero anyway, and is a bit more of a do it all bike.

I have had some version of the S-works Tarmac since around 2011, and just built up a 2018 chameleon green one. The new design is phenomenal and I am amazing at how comfortable it is for a race-level bike. I think if I were racing triathlon on a road bike, I would get the Venge. Otherwise, its Tarmac any day for me.

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Colorado Triathlon Company, CO2UT 2021, Crooked Gravel 2022, Steamboat Gravel 2022

I had the original sworks venge and replaced it this year with a sworks tarmac sl6 disc. I test rode the current model venge back to back with the tarmac and the difference is noticeable. The tarmac is more lively handling wise, accelerates faster and responds quicker to changes in power. The venge holds speed better, but takes longer to get there and is slower handling wise. Both bikes track really well on bends and are super stable on descents (probably due to the thru axles).The tarmac was hands down my pick. I'm just annoyed that the integrated cabling of the venge isn't available on the tarmac.

Get the SWorks Tarmac SL6 it is awesome. I have owned every SWorks version of the Tarmac since the SL2. The SL6 is a wonderful bike and a dream to ride. I am riding it with DuraAce 9150, direct mount brakes and ENVE 4.5s. ENVE cockpit and Antares Carbon Stem. I have owned the first SWorks venge which was great at the time, I also briefly owned the Venge Vias and didn’t like it. The VIAS bike was quite heavy.

If I was you try to take both for a ride. Good luck

interesting, i thought that slowtwitch would follow #aeroiseverything and go for the venge but the consensus seems to be towards the tarmac.
of course those saying get both are correct but i don't think that will be happening! test rides are not really possible here

The SL6 Disc is way better. The rigidity and sure-footedness from the thru axels has to be experienced.

I tried the disk version and I didn’t notice any difference in stiffness between that bike and my direct mount brake bike. The non disk sl6 is plenty stiff there is absolutely no brake rub and my brake pads are a mere millimeter away from the rim. I respect your opinion though.

Have ridden both, the Venge is never not faster. Really like the tire clearance on the Venge and execution with the tidy but uncomplicated cable routing.
Tarmac only gets the nod if you sell your frames often and want a wider audience in the used market for a bike that can do electric or mechanical shifting.
The PRO model of the Venge is the same frame as the SWorks tipping the "value" scales somewhat.

The Venge w/ Ultegra RX Clutch Di2 R/D and 11-36t cassette on 32mm semi-slick tires is my "gravel" bike for events like BWR, some Grasshopper events. Can't imagine anyone would describe that bike with 4.5 bar as "harsh" at all. It rides like it's on marshmallows with the big rubber and shallow wheels and like a TT bike with the CLX64s.

-SD

this is interesting, why do you think that is? the weight difference is too minimal to make a real difference acceleration on the flat. is it less still thought the BB/chainstays?

Have a listen to the latest TrainerRoad podcast!

They discuss the differences between the latest Tarmac and Venge models in quite some detail, frame weights, aero, handling, comfort etc etc. To cut a long story short, their verdict was strongly in favour of the Venge. As a Tarmac owner it was a bit disappointing, but those guys know their stuff!

It was all within the first 10-15 mins of the episode so shouldn't be too hard to find.

I haven't had an opportunity to ride the new Roubaix yet (as I think very few people will have) but now that the Tarmac and Roubaix share the same geometry at the top end I would struggle to buy a Tarmac. I remain unconvinced about the Future shock but the Tarmac has been left in a bit of no mans land between the Venge and Roubaix.

I disagree. If you you do any amount of climbing the Venge is no good. I've done tons of ride on a Venge as well as Tarmac and the Tarmac is a much better all around bike. If you do mostly flat riding, then by all means the Venge is great and is super fast. I absolutely hate how the Venge feels climbing (compared to the Tarmac), especially out of the saddle.

Can't speak for the Roubaix, but that depends on what kind of roads you ride on. I'm perfectly comfortable on the Tarmac (S-Works SL6). I've done numerous rides over 100 miles and I don't think I would add the extra weight of the Roubaix for a more plush ride. Also depends on how it climbs compared to the Tarmac as to if it's a worthwhile benefit.

I've put over 12000 miles on the SL6 Tarmac Pro over the last year+ and it has been perfect for me. Feels very quick and responsive. Climbs and descends well. I have a friend who bought a new Venge last fall after being on the SL6 Tarmac for most of the year. Three months later he was back on a brand new disc brake Tarmac. He said the Venge just didn't feel right or handle the way he wanted.

I own a Sworks SL3 and it's been such a great bike that I've only upgraded around the frame for years. I've listened to the Trainerroad podcast and was disappointed to hear about getting the Venge. I've never ridden the Venge, but assuming it's very fast. I just like how responsive and quick my Tarmac is in various conditions. Since I still live in the rim brake world, I would likely jump up the the Tarmac SL6 and switch over my parts, which may be the last time i can ride a rim brake road bike! The Roubaix does sound awesome, so I'm also quite sad to see the Tarmac get sort of lost between the Venge/Roubaix.

awesome thanks, will do

There is a comfort difference between the two. Test ride them - I think it should be apparent.

A few important points to keep in mind. The weight difference between the 2 frames alone is more than 1/2 a pound. Secondly, he had both bikes weighing about the same due to component differences. Lastly, he's riding a 61. With a big frame like that it is entirely possible the ride characteristics between the frames is closer than for regular size frames.

But it's not just about weight. At least for me, the Tarmac climbs a lot more nimbler than the Venge. They just don't feel the same to me. On the flats, the Venge is noticeably faster. I think more so than what some of the test were showing (some said a 10W difference). Unless you do mostly flat riding (in which case I would recommend the Venge), I would caution you to take both bikes out for some serious climbing before going with the Venge.

I would say quite the opposite. Comfort is primarily down to setup and also depends on other factors such as road characteristics, temperature, etc... As such, i believe it's impossible to judge on a test ride. In fact I question the wisdom of doing test rides at all. They're far more likely to put you off a good bike due to factors not specific to the bike or simply facilitate confirmation bias, rather than provide a solid basis for a decision.

Comfort is mostly down to fit, tyres/tube/pressures, saddle, bars and bar tape.
How many of these will be as you want them for a test ride, and identical between test bikes?
Shops usually do a pretty rough setup for a test ride. At best they take your fit measurements for bar stack/reach and saddle height and setback. Any small differences are likely far more relevant than the bike itself. Plenty bikes come with mediocre tyres that get changed in short order. Tyre pressure is a huge factor in comfort and feel - have you any idea what the bike shop has put in the tyres (even if the tyres are representative) and whether it's appropriate and similar for both bikes? most of us change saddles on new bikes to meet out preferences and spend a bit of time getting the position and tilt just right. It won't be spot on for your test ride even if you get them to fit your existing saddle. If the bars suit you and you don't plan to change them they may not be a factor, but otherwise they will as will the bar tape which can make a big difference to perception of comfort and handling.

Well, I mean sure - get the bikes to match up as best as possible - I don't mind anyone going to that length. Do it if you feel like you need to.

But at some point, you gotta ride these bikes right? even with the differences in setup. You're spending a lot of money on these bikes, seems probably worth 30-45 minutes on each to at least get more data into your decision. Might not be perfect, but it's an imperfect world here.

I think you missed my point.
I didn't say it wasnt worth the effort. I said it wasn't useful.

You don't end up with more data because the noise is fat greater than the signal.
I'd go so far as to say a test ride is likely counterproductive.

If possible, bring down your own wheels and saddle. In all honesty, the ride feel was pretty close between them (I had the same exact setup on both - except the obvious things that are unique to each bike). I didn't dislike the comfort on the Venge, though I do think I could tell the difference blindfolded. I could not tell the difference blindfolded between an S-works Tarmac and a pro tarmac. If you are someone that feels they need a Roubaix then perhaps the Venge is too harsh for you. Otherwise, they are close enough. I did 100+ miles rides on the Venge with no comfort issues.

As far as a test ride. I would feel comfortable recommending a Tarmac to anyone without a test ride. But, unless you plan to ride on mostly flat courses, I would strongly recommend a test ride of the Venge up some long and steep hills before buying it. To me the difference in how they felt climbing was huge. I don't attribute it to the weight difference. My SL-6 is almost a pound lighter than my SL-5 and they both feel about the same climbing.

If they were truly the same in ride performance, they wouldn't bother making 2 models and none of the pros would be riding the Tarmac.