"S-Works Tarmac SL6" (Chinese copy)

[Fatal Swan]

My good road bike was stolen a couple of months back and having literally sold my other road bike a couple of weeks before, I badly needed to put something together quickly for the spring/summer, probably just as a stop gap. Up popped this second hand Chinese copy of an S-Works Tarmac SL6 frameset, which was not the kind of thing I was expecting to go for at all but it was nice looking and extremely good value. So I went for it and started building it up mostly from parts I had spare. But after a couple of rides, crikey, it's very fast indeed and really comfortable. Having spent very little on it I decided to commit to the build and treat it to some Dura Ace and here it is, nearly finished.

Weight is 7.1kg inc pedals. I'll add some better photos soon.

Frame: 'Replica' S Works Tarmac SL6 Sagan edition. XL. 1156g inc headset, & BR60 bottom bracket
Forks: 'Replica' S Works Tarmac SL6. 315g
Seatpost: 'Replica' S Works Tarmac SL6, 176g
Wheels: Mavic Cosmic Carbon SLS Exalith
Skewers: Gold Ti QR
Tyres: Copntinental GP4000s II Folding 25mm, Schwalbe ExtraLight tubes
Chainset: Shimano R8000 Ultegra 50/34 Compact 172.5
BB: Shimano, BR60
Pedals: HT Components PK01-Ti, 169g/pr
Chain: KMC X11-EL
Cassette: Shimano R8000 Ultegra 11-32
Brake calipers: Shimano Dura Ace BR-9110 Direct Mount
Gear/Brake Levers: Shimano Dura Ace 9001
F/Mech: Shimano Dura Ace 9100
R/Mech: Shimano Dura Ace 9100
Saddle: Charge Knife Ti
Stem: Syntace F109 90mm, Ti bolts
Bar: 3T Ergonova Team carbon 44cm
Grip tape: Prime Race 2.5mm (double layered for comfort!)

I have a carbon railed saddle I'd like to put on but I need to get hold of new rail clamps, since it's a copy I'm not sure if the Specialized ones will fit. After that I'd like to upgrade to a DA crankset if a decent one turns up at a good enough price.

 

[Magpiegifts]

That's one heck of a tidy "copy"...
Looks rapid

 

[Splatter Paint]

Nice looking bike

 

[Fatal Swan]

Stay tuned, there are a few updates coming in the next couple of weeks! I've been trying to shed a few more grams to offset the weight of a faster/lovelier (though slightly heavier) set of wheels...

Also the current photo doesn't really do the glitter paint justice at the moment, I'll get some better ones of it shimmering in the sunshine!

 

[Fatal Swan]

Right, here are the photos I was waiting for. Still only taken on my old phone, but never mind. It's now got some nice wheels and one or two other changes since last time (a smattering of gold too). Just left to put on the carbon railed saddle when the new clamp arrives, lighter inner tubes, and I have another option for the brake calipers. I think it should be a fraction under 7kg when I'm done with those changes!

 

[Fatal Swan]

Haven't updated this thread for a couple of years now but the Chinese S Works is still going strong. I recently replaced the groupset with SRAM Red Etap for a bit of a change. Losing the cables neatens the look up quite a lot. I keep meaning to weigh it since it's really light now that that I've swapped out the Cosmic wheels as well (I may put them back on), I'd guess somewhere around 6.5kg. Also some more nice gold bolts...

 

[ChromeChainstay]

 

[MartinB123]

Love it!

 

[rmwesley]

Haven't updated this thread for a couple of years now but the Chinese S Works is still going strong. I recently replaced the groupset with SRAM Red Etap for a bit of a change. Losing the cables neatens the look up quite a lot. I keep meaning to weigh it since it's really light now that that I've swapped out the Cosmic wheels as well (I may put them back on), I'd guess somewhere around 6.5kg. Also some more nice gold bolts...

I've been tempted to give this a go and build up a super-lite road bike using a carbon copy frame. Have done pretty much zero research on it though. Great to know yours has lasted the test of time. I'm getting my project backlog down to something manageable at the moment, so it could become a reality.

What do you reckon the frame's provenance is? e.g. a kosher Specialized frame which has exited the factory by the back door, or a copy which may not have the same QC?

I've built up a few sets of wheels using Light Bicycle carbon rims which have been faultless quality, however they are a bona fide manufacturer rather than knock-off or back door stuff. I'm a bit more reticent about buying a carbon frame from Alibaba. Probably just need to look into it a bit more. At one stage, I know there was an unbelievably long thread going on the Weight Weenies forum discussing the merits of different frames.