Recommendations & Suggestions required. *UPDATE and MAIDEN VOYAGE*

SD,
I still have the other Tarmac SL, she is hanging in the roof of the 'garage of many bike bits'. No doubt covered in cobwebs now, but I am thinking what to do with that one colour/finish wise. I was thinking about doing a Help for Heroes style colour scheme - base black with the light and darker blue with red 'flashes' and the logo on the down tube. I will have to check with the charity first though, perhaps use it for my Cherborg to Cean ride on my own. IF I can afford to I would donate it to the charity or maybe auction it - I'm still in thoughts about that one.
The Allez, well that is still within the family, though I don't see much of it during the summer - no doubt it will turn back up here when it needs something doing to it.
Regards,

Trikeman.

Hi,
although the photo was taken yesterday, nothing stays still. Now it sports black fizik bar tape and black front mech bracket, now looks even more 'stealthy'.

The build is a 52cm S-Works Tarmac SL with full Ultegra throughout, Toupe Ti, Mavic Ksyrium Elites, SLK Carbon Pro crankset and Conti Gatorskins. Carbon seatpost & stem.

Adey, I was a little suprised there was filler on an original frame but it was cosmetic, very thin skim around joins and sprayed over, so I doubt the removal will effect anything.
Regards

Trikeman.

Hi Raleigh,
it does a bit, doesn't it.

However, mine is light but not as light as the Cannondale. This one tips the scales at 16lb 3oz all up, don't know how accurate the scales are though but it is really light.
Tyres are not the lightest but I do like the gatorskins p******e resistance.
Would be nice to get a set of lighter, less rolling resistance tyres but I have to have p*******e 'confidence'.

Regards,

Trikeman.

Hi All,
just got back from the 'now matt black S works Tarmac' shakedown maiden voyage, now it's all back together an'all.
Just got to get some black bar tape, lower the bars about 15mm and ditch the 'bling red' pedals. Going to go the matt black on the front mech clamp too - a bit bright.
Very anonymous!
This is one light machine, as always - any thoughts?
Regards

Trikeman.

Hi Russy,
I toyed with making this a superb job with spotless finish so started work by wet rubbing down of the laquer over carbon. However, the finish under the laquer and hidden black paint was not very good at all, and on an S-Works Tarmac I expected better (maybe better on a Chinarello)
So, I just took off as much as I could then resorted to 'scraping' the laquer, paint and yes,,,,, filler under the paint which was original. Specialized used a light filler to cover up joins etc then blacked over, so it took a long time to remove.
Not as such a good job as I would have liked to have done but did not want to start using filler.
Primed with light self etch and then several coats of matt black.

Trikeman.

Hi All,
just came back in from the 'garage of many bike bits' after finishing the recommended Matt Black paint jobby on the S-Works Tarmac frame et al.
I know its been some time since I started it (been up to my cravat in it) but now it's nearly finito. I stood it on a pair of carbon 50mm's and it looked really 'stealthy'.
In the end I decided not to carry on with the red bits as in the picture above as now it just blends into the background, very 'ordinary' looking.
Thoughts????????

Regards

Trikeman.

OOooooo, do you mean ike this gal Below?????

Not that I want to 'copy' such a fine specimen but I could replicate the black for sure - is this what's being suggested? I really like it though.

Thoughts????

Thanks

Trikeman.