If you’re looking for a top-end road race bike, the Trek Madone, Pinarello Dogma F and Specialized Tarmac SL8 are three bikes that have surely made your shortlist.
All are raced at the top level of pro cycling and, at the top of their respective ranges, bear a pricetag to match. But Trek, Pinarello and Specialized also offer more affordable options that share the DNA of their premium models, so you’re not committed to spending £10,000-plus if you are looking for a race bike from any of the three brands.
Specialized applies its S-Works branding to its premium Tarmacs and Pinarello only uses the Dogma tag for its top spec F-series bikes, as well as its Dogma X endurance bike. Trek is more generous with its Madone label, using it for the whole range, but differentiates between the premium SLR and lower carbon grade SL framesets.
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We’ll guide you through the three bikes’ key features and the available ranges and, lower down, we’ll make some suggestions for how to choose between them.
Trek Madone vs Pinarello Dogma vs Specialized Tarmac: Key features at a glance
Trek Madone Gen 8
- Generation 8 is both aero and low in weight
- Two carbon frame grades: OCLV 900, OCLV 500
- Trek Race Geometry
- Aero bar/stem on SLR specs
- 32mm tyre clearance
Pinarello Dogma F / F-series
- New Dogma F lowers weight and is disc brake only
- Asymmetric aero frame design
- Three carbon grades: M40X, T900, T700
- F9 and some F7 and F5 specs not sold in the UK
- 30mm tyre clearance
Specialized Tarmac SL8
- Lightweight/aero race bike
- Two carbon grades: FACT 12r, FACT 10r
- Lighter and more aero than the Tarmac SL7
- SL7 still sold at lower specs
- 32mm tyre clearance
New Trek Madone vs new Pinarello Dogma F vs Specialized Tarmac SL8: latest updates
The Madone and the Dogma F were updated more or less at the same time, just ahead of the 2024 Tour de France.
The Madone had the most radical makeover, with the Gen 8 bike essentially a significantly slimmed-down version of the Gen 7 bike. It retains the dramatic IsoFlow seat tube design with the central hole under the seatpost, but pares everything down to lose around 300g in mass.
In contrast, the Dogma F’s weight-shedding hacks have been more modest, although it too has been on a diet, losing a claimed 108g. It now incorporates a narrower, longer head tube, narrower down tube and new, shorter thru-axles, which are enveloped by the frame at their far ends. The lower spec F-series bikes were last updated in early 2023 and have much in common with the previous generation Dogma F.
The Tarmac SL8 was the earliest of the three bikes to be updated, although it was still relatively recently in August 2023. Again, it’s been slimmed down from its predecessor, with a narrower head tube and seat tube. It also now has a one-piece bar/stem on top spec bikes, as do the Dogma F and Madone Gen 8.
Trek Madone vs Pinarello Dogma F vs Specialized Tarmac SL8: aerodynamics
Despite the shallower tube profiles and smaller IsoFlow cavity under the seatpost, Trek says that the Gen 8 Madone is as aero as the Gen 7 bike. The new bar-stem on the SLR bikes is thicker than the Gen 7’s though, which Trek says improves airflow further back, directing it away from the rider’s legs.
The loosening of the UCI’s frame geometry rules has allowed Pinarello to deepen the head tube in the latest generation Dogma F, with a pronounced 'nose' to help aerodynamics. The new bike also has a 'keel' under the bottom bracket, which Pinarello says helps airflow, while the seat tube and seatpost are thinned down.
In contrast, the F-Series bikes take their profiles from the previous generation Dogma F, albeit slightly smoothed out, and lack the deeper profiles and the keel, making them a little less aerodynamically efficient.
Specialized too has lengthened the head tube and added a sharper front prominence to its front. It claims that this, along with a new one-piece bar/stem, is a major contributor to the bike’s improved aerodynamics. It’s also thinned out the seat tube/seatpost, as it says that streamlined shapes are less significant further towards the rear of a bike.
Trek Madone vs Pinarello Dogma F vs Specialized Tarmac SL8: weight
Previous generations of the Dogma F-series bikes used to be on the heavy side for pro-level race bikes, which is why Ineos Grenadiers persisted in riding the Dogma F12 with rim brakes after other pro teams had made the switch to disc brakes. The latest Dogma F has shed enough weight to skim the UCI’s 6.8kg weight limit, even with disc brakes – the only choice, as Pinarello no longer offers a rim brake option.
Likewise, the Madone Gen 7 was chunky enough that pro riders took to the Emonda for mountain stages. That’s changed with the Gen 8 Madone, which now has a 7kg claimed weight in premium specs, leading to the demise of the Emonda.
The Specialized S-Works Tarmac SL8 too is right on the 6.8kg UCI weight limit for the top spec bikes, carving a slice off the weight of its predecessor.
As you’d expect, when you drop down the range for all three brands weights increase, driven by less expensive, heavier carbon layups and the selection of lower priced components.
Trek Madone vs Pinarello Dogma F vs Specialized Tarmac SL8: sizing
Trek has narrowed down the range of sizes offered for the Madone from eight for the Gen 7 bike to six for the Gen 8. It says that this has reduced overlaps between frame sizes, so that choosing the right frame size is easier for riders who fall on the boundary between two sizes. At the same time, riders at the short and tall end of the height spectrum are better accommodated, with sizes claimed to fit rider heights between 143cm and 213cm.
In contrast, Pinarello sells the Dogma F in 11 sizes and the F-series frame in nine sizes, which it says is more than any of its competitors, helping buyers to choose the right fit for them. It recommends you visit a dealer to help choose the right size frame for you.
The Tarmac SL8 is sold in seven sizes, offering slightly greater frame size choice than the Madone but still not as much as Pinarello. It claims to cater for riders from 142cm to 196cm tall.
Trek Madone vs Pinarello Dogma F vs Specialized Tarmac SL8: handlebars
With the top spec bikes including an integrated bar/stem, choosing the right combination for you is also important. Trek has 21 different bar width/stem length combinations from 380x80mm up to 440x120mm, with the Aero RSL bar/stem on the SLR bikes being 30mm narrower on the tops than in the drops.
The Dogma F’s Most Talon Ultra Fast bar/stem also has a flared profile and is available in 28 different width/length combinations. Pinarello measures its bar widths from the outside of the drops, so its available 400mm to 460mm widths are actually 20mm narrower than they appear and in line with the Madone.
The Tarmac’s Roval Rapide Cockpit comes in 15 sizes, covering the same 380mm to 420mm range. It’s not as flared as the Trek and Pinarello bars at just 4 degrees, giving you more hand space on the tops, but potentially a slightly less aero ride position on the hoods.
While the higher spec bikes use a one-piece design, in all three ranges lower spec bikes revert to a separate bar and stem which together offer greater adjustability.
Trek Madone vs Pinarello Dogma F vs Specialized Tarmac SL8: geometry and frame features
| Madone Gen 8 | Dogma F | Tarmac SL8 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frame size | ML | 520 | 56 |
| Seat tube length | 512 | 520 | 494 |
| Seat tube angle | 73.4° | 73.4° | 73.5° |
| Head tube length | 150 | 142 | 157 |
| Head tube angle | 73.5° | 72.8° | 73.5° |
| Effective top tube length | 557 | 557 | 563 |
| Bottom bracket drop | 70 | 72 | 72 |
| Chainstay length | 410 | 408 | 410 |
| Reach | 389 | 389 | 395 |
| Stack | 562 | 562 | 565 |
| Wheelbase | 980 | Not provided | 991 |
All figures in mm unless indicated
Geometry-wise the three bikes have a lot in common, as indicated by the comparison above of their size 56-equivalent frames. The Tarmac SL8 is a little longer than the other two bikes, as shown by the frame reach and wheelbase, while Pinarello's head tube length is shorter and its angle slacker than the Madone or Tarmac. Despite this, its stack is near-identical. Pinarello doesn't offer offset or trail figures, so we can't judge whether these compensate for the slacker head tube.
Pinarello’s geometry is similar between the Dogma F and other F-Series bikes, although with the different range of available sizes the two don't completely line up. Although it’s not the only brand to build its bikes asymmetrically, the brand emphasises its asymmetric design, particularly in the rear triangle, which it claims helps even out forces acting on the frame due to the drivetrain.
The trend across performance bike makers is to slim down the seat tube. That makes placement of the internal battery for Shimano electronic groupsets more difficult; whereas previous generations of the bikes had the battery housed in the seatpost, that’s no longer possible.
Pinarello houses its Di2 battery under a weatherproof cover in the bottom of the seat tube. The Madone Gen 8’s Di2 battery also resides in the bottom of the seat tube in a separate housing and is inserted through the bottom bracket, while Specialized uses a sleeve that holds the battery below the seatpost.
Trek Madone vs Pinarello Dogma F vs Specialized Tarmac SL8: groupset options
The premium specs all get a choice of top-of-the-range groupsets, either Shimano Dura-Ace or SRAM Red. Pinarello also offers a Campagnolo Super Record WLR option, although this isn’t sold in the UK.
As usual, move down the price scale and you’ll move down the groupset spec. Trek finishes with a mechanical Shimano 105 base spec, while Pinarello stops at the electronic 105 Di2 and Specialized at SRAM Rival.
A power meter is increasingly seen as an essential for a performance-oriented bike and offered factory-fitted to many higher spec bikes from multiple brands. Here, Specialized does best, with both Shimano and SRAM specs including a power meter.
Trek is more frugal, not fitting a power meter to its Shimano specs, but speccing the in-series power meters to its SRAM bikes. In contrast, Pinarello does not offer specs with a power meter for any of its bikes.
Trek Madone vs Pinarello Dogma F vs Specialized Tarmac SL8: wheels
All three brands offer premium wheels on their top spec bikes. In the case of the Madone, these come from Trek’s in-house Bontrager Aeolus range, while Specialized fits its Roval Rapide CLX II wheels.
Pinarello offers a choice of either Princeton Carbonworks Peak 4550 DB or DT Swiss ARC 1400 wheels on its Shimano and SRAM spec Dogma bikes and Bora WTO wheels for the Campagnolo spec.
Lower down the bike ranges, all three brands offer lower spec in-house carbon wheels, while Trek and Pinarello’s lowest spec bikes are in each case equipped with alloy rim wheels. All the bikes can be set up tubeless.
Trek Madone vs Pinarello Dogma F vs Specialized Tarmac SL8: tyre clearance
All three bikes offer moderately large tyre clearance, which is up on previous generations of their framesets. For a race-oriented bike, tyre clearance, particularly in the rear triangle, is a balancing act: more clearance in general means longer chainstays, which lead to less snappy performance, which potentially downgrades the racy ride feel.
Both Trek and Specialized have increased their clearance to allow 32mm tyres, while Pinarello has stayed at 30mm.
Trek Madone vs Pinarello F vs Specialized Tarmac SL8: frame grades
The Pinarello Dogma F makes use of a new carbon fibre recently introduced by Toray. Called M40X, it’s claimed to provide a high-tensile modulus, which Pinarello says allowed it to reduce weight but still make the frameset even stiffer than its predecessor.
Both Trek and Specialized also claim lighter and stiffer properties for their latest carbon fibre mixes in their top spec bikes. They’re likely to be similar to Pinarello’s, as there are limited sources for premium carbon fibre, although they have proprietary names: OCLV 900 and FACT 12r, respectively.
All three brands use lower spec carbon that’s less expensive but heavier further down their ranges. Trek calls its version OCLV 500, while Specialized has FACT 10r. Pinarello uses Toray T900 fibre in its F9 and F7 and T700 fibre in its F5 framesets.
Trek Madone vs Pinarello Dogma F vs Specialized Tarmac SL8: ranges compared
Next, we’ll run through all the specs available for the three bikes, along with their prices.
Trek Madone bike range
The Madone Gen 8 is offered in four SLR specs, with the higher grade 900 Series OCLV carbon and another four SL specs with OCLV 500 grade carbon. As of August 2024, you could also still buy the Gen 7 Madone, which we’ve not covered here.
Madone SLR 9 AXS Gen 8
- Frame/fork: Madone Gen 8 900 Series OCLV Carbon
- Handlebars: Trek Aero RSL Road one-piece carbon
- Groupset: SRAM Red AXS 12-speed, 48/35t, 10-33t
- Power meter: SRAM Red
- Wheels: Bontrager Aeolus RSL 51 carbon
- Saddle: Bontrager Aeolus RSL carbon rail
- Claimed weight: 7.00kg (size ML)
- Price: £12,500
Madone SLR 9 Gen 8
- Frame/fork: Madone Gen 8 900 Series OCLV Carbon
- Handlebars: Trek Aero RSL Road one-piece carbon
- Groupset: Shimano Dura-Ace 12-speed, 52/36t, 11-30t
- Power meter: No
- Wheels: Bontrager Aeolus RSL 51 carbon
- Saddle: Bontrager Aeolus RSL carbon rail
- Claimed weight: 7.08kg (size ML)
- Price: £12,000
Madone SLR 7 AXS Gen 8
- Frame/fork: Madone Gen 8 900 Series OCLV Carbon
- Handlebars: Trek Aero RSL Road one-piece carbon
- Groupset: SRAM Force AXS 12-speed, 48/35t, 10-33t
- Power meter: SRAM Force
- Wheels: Bontrager Aeolus Pro 51 carbon
- Saddle: Bontrager Aeolus Pro carbon rail
- Claimed weight: 7.43kg (size ML)
- Price: £8,500
Madone SLR 7 Gen 8
- Frame/fork: Madone Gen 8 900 Series OCLV Carbon
- Handlebars: Trek Aero RSL Road one-piece carbon
- Groupset: Shimano Ultegra 12-speed, 52/36t, 11-30t
- Power meter: No
- Wheels: Bontrager Aeolus Pro 51 carbon
- Saddle: Bontrager Aeolus Pro carbon rail
- Claimed weight: 7.31kg (size ML)
- Price: £8,000
Madone SL 7 Gen 8
- Frame/fork: Madone Gen 8 500 Series OCLV Carbon
- Handlebars: Bontrager RSL Aero carbon on Trek RCS Pro alloy stem
- Groupset: Shimano Ultegra 12-speed, 50/34t, 11-34t
- Power meter: No
- Wheels: Bontrager Aeolus Pro 51 carbon
- Saddle: Bontrager Aeolus Elite alloy rail
- Claimed weight: 7.88kg (size ML)
- Price: £6,000
Madone SL 6 AXS Gen 8
- Frame/fork: Madone Gen 8 500 Series OCLV Carbon
- Handlebars: Bontrager Comp alloy on Trek RCS Pro alloy stem
- Groupset: SRAM Rival 12-speed, 48/35t, 10-36t
- Power meter: SRAM Rival
- Wheels: Bontrager Aeolus Elite 35 carbon
- Saddle: Bontrager Aeolus Comp steel rail
- Claimed weight: 8.43kg (size ML)
- Price: £4,750
Madone SL 6 Gen 8
- Frame/fork: Madone Gen 8 500 Series OCLV Carbon
- Handlebars: Bontrager Comp alloy on Trek RCS Pro alloy stem
- Groupset: Shimano 105 Di2 12-speed, 50/34t, 11-34t
- Power meter: No
- Wheels: Bontrager Aeolus Elite 35 carbon
- Saddle: Bontrager Aeolus Comp steel rail
- Claimed weight: 8.16kg (size ML)
- Price: £4,250
Madone SL 5 Gen 8
- Frame/fork: Madone Gen 8 500 Series OCLV Carbon
- Handlebars: Bontrager Comp alloy on Trek RCS Pro alloy stem
- Groupset: Shimano 105 mechanical 12-speed, 50/34t, 11-34t
- Power meter: No
- Wheels: Bontrager Paradigm SL
- Saddle: Bontrager Aeolus Comp steel rail
- Claimed weight: 8.70kg (size ML)
- Price: £3,250
Trek Madone Gen 8 frameset
The Madone frameset is available at both the SLR level with 900 Series carbon, priced at £4,575, and SL level with 500 Series carbon, for £2,750. Trek also sells a variety of previous generation Madone frames.
Pinarello F-series bike range
Pinarello slims down its global range for UK riders, omitting some specs. So the Dogma F is not sold with Campagnolo Super Record WRL in the UK, none of the F9 series bikes is available to UK buyers and there’s only one of the two F7 specs sold.
Pinarello Dogma F Dura-Ace Di2
- Frame/fork: Toray Carbon M40X
- Handlebars: Most Talon Ultra Fast carbon
- Groupset: Shimano Dura-Ace 12-speed, 52/36t, 11-30t
- Power meter: No
- Wheels: Princeton Peak 4550 DB carbon/DT Swiss ARC 1400
- Saddle: Most Lynx Ultrafast Superflow L Carbon
- Claimed weight: 6.77kg (size 53)
- Price: £12,500
Pinarello Dogma F SRAM Red AXS
- Frame/fork: Toray Carbon M40X
- Handlebars: Most Talon Ultra Fast carbon
- Groupset: SRAM Red AXS 12-speed, 48/35t, 10-33t
- Power meter: No
- Wheels: Princeton Peak 4550 DB carbon/DT Swiss ARC 1400
- Saddle: Most Lynx Ultrafast Superflow L Carbon
- Claimed weight: 6.63kg (size 53)
- Price: £13,000
Pinarello Dogma F Super Record WRL (not sold in the UK)
- Frame/fork: Toray Carbon M40X
- Handlebars: Most Talon Ultra Fast carbon
- Groupset: Campagnolo Super Record WRL 12-speed, 48/32t, 10-29t
- Power meter: No
- Wheels: Campagnolo Bora WTO
- Saddle: Most Lynx Ultrafast Superflow L Carbon
- Claimed weight: 6.88kg (size 53)
- Price: £N/A
Pinarello F9 Dura-Ace Di2 (not sold in the UK)
- Frame/fork: Toray T900 UD
- Handlebars: Most Talon Ultra Light carbon
- Groupset: Shimano Dura-Ace 12-speed, 52/36t, 11-30t
- Power meter: No
- Wheels: Most Ultrafast 40 carbon
- Saddle: Not specified
- Claimed weight: Not specified
- Price: £N/A
Pinarello F9 SRAM Red AXS (not sold in the UK)
- Frame/fork: Toray T900 UD
- Handlebars: Most Talon Ultra Light carbon
- Groupset: SRAM Red AXS 12-speed, 48/35t, 10-33t
- Power meter: No
- Wheels: Most Ultrafast 40 carbon
- Saddle: Not specified
- Claimed weight: Not specified
- Price: £N/A
Pinarello F7 Ultegra Di2
- Frame/fork: Toray Carbon T900 UD
- Handlebars: Most Talon Ultra Light carbon
- Groupset: Shimano Ultegra 12-speed, 50/34t, 11-34t
- Power meter: No
- Wheels: Most Ultrafast 40 carbon
- Saddle: Not specified
- Claimed weight: Not specified
- Price: £7,000
Pinarello F7 SRAM Force AXS (not sold in the UK)
- Frame/fork: Toray Carbon T900 UD
- Handlebars: Most Talon Ultra Light carbon
- Groupset: SRAM Force AXS 12-speed, 48/35t, 10-33t
- Power meter: No
- Wheels: Most Ultrafast 40 carbon
- Saddle: Not specified
- Claimed weight: Not specified
- Price: £N/A
Pinarello F5 105 Di2
- Frame/fork: Toray Carbon T700 UD
- Handlebars: Most Jaguar XA Aero alloy
- Groupset: Shimano 105 Di2 12-speed, 50/34t, 11-34t
- Power meter: No
- Wheels: Fulcrum Racing 800DB alloy
- Saddle: Not specified
- Claimed weight: Not specified
- Price: £5,000
Pinarello Dogma F frameset
Pinarello also sells the Dogma F frameset, which costs £5,500.
Specialized Tarmac SL8 bike range
Alongside its main range, Specialized also sells the S-Works model as a series of short run LTD options. In August 2024, LTD bikes included a Red Bull-Bora Hansgrohe team replica bike, priced at £14,500, with 500 available, the Forward 50 Collection bike at the same price, celebrating the brand’s 50th anniversary, available in a run of 250, and a special colourway for the launch of second generation SRAM Red AXS, priced at £12,500, with 300 available.
You can also buy the previous generation Tarmac SL7 as entry level Tarmac builds, which we haven’t covered here.
The Pro specs of the Tarmac are not currently showing on Specialized’s UK site, so UK riders just have the S-Works and Expert bikes to choose from, although US riders can still select the Pro spec bikes too.
S-Works Tarmac SL8 Shimano Dura-Ace Di2
- Frame/fork: S-Works Tarmac SL8 FACT 12r
- Handlebars: Roval Rapide Cockpit one-piece
- Groupset: Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 52/36, 11-30t 12-speed
- Power meter: 4iiii Precision 3 Pro double sided
- Wheels: Roval Rapide CLX II
- Saddle: BG S-Works Power
- Claimed weight: 6.62kg, size 56
- Price: £12,000
S-Works Tarmac SL8 SRAM Red AXS
- Frame/fork: S-Works Tarmac SL8 FACT 12r
- Handlebars: Roval Rapide Cockpit one-piece
- Groupset: SRAM Red AXS 48/35, 10-33t 12-speed
- Power meter: SRAM Red AXS double sided
- Wheels: Roval Rapide CLX II
- Saddle: S-Works Power with Mirror
- Claimed weight: 6.66kg, size 56
- Price: £12,000
Specialized Tarmac SL8 Pro Ultegra Di2
- Frame/fork: Tarmac SL8 FACT 10r
- Handlebars: Roval Rapide carbon on Tarmac integrated stem
- Groupset: Shimano Ultegra Di2 52/36, 11-30t 12-speed
- Power meter: 4iiii Precision 3 single sided
- Wheels: Roval Rapide CL II
- Saddle: BG Power Pro
- Claimed weight: 7.16kg, size 56
- Price: £8,000
Specialized Tarmac SL8 Pro SRAM Force AXS
- Frame/fork: Tarmac SL8 FACT 10r
- Handlebars: Roval Rapide carbon on Tarmac integrated stem
- Groupset: SRAM Force AXS 48/35, 10-33t 12-speed
- Power meter: SRAM Force double sided
- Wheels: Roval Rapide CL II
- Saddle: BG Power Pro
- Claimed weight: 7.44kg, size 56
- Price: £8,000
Specialized Tarmac SL8 Expert
- Frame/fork: Tarmac SL8 FACT 10r
- Handlebars: Specialized Expert Shallow Drop alloy on Tarmac integrated stem
- Groupset: SRAM Rival AXS 48/35, 10-36t 12-speed
- Power meter: SRAM Rival single sided
- Wheels: Roval C38 carbon
- Saddle: BG Power Expert
- Claimed weight: 7.77kg, size 56
- Price: £6,000
Specialized Tarmac SL8 frameset
You can buy the S-Works Tarmac SL8 as a FACT 12r carbon frameset in a range of colours, priced at £4,750 and with a claimed 1.41kg weight for a size 56 or unpainted, when the claimed weight drops to 1.37kg.
There’s also a FACT 10r frameset available, priced at £3,500 and with a claimed weight of 1.69kg for a size 56.
Trek Madone vs Pinarello Dogma F vs Specialized Tarmac SL8: which should you choose?
If you’re in the market for a premium spec bike, you’re spoiled for choice. All three brands offer pro-level options equipped with drivetrains from SRAM and Shimano, although only Pinarello sells a Campagnolo Super Record WLR spec, and not in the UK. They all fit wheels and other components to match and prices are comparable between brands.
All three claim class-leading aerodynamics and UCI-skimming weights too. Absent any direct comparisons to back that up, choice is to a large extent a matter of personal preference – and looks. The inclusion or absence of a power meter might be a deciding factor though, particularly for Shimano spec bikes.
Pinarello Dogma bikes have always been an aspirational purchase and the distinctive frame design turns heads even among non-cyclists, although it remains divisive.
In contrast, the Tarmac SL8, notwithstanding its racing palmares, looks more like a classic race bike and blends into the crowd more.
That’s not true of the Madone, which like the Pinarello F is a head-turner.
If you’re looking further down the price range, all three brands cater for the mid-level purchase, although you’ll get better value from the American brands. Only Trek offers a more affordable base spec with mechanical 105.
Read our further coverage of the Trek Madone Gen 8, new Pinarello Dogma F and Specialized Tarmac SL8 for more.
