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S-Works Tarmac SL8

Shimano Dura-Ace Di2

5

10 Reviews

Nothing is faster than the Tarmac SL8 thanks to a combination of aerodynamics, lightweight,…

1974 to 2024: A 50-Year Tradition of Innovation
Pedal the Planet Forward

1974 to 2024: A 50-Year Tradition of Innovation

As Specialized celebrates its 50th Anniversary of innovating to improve riders’ lives, we have our sites set on the next half century and creating the future of cycling. Join us as we look back at five decades of innovation so we can continue to Pedal the Planet Forward together.

One Bike to Rule Them All
Tarmac SL8

One Bike to Rule Them All

The engineering obsessed Germans at Tour Magazine declared the Tarmac SL8, ‘the best road bike in the world’. Reaching the previously unimaginable rating of ’1.3’ *- the highest Tour score ever - Tarmac SL8 beats every competitor. Or, as these serious, data driven journalists put it, ‘No other racing bike functions better as a complete package.’

Aero In Everything
Our Most Aero Race Bike Ever

Aero In Everything

After a decade of working in the Win Tunnel, our engineers put aero where it matters, not just where it looks good. The result? A new Nose Cone called the ‘Speed Sniffer’ helps the new Tarmac SL8 be 16.6 seconds faster over 40km than the Tarmac SL7. And yes, more aero than the Venge.

Minimum Weight, Maximum Aero
685 Gram Frameset

Minimum Weight, Maximum Aero

We saw how the lightest production road bike in the world - the Aethos - could marry blistering response in the mountains with a supple, all-day ride. The Tarmac SL8 took those learnings from Aethos to be easily built at the UCI minimum with a full aero set up.

Goes Like Hell, Rides Like Heaven
Stiffer and Smoother

Goes Like Hell, Rides Like Heaven

The Tarmac SL8 delivers a massive 33% improvement in stiffness to weight vs the SL7, all while being 6% smoother in the saddle. With World Championship proven geometry and 32mm tyre clearance, it adds up to an unprecedented ride quality.

Tarmac SL8 x Demi Vollering
The Tarmac SL 8 White Paper
The World’s Fastest Race Bike

The Tarmac SL 8 White Paper

Our Ride Science team tests our solutions versus the competition before a pedal is even turned. Through complex simulations of real world race routes with identical real world data, our Ride Science team knows the Tarmac SL8 is the fastest race bike ever made.

Aren’t You Glad Some Kids Stayed in Science Club?
Front Loading Development

Aren’t You Glad Some Kids Stayed in Science Club?

Creating a bike more aerodynamic, 15% lighter, with a 33% improvement in stiffness-to-weight than the 4X World Championship winning Tarmac SL7 took more than an obsessive commitment to Innovate or Die. Our engineering team created an entirely new process.

Made in Racing
Demi and Remco

Made in Racing

Since day one at Specialized, the rider has been the boss, so the best all-rounders in the world - Remco Evenepoel, Demi Vollering - had a hand in developing and refining the Tarmac SL8. Ultimately, we co-created the fastest race bike in the world.

Product Details

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Nothing is faster than the Tarmac SL8 thanks to a combination of aerodynamics, lightweight, and ride quality previously thought impossible. After eight generations and over two decades of development, it’s more than the fastest Tarmac ever - it’s the world’s fastest race bike. Your legs up for it?

Aerodynamics or lightweight alone don’t win races - speed is what matters. Delivering that speed requires creating an uncompromising combination of aerodynamics, lightweight, stiffness, and compliance. Through race simulations using real world data our Ride Science team knows the Tarmac SL8 is the fastest race bike ever made on the routes that matter - 16.6 seconds faster over 40km, 128 seconds faster over Milan San Remo, 20 seconds faster over the legendary Tourmalet climb.

  • AERO IN EVERYTHING: We’re putting aero where it matters - the leading edge - not just where it looks good. In the process we’ve created our most aerodynamic road bike ever. Yes, it’s more aero than the Venge. Clean air is optimized for maximum advantage with the Tarmac’s new nose cone - the Speed Sniffer. By moving the steer tube back - the tube that determines head tube width - the leading edge of the head tube can be much sharper, delivering a much lower drag shape. Utilizing new UCI rules, the Tarmac SL8 has the narrowest, most aero seat post we’ve ever made ensuring fast moving, dirty air around the legs can flow back more cleanly. Doesn’t victory smell sweet?

  • MINIMUM WEIGHT, MAXIMUM AERO: Tarmac SL8 took learnings from Aethos to be easily built at the UCI minimum with a full aero set up. The team delivered a mind bending, scale tickling 685 gram frame - 15% lighter than the Tarmac SL7 and lighter than anything on else on the World Tour*. With the ability to make lightweight a top priority in the down tube, seat tube, and rear of the bike lessons from Aethos were applied. The frame’s shape carries load so efficiently that extra carbon stiffness layers become redundant. *Unless of course you count the time Kasper Asgreen raced our 585 gram Aethos frame during a Tour stage.

  • GOES LIKE HELL, RIDES LIKE HEAVEN: With massive gains in stiffness-to-weight - an improvement of 33% over the SL7 - the Tarmac SL8 takes legendary handling, aggressive responsiveness and World Championship proven geometry to the next level. The bike is stiffer at the pedals, more precise at the bars, and combines it with a compliant ride in the saddle that sets a new benchmark for race bike comfort. Thanks to our Rider-First Engineering, every rider, regardless of size, gets the same unprecedented ride quality and handling. In the saddle the Tarmac SL8 delivers 6% more compliance, floating over rough road with a supple feel unique in the high strung world of race bikes. Tarmac’s proven geometry and 32mm tire clearance are identical to the SL7, ensuring easy adaptation and the versatility to run higher volume tires when needed.

  • BEYOND GENDER: There can be more difference between two male cyclists than between a male and female. Gender alone doesn’t provide nearly enough data to specialize and that means creating male or female bikes is arbitrary and outdated. Every rider can get the next level advantage of Tarmac SL8. It’s time to go Beyond Gender.

  • S-Works Tarmac SL8 is spec’d with only the best components. A full Shimano Dura-Ace 9200 series Di2 groupset with dual-sided power meter, and a Roval Rapide CLX II tubeless-ready wheelset is the perfect complement to the world’s fastest frame. All S-Works Tarmac SL8 models ship with a Roval Rapide cockpit to save weight and for the fastest possible leading edge.

Technical Specifications

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Frameset

Frame

S-Works Tarmac SL8 FACT 12r Carbon, Rider First Engineered™, Win Tunnel Engineered, Clean Routing, Threaded BB, 12x142mm thru-axle, flat-mount disc

Suspension

Fork

S-Works FACT 12r Carbon, 12x100mm thru-axle, flat-mount disc

Brakes

Front Brake

Shimano Dura-Ace R9270, hydraulic disc 160mm rotor

Rear Brake

Shimano Dura-Ace R9270, hydraulic disc 140mm rotor

Drivetrain

Shift Levers

Shimano Dura-Ace R9270, hydraulic disc

Front Derailleur

Shimano Dura-Ace R9250, braze-on

Rear Derailleur

Shimano Dura-Ace R9250, 12-speed

Cassette

Shimano Dura-Ace, 12-speed, 11-30t

Chain

Shimano Dura-Ace, 12-speed

Crankset

Shimano Dura-Ace R9200, HollowTech II, 12-speed with 4iiii Precision Pro dual-sided powermeter

Chainrings

52/36T

Bottom Bracket

Shimano Dura-Ace, BB-R9100

Wheels & Tires

Front Tire

S-Works Turbo Rapidair 2BR, 700x26mm

Front Wheel

Roval Rapide CLX II, Tubeless, 21mm internal width carbon rim, 51mm depth, Win Tunnel Engineered, Roval AFD hub, 18h, DT Swiss Aerolite spokes

Rear Tire

S-Works Turbo Rapidair 2BR, 700x26mm

Rear Wheel

Roval Rapide CLX II, Tubeless, 21mm internal width carbon rim, 60mm depth, Win Tunnel Engineered, Roval AFD hub, 24h, DT Swiss Aerolite spokes

Inner Tubes

Turbo Ultralight, 60mm Front, 80mm Rear, Presta valve

Cockpit

Stem

Roval Rapide Cockpit, Integrated Bar/Stem

Handlebars

Roval Rapide Cockpit, Integrated Bar/Stem

Tape

Supacaz Super Sticky Kush

Saddle

Body Geometry S-Works Power, carbon fiber rails, carbon fiber base

SeatPost

S-Works Tarmac SL8 Carbon seat post, FACT Carbon, 15mm offset

Seat Binder

Tarmac integrated wedge

Weight

Weight

6.62 kg (14 lb, 9.5 oz)

Weight Size

56cm

* Weights based on production painted frames as pictured. Actual weights will vary based on colourway, frame size, and component variation. Specifications are subject to change without notice.

Geometry

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44495254565861
Crank Length165mm165mm170mm172.5mm172.5mm175mm175mm
Handlebar Width380mm380mm400mm420mm420mm440mm440mm
Stem Length75mm75mm90mm100mm100mm110mm110mm
Saddle Width155mm155mm155mm143mm143mm143mm143mm
Seatpost Length300mm300mm300mm380mm380mm380mm380mm
Stack to Stem509mm522mm535mm552mm573mm599mm620mm
Reach to Stem363mm372mm377mm381mm393mm400mm406mm
Frame Stack501mm514mm527mm544mm565mm591mm612mm
Frame Reach366mm375mm380mm384mm395mm402mm408mm
Head Tube Length99mm109mm120mm137mm157mm184mm204mm
Head Tube Angle70.5°71.75°72.5°73°73.5°73.5°74°
BB Height266mm266mm266mm268mm268mm268mm268mm
BB Drop74mm74mm74mm72mm72mm72mm72mm
Trail71mm63mm58mm58mm55mm55mm52mm
Fork Length, Full370mm370mm370mm370mm370mm370mm370mm
Fork Rake/Offset47mm47mm47mm44mm44mm44mm44mm
Front Center572mm574mm577mm579mm592mm606mm613mm
Chainstay Length410mm410mm410mm410mm410mm410mm410mm
Wheelbase970mm973mm975mm978mm991mm1006mm1013mm
Top Tube Length, Horizontal496mm509mm531mm541mm563mm577mm595mm
Bike Standover Height723mm735mm746mm768mm786mm808mm834mm
Seat Tube Length433mm445mm456mm473mm494mm515mm545mm
Seat Tube Angle75.5°75.5°74°74°73.5°73.5°73°
Geometry

Rider Reviews

5

10 Reviews

 

Incredible Bike

I was blown away by the difference in the SL8 from my previous road bike. The bike just wants to go fast and is coupled with incredible handling and is unbelievably light weight. Every detail has been considered in the design. I was a skeptic of the hype before purchasing it, but am a believer now.


Name:
Seo

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MY SL8 TARMAC SWORKS

The only thing I will change is tire width - from standard 26 mm to 30 mm tubeless everything else I love !!!!


Name:
Alejandro

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Makes you smile

The best bike is the one making you look forward to take it out for a spin. This is such a bike, I am all smiles while riding it.


Name:
Erik

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I own this bike now for 9 months.

I love this bike and would highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys riding. It's perfect for both group rides and weekend races.


Name:
Larry

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9 Months in...

After 9 months, and almost 3,500 miles, I love this bike just as much as the day I picked it up! It's fast, comfortable, light weight and looks the business in Viavi Cyan Blue colorway. My only two wishes: 1. A lighter stock wheelset - 1520g is average, but they should really be 1350g (but please DON'T go hookless). 2. The 4iii power meter - goes through a set of batteries every other month. Specs say 100 hours of run time, but I'm not sure I'm even getting that. Aside from those two, the bike is PERFECT! If you're on the fence, make the jump!


Name:
Bill

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SL8

Great bike! Just ride it and you be the Judge.


Name:
Larry

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Traumrad

Ich bin Sphären vom Dasein eines Radprofis entfernt. Nichts desto trotz habe ich mir jetzt den lange gehegten Wunsch eines Profirennrades erfüllt und habe dieses traumhafte Rennrad in Vollendung des Tarmac SL8 als S-Works-Ausführung gefunden. Die Ausstattung lässt keine Wünsche offen. Man fühlt sich im Sattel sofort wohl. Trotz des sportlichen Anspruchs fährt sich das Rad relativ komfortabel. Über die intuitive Bedienung, die Leichtigkeit, die Aerodynamik, die Beschleunigung und das Handling wurde schon ausführlich berichtet. Dass man auf dem Rad aber relativ bequem sitzt, ist für einen Nichtprofi unbedingt kaufüberzeugend da ansonsten womöglich schnell die Freude an den anderen Vorteilen schwinden würde. Ein tolles Rad! Die tolle Farbe kommt im übrigen nur bei Sonnenlicht zur Geltung - schaut euch das mal an! Das Rad ist nämlich in Realität nicht langweilig weiß!


Name:
Thomas

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Una obra de arte

Mejora en su eficiencia de pedalada y con el adn de las predecesoras, es más confortable y ágil en las bajadas. Si te preguntas si vale la pena, te aseguro que si.


Name:
Jose l.

Helpful?

Perfect.

After having a Venge, then SL6, then Aethos; the Tarmac SL8 is exactly what I wanted. Venge speed with Aethos weight and comfort. Absolutely love it. Boris at Sheepshead Bay is just the best when it comes to getting top-end gear and taking care of all the little details.


Name:
Simon

Helpful?

Absolutely love everything about this

Absolutely love everything about this bike! Was nervous to make such a large $$ purchase, but glad I did. Super smooth shifting, is FAST, and a ton of fun to ride!

Would Recommend?
Yes!

Verified Buyer
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Name:
Jeff D.

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