Specialized Tarmac SL8 S-Works frame

Are you ready for the fastest racing bike in the world?

No bike is as fast as the Tarmac SL8 thanks to a combination of aerodynamics, lightness and ride quality previously thought impossible. After eight generations and over two decades of development, it's not just the fastest Tarmac ever: it's the fastest road bike in the world. Are your legs ready? Aerodynamics or lightness alone do not win races: what matters is speed. Achieving this speed requires an uncompromising combination of aerodynamics, lightness, stiffness and stress absorption. Thanks to complex simulations using real-world data, the Ride Science Team has verified that the Tarmac SL8 is the fastest race bike on any course: - 16.6 seconds on 40km of flat terrain, 128 seconds faster on the Milan-San Remo course, 20 seconds faster on the Tourmalet climb.

Aerodynamics
Specialized uses aerodynamics where it's needed most, and in the process has created the fastest road bike ever - yes, more aerodynamic than even the Venge. The front end has been optimised for maximum benefit. The fork head tube is positioned to the rear of the front of the frame head tube to offer much lower aerodynamic drag. Thanks to new UCI rules, the narrowest and most aerodynamic seat post ever made was used for the SL8 to ensure that turbulent air in the leg area can flow more easily to the rear of the bike.

Lightness
To create the Tarmac SL8 and build the most aerodynamic bike while meeting the minimum weight requirements set by the UCI, Specialized drew inspiration from what it learned with the Aethos. The team created a 685 gram frame, 15% lighter than the Tarmac SL7 and lighter than any other World Tour bike*. Focusing on maximum possible lightness in the down tube, seat tube and rear of the bike, Specialized adopted the lessons learned in the Aethos project. The frame shapes respond so efficiently to stresses that it was possible to reduce the thickness of the material, eliminating the superfluous. Except for the time when Kasper Asgreen raced with the 585 gram Aethos frame during a stage of the Tour.

Ride quality
The stiffness-to-weight ratio of the Tarmac SL8 is 33% better than that of the SL7. The Tarmac SL8 sets a new benchmark in handling: it is precise in the most demanding situations and responds immediately and efficiently to pedal inputs. While the areas that ensure power transfer and steering precision are stiffer than ever, in the saddle the Tarmac SL8 is more comfortable, filtering 6% more stress from the terrain and allowing you to attack corners with a feeling of agility and balance unique in the world of road bikes. The new Tarmac SL8 retains the tried and tested geometry of the SL7 model, with the same generous 32mm tyre clearance so that more volume can be used when needed.

Beyond gender differences
In reality there can be many more differences between two male cyclists than between a man and a woman. We design according to the individual and the philosophy is simple: Don't create differences where there are none. Every cyclist, male or female, can benefit from the advantages of the Tarmac SL8. It's time to go further. The S-Works Tarmac SL8 frame with a 68mm threaded bottom bracket is the perfect starting point to build the bike of your dreams.

Aerodynamics is everything
After two decades of wind tunnel work, Specialized's engineers are able to use aerodynamic profiles where they are needed, not simply for aesthetic reasons. The result is a new, more aerodynamic head tube profile that makes the new Tarmac SL8 16.6 seconds faster over a 40km distance than the Tarmac SL7. Yes, it is more aerodynamic than the Venge.

685 gram frame
Minimum weight. Maximum aerodynamics

Responsiveness
Specialized found that the world's lightest road bike - the Aethos - combined excellent responsiveness with a smooth ride. Specialized used this concept for the Tarmac SL8, designing a weight to the minimum of the UCI regulations, with a full aerodynamic configuration.

Unrivalled ride quality
Compared to the SL7, the Tarmac SL8 has a 33 per cent better stiffness-to-weight ratio, as well as 6 per cent more vibration absorption at the saddle. World Cup-validated geometry and tyres with a section up to 32mm.


Technical specifications

Suspension

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

Frame

  • Frame: S-Works Tarmac SL8 FACT 12r Carbon, Rider First Engineeredâ„¢, Win Tunnel Engineered, Clean Routing, Threaded BB, 12x142mm thru-axle, flat-mount disc. 685g frame.

Cockpit

  • Seatpost: S-Works Tarmac SL8 Carbon seat post, FACT Carbon, 15mm offset
  • Collar: Tarmac integrated wedge.


Notes: Specifications may vary without notification.