The Specialized Tarmac SL8 Road Bike stands as the pinnacle of speed, thanks to an unprecedented blend of aerodynamics, lightweight design, and exceptional ride quality. With eight generations and over two decades of refinement, it has become more than just the fastest Tarmac ever, it’s the world’s fastest race bike.
Winning races requires more than just aerodynamics or lightweight, it demands speed. Achieving this speed involves a meticulous balance of aerodynamics, lightweight construction, stiffness, and compliance. Specialized's Ride Science team has proven through race simulations using real-world data that the Tarmac SL8 is the fastest race bike on critical routes (16.6 seconds faster over 40km, 128 seconds faster over Milan-San Remo, and 20 seconds faster on the legendary Tourmalet climb).
Aero in Everything
Specialized prioritise aerodynamics where it counts, not just for aesthetics. This approach has resulted in their most aerodynamic road bike ever, surpassing even the Venge. The Tarmac’s innovative nose cone, the Speed Sniffer, optimises clean air for maximum advantage by moving the steer tube back, allowing a sharper, lower drag head tube shape. Leveraging new UCI regulations, the Tarmac SL8 features Specialized's narrowest, most aerodynamic seat post, ensuring smoother airflow around the legs.
Minimum Weight, Maximum Aero
Drawing insights from the Aethos, the Tarmac SL8 achieves a UCI minimum weight with a full aero setup. The frame weighs an astonishing 685g, 15% lighter than the Tarmac SL7 and the lightest in the World Tour*. Lessons from Aethos allowed Specialized to prioritise lightweight design in the down tube, seat tube, and rear of the bike. The frame’s efficient load distribution renders extra carbon stiffness layers unnecessary. *Excluding Kasper Asgreen's race with a 585g Aethos frame during a Tour stage.
Goes Like Hell, Rides Like Heaven
The Tarmac SL8 boasts a 33% improvement in stiffness-to-weight over the SL7, elevating its legendary handling, responsiveness, and World Championship-proven geometry. The bike offers increased pedal stiffness, enhanced bar precision, and a compliant ride that sets a new standard for race bike comfort. Specialized's Rider-First Engineering ensures that every rider, regardless of size, experiences the same exceptional ride quality and handling. The Tarmac SL8 delivers 6% more compliance, smoothly gliding over rough roads with a unique suppleness for a race bike. Its proven geometry and 32mm tyre clearance match the SL7, providing versatility for higher volume tyres when needed.
Beyond Gender
There’s more variability within male cyclists than between male and female cyclists. Gender alone doesn’t provide enough data for specialised designs, making gender-specific bikes arbitrary and outdated. The Tarmac SL8 offers its advantages to every rider, regardless of gender.
With a 68mm threaded bottom bracket, flat mount disc brakes, and seamless integration, the S-Works Tarmac SL8 Frameset is the ultimate foundation for your dream build.