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The Specialized Tarmac SL8 is the culmination of decades worth of championship winning design to create not just the fastest Tarmac ever, but the fastest race bike ever.
The Tarmac SL8 is one of the most hotly anticipated bikes of recent times, with much speculation taking place after some imagery was leaked online a few months ago. The finished item is, in our opinion, even greater than anyone could have imagined.
Tarmac SL8 – The World’s Fastest Race Bike
The Tarmac SL8 is 15% lighter than the SL7, providing 33% higher stiffness-to-weight ratio, and a 6% smoother ride.
Working hand in hand with some of the best riders in the world, Specialized ran a number of tests to help understand if they had reached the goals they set with the SL8.
Specialized ran the simulations vs the SL7, and the results were in:
16.6 seconds faster over 40km
128 seconds faster over Milan San Remo
20 seconds faster up the Tourmalet (based on Remco’s effort and numbers of a 6watt/kg ftp.
Aero Where it Matters
Specialized have spent years researching aerodynamics in a quest to reduce drag, the force that slows a world tour rider the most.
For the Tarmac SL8 Specialized were determined to put aero where it matters most, not just where it looks good. The result being their most aerodynamic road bike yet.
Their approach optimises every shape in clean air or on leading edges to maximise that aerodynamic advantage.
Lighter Than Light
Specialized learnt how to make one of the lightest production road bikes in the world with Aethos, and knowing just how much faster lower weight makes a bike it made perfect sense to take these learnings over to the Tarmac SL8.
With a frame weight of 685 grams, the Tarmac SL8 is 15% lighter than it’s predecessor the SL7. It easily hits the UCI minimum.
A Quality Ride
When Specialized set out designing Tarmac SL8, they wanted it not only to be light and aerodynamic but to also provide riders with the best ride quality and handling.
The Specialized Tarmac SL8 takes SL7’s race winning geometry and pairs it with a 16% increase in stiffness compared to SL7 and Venge, and a 6% increase in comfort and compliance.
There is also clearance for up to 32mm tires, making this an incredibly versatile road bike.
Tarmac SL8 continues with Specialized’s Rider-First Engineered design, providing the perfect balance of stiffness, weight and ride quality for any rider on their frame size.
