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. The Tarmac SL8 Pro delivers exceptional performance with a full Shimano Ultegra 8100 series Di2 groupset with power meter, Roval Rapide CL II tubeless-ready wheelset, and a Roval Rapide Handlebar with an SL7 stem. You’re ready to race out of the box.

Aero in everything
Specialized is putting aero where it matters - the leading edge - not just where it looks good. In the process Specialized has 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 Specialized has 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.

Tech Specs

Frameset

• Frame: Tarmac SL8 FACT 10r Carbon, Rider First Engineered™, Win Tunnel Engineered, Clean Routing, Threaded BB, 12x142mm thru-axle, flat-mount disc

Suspension

• Fork: FACT 10r Carbon, 12x100mm thru-axle, flat-mount disc

Brakes

• Front Brake: Shimano Ultegra Di2 R8170, hydraulic disc
• Rear Brake: Shimano Ultegra Di2 R8170, hydraulic disc

Drivetrain

• Shift Levers: Shimano Ultegra Di2 R8170, hydraulic disc
• Front Derailleur: Shimano Ultegra Di2 R8150, braze-on
• Rear Derailleur: Shimano Ultegra Di2 R8150, 12-speed
• Cassette: Shimano Ultegra, 12-speed, 11-30t
• Chain: Shimano Ultegra, 12-speed
• Crankset: Shimano Ultegra R8100 with 4iiii power meter
• Chainrings: 52/36T
• Bottom Bracket: Shimano Threaded BSA

Wheels & Tires

• Front Wheel: Roval Rapide CL II, 21mm internal width carbon rim tubeless ready, Win Tunnel Engineered, DT for Roval 350 hub, DT Swiss Revolution spokes, 51mm depth
• Rear Wheel: Roval Rapide CL II, 21mm internal width carbon rim tubeless ready, Win Tunnel Engineered, DT for Roval 350 hub, DT Swiss Revolution spokes, 60mm depth
• Front Tire: S-Works Turbo, 2BR, 700x26mm
• Rear Tire: S-Works Turbo, 2BR, 700x26mm
• Inner Tubes: Turbo Ultralight, 60mm Front, 80mm Rear, Presta valve

Cockpit

• Tape: Supacaz Super Sticky Kush
• Stem: Tarmac integrated stem, 6-degree
• Handlebars: HDLBR,ROAD,IBS E2.1,CRBN
• Saddle: SADDLE,NOVATION, KPPM155HR-BK, POWER PRO MIRROR, ETPU41 LATTICE, NYLON RECYCLE CF BASE, HOLLOW-TI RAIL,155MM
• SeatPost: S-Works Tarmac SL8 Carbon seat post, FACT Carbon, 15mm offset
• Seat Binder: Tarmac integrated wedge

Accessories

• Pedals: pedal, test ride pedals provided by specialized
• Headset: Stem headset spacers kit for sl7 stem & roval rapide cockpit use

Weight

• Producer's weight: 7.16 kg (15 lb, 12.6 oz)
• Weight Size: 56cm

Producer's note: 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.