Tarmac SL8

Shop Tarmac SL8

Close up of headtube - Specialized S-Works Tarmac SL8 in wind tunnel - paint analysis

AERO IN EVERYTHING

Our Most Aero Race Bike Ever

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.

Specialized Tarmac SL8 and Tarmac SL7 weight comparison

Minimum Weight, Maximum Aero

685 Gram Frameset

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.

Demi Vollering riding an Specialized S-Works Tarmac SL8

Goes Like Hell, Rides Like Heaven

Stiffer and Smoother

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 tire clearance, it adds up to an unprecedented ride quality.

Ride attributes comparison graph for Tarmac SL8, Tarmac SL7, Aethos, Venge

The Tarmac SL 8 White Paper

The World’s Fastest Race Bike

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.

Read the White Paper
Design, Development and Engineering team behind the Specialized Tarmac SL8

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

Front Loading Development

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.

Remco Evenepoel riding a Specialized S-Works Tarmac SL8

Made in Racing

Demi and Remco

Since day one at Specialized, the rider has been the boss, so the best all arounders 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.

Watch Demi and Remco