Tarmac SL8 Expert 2025 - Rival AXS

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.

AERO IN EVERYTHING: We’re putting aero where it matters - the leading edge - not just where it looks good. In the process we’ve 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 we’ve 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.
The Tarmac SL8 Expert delivers exceptional performance with a full SRAM Rival eTap AXS groupset with power meter, C38 carbon tubeless ready wheelset, and an SL7 stem with Specialized Expert Shallow Drop alloy handlebars makes for an accessible performance-packed bike.

Technical Specifications

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

Tarmac SL8 FACT 10r Carbon, 12x100mm thru-axle, flat-mount disc

Cockpit

Handlebars

Specialized Expert Shallow Drop, alloy, 125mm drop x 75mm reach

Saddle

Body Geometry Power Expert

Stem

Tarmac integrated stem, 6-degree

Tape

Supacaz Super Sticky Kush

SeatPost

S-Works Tarmac SL8 Carbon seat post, FACT Carbon, 15mm offset

Seat Binder

Tarmac integrated wedge

Brakes

Rear Brake

SRAM Rival eTap AXS, hydraulic disc

Front Brake

SRAM Rival eTap AXS, hydraulic disc

Drivetrain

Shift Levers

SRAM Rival eTap AXS

Front Derailleur

SRAM Rival eTAP AXS, braze-on

Rear Derailleur

SRAM Rival eTap AXS, 12-speed

Cassette

SRAM Rival, 12-speed, 10-36t

Crankset

SRAM Rival with Power Meter

Chainrings

48/35T

Bottom Bracket

SRAM DUB BSA 68

Chain

SRAM Rival 12-speed

Wheels & Tires

Front Wheel

Roval C38, 21mm internal width carbon rim

Rear Wheel

Roval C38, 21mm internal width carbon rim

Front Tire

S-Works Turbo, folding bead, 700x26mm

Rear Tire

S-Works Turbo, folding bead, 700x26mm

Inner Tubes

Turbo Ultralight, 48mm Presta valve

Product Details

Product ID

221538

Weight

7.77 kg (17 lb, 2.1 oz)

Weight Size

56cm

* Weights based on production painted frames as pictured. Actual weights will vary based on colorway, frame size, and component variation. Specifications are subject to change without notice.

Geometry

	44	49	52	54	56	58	61
Crank Length	165mm	165mm	170mm	172.5mm	172.5mm	175mm	175mm
Handlebar Width	360mm	380mm	400mm	420mm	420mm	440mm	440mm
Stem Length	70mm	80mm	90mm	100mm	100mm	110mm	110mm
Saddle Width	155mm	155mm	155mm	143mm	143mm	143mm	143mm
Seatpost Length	300mm	300mm	300mm	380mm	380mm	380mm	380mm
Frame Stack	501mm	514mm	527mm	544mm	565mm	591mm	612mm
Frame Reach	366mm	375mm	380mm	384mm	395mm	402mm	408mm
Stack to Stem	509mm	522mm	535mm	552mm	573mm	599mm	620mm
Reach to Stem	363mm	372mm	377mm	381mm	393mm	400mm	406mm
Head Tube Length	99mm	109mm	120mm	137mm	157mm	184mm	204mm
Head Tube Angle	70.5°	71.75°	72.5°	73°	73.5°	73.5°	74°
BB Height	266mm	266mm	266mm	268mm	268mm	268mm	268mm
BB Drop	74mm	74mm	74mm	72mm	72mm	72mm	72mm
Trail	71mm	63mm	58mm	58mm	55mm	55mm	52mm
Fork Length, Full	370mm	370mm	370mm	370mm	370mm	370mm	370mm
Fork Rake/Offset	47mm	47mm	47mm	44mm	44mm	44mm	44mm
Front Center	572mm	574mm	577mm	579mm	592mm	606mm	613mm
Chainstay Length	410mm	410mm	410mm	410mm	410mm	410mm	410mm
Wheelbase	970mm	973mm	975mm	978mm	991mm	1006mm	1013mm
Top Tube Length, Horizontal	496mm	509mm	531mm	541mm	563mm	577mm	595mm
Bike Standover Height	723mm	735mm	746mm	768mm	786mm	808mm	834mm
Seat Tube Length	433mm	445mm	456mm	473mm	494mm	515mm	545mm
Seat Tube Angle	75.5°	75.5°	74°	74°	73.5°	73.5°	73°