The Specialized Tarmac SL6 is a classic understated beauty – but look a little closer and you’ll find it’s the product of painstaking innovation. Still poised as Specialized’s signature race machine, and with a refined carbon layup and aerodynamic tweaks, 2018’s iteration is lighter, faster and more rideable than ever.
To start, the brand fine-tuned the carbon layups, going from 350 pieces to 500 and virtually eliminating overlapping. The Tarmac also does away with individual internal cable routing in the bottom bracket in favor of a lighter, separate, internal plastic sleeve. Altogether this shaves 200 grams from the previous Tarmac frame, putting a size 56 frame at a 733 grams.
Specialized also added some aerodynamic tweaks, most notably the dropped seat stays, borrowed from the Venge ViAS and carried over into the Roubaix and even the 2018 Allez and Diverge. The lower position helps the stays “hide” from the wind without sacrificing stiffness. The D-shaped seatpost and seat tube balance aerodynamics with ride feel, using a progressive carbon layup to increase stiffness near the bottom bracket and compliance closer to the seat.
The Tarmac also gets a refined fork shape, which is dependent on the size of the bike to create consistency in stiffness and handling. The head-tube bearings also move an inch and a half lower to bring the fork up into the headtube, drop the crown and decrease the overall profile of the front of the bike. Combined, Specialized claims these aero touches make the Tarmac a whopping 40 seconds faster over 40km, compared to other “superlight” bikes on the market.
For 2018 the Amira women’s bikes are absorbed into the Tarmac line, at least at the S-Works and Expert levels. Specialized analyzed over 40,000 data points from bike fits gathered with partner Retül to paint a more accurate picture of the positioning and anatomy of male and female riders. Their conclusion was that riders want much of the same handling and performance, regardless of their gender – so the Tarmac WMN bikes are identical to the men’s, differing only in paint and touch point components like the seat and bars. Amira bikes will carry over from last year in the SL4 Sport and Comp levels.
The Ultra Light Men’s Tarmac comes with lightweight paint, reflective logo, and Dura-Ace Di2 and will be available in a limited run of 500 bikes. The S-Works Tarmac has Dura-Ace Di2 and Roval CLX50 wheels. Mens and Women’s Expert versions come kitted out with Ultegra and Roval SLX 24 wheels. And if black isn’t your color, the S-Works comes with some considerably less understated paint options. Think neon and camo.
Ride Impressions:
We got to test the Tarmac S-Works on a hot May day. I grabbed a 52 (I’m usually between a 52 and 54), stuck a 110 stem on, and immediately forgot about the bike.
That’s a good thing. The Tarmac feels absolutely natural under you, in a way that doesn’t exactly call attention to itself. Most of my thoughts while riding were about hammering up a climb, or tucking in behind a wheel, or admiring some flowers – and looking back, that’s pretty unique for a bike I’d only just thrown a leg over for the first time.
The Tarmac does a wonderful job of feeling solid without edging into sleepy. You immediately sense that you can trust it. Whether you’re descending in the drops or sprinting out of the saddle, the wheels stay firmly planted and every watt seems to go into forward motion.
It also doesn’t feel light, and that’s not to say that it doesn’t feel efficient. It just lacks that deflective, twitchy feel you sometimes get with ultra-light frames. I didn’t feel like I needed to baby it, or do anything gingerly. The Tarmac just seemed to want to go faster; all the time.
Overall I finished the ride feeling like the Tarmac is an ideal race weapon and a great all-arounder for anyone who simply enjoys going fast.
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