S-Works Tarmac SL8 LTD - Forward 50 Collection

As Specialized celebrates its 50th Anniversary and the innovation that has helped us inspire riders worldwide, we have our sights set on the next 50 years of innovation. The Tarmac SL8 Forward 50 LTD represents this commitment to continue pedaling the planet forward by innovating for riders. As the fastest, most innovative road race bike in the world, the Tarmac SL8 is the perfect platform.

It all comes together in a stunning graphic. Gold represents our 50th year and how our desire to improve lives through riding has not lost an ounce of luster. The pink calls back to our historic Team Stumpjumper and our commitment to racing with an irreverent, rebellious spirit. With only 250 of these available worldwide, they represent the ultimate expression of the innovate or die attitude that has inspired Specialized for the last 50 years and continues to drive us into the future.

These unique bikes are delivered with the best-of-the-best—Rapide CLX II Team wheels, S-Works Power with Mirror saddle, and S-Works Tarmac SL8 seatpost, all custom painted to match the frame. Turbo clinchers, a Rapide cockpit, a Shimano Dura-Ace 12-speed group, and Ceramic Speed bearings ensure these bikes go as fast as they look.

The Tamac SL8 was designed with the knowledge that 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 setup. The team delivered a mind-bending, scale-tickling 685-gram frame—15% lighter than the Tarmac SL7 and lighter than anything 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 roads 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 differences between two male cyclists than between a male and female. Gender alone doesn’t provide nearly enough data to specialize, so 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.