Racers and fast club riders who want the modern Tarmac. If you came off an SL7, check that the stack/reach still matches your size.
The current Specialized race bike: lighter than SL7, still aero, and famously 'it just disappears' if the fit is right. Size by stack/reach — the 54/56 split is where a lot of riders hop.
Riders shopping the newest Tarmac. Compare stack/reach to SL8 before you assume your size letter carries over.
The next Tarmac generation in the catalog window. Treat it as the race-bike successor to SL8: same family, new tubeset — confirm geometry on the year page rather than assuming SL8 numbers.
Aero racers. If you want light and conventional, R5; if you want endurance, Caledonia.
The aero Cervelo: V-stem, deep tubes, and a bike that wants to be ridden fast in a straight line and still corners better than its looks suggest.
| Measurement |  AquilaEVO R 2023 |  SpecializedTarmac SL8 2025 |  SpecializedTarmac SL9 2026 |  CerveloS5 2027 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stackmm | 527 | 544+17 | 544+17 | 565+38 |
| Reachmm | 380 | 384+4 | 384+4 | 392+12 |
| Head tube angle° | 72.5 | 73.0+0.5 | 72.5 | 73.5+1.0 |
| Seat tube angle° | 74.0 | 74.0 | 74.0 | 73.0−1.0 |
| Chainstaymm | 406 | 410+4 | 410+4 | 405−1 |
| Wheelbasemm | 970 | 978+8 | 986+16 | 982+12 |
| BB dropmm | 72 | 72 | 72 | 70−2 |
| BB heightmm | — | 268 | 268 | — |
| Standovermm | — | 768 | 767 | — |
| Part | EVO R 54 | Tarmac SL8 54 | Tarmac SL9 54 | S5 56 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stem | 100 mm | 100 mm | 100 mm | 100 mm |
| Bar | 420 mm | 420 mm | 420 mm | 420 mm |
| Crank | 172.5 mm | 172.5 mm | 172.5 mm | 172.5 mm |
That spec retails for £8,250 and is said to weigh 7.16kg in a size 56. You can read Sam's full review here. The Specialized Tarmac SL8 will be at the ...
# Specialized Tarmac SL8 Expert #### VERDICT: - Very Good - Quite good - Not so good ### Specialized SL8 Expert: Ride The SL8 was noticeably comfortable, but there was a sense o…