Racers on a budget and crit riders who want Tarmac-like stack/reach in aluminum.
Alloy race bike with carbon-adjacent geometry. Stiff, loud, and surprisingly close to Tarmac numbers in recent years. It feels like a crit bike, not an Allez endurance frame.
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.
Racers who want BMC's classic race fit. Roadmachine if you need stack.
BMC's lightweight race bike: steep, precise, and a WorldTour stack/reach reference. Less aero than Teammachine R / Timemachine.
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.
| Measurement |  SpecializedAllez Sprint 2027 |  CerveloS5 2022 |  |  SpecializedTarmac SL8 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stackmm | 565 | 565 | 565 | 544−21 |
| Reachmm | 391 | 392+1 | 392+1 | 384−7 |
| Head tube angle° | 73.5 | 73.0−0.5 | 72.3−1.2 | 73.0−0.5 |
| Seat tube angle° | 73.5 | 73.0−0.5 | 73.5 | 74.0+0.5 |
| Chainstaymm | 410 | 410 | 410 | 410 |
| Wheelbasemm | 999 | 994−5 | 1000+1 | 978−21 |
| BB dropmm | 70 | 70 | 69−1 | 72+2 |
| BB heightmm | — | — | — | 268 |
| Standovermm | — | — | — | 768 |
| Part | Allez Sprint 56 | S5 56 | Teammachine SLR 56 | Tarmac SL8 54 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 |
... Cervélo S5 frameset (includes seat post, forks, handlebars/stem, BB fittings): $6,500. Bike review – 2019 Cervelo S5 part 01, unboxing. @ride ...
Cervelo S5 Ultegra Di2 Disc ; Cons: Expensive, 35mm-deep wheels don't get the best out of the frame ; FORK · Cervélo All-Carbon, Tapered S5 Fork For Disc ; FRONT ...
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…