Nat Bromhead
It’s one of the world’s best-regarded and most highly-respected frames, and now it’s been updated. Specialized have released the 2018 Tarmac and – perhaps it comes as no surprise to hear – this is the lightest incarnation of the frame to date.
With just 733g of carbon fibre and a claimed 6.17kg complete build weight in the 56cm ‘Ultralight Version’, it certainly screams – or should that be whispers – light.
According to Specialized this ultra-low weight stems from ‘the ability to co-optimize each of the Tarmac’s performance targets, so that reducing weight doesn’t negatively affect the frames handling or aerodynamic performance’.
Using the term ‘Rider-First Engineered’, the new Tarmac is claimed to have improved handling in an overall faster, and smoother package.
Rider First, Gender Second
With access to the digital fit data of over 40,000 cyclists from around the world, Specialized say they’ve changed their approach to fit and frame geometry.
“The way forward is to reimagine our frame geometry by analyzing our fit data, not by gender, but simply by experience,” they say.
“For competitive road riders, we looked at the collective of all riders’ stack and reach of the handlebar positions and concluded that there was no statistical difference in position correlating to gender. There was, however, the need to accommodate for handlebar width, crankarm length, and saddle preferences, which lead us to create separate models of Men’s and Women’s Tarmacs bikes built on shared frame geometries.”
Wind Tunnel Tested
With aerodynamics by far the most important factor a manufacturer can incorporate to make a rider faster, Specialized have created a new fork design, lower seatstays incorporating aero tubes, and a D-shaped seatpost and seat tube.
The result, they say, is a bike approximately 45 seconds faster over a distance of 40km compared to other lightweight bikes in the same weight category.
Worldwide supplies are limited with only 500 S-Works models available globally. For further details visit your nearest Specialized dealer.
