Specialized Tarmac SL8 (2023)

Might as well walk.

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If I could find the Mixtape paint job of the SL6, I’d trade my SL7 in a heartbeat. I love my SL7, but didn’t find much improvement from my SL6. Or maybe this is my rationalization to prevent me from “needing” to buy the SL8. My wallet needs a break.

Obviously the new SL8 will save 40 seconds over 100k at 45k an hour. Not only that the bike will be stiffer but more compliant and the chain stays will revert back to the short chain stays of the SL5 as they offer an improved chain line. Oh and like the SL5 the chin stay length will be just for one iteration.

Additionally in response to customer feedback the bike will come in the same colours as your existing bike so you can say to your better half it’s the same bike to help cover the 40% price increase for the s works……:wink:

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As supply chains are nearly up again and inflation hits the markets all bike brands are facing lower demand. Canyon, Spesh and some other already lowered their listprices.

I can imagine (and do hope) that these absurd price peaks will be history soon.

Maybe the biggest SL8 innovation will be an only slighty updated SL7 which has a new integrated cockpit but will be sold at lower price points…

Besides of that I´m afraid that the new integrated cockpit as an upgrade part will quite surely hit the market at around 700-800€

Just my two cents

Companies are very reluctant to give back price increases….they simply become the new norm.

You will probably see a bit of a market correction as supply seems to be exceeding supply, especially on the MTB side.

But don’t expect prices to return to pre-COVID levels.

Shouldn’t the Roubaix get replaced before the tarmac? It’s an older model

So the price will be the same as the cockpit it comes with isn’t the right size and you need to buy another?

For the high end who don’t care about how much money they spend for small marginal gains I can see the point of an integrated cockpit but seems like for the majority of us is not that good.

Not to derail this thread, but :thinking::thinking::thinking::thinking:

Nope, not a roubaix:

That bike is giving me serious “Sweet Spot” PTSD.

That’s a very expensive, heavy solution to what Canyon/Ergon did with their leafspring seat post. I’m guessing they don’t plan on selling too many of these $2000+ hybrids. I don’t see it bringing anyone extra in the door

I really like the gravel/fitness/commuter/casual bike concept - makes it really easy to recommend this category to anyone. Bike companies just need to bite the bullet and pull the plug on their tooling for the 28-32c hybrids - these are just too confusing for dealers and consumers to have in their catalogs; every end customer and salesperson will always be happier with only 40c options.

Its too quiet here, time to stoke the fire :upside_down_face:

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I was wondering why my SL7 felt so fkn sluggish lately. This explains it!
Btw: the pixelation really does nothing :sweat_smile:

A few details on the new cockpit:


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Totally agree with the pixelisation, I unfortunately can’t take credit for it as I stole the photo from weightweenies :joy:

apparently not available in anything narrower than 40cm lol

I find it very difficult to believe that.
After factor going as low as 360mm on their gravel bike, and the Aerofly always having been available at 380mm.
The Alpinist Cockpit however is 400mm minimum, which won’t suffice for Aero-weenies and pro racing.

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it’s hard to believe and I hope they make at least a 36-38 option available for the narrow men and women of the sport.

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Yeah, that’s a very good point. I‘m 190cm, with not super narrow shoulders and long arms. I want a 380mm, but I can live with a 400mm.
Almost all women riders will be shorter and narrower shoulders, so very unlikely that they’ll be particularly happy with a 400mm on a aero race bike.

also just in terms of aero and performance, 36cm round bar is probably faster as a full system than a 40cm aerobar.

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im 175cm, road racer, i race 33cm on the track and 36/38 on the road. i have 34cm shoulder width

Is the consensus that its just a SL7 with updated handlebars?

Or is it rumored to have changed the aerodynamics and headtube/spacer etc?