{"id":749870,"date":"2026-08-26T02:48:24","date_gmt":"2026-08-26T02:48:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/749870\/"},"modified":"2026-08-26T02:48:24","modified_gmt":"2026-08-26T02:48:24","slug":"specialized-reveals-s-level-tarmac-sl9-says-it-exceeds-every-competing-race-bike-in-its-class","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/749870\/","title":{"rendered":"Specialized reveals ‘S-Level’ Tarmac SL9, says it ‘exceeds every competing race bike in its class’"},"content":{"rendered":"

If you wanted a Tarmac SL9 when Specialized announced the bike back in June, just ahead of the Tour de France, you\u2019d have needed deep pockets. That\u2019s because the Tarmac SL9 was only available in S-Works spec, built on Specialized\u2019s premium FACT 12r carbon, with top-tier components to boot.<\/p>\n

You can read a detailed breakdown of what\u2019s new with the SL9 update and Specialized\u2019s claimed four watts aero improvement in Josh’s S-Works Tarmac SL9 launch story<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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But if you’re not looking to spend north of \u00a310k\/$10k on your next bike, you’ll be pleased to know that the S-Works Tarmac SL9 has today been joined by less expensive Expert and Comp specs of the SL9, based on the FACT 10r carbon platform.<\/p>\n

Latest Videos FromCyclingnews<\/p>\n

And for the first time, there\u2019s an S-Level Tarmac too, which pairs the FACT 10r frameset with top-spec groupset components from SRAM and Shimano. There’s not one equipped with the new Shimano Dura-Ace yet, though, despite the R9300 groupset leaking at the Vuelta<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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\"Specialized\n<\/p>\n

There’s a choice of SRAM Red AXS or Dura-Ace groupset on the S-Level bike (Image credit: Specialized)<\/p>\n

S-Level is a concept that Specialized first introduced in May with the S-Level Crux gravel bike<\/a>, and essentially bolts quality components and a top-of-range groupset onto the less premium frameset. You get a bike with similar performance<\/a> to the S-Works model, just a little heavier and for a lot less cash. Complete S-Level build weights start from a claimed 7.13kg versus 6.5kg for the S-Works bike, for example.<\/p>\n

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Specialized says that it is a replacement for its previous Pro spec level and claims it \u201cdelivers the closest experience to S-Works performance and exceeds every competing race bike in its class.”<\/p>\n

A little more weight, a lot less cash<\/p>\n

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\"Specialized\n<\/p>\n

Only the S-Works bike is fitted with the tapered S-Works Rapide Post seatpost (Image credit: Specialized)<\/p>\n

While the S-Works frameset has a 687g claimed weight, the FACT 10r frame weighs a claimed 882g. It\u2019s paired with the same FACT 12r fork as used on the S-Works bike, but with stainless steel headset bearings in place of CeramicSpeed.<\/p>\n

The latest race content, interviews, features, reviews and expert buying guides, direct to your inbox!<\/p>\n

The complete S-Level frameset has a 1.64kg claimed weight and comes with a S-Works Tarmac SL8 seatpost carried over from the previous generation Tarmac, while the S-Works frameset weighs a claimed 1.39kg, including the new S-Works Rapide Post seatpost.<\/p>\n

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\"Specialized\n<\/p>\n

Specialized fits the same Roval Rapide Cockpit one-piece bar\/stem to the S-Level bike as to the S-Works Tarmac SL9 (Image credit: Specialized)<\/p>\n

Spec-wise, the S-Level Tarmac SL9 has the same one-piece Roval Rapide Cockpit as the S-Works bike and is equipped either with a Shimano Dura-Ace or SRAM Red AXS groupset. Both come with a dual-sided power meter, the in-series SRAM meter or 4iiii Precision Pro for Shimano.<\/p>\n

The Roval CL III wheels are a tier down from the CLX III wheels fitted to the S-Works bike and the Power Pro Mirror saddle too is a step down from the S-Works Power saddle on the top spec bike.<\/p>\n

What to read next<\/p>\n

But while the S-Works Tarmac SL9 retails for \u00a311,999 \/ $14,000 \/ \u20ac13,999 \/ AU$21,500 with Red AXS, the S-Level bike costs \u00a38,799 \/ $10,500 \/ \u20ac10,499 \/ AU$15,500 with the same groupset. Dura-Ace is a little cheaper in the US and Australia, the same price in Europe and the UK.<\/p>\n

Expert and Comp Tarmac SL9 specs<\/p>\n

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\"Specialized\n<\/p>\n

The Expert spec has a separate alloy bar and stem and the SL8 seatpost, as does the Comp (Image credit: Specialized)<\/p>\n

In addition, there are Expert and Comp-level Tarmac SL9 specs announced, equipped with a two-piece alloy bar and stem.<\/p>\n

The Expert spec comes with either a SRAM Force AXS groupset<\/a> with 48\/35t chainrings and a 10-36t cassette or Shimano Ultegra<\/a> with a semi-compact. Neither include a power meter.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s fitted with Roval C38 carbon wheels and the S-Works Tarmac SL8<\/a> seatpost. Specialized claims a size 56 bike weighs 7.55kg.<\/p>\n

The Tarmac SL9 Expert is priced at \u00a35,999 \/ $7,000 \/ \u20ac6,999 \/ AU$10,200 with Force AXS, again with a slightly lower price for the Shimano spec in the US and Australia.<\/p>\n

The Tarmac SL9 Comp is equipped either with a SRAM Rival AXS<\/a> or Shimano 105 Di2 groupset. Also specced are DT Swiss R470 alloy rims on Specialized hubs and the S-Works Tarmac SL8 seatpost.<\/p>\n

Specialized claims an 8.14kg weight for a size 56 bike in Rival AXS spec and 8.21kg with 105 Di2. The Comp is priced at \u00a33,999 \/ $4,500 \/ \u20ac4,499 \/ AU$7,200 in both SRAM and Shimano specs.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"If you wanted a Tarmac SL9 when Specialized announced the bike back in June, just ahead of the…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":749871,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[37],"tags":[4985,101,56,54,55],"class_list":["post-749870","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-cycling","tag-cycling","tag-sports","tag-uk","tag-united-kingdom","tag-unitedkingdom"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/749870","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=749870"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/749870\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/749871"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=749870"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=749870"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=749870"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}