The Tarmac has always been Specialized’s premier all-around bike for road racing, and in some sense, if you’ve ridden one, you’ve ridden them all — and that’s an excellent thing. In this case, the Tarmac SL6 Sport from Specialized may use a modified and more budget-friendly version of the old flagship S-Works Tarmac SL6, but it still feels an awful lot like its vastly more expensive and newer siblings, and for a fraction of the cost.
The ride quality is very similar to current halo models, the handling is the same, and it still looks like a bike that could’ve been introduced today instead of one that’s one generation old. Unless you absolutely have to have the latest-and-greatest in terms of weight and aerodynamics, this bike ticks all the boxes that most riders care about.
The FACT 9r carbon fiber frame that Specialized uses here is nearly identical to the previous-generation S-Works Tarmac (we’re now in the seventh generation of the Tarmac SL, in case you’re wondering). You get the same semi-aero tube shaping throughout most of the frame, the same dropped seatstays, the same convertible internal routing port on top of the down tube. But Specialized uses a cheaper carbon fiber blend on the SL6 Sport than what was originally found on the S-Works Tarmac SL6, and the more aerodynamic D-shaped carbon fiber seatpost has been replaced with a conventional 27.2 mm-diameter round one.
And thankfully, the OSBB press-fit bottom bracket shell that Specialized once favored has given way to a conventional English-threaded one.
Our Field Test group bike tests are by no means paid events, but they’re still only possible with some outside support.
CyclingTips would like to thank the following sponsors for this round of the Field Test:
Rudy Project
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Pearl Izumi
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Sierra Nevada Brewing Company
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Lead Out Gear
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Park Tool
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