SPECS:
2025 S-Works Tarmac SL8 Gloss Dove Grey / Silver Dust Blurred Impasto / Black Pearl
Brake Rotors: Galfer E1 160mm/140mm (97g/79g)
Brake Pads: Absolute Black Graphen (40g)
Shift Levers: SRAM RED E1
Derailleurs: SRAM RED E1
Cassette: SRAM RED 10-33t
Chain: SRAM RED E1
Crankset: SRAM RED E1 with Power Meter 165mm
Chainrings: SRAM Red E1 48/35
Pedals: Xpedo Thrust SL Titanium (165g)
Bottom Bracket: SRAM DUB BSA 68
Front Wheel: Roval Rapide CLX II 51mm
Rear Wheel: Roval Rapide CLX II 60mm
Front Tyre: Continental Aero 111 29C (285g)
Rear Tyre: Continental GP 5000 S TR 30C (299g)
Inner Tubes: Tubolito 60mm Front, 80mm Rear (23g/24g)
Lockrings: Absolute Black (10g)
Stem: Roval Rapide Cockpit 380mm/115mm
Tape: CCACHE x NSTRMO Burgh Bartape
Saddle: Specialized S-Works Power with Mirror (203g)
Seatpost: Darimo 0mm offset (104g)
Computer Mount: MagCAD (18g)
Bottle Cage: S-Works Carbon Rib Cage III (24g)
WEIGHT: 6.65kg
I’ve been pining for a Specialized S-Works Tarmac SL8 for 5 months now, but the absolutely ridiculous $20,900.00 AUD asking price was something I just couldn’t swallow, so the Allez Sprint was a good distraction, and then the S-Works Tarmac SL6 even more distraction.
A few weeks ago an as new S-Works Tarmac SL7 popped up on FB Marketplace for $12K, they’re still selling those new for $18K so it shows the depreciation on these bikes (the seller dropped it to $11,500 and it looks like it’s now sold thank *f##k*).
About a month ago I had the SL8 on my mind whilst I was at the bank with my mother (I had a meeting with her bank manager). I told her all about the bike (was all lost on her lol), but Mum being Mum, she said if you really want it, buy it! Yeah thanks Mum…
Ultimately I decided that I’d only consider it if I got stronger and faster on the bike, and even then I’d just wait until next year and buy one second hand. If I count all my bikes (including 2 BMX bikes in storage) I have 8 bikes all up. 8 is my lucky number (thus the SL8 has my name on it), and that means if I buy an SL8 I’d have to let go of a bike from the collection (will most likely be one of the 2 BMX bikes, all good).
Fast forward to last week I got a message from MAAP Ambassador Jennifer K who asked me how my SL6 was going (her SL6 is what inspired me to get mine). I proposed that since her SL6 was her “forever bike”, that I get my good mate, business partner and photographer extraordinaire Nick Turner to shoot it in a studio. She was keen, but not to shoot the SL6 but instead shoot her freshly built SL8.
Fuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu!!!
Of-course I let rip that the SL8 is my dream bike, to which she replied “Do ittttttttt. It’s wildly good”. Ah *f##k*, thanks Jen…
There’s one red SL8 in a size 52 in stock on the Specialized AU web site, but it’s equipped with Dura-Ace (I’m definitely now a SRAM man) and red isn’t my thang so I searched and found PedalHeads Cycles in Queensland (another state) had a size 52 in Gloss Dove Grey / Silver Dust Blurred Impasto / Black Pearl, a lovely paint job only available in Dura-Ace spec.
I started to come around to settling for Dura-Ace, but the online shop said they wouldn’t ship the bike interstate. I figure it wouldn’t hurt to shoot off an email, so I did, and today I was on and off the phones with them to work on a deal. PedalHeads had another S-Works Tarmac SL8 in size 49 with SRAM Red, and the legends were willing to swap over the entire Red groupset over to the size 52. Winning big time as the cranks are shorter on the size 49 (165 vs 170 Dura-Ace on the 52). They were also cool to cut the steerer down, remove spacers and slam the stem for me.
The only problem left was that there was no way to send the bike to me in a box, as the bike is so expensive no box could be insured for the full amount, so they would have to literally send it built using what they called a “Roll on Roll off home personalised home delivery service”.
I was literally shaking on the phone when closing the deal. I even said out loud that $20,900.00 AUD was ridiculous, and that could buy me an amazing motorcycle, but Lana at PedalHeads calmed me the *f##k* down and acknowledged that it’s a premium bicycle, and for that I get premium service, so moving the entire groupset from one bike to another was on them.
The bike gets to me early December. Still pinching myself. I blame Jen!
