I love a good Zone 2 ride. There’s nothing like getting on the bike, settling into a groove, and letting the miles (and hours) flow by. But sometimes when I hopped on the Specialized Tarmac SL9 S-Level, Zone 2 would turn into a tempo ride. It was like having a little imp—the stereotype dressed in red with the pitchfork—on my left shoulder whispering into my ear: “Go fast. This bike was built to go fast. Speed is good. You can do a Zone 2 ride tomorrow.” Normally, I’d count on the good imp—the dude with the harp and wings—on my right shoulder to restrain these urges. But the Tarmac is so seductive that he would just shrug and say “he’s got a point.” And in a moment of weakness, I would drop the hammer and head into the red, just because the SL9 makes that so rewarding.
The Tarmac SL9 is Specialized’s aero road bike, with the S-Level sitting just below the S-Works in Specialized’s top tier of carbon, aero road bikes, where it replaced the Tarmac SL8 Pro. After it got an update this year, I spent several weeks riding it, putting nearly 1,000 miles on it
Specialized offers the Tarmac SL9 in four models, all available with SRAM and Shimano drivetrains (Ars tested the SRAM version). Notably, you don’t need to buy the top-of-the-line bike to get the top-of-the-line groupset. Here’s the breakdown of the Tarmac SL9 lineup (note that the Shimano versions of the Expert is 20 g lighter and Comp is 70 grams heavier than the SRAM versions):
| Drivetrain and price | Claimed weight (56 cm SRAM build) | Wheelset | Saddle | Cockpit | Frame and fork | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| S-Works | RED AXS: $13,999.99 Dura-Ace Di2: $13,499.99 |
6.60 kg | Roval Rapide CLX III carbon | S-Works Power with Mirror | Roval Rapide integrated bar/stem | FACT 12r / FACT 12r |
| S-Level | RED AXS: $10,499.99 Dura-Ace Di2: $9,999.99 |
7.10 kg | Roval Rapide CL III carbon | Power Pro Mirror; hollow titanium rails | Roval Rapide integrated bar/stem | FACT 10r / FACT 12r |
| Expert | Force AXS: $6,999.99 Ultegra Di2: $6,499.99 |
7.55 kg | Roval C38 carbon | Body Geometry Power Expert; hollow titanium rails | Specialized Expert Shallow Drop alloy bar; Roval Rapide alloy stem | FACT 10r / FACT 12r |
| Comp | Rival AXS: $4,499.99 105 Di2: $4,199.99 |
8.14 kg | DT Swiss R470 alloy rims; Specialized hubs | Body Geometry Power Comp; chrome alloy rails | Specialized Shallow Drop 6061 alloy bar; Roval Rapide alloy stem | FACT 10r / FACT 12r |
The $10,500 S-Level offers the top-of-the-line SRAM Red groupset and integrated cockpit, just like the $14,000 S-Works. But the frameset, wheelset, and saddle differ. The major difference is the frame: the S-Level gets the same carbon-fiber FACT 10r frame as the Expert and Comp. At 822 g for a 56 cm frame, the FACT 10r is 135 g heavier than the FACT 12r used on the S-Works. Despite the weight difference, Specialized says the FACT 10r offers the same stiffness and comfort characteristics as its lighter sibling. Along with the frame, different wheelsets and saddles make the S-Level 500 g heavier than the S-Works. With bottle cages, a Garmin mount, and my preferred Shimano XTR XC PD-M9200 MTB pedals, the S-Level I tested weighed in at 7.98 kg. By way of comparison, my own road bike—a Gen 8 Trek Madone—weighs in at 7.71 kg.