Specialized have announced an all-new Tarmac on the eve of the Tour de France. The reworked Tarmac promises improved handling, a smoother ride, and significant weight savings.
On the previous generation Tarmac, each frame size was developed around independent stiffness targets so that each frame size would provide a uniform experience. Specialized called this Rider-First Engineering. With the new Tarmac, Specialized have taken this approach beyond just stiffness, with each frame size undergoing development testing on handling stiffness, aerodynamics, and weight. This approach meant that the Specialized R&D team could look at the impact any one change had on all performance indicators for each frame size.
The new Tarmac frame weighs 733 grams in size 56cm, which is apparently a 200 gram saving over the previous Tarmac. Specialized claim that the use of their Rider-First approach and a new precise molding technique allowed them to reduce material used in the frame. The S-Works model uses a proprietary paint which only adds 10 grams to the frame weight.
There are some obvious changes to the shape of the new Tarmac. Firstly, the dropped seatstays, which we’ve seen applied to a range of other Specialized road bikes. Lowering the attachment point of the seatstays reduces drag, without impacting on frame stiffness. The front fork also has a new shape, making the blades more aerodynamic and tucking more of the fork into the head tube to reduce crown height. The last obvious change is the D-shaped seatpost and seat tube which is efficient through the air and boosts comfort.
The new Tarmac will be available in South Africa from September/October.
For further explanations on all these details and more, check out the Press Release from Specialized below.
Press release:
The All-new, Rider-first Engineered Tarmac: Nothing Is Lighter, Faster, Or Better Handling
When it was time to design a new Tarmac, we looked to pro racing to decide how we should improve it. And with the more extreme needs of the top pros, we knew we’d need Rider-First Engineered handling, but in a lighter, faster, and smoother package. To pull this off, we had to turn traditional design on its head and develop the all new S-Works Tarmac. Without a doubt, it’s the fastest, most complete race bike you’ve ever ridden.
Rider-First Engineered
When Rider-First was introduced in 2014 on the Tarmac, it meant that each individual frame size was developed around stiffness targets that were specific to the expected pilot of each bike. This resulted in a uniform experience for all riders, regardless of their frame size. In other words, this meant that no rider would ever experience either an under-built or over-built bike. In fact, everyone receives exactly what the Tarmac was intended to be—fast and predictable performance.
For the new Tarmac, however, we’ve updated our Rider-First Engineered process to take more than just handling into consideration. Based on the learnings from our strategic partnership with McLaren Applied Technologies, we integrated a structural analysis simulation that provides a ply-by-ply analysis of each frame’s layup schedule alongside our real-time Win Tunnel testing and in-house CFD. The simultaneous use of these tools means that each performance metric— handling stiffness, aerodynamic efficiency, and weight—can be measured against each other, ensuring that a change made to increase one performance target doesn’t erode another. Our Director of R&D, Dr. Chris Yu, uses the following analogy to demonstrate the development process.
Dr. Chris Yu
This is the first time that this level of analysis has been used in the cycling industry, and not stopping there, this development process was not only used once, it was used seven times—individually on each frame size of the new Men’s and Women’s Tarmac.
In addition to the Tarmac’s attention to detail throughout the layup, we’ve also engineered three new forks that use unique steerer tube tapering to further improve ride feel and precision. Each of the three Tarmac forks attach to the frame through a 1.5-inch lower bearing, allowing for carbon to move from the fork’s crown through the steerer tube without creating harsh angles that cause stress on the material. Additionally, each steerer tube tapers depending on their stiffness requirements, so smaller forks have no taper to allow for maximum deflection when ridden by small riders, while larger frames feature forks that use a taper running the entire height of the head tube in order to provide precision and rigidity, unlike any other bike.
This new layup also features 500 pieces, as opposed to the 350 in the previous Tarmac, all but eliminating the overlap between plys. With this, and the use of co- optimisation, we keep the same (or even greater) stiffness as overlapped plys, only at a much lower weight.
Through these technologies, all seven sizes have tailored stiffnesses, making the experience for each rider exactly the same—stiff, yet compliant, snappy, yet aero, and of course, FAST.
Retül
With this new recipe, we also updated the geometry—basing it on countless Retül data points and professional rider input. This enabled us to develop a performance road geometry that perfects the combination of a responsive front end and short wheelbase, delivering instantaneous response and optimal power transfer.
Retül has become an integrated part of our development process, as each fit captured by our certified fit technicians fuels a database of real-world rider fits. This allows us to better understand where riders are positioned on the bike and to adjust the geometry of the frame and component spec to best fit riders buying one.
Likewise, with Retül’s analysis of rider position, we’re able to capture and better understand feedback from our World Tour racers. This deeper understanding of the rider’s position helps us to interpret their sensation while riding and to translate that feedback into improvements.
Weight
733g in size 56cm should say everything you need to know. This is a 200g weight savings from the previous Rider-First EngineeredTM Tarmac. As mentioned above, this savings comes from the ability to co-optimise each of the Tarmac’s performance targets, so that reducing weight doesn’t negatively affect the frames handling or aerodynamic performance.
To do this, we engineered the most precisely sized mandrels we’ve ever made, ensured incredibly precise ply placement, and pleated larger plies so that, when expanded during molding, they create the smallest ply overlaps without creating gaps.
Ultralight paint
This is a proprietary process and paint that only adds 10 grams, or the weight of nine gummy bears, to the S-Works Tarmac Ultralight.
Win Tunnel Engineered
We know that aerodynamics is the most important thing we can do to make you faster. With this, the aero goal was to discover where we could essentially “add aero for free,” by not taking anything away from the hallmarks of the Tarmac design. Therefore, we stopped increasing aero where it would even add one gram or change stiffness at all. The aerodynamic development of the Tarmac ultimately happened during the six-month iterative process, but the knowledge of over six years, plus the data of countless aero projects, was all pulled for the Tarmac’s development. In the end, three areas were discovered where we could add aero for free—a new fork shape, dropped seatstays with aero tubes, and a d-shaped seatpost and seat tube. The result? A bike that’s approximately 45 seconds faster over 40 kilometers compared to other lightweight bikes in the same weight category.
New Fork Shape
We focussed on two primary areas with the fork—fork blades and crown height. In order to keep the Tarmac’s ride quality and performance, three different sized fork blades have been developed and aerodynamically tuned. 44-52, 54-56, and 58-64cm bikes each receive individually tuned forks that feature a truncated airfoil and vary depending on their stiffness requirements. This results in forks that are visually different in size, but work to minimise the frontal profile as much as possible.
Second, by using the 1.5-inch lower bearing we mentioned, we moved the fork further up inside of the head tube and reduced the height of the crown substantially. This reduction in height reduces frontal area and creates a smoother, faster shape.
Dropped seatstays
The addition of “dropped” seatstays to the Tarmac bring it in line with the other competitive road bikes in our family. During the development of the original Shiv TT, we learned that, by lowering the attachment of the seatstays on the seat tube, we were able to hide the tube from the wind with little to no cost on stiffness. Over time, we’ve since developed this design to be featured in the Venge ViAS, Roubaix, and even the Allez and Allez Sprint. Again, leaning in to the co-optimisation of the frame’s layup, we’re able to adjust the composition of the frame to feature lower seatstays for improved aerodynamics, while also increasing both rear end responsiveness and compliance.
D-shaped Seatpost And Seat Tube
Development of the seatpost was critical for improving aerodynamic performance and comfort. We started by setting a parameter for seatpost deflection to be equal to or greater than that of the last Tarmac. Any additional aerodynamic gains would need to be made without sacrificing the comfort of the rider. To do this, we landed on a D-shaped truncated airfoil seatpost that performs much better aerodynamically, and then we adjusted the layup to progressively add stiffness as it moved down the length of the seatpost. This means that engineered flex is added near the seatpost head to provide the most possible comfort, while the shape provides a tangible aerodynamic advantage in the high-speed airflow zone between rider’s legs.
Men’s And Women’s Shared Platforms
Through our partnership with Retül, we have access to over 40,000 digital fit points, and through this, we’ve changed how we tackle our philosophy and approach to product development. Now, our brand is able to put the way people ride ahead of their gender. The way forward is to reimagine our frame geometry with both women and men in mind. And by utilising fit graphs, we looked at how men and women are fitting on our bikes and then ensure that the geometries we’re developing serve the riders and the experience they’re looking for. Ultimately, we’ve developed overlapping geometries based on the desired experience of the riders, so we’re able to put the way people ride ahead of their gender.
What does this mean for Tarmac? We now have Tarmacs for women and Tarmacs for men. There’s no longer just a “men’s Tarmac,” but a Tarmac family that serves men and women looking for the same experience.
