If you wanted a Tarmac SL9 when Specialized announced the bike back in June, just ahead of the Tour de France, you’d have needed deep pockets. That’s because the Tarmac SL9 was only available in S-Works spec, built on Specialized’s premium FACT 12r carbon, with top-tier components to boot.
You can read a detailed breakdown of what’s new with the SL9 update and Specialized’s claimed four watts aero improvement in Josh's S-Works Tarmac SL9 launch story.