First off, regardless of how good the Specialized Tarmac 2011 bike range is - it's going to sell well. This is the same family of bikes that Saxo-Bank and Astana rode so successfully and so visibly in the Tour.
While the bikes of Contador, Schleck and Cancellera might have had a finer level of carbon, NASA grade componentry and fancier paintjobs, the geometry, essential aerodynamics and build of the frame are nigh on identical.
One of the prime reasons Specialized practically bought their way into the podium (not to mention possession of the yellow jersey for 17 days), was the effect it would have on sales of their road range. Call it the Lance/Madone effect.
The first model we received was the Specialized Tarmac Comp SL2 2011.
| Call it cross pollination - heck, call it downright flattery, but this tapering seat tube reminds us a lot of the Cervelo 'Squoval' tech. Increased stiffness right where you need it. |
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| A brand new wheelset from Fulcrum. We really like the rest of the Racing series, so we expect the Racing 6 to follow that trend. The tyres are new from Specialized too. | |
| The Romin saddle is already a firm favourite here. Certainly not something you'll need to swap out. | |
| One of the areas the 2011 Tarmac saves weight. The 2010 model didn't have this cutaway. | |
| The new highly rated Shimano 105 throughout. |
Bikerumour take a similar look at the Specialized Tarmac Expert if you're interested in the model up.
What is it with Specialized road bikes and inappropriate lawn photoshoots this year?
