Specialized S-Works Tarmac SL4. The SL4 has been in the range for three years now but it’s still a fine bike in terms of its lightness and stiffness.

As is the case with most top-end performance bikes, the SL4 comes with a tapered head tube/fork steerer. Although Specialized go with a standard 1 1/8in upper bearing, the lower bearing is a far more unusual 1 3/8in, the idea being to provide confident handling and sharp steering.

• The Specialized SL4 FACT 8r carbon frame has all the road absorbing, engineered compliance that you’d expect, while still providing all the responsiveness and performance you need for long days in the saddle.
• The Specialized FACT carbon fork optimizes stiffness while providing excellent steering response. Road chatter is also absorbed through the Zertz elastomer inserts.
• The AXIS 2.0 wheels offer a reliable and durable construction at an incredible value for long days in the saddle over varying terrain.

What is it?
The G2:Gravel is the culmination of a 3-year deep-dive into exploring what exactly is a gravel bike, and what makes gravel so fun. It’s a lightweight frameset designed to inspire confidence with first-time gravel riders, while offering maneuverability and performance to seasoned gravel pros. There’s clearence for huge 700x50C tires built around a frameset that has been engineered from the ground up to offer the best performance both on and off-road.

Why is it special?
It’s a bike-builder’s dream. We’re not trying to sell a series of increasingly expensive full-bikes. We’re offering one frameset at one price point. We’re die-hard cyclists ourselves. We built the frame we wanted to buy: A frame that gives a huge range of options for the builder. A simple threaded bottom bracket for easy building and maintenance, clearance for huge tires, a huge front triangle for masses of storage, a plethora of mounts for customization and geometry that is ahead of the curve in terms of stability and handling. Not comfortable building your own bike? Get in touch with one of our dealers, and they’ll talk you through building your dream build, customized just for you.