You can buy the bike used by Red Bull’s Tour de France team

Specialized

Amateur cyclists can now experience for themselves what it is like to participate in one of the most famous races in the world.

The pros at Specialized have released a limited edition replica of the bikes that the Red Bull–Bora–Hansgrohe team will ride during this year’s Tour de France. Only 500 units of the $16,500 S-Works Tarmac SL8 will be sold. And in addition to the high-quality specs, the “sticker slap” design brings some fun to the bike.

“The design is inspired by the youth culture and skateboarding aesthetic of the ‘90s,” said Tom Briggs, Specialized’s lead concept graphic designer, in a statement. “It’s a new look, a new day for the peloton, and Specialized is bringing something together that feels unique in a world that can too often look the same.”

As for its on-the-road bona fides, the S-Works Tarmac SL8 features a full SRAM RED AXS groupset, the lightest electronic groupset in the world, according to Specialized. There’s also a power meter and a Roval Rapide CLX II Team wheelset that complements the record-setting frame: the Tarmac is the world’s fastest racing bike and the winningest in the modern era.

The SL8 version is also an improvement over Specialized’s SL7 model. It debuted last year and is 16.6 seconds faster over 25 miles compared to the SL7. And the frame is 15 percent lighter than the SL7: at just 1.5 pounds, it’s lighter than any other bike on the World Tour.

It’s all that incomparability that fans of Specialized bikes love. And it’s also what sets the brand apart when it comes to professional cyclists.

“I am extremely excited to enter into this new partnership with Red Bull, especially considering that the relationship with Specialized is only going from strength to strength,” team member Primož Roglič said in a statement. “It’s no secret that cycling is a sport with small margins and Specialized sets the benchmark for performance in cycling. Having the very best bikes and equipment is crucial to success. With Specialized we know we have that and that’s a big reason why I’m doing this project.”

If it’s good enough for Roglič…