Specialized Tarmac Expert

For pure racing performance, reviewers say it's hard to beat the Specialized Tarmac Expert in this price range. With a carbon frame and Shimano Ultegra SL components, testers say this road bike offers stable handling, crisp shifting and a responsive ride quality. This road bike also gets exceptionally high marks from multiple reviewers for extremely precise steering, and there is a general consensus among experts that the Specialized Tarmac Expert is ready to race. Although most reviewers have nothing but good things to say about the Specialized Tarmac Expert, several owners say the seat clamp can loosen pretty easily while riding. Other than that, most owners have few complaints. If you prefer a more comfort-oriented road bike, the Giant Defy Advanced 1 (MSRP: $3,500) also gets good reviews in this category, but a taller head tube provides more comfortable positioning for long miles.

We found a number of excellent reviews of the Specialized Tarmac Expert, especially from CyclingNews.com. Their review is exceptionally detailed and provides an overview of each of the bike's components. TestRider.com also offers a video review, and Bicycling magazine rounds out the coverage. There are also a good number of owner-written reviews on RoadBikeReview.com.