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Roubaix Pro 23/25c As the name suggests, the Specialized Roubaix Pro's are intended for endurance rides on varied road surfaces providing added comfort, grip and puncture protection. We tested the 700 x 23mm/25mm variant, and yes, that naming is a little confusing. The 23mm/25mm sizing refers to the width and depth of the tyre meaning it has more of an oval shape. This is to allow better compatibility on frames with minimal clearance while still providing the feel of a wider tyre. Specifications Casing: 120 TPI Bead: Foldable Compound: GRIPTON Flat Protection: Endurant Casing and BlackBelt Weight: 700 x 23mm/25mm; psi 115-125; approximate weight 260g Price: R565 The Roubaix Pros live up to their name, providing an excellent feel on the road. The deeper profile does well to cut out road buzz and soften hard knocks. Despite the varied width and depth the tyres still feel and look well wider than a standard 23c. The tyres have a smooth contact surface along the centerline of the tread which rolls well for an all rounder. Along the outer edges the scale-like tread pattern provides excellent grip on a variety of road surfaces. They performed well in the wet maintaining good traction through corners and under braking. Throughout testing on the glass strewn Cape roads, the Endurant Casing and BlackBelt protection appeared to do their job diligently, resulting in zero punctures. The Roubaix Pro tyres provide excellent value and impressive performance as an all-rounder. Weight wise they may not quite meet the criteria for a more serious racer, but for those seeking an ultra reliable, comfortable and grippy tyre they're a great match. ProsGood in wet and dry Smooth ride Excellent puncture protection Well priced all-rounder ConsDoes carry some extra weight The All Condition Armadillo Elite 25cAs the name suggests the All Condition Armadillo Elite has been designed with all riding conditions in mind. This is a tyre that can handle wet and dry, and smooth or rough roads with aplomb. The Armadillo Elite is available in up to a 32c tyre, and could even be used on a gravel grinding rig. I tested the 25c on a conventional road bike on training rides around the peninsula. Specifications Casing: 120 TPI Bead: Foldable Compound: GRIPTON Flat Protection: Armadillo Elite Weight: 700 x 25mm; psi 110-125; approximate weight 315g Price: R660 In normal road riding conditions the Armadillo Elites feel pretty standard. At 315g per tyre, they are the beefiest tyres I have had on my road bike to date, and this was noticeable where accelerations and surges were required to stay with the bunch: my bike felt just a little more sluggish than usual. Once up to speed and spinning there was no discernible difference to me. Where the tyres came into their own, was on choppy rough tar, in wet conditions, and adverse surface conditions, such as where the road was covered in building dirt and sand. On choppy tar, the tyres seemed to offer extra cushioning- the ride felt smoother, a bit more like riding a mountain bike than a road bike. In the wet, and on dodgy surfaces the traction offered by the Armadillo again gave me the secure feel of mountain bike rubber, making it possible to descend and corner with a little more confidence. For me, the greatest benefit of the Armadillos comes in the form of peace of mind when riding on the glass and debris-filled verges of Cape Town's roads. A necessary survival tactic on many busy stretches of tar, but one that puts you at risk of punctures with more fragile tyres. To be comfortable hanging as far left as possible at all times, without fretting about puncturing, is a weight off my shoulders, and I'll happily push a few more grams during training to be able to do so. ProsVersatile Tough Comfortable ConsNot the lightest Turbo Cotton 24c The Turbo Cottons are purebred race tyres from Specialized. They feature a cotton casing for unparalleled suppleness and grip, with ultra-low rolling resistance. Specifications Casing: 320 TPI Polycotton Bead: Foldable Compound: GRIPTON Flat Protection: BlackBelt Weight: 2700 x 24mm; psi 115-125; approximate weight 220g Price: R940 As one would expect, compared to more affordable all round tyres the lower rolling resistance can be felt on the road. With these fitted to a set of Darkhorse DH SLF 36c wheels my Scott Addict turned into a PB machine. What I really liked though, was the confidence and grip they provided when attacking corners or twisty sections. I could lean these right over at speed and never felt like they were going to slide out from under me. It is rare to find a tyre so fast that has this much grip on offer. Acceleration, from a standstill, was very good, and this was immediately noticeable when compared to the Continental Grandsport Race they replaced. Although the surface shows several small cuts, I only suffered one puncture during my time on these and that was down to an old faithful: a big-ass thorn. I managed close to 10km with the thorn stuck in the tyre before it was too flat to ride. Based on that I would say that the layer of Specialized BlackBelt puncture resistance material does a good job of elevating the tyres puncture resistance. If you're looking to eek out every last watt on race day then the Turbo Cotton should be on your shopping list. If that doesn't matter too much to you, but you're all about letting it fly on the descents then they are worth a look as well. ProsFast! Very low rolling resistance Light Grip for days Cotton casing results in very smooth ride ConsLighter tyres can be prone to cuts and punctures Did not get to test them in the wet, but reports suggest they are best suited to dry conditions Price Turbo Pro 28c The Turbo Pros are budget friendly cousins of the Turbo Cotton race tyre. The focus is on lightweight, low rolling resistance, and good cornering traction. Our test set was a wide 28 millimetres, giving us a chance to experience and test the wide tyre trend first hand. Specifications Casing: 60 TPI Bead: Foldable Compound: GRIPTON Flat Protection: BlackBelt Weight: 700 x 26mm; psi 100-125; approximate weight 250g Price: R470 Jumping on the 28c Specialized Turbo Pro tyres was my first experience of going wide on a road bike. Thankfully, there were no clearance issues fitting them to my SwiftCarbon Attack. The smooth tread pattern provides excellent grip in dry conditions. I was a bit concerned about what might happen in the wet, but after a couple of wet mornings up and down Chappies, my fears were dispelled. Yes, I was a bit cautious coming down but it was controlled throughout. Admittedly, they are not the most responsive tyres I have ridden. Perhaps due to the lower pressures (recommended range is 6-6.5 bar), the tyres do not have an immediate response to hard acceleration. Whether that translates to any difference in my actual performance, as an amateur, I do not think so. Once up to speed the Turbo Pros come into their own, gliding over bumps with confidence and maintaining speed with ease. Specialized say that a 26 millimetre width is the sweet spot for balancing comfort and speed, and for 2017 they will be producing more of their road tyre range in this size. However, for the added comfort, traction in the turns, and confidence over bumps, provided by these 28's, I'll sacrifice any perceived speed gains. They'll be staying right where they are. ProsLots of grip at low pressures Easy rolling Comfortable ConsA bit of a squeeze to get the wheel through the brakes

The S-Works Roubaix eTap. Specialized worked closely with McLaren to understand what “smooth” actually meant. Together, they analyzed how riders and road surfaces interact, learning to quantify smoothness in order to increase speed and reduce road vibrations transmitted to the rider. Eric Schuda, Director of Road at Specialized, had this to say: "To bring 'Smoother is Faster' to life, we developed the Future Shock. Our testing showed road vibrations are felt the most through the front end of the bike. We needed to reduce these vibrations, so the team developed a suspension system to absorb bump input through the bars. This allows the bike to float under the riders hands and is not only smoother but also proven to be faster over rough roads. The Future Shock also features three different spring rates, allowing retailers to customize the rider experience based on customer preference." In addition to the Future Shock, the bikes feature the CG-R seatpost and the new Drop Clamp, which allows 20mm of rearward arc compliance. Together, they improve smoothness, speed, and comfort, while also increasing traction and cornering. The S-Works Ruby and Roubaix will come with Specialized's latest road offering, the Roval CLX 32 wheels, which are lighter, more aerodynamic, and have less rolling resistance than the previous CLX 40 wheels. Expert and S-Works models also feature a SWAT™ Box storage system that fits seamlessly above the bottom bracket, providing the most logical place to hold items for flat repair. It can be purchased aftermarket, however, and it's compatible with every new Ruby and Roubaix. Both bikes have Specialized's Rider-First Engineered™ technology, with the Ruby being the first women’s road bike to feature it. This means each frame size has been individually developed to the respective rider, rather than the traditional approach of building the median size and just making larger and smaller versions of the same frame. Specialized is certain that these two new road offerings prove that smoother is indeed faster. We had an opportunity to ride the new Roubaix. Check out our first ride here. Models and Specifications: S-Works Roubaix eTap FrameS-Works FACT 11r carbon, Endurance Geometry, Rider-First Engineered, 12x142mm thru-axle, Future Shock suspension, 20mm of travelForkRoubaix disc, FACT 11r carbon, 12x100mm thru-axleStemS-Works SL, alloy, titanium bolts, 6-degree riseHandlebarsS-Works Hover Carbon, 15mm rise, 125mm drop, 75mm reachTapeS-Wrap Roubaix w/stickygelBrakesSRAM Red hydraulicFront DerailleurSRAM eTap, braze-onRear DerailleurSRAM eTap, 11-speedShift LeversSRAM eTap HydroCassetteSRAM Red 22, 11-28tChainSRAM Red 22, 11-speedCranksetSRAM Red 22Chainrings50/34TBottom BracketSRAM BB30, 83mmFront WheelCLX 32 Disc, thru-axle, 2Bliss ReadyRear WheelCLX 32 Disc, thru-axle, 2Bliss ReadyTyresS-Works Turbo 2Bliss Ready, 700x26mm, 180TPI, folding bead, BlackBelt Protection, GriptonSaddleS-Works Phenom GT, carbon rails, 143mmSeatpostSpecialized CG-R, FACT carbon, single bolt, 27.2mmSizes49, 52, 54, 56, 58, 61Retail PriceR 169,999.00 S-Works Roubaix Frameset FrameS-Works FACT 11r carbon, Endurance Geometry, Rider-First Engineered, 12x142mm thru-axle, Future Shock suspension, 20mm of travelForkRoubaix disc, FACT 11r carbon, 12x100mm thru-axleBottom BracketOSBB, CeramicSpeed bearingsSeatpostSpecialized CG-R, FACT carbon, single bolt, 27.2mmRetail PriceR 59,999.00 Roubaix Expert UDI2 FrameFACT 10r carbon, Endurance Geometry, Rider-First Engineered, 12x142mm thru-axle, Future Shock suspension, 20mm of travelForkRoubaix disc, FACT 11r carbon, 12x100mm thru-axleStemSpecialized Pro SL, alloy, 4-boltHandlebarsSpecialized Hover Expert Alloy, 15mm rise, 125mm drop, 75mm reachTapeS-Wrap Roubaix w/stickygelBrakesShimano Ultegra, hydraulic, Ice-Tech resin pads w/finsFront DerailleurShimano Ultegra Di2 6870, 11-speed, braze-onRear DerailleurShimano Ultegra Di2, long cage, 11-speedShift LeversShimano R785 Di2, 11-speedCassetteShimano Ultegra, 11-speed, 11-32tChainShimano Ultegra, 11-speedCranksetShimano Ultegra CompactChainrings50/34TBottom BracketShimano, outboard cartridge bearingsFront WheelDT R460 Disc, thru-axle, 2Bliss ReadyRear WheelDT R460 Disc, thru-axle, 2Bliss ReadyTyresTurbo Pro, 700x26mm, 60TPI, folding bead, BlackBelt protectionSaddlePhenom Expert GT, Adaptive Edge design, hollow titanium rails, 143mmSeatpostSpecialized CG-R, FACT carbon, single bolt, 27.2mmSizes49, 52, 54, 56, 58, 61Retail PriceR 87,499.00 Roubaix Comp FrameFACT 10r carbon, Endurance Geometry, Rider-First Engineered, 12x142mm thru-axle, Future Shock suspension, 20mm of travelForkRoubaix disc, FACT 11r carbon, 12x100mm thru-axleStem3D-forged alloy, 7-degree riseHandlebarsSpecialized Hover Comp Alloy, 15mm rise, 125mm drop, 75mm reachTapeS-Wrap Roubaix w/stickygelBrakesShimano 805 Flat-Mount HYD, resin pads w/finsFront DerailleurShimano Ultegra, braze-onRear DerailleurShimano Ultegra, long cage, 11-speedShift LeversShimano ST-RS505, 11-speedCassetteShimano 105, 11-speed, 11-32tChainKMC X11, 11-speedCranksetPraxis ZayanteChainrings50/34TBottom BracketPraxisFront WheelDT R460 Disc, thru-axle, 2Bliss ReadyRear WheelDT R460 Disc, thru-axle, 2Bliss ReadyTyresTurbo Pro, 700x26mm, 60TPI, folding bead, BlackBelt protectionSaddlePhenom Comp GT, hollow Cr-Mo rails, 143mmSeatpostSpecialized CG-R, FACT carbon, single bolt, 27.2mmSizes49, 52, 54, 56, 58, 61Retail PriceR 57,499.00 Roubaix SL4 Sport FrameSpecialized SL4 FACT 10r carbon, 1-1/8" to 1-3/8" head tube, compact race design, Zertz, internal rear brake cable, OSBBForkFACT carbon fiber, full carbon monocoque, Zertz insertsStemSpecialized, 3D forged alloy, 4-bolt, 7-degree riseHandlebarsSpecialized Shallow Drop, alloy, 125mm drop, 75mm reachTapeS-Wrap Roubaix w/stickygelBrakesAXIS 1.0Front DerailleurShimano 105, braze-onRear DerailleurShimano 105, long cage, 11-speedShift LeversShimano 105 STI, 11-speedCassetteShimano 105, 11-speed, 11-32tChainKMC X11, 11-speedCranksetPraxis AlbaChainrings50/34TBottom BracketPraxisFront WheelAxis Elite, QRRear WheelAxis Elite, QRTyresTurbo Pro, 700x26mm, 60TPI, folding bead, BlackBelt protectionSaddlePhenom Comp GT, hollow Cr-Mo rails, 143mmSeatpostSpecialized CG-R, FACT carbon, single bolt, 27.2mmSizes49, 52, 54, 56, 58, 61 Roubaix SL4 FrameSpecialized SL4 FACT 10r carbon, 1-1/8" to 1-3/8" head tube, compact race design, Zertz, internal rear brake cable, OSBBForkFACT carbon fiber, full carbon monocoque, Zertz insertsStemSpecialized, 3D forged alloy, 4-bolt, 7-degree riseHandlebarsSpecialized Shallow Drop, alloy, 125mm drop, 75mm reachTapeS-Wrap Roubaix w/stickygelBrakesAXIS 1.0Front DerailleurShimano Tiagra, braze-onRear DerailleurShimano Tiagra, long cage, 10-speedShift LeversShimano Tiagra STI, 10-speedCassetteShimano Tiagra, 10-speed, 11-34tChainKMC X10, 10-speed w/reusable MissingLinkCranksetPraxis AlbaChainrings50/34TBottom BracketPraxisFront WheelAxis Elite, QRRear WheelAxis Elite, QRTyresEspoir Elite, 700x25mmSaddleBody Geometry Toupé Sport, hollow Cr-Mo rails, 143mmSeatpostSpecialized CG-R, FACT carbon, single bolt, 27.2mmSizes49, 52, 54, 56, 58, 61 Ruby Comp FrameFACT 10r carbon, Women's Endurance Geometry, 12x142mm thru- axle, Future Shock suspension, 20mm of travelForkRuby disc, FACT 11r carbon, 12x100mm thru-axleStem3D-forged alloy, 7-degree riseHandlebarsSpecialized Hover Comp Alloy, 15mm rise, 125mm drop, 75mm reachTapeS-Wrap Roubaix w/stickygelBrakesShimano 805 Flat-Mount HYD, resin pads w/finsFront DerailleurShimano Ultegra, braze-onRear DerailleurShimano Ultegra, long cage, 11-speedShift LeversShimano ST-RS505, 11-speedCassetteShimano 105, 11-speed, 11-32tChainKMC X11, 11-speedCranksetPraxis Zayante, threadedChainrings50/34TBottom BracketPraxisFront WheelDT R460 Disc, thru-axle, 2Bliss ReadyRear WheelDT R460 Disc, thru-axle, 2Bliss ReadyFront TyreTurbo Pro, 700x26mm, 60TPI, folding bead, BlackBelt protectionRear TyreTurbo Pro, 700x26mm, 60TPI, folding bead, BlackBelt protectionSaddleRuby Comp, hollow Cr-Mo rails, 155mmSeatpostSpecialized CG-R, FACT carbon, single bolt, 27.2mmSizes44, 48, 51, 54, 56Retail PriceR 57,499.00 Ruby SL4 Sport FrameSpecialized FACT 9r carbon rim, FACT construction, Women's Endurance Geometry, Women's Layup, Zertz, threadedForkSpecialized Ruby FACT carbon, full monocoque, Zertz insertsStemSpecialized, 3D forged alloy, 4-bolt, 7-degree riseHandlebarsSpecialized Women's Comp Shallow Drop, alloy, 123mm drop, 75mm reachTapeS-Wrap Roubaix w/stickygelBrakesAXIS 1.0Front DerailleurShimano 105, braze-onRear DerailleurShimano 105, long cage, 11-speedShift LeversShimano 105 STI, 11-speedCassetteShimano 105, 11-speed, 11-32tChainKMC X11, 11-speedCranksetPraxis AlbaChainrings50/34TBottom BracketPraxis, outboard cartridge bearingsFront WheelAxis Elite, QRRear WheelAxis Elite, QRFront TyreTurbo Pro, 700x26mm, 60TPI, folding bead, BlackBelt protectionRear TyreTurbo Pro, 700x26mm, 60TPI, folding bead, BlackBelt protectionSaddleLithia Comp Gel, hollow Cr-Mo rails, 155mmSeatpostSpecialized CG-R, FACT carbon, single bolt, 27.2mmSizes44, 48, 51, 54, 57