Road Bike of the Year 2017: Specialized Roubaix

[Jaco-fiets]

specialized.............yawn

[L.T.G]

Thread hijack....

I'm looking at getting a new "road" bike...

I recently sold my alu Diverge because I want carbon...

I'd made up my mind on the Diverge again... but (even before this article came out) I keep looking at the Roubaix too...

So either a 2017 Roubaix Comp or a 2018 Diverge Comp(or equivalent thereof)

Two very different bikes I know, but with the rand facing a tough time ahead, I'm worried about what the new bikes will comes in at.

 

'Verge or Roobay? 

[SwissVan]

Surely a test ride would be the only sensible way to evaluate these innovations.

 

I'm not saying it does not work and rides nice, all reviews indicate it's a success.

My point is for the average joe who never / hardly rides on shocking roads the added extras are a waste of time and watts.

['Dale]

Thread hijack....

I'm looking at getting a new "road" bike...

I recently sold my alu Diverge because I want carbon...

I'd made up my mind on the Diverge again... but (even before this article came out) I keep looking at the Roubaix too...

So either a 2017 Roubaix Comp or a 2018 Diverge Comp(or equivalent thereof)

Two very different bikes I know, but with the rand facing a tough time ahead, I'm worried about what the new bikes will comes in at.

 

'Verge or Roobay?

If you're not likely to hit gravel riding, the Roubaix is a good choice hey

[Paul Ruinaard]

I'm going to be in the market for a new road bike sometime soon, but think I will skip on this Roubaix. To many add on's that over time will just cause grief imo and never mind the extra weight that comes with.

 

While I appreciate what Spaz are trying to do, I think they are going overboard. It's not a suspension which improves traction or bike handling and comfort instead it's just adding flex / spring to the rider interface areas.

 

Disc brakes plus the above mentioned comfort parts... are they really necessary for normal road riding, not unless you live on a vrystaat farm with no tar road in sight or maybe in the DRC.... but then maybe a real mtb would be better.

 

Looks like if I want a Roubaix I'll have to stick to my 12 or 13 year old Specialized Roubaix

 

I'm out

Hmm

 

Actually contrary to what you are saying - the suspension makes a huge difference to the handling of the bike, almost to the point ite revolutionary. Its also why Sagan and Boonen are running the head shock in the Roubaix tomorrow and I know Boonen had it at Tour of Flanders.

 

I have a Roubaix and have been riding one for about four months now. i did a long write up on it on the hub and addressed exactly this. The discs - nice to have but the head shock is revolutionary. Particularly for handling and making the bike track smoothly in the corners.

 

Its because  doesn't matter where you put the suspension i.e. if you suspend the wheels or the rider, it results in the tyres being much more firmly placed on the tar and therefore much higher levels of traction, which means more contact with the road surface even when over rough surfaces which equates to higher lateral G and therefore higher corner speeds.

 

Add 28mm rubber and you are in a whole new world here. Comfort is also exceptional so the rider is less fatigued. 

 

I personally have felt and seen this - i can corner the bike very fast if i like and it just soaks up the bumps and ruts and carries on tracking accurately. It is a whole new world of stability in terms of cornering. On a long descent i can carry much more corner speed than I would have in the past. I rode down chappies and was easily carrying speed with confidence in the corners. It will inspire lesser riders to corner faster and with more confidence as the geometry is also a bit slack so it tracks very neutral. Its not at all twitchy.

 

That is my experience of it, but it is also borne out by the reviews. The fact its vertical compliance front and to some extent at the back also matters, unlike the Trek (which i also looked at) which is horizontal. 

 

Especially if you live in a mountainous area, this bike would be a massively fast device on the steep descents. Discs are nice, but their true value is on long tricky descents.

 

Better braking coupled with higher corner speeds and enhanced traction - a whole new world of smiles and fun.

 

FWIW - i have never been much of a climber but have always descended like a brick off a cliff - so i believe that my abilities are not bad. And i have ridden overseas in France on some very long very steep descents which were in the TdF and can only say that this type of bike is possibly a beginning of the advent of usable suspension on road bikes. Very much like on MTB's it took a couple of designs before there was one that bedded the advancement down enough to make everyone sit up and take note.

 

The Roubaix is that bike.

 

Go to a Specialized dealer and borrow one - but be prepared to not want to give it back.

[Paul Ruinaard]

 

What's old is future again

• cannondale headshock
• girvin flexstem
• redshift shockstop

 

Precisely what i said.

[Patchelicious]

specialized.............yawn

Another unnecessary Spez hater comment...... yawn x 2

[Patchelicious]

How many weird innovations have been driven by the cobbles at Paris Roubaix?

 

Some of the most interesting, laughable and good innovations have been seen at PR. Google some old pics, it's amazing.

 

Yes we can armchair knock these, but I appreciate it when they come up with crazy ideas, not all will work, some will, others will become legendary fokops.

 

BUT without innovation we will all still be on penny farthings.

[Barend de Arend]

Thread hijack....

I'm looking at getting a new "road" bike...

I recently sold my alu Diverge because I want carbon...

I'd made up my mind on the Diverge again... but (even before this article came out) I keep looking at the Roubaix too...

So either a 2017 Roubaix Comp or a 2018 Diverge Comp(or equivalent thereof)

Two very different bikes I know, but with the rand facing a tough time ahead, I'm worried about what the new bikes will comes in at.

 

'Verge or Roobay? 

 

The old diverge had a weird spezzy-only rear hub spacing.  The new one is back to normal.

 

Spezzy also makes a Crux (cyclo-cross), so it'd boil down to:

- maximum useful tire size

- stack & reach (diverge is too upright for me)

- rack & fender mounts

- singletrack or corrugated roads (imo a shock makes more sense on corrugated roads)

[L.T.G]

If you're not likely to hit gravel riding, the Roubaix is a good choice hey

I want to do a mixture of road and groad...Think the Roubaix would be a fail?

 

The old diverge had a weird spezzy-only rear hub spacing.  The new one is back to normal.

 

Spezzy also makes a Crux (cyclo-cross), so it'd boil down to:

- maximum useful tire size

- stack & reach (diverge is too upright for me)

- rack & fender mounts

- singletrack or corrugated roads (imo a shock makes more sense on corrugated roads)

Familiar with the Crux, considered it before getting the Diverge.. Diverge was better for me.

My head says the Diverge is the better option for me... but damn the Roubaix looks pretty!!

( I have a feeling the 2018 Diverge will come with the Futureshock)

[Patchelicious]

I want to do a mixture of road and groad...Think the Roubaix would be a fail?

 

Familiar with the Crux, considered it before getting the Diverge.. Diverge was better for me.

My head says the Diverge is the better option for me... but damn the Roubaix looks pretty!!

( I have a feeling the 2018 Diverge will come with the Futureshock)

I went Crux, but never actually looked at the Diverge ( the frame dimensions didn't appeal to me)

 

What made you decide on the Diverge over the Crux?

[L.T.G]

I went Crux, but never actually looked at the Diverge ( the frame dimensions didn't appeal to me)

 

What made you decide on the Diverge over the Crux?

the Crux (imo) is more aggressive and I felt more comfortable sitting on a Diverge.

I rode my Diverge, without a single issue, on pretty rough ST(Heia Safari Yellow loop, Hobby Park to name a few ), gravel, tar... great bike (just poo brakes) 

[Duane_Bosch]

Its because  doesn't matter where you put the suspension i.e. if you suspend the wheels or the rider, it results in the tyres being much more firmly placed on the tar and therefore much higher levels of traction, which means more contact with the road surface even when over rough surfaces which equates to higher lateral G and therefore higher corner speeds.

So Honda, Yamaha, Suzuki, Ducati etc etc etc etc are all wrong by putting the suspension as close to the wheel as possible and Specialized is right?

 

Maybe I'm reading what you are saying incorrectly but you might want to revisit that bit of your argument.

[ChrisF]

It actually does matter "where" the suspension is mounted ....

 

1) Un-sprung weight - the lower the suspension is mounted the less the unsprung weight and the better for the suspension system.  For "trail" riding you really want the unsprung weight to be as little as possible ...

 

2) vehicle geometry - with the traditional bicycle geometry the axle distance changes as the suspension compresses .. causes all kinds of interesting things to happen with how a bike handles through corners.  Clearly more of an issue the faster you go - thus good for this type bike to keep the axle distance as constant as possible ....

 

 

from a rider perspective - we are used to seeing the frame bob as the suspension works.  Now you will only see up to 20mm movement of the handle bars .... visually this will be different ... but sure the rider will adapt in now time.

[Patchelicious]

So Honda, Yamaha, Suzuki, Ducati etc etc etc etc are all wrong by putting the suspension as close to the wheel as possible and Specialized is right?

 

Maybe I'm reading what you are saying incorrectly but you might want to revisit that bit of your argument.

I'm a huge fan of the RS1 mostly because I come from a motorbike background and upside down suspension is the standard there, in most diciplines.

 

But if the answer was so absolute in cycling, surely there would be a standard by now?

 

Then I think we must be careful of comparing suspension to that of engineered compliance.

[ChrisF]

There is a reason it is called the "future shock" ....

 

 

They are stepping away from the standard design concepts .... only time will tell if it really works ...

 

 

It certainly will give SOME rest to the wrists, without adding substantial weight to the bike.

 

 

 

best part is there will be some decent Specialized bikes coming onto the 2nd hand market as people buy the new technology ....