Road Bike of the Year 2017: Specialized Roubaix

[bikebloke]

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

 

its not a hater comment its just with all the fancy stores and the fancy bikes and fancy stuff ...

they becoming like beamers .........they just everywhere and everyone has one . they getting (gasp) common   ......its a bit yawn  

[Duane_Bosch]

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

Agreed. It isn't REALLY suspension. The same way the decouplers on the Treks and the flexy seatpost and that headshock thing on the Spez aren't ACTUAL functional suspension.

 

Make no mistake I love the looke of the Ruby and the Domane.

[Showtime]

You have two contact patches. The tyre at the bottom and the handlebar at the top. Any sprung or sprung-damped compliance between those points is suspension.

[Patchelicious]

You have two contact patches. The tyre at the bottom and the handlebar at the top. Any sprung or sprung-damped compliance between those points is suspension.

Not sure how springs in the seats, Zert inserts, decouplers or double bar tape helps with keeping the wheel in contact with the ground... but ok I'll take your word for it.

[Baracuda]

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.

 

 

One doesn't generally pedal a Ducati or even a Honda.... but seriously, perhaps this is means of reducing pedal bob that you get with normal front suspension? Surely, there must be another means of reducing pedal bob.

 

It would be interesting to ride one as the distance between your pedals and handlebars can change over time. That must feel weird.

 

My main issue is the cost. At over 50k in SA, it costs 1.5 times the price of the competition.

[Patchelicious]

One doesn't generally pedal a Ducati or even a Honda.... but seriously, perhaps this is means of reducing pedal bob that you get with normal front suspension? Surely, there must be another means of reducing pedal bob.

 

It would be interesting to ride one as the distance between your pedals and handlebars can change over time. That must feel weird.

 

My main issue is the cost. At over 50k in SA, it costs 1.5 times the price of the competition.

You should have rather picked Yamaha and Suzuki, a few Ducati and some Honda cycles around ????

[Baracuda]

You should have rather picked Yamaha and Suzuki, a few Ducati and some Honda cycles around

 

 

Wait until they all find that an MTB is faster anyway:

[Jaco-fiets]

its not a hater comment its just with all the fancy stores and the fancy bikes and fancy stuff ...

they becoming like beamers .........they just everywhere and everyone has one . they getting (gasp) common   ......its a bit yawn  

Exactly what I meant! Not a hater at all. Owned both a spez rd and mtb and both were awesome bikes

[ChrisF]

Not sure how springs in the seats, Zert inserts, decouplers or double bar tape helps with keeping the wheel in contact with the ground... but ok I'll take your word for it.

 

THIS is where "sprung" or "un-sprung" weight comes into play.

 

This setup is just for rider comfort - and does sweet-all for grip.

 

 

For grip you need un-sprung weight setup - where the tire can move up and down while the frame remains largely in a straight line.  THIS, means a heavier setup though ....

 

 

Thus this bike is actually a "rigid" with some creature comforts added, without really improving the handling

[ChrisF]

its not a hater comment its just with all the fancy stores and the fancy bikes and fancy stuff ...

they becoming like beamers .........they just everywhere and everyone has one . they getting (gasp) common   ......its a bit yawn  

 

To rub some salt in the common wounds ....

 

 

Take a walk through a Specialized store .... WIDE range of bikes !!  Even commoners like myself can now afford a low spec Specialized bike .... gone are the days of exclusivity ....

[Jaco-fiets]

To rub some salt in the common wounds ....

 

 

Take a walk through a Specialized store .... WIDE range of bikes !!  Even commoners like myself can now afford a low spec Specialized bike .... gone are the days of exclusivity ....

In my opinion there are 2 brands within that brand. Specialized & S works. Personally I would not want a specialized if it is not an s works

[Duane_Bosch]

You have two contact patches. The tyre at the bottom and the handlebar at the top. Any sprung or sprung-damped compliance between those points is suspension.

By that definition the fat in your arse, the sponge on your seat and your bar tape count as suspension.

['Dale]

By that definition the fat in your arse, the sponge on your seat and your bar tape count as suspension.

Chirp of the day ????????????????

[Paul Ruinaard]

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 think a lot of people replied so possibly i am a bit late to the party but  I think you are quoting me out of context.

 

What is important is that in the static and lacking innovation world of road bikes where the uCI stifles innovations this is a new idea, a beginning and something that is worth evaluating. Its an attempt to get some form of suspension on a roadbike, and its counter intuitive therefore disruptive.

 

The idea that i am trying to point out is simply some suspension is better than none. Its still suspension, it doesnt matter what you technically want to call it, whether you suspend the rider via springs in the saddle or via a shock in a swingarm pivot or a fork, all qualify. You can sit and pick the argument to pieces with fine technical detail but it won't gain you anything. Its still suspension, irrespective of how its executed. So are seat springs, Lauff Forks and leading links and paralevers. All attempting to solve different problems.

 

Specialized came out with a new idea that suspends the rider. It doesn't look like what you understand a suspension to be, but it works pretty well and could have an impact. 

 

Go borrow a bike from a concept store - I would like to see your comments after that.

[Patchelicious]

I think a lot of people replied so possibly i am a bit late to the party but I think you are quoting me out of context.

 

What is important is that in the static and lacking innovation world of road bikes where the uCI stifles innovations this is a new idea, a beginning and something that is worth evaluating. Its an attempt to get some form of suspension on a roadbike, and its counter intuitive therefore disruptive.

 

The idea that i am trying to point out is simply some suspension is better than none. Its still suspension, it doesnt matter what you technically want to call it, whether you suspend the rider via springs in the saddle or via a shock in a swingarm pivot or a fork, all qualify. You can sit and pick the argument to pieces with fine technical detail but it won't gain you anything. Its still suspension, irrespective of how its executed. So are seat springs, Lauff Forks and leading links and paralevers. All attempting to solve different problems.

 

Specialized came out with a new idea that suspends the rider. It doesn't look like what you understand a suspension to be, but it works pretty well and could have an impact.

 

Go borrow a bike from a concept store - I would like to see your comments after that.

I think that's were the lines are getting crossed.

 

These things are trying to fulfill fundementally different functions.

 

Lauf, leaf springs, MTB forks, double wishbone, upside motorbike forks are predominantly there to keep the tyres in contact with the ground as best possible. That's their function.

 

The Roubaix is trying to create comfort through compliance.

 

The one try's improve traction and grip as it's primary function where the other tries to make things more pleasant as is primary function.

 

Both good, and agreed some compliance is better than none...

 

But putting them all under the same umbrella doesn't make them them the same.

 

I'm not even sure I understand the original argument anymore ????

 

The topic had been Hubified!

[SwissVan]

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.

 

So where did Sagan and Boonen finish today.... looks like GvA was riding a pretty rigid BMC  

I'm glad you enjoy your bike, that's what its all about  

 

IMO the squiggy bits that Specialized have added are contributing a great deal to the feelings of superb handling.... by smoothing your ride.

 

No doubt this is what Specialized want to achieve...improve rider comfort on harsh terrain and clearly have done so successfully.

 

When i bought my Roubaix back in 2004 / 5 it was because i wanted a more comfortable bike, the Roubaix at that stage had comfortable geometry and still felt like a race bike.

 

"Those zert" inserts... tbh i don't think the zert inserts made much difference to comfort...most likely Specialized have test data in their files to prove me wrong...

 

Discs... LOL don't get me started...yes if you ride down alp passes regularly they would worth it or in the rain every day or on carbon rims every day...but for the normal average joe...

 

Hell i live in sight of the alps and in Europe (RAIN) and i still don't feel the need for discs on my road bike... maybe i'm not average