Has anyone here got a Roubaix, the later model with the spring in the headset? How comfortable is it? I’ve read the road tests but I’m more interested in the experiences of ordinary Tossers than racing snake bite testers.
Specialized Roubaix
- Thread starter Greenman14
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Had one. Very upright and comfy riding position. Excellent ride quality with the Zertx inserts.
Teeonethousand
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I have just bought a new bike and the Roubaix (and Diverge) was on my list..especially now it takes wider tyres. My brother has one and loves it. I liked the sound of the headstock and the bendy seat post…then someone suggested it might be that other designers design compliance into the frame and so don’t need external stuff to get the comfort. That sounded plausible but who knows. In the end I bought a Giant Revolt Advanced (also on my list)…they had a massive discount on 2024 models and the last one in my size was at my LBS.
Currently my most comfortable bike is a Kinesis G2 gravel bike, Al frame and carbon fork with a pair of Fulcrum Racing 4 Al wheels and 30mm tyres. I’m a convert to wider tyres on road bikes and find that 30mm suits me well. My main issue is arthritis in my hands and road vibes and shocks are likely to make it worse.
I have a Specialised Creo that I've ridden about a dozen times this year. It has the 'headshock' thing you describe. To be honest, I really don't feel much difference. I do feel the difference on 35 or 40mm tyres tho...I heartily recommend trying wider road tyres. (If you think about the extra volume of air...it is huge...30mm - 35mm is c 30% bigger volume......30 - 40 is nearly double the volume)
Have to agree with this. Bigger tyres certainly make a difference on rough ground uneven roads. They come with a tradeoff in that they are heavier and so make the bike feel a little slower off the line. Once riding they feel fine. On an un mototorized bike I wouldn’t go bigger than 35 mm. For road use I use 28 mm, for gravel 35 mm.
Specialized use future shock, the headset elastomer to reduce road chatter and smooth out bumps. Cannondale also use a similar system. In the second post above stonehenge refers to Zerts inserts. Specialised used to put elastomers in their front forks before the future shock.
The Roubaix is a great introduction to biking, its all day comfortable, a lad I rode with did multiple 100 milers on his. Just make sure you buy the right size, consult the size guides for both Specialized or any other manufacturer you are considering. Dont assume a medium is the same in a Giant or a Trek they all have different frame geometries.
DC
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good morning ,I tired both the Roubaix and the Tarmac models. The springy headset works fine on back lanes with broken surfaces, potholed lanes etc, it does soak up some of the bumps. so if you are riding back lanes ,D roads etc this will be a good bike. As above you can now put wider gravel tyres on, so would be a good road/ gravel choice of bike.
Pinarello also do a road bike but with rear suspension in the seat ,these get good reviews Most of my riding is smoother roads in the summer ( if you can find them ) so opted for the tarmac
Pinarello also do a road bike but with rear suspension in the seat ,these get good reviews Most of my riding is smoother roads in the summer ( if you can find them ) so opted for the tarmac
Sorry for the late reply, but I've got a Roubaix Expert with the springy headset, as you describe it.
It does add to comfort when riding. A bit strange to set up the head bearings, but easy when you know how. If you are anal about weights, it is a bit heavier than a traditional fork and headset arrangement but not by too much. You can buy an eliminator tube to change the assembly to a fixed unit ( about £60 if I remember). There are 3 different springs that can be fitted according to your weight and how much flexibility you want. In the real world, you dont notice any "bounce" when riding , so the movements must be quite small, but there are less shocks going through your arms than with a fixed headset arrangement.
I had a reputable dealer service my headset last year: the bike is 6 years old, and has covered 10,000 miles plus, and the dealer said the shock was in very good order, but he cleaned it out and re greased it before refitting. Specialized do a service exchange one if you have trouble with wear in the future.
Any other questions, please ask.
I wouldn't describe it as very upright! Perhaps not as aggressive as a full on race bike.
I test rode one in 2017, but ended up getting a Bianchi Infinito Ultegra Disc,
It has vibration deadening in the frame called Counterveil which takes the buzz away.
Mavic wheels with tubeless tyres was the biggest improvement, and 25mm tyres at a lower pressure cushion the bumps nicely.
Bianchi used the Infinito for the spring classics and cobble stages .... it's a great bike!
It has vibration deadening in the frame called Counterveil which takes the buzz away.
Mavic wheels with tubeless tyres was the biggest improvement, and 25mm tyres at a lower pressure cushion the bumps nicely.
Bianchi used the Infinito for the spring classics and cobble stages .... it's a great bike!
I’ve tried a few wheel/tyre combinations, currently I’m on GP5000S, tubeless, 30mm, at 65-70psi. The 30s were a noticeable improvement over 28s, and tubeless at lower pressures were also a win.
I run 28mm tubeless Schwalbe pro ones, which are a bit pricey but very puncture resistant and at a pressure of about 60 psi, are very comfortable.
Tyres seem to be getting wider these days!
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