The all-new Roubaix is perhaps the most important bike Specialized has launched to date and is one of the most popular sportive bikes worldwide. So we’ve got the exclusive on this radical new departure that could just be the future of endurance road bikes.
- Specialized's Tarmac gets chassis update for 2017
- Specialized Ruby 2017 first ride review
- Tom Boonen's Specialized S-Works Roubaix SL4
Since its launch, back in 2004, the Roubaix has been one of Specialized’s most important bikes. In fact, you could argue that it has been one of the most significant bikes this century, the originator of the whole ‘endurance road bike’ idea that has also given us Trek’s Domane and the Cannondale Synapse, among many, many others.
The Roubaix originally aimed to offer all the benefits of a racing machine, with all the stiffness, low weight and high pedalling efficiency that modern carbon fibre construction could deliver. The big difference was that this was combined with a more endurance-biased geometry.
ADVERTISEMENT
We’d seen audax-style or in American-speak ‘Century’ bike geometries before, where elongated head-tubes and short top-tubes met shorter angled-up stems for a very upright, more relaxed riding style. But Specialized’s Roubaix wasn’t as short in the top-tube or as tall at the front. It was this sweet spot that revolutionised road bike development.
Over the years technological advances in frame design allowed successive Roubaix bikes to be lighter and more compliant, and frame tubes to be more flexible for a smoother ride. Specialized also introduced its elastomer Zertz insert to help damp vibrations from rough roads. Along the way the Roubaix got a bit more aggressive in its ride position, and with the advent of the SL2 Specialized started winning the race from which the bike took its name — with Tom Boonen victorious on board an S-Works SL2 in 2008, and Fabian Cancellera first over the line in 2010.
The last of the previous generation, the SL3, took the Roubaix to another level again. By changing the construction method and making the frame out of four separate parts Specialized was able to manufacture a bottom bracket shell that included the chainstays and short lugs that attached to both the seat-tube and down-tube. That gave the Roubaix class-leading stiffness under pedalling that had only previously been found on the Tarmac.
Coming of age
Up front and personal
The ride
All roads
Specialized Roubaix pricing
- S-Works Roubaix eTap — £7,500 / US$10,000 / AU$11,500
- Roubaix Pro UDi2 — £5,500 / US$6,500 / AU$TBC
- Roubaix Expert UDi2 — £3,800 / US$4,600 / AU$6,600
- Roubaix Expert — £3,200 / US$4,000 / AU$5,300
- S-Works Roubaix F/Set — £2,750 / US$4,000 / AU$4,500
- Roubaix Comp — £2,400 / US$3,200 / AU$4,100
- Roubaix Elite — £1,900 / US$2,600 / AU$3,300
You can read more at BikeRadar.com
via BikeRadar All the latest from BikeRadar.com http://ift.tt/2cpzFem
No comments:
Post a Comment