This review is more about the family of Roubaix. Not just a single bike. This family has done more to the sport of cycling than maybe even that guy from Texas!
Helmets off to Specialized for being the first bicycle company to understand that the cycling public was not getting what they wanted for years in road bikes.
A little history; we have been taking nice, really nice road bikes and putting upright bars on them for years to make the customer more comfortable. Lots of people don’t want to stand on their head to ride a bike, but wanted a nice road bike.
Specialized saw a void in the market and introduced a bike called the Sequoia. Its claim to fame was the bars were even to the seat height or higher. It weighed about 20 pounds and even had a suspension seat post. This is where the Zert technology got its start. People loved it. More on Zert technology later.
Specialized takes this idea a step further and comes out with the Roubaix. This is the next generation of comfort in road bikes. The Roubaix family uses carbon fiber technology and a racing platform. The head tube is taller than most road bikes making the bars higher. This takes load off your wrists, elbows, and back. With this positioning, the rider can now utilize the drop style bars by actually spending time in the drops! This is paired with a stem that has several positions built in. Results…you now have a bike that does not hurt to ride.
Another feature that sets this family apart is the damping system. This bike is truly one of a kind. The bike has what Specializes calls Zerts. A Zert is an elastomer that in built into the seat tube, fork, and seat post. There is a small, lightweight Zert in the bar where the stem clamps on. All Roubaix’s come with gel under the bar tape. No loss of energy at all! Just a ride that is like no other.
You hit a pot whole or railroad track, and the vibration does not carry with you. It’s gone. You’ve got to ride this bike to see for yourself. Once you ride a bike in the Roubaix family you will not want to ride anything else again. There is almost no vibration from rough roads. It just glides along.
There are 6 sizes to choose from in the Roubaix family. A life time warranty and not to mention they look marvelous! Stop by Collins or any Specialized bicycle store to see what I mean…
This is the last of our 2008 S-Works Roubaix. It is a 58cm and is on sale. Reg $6300 Sale $5000.
