Editor’s Note: Distance rider extraordinaire Ken Bonner had a chance recently to test ride the new shock-absorbing Specialized Roubaix Expert Di2. During his long and very distinguished randonneuring career, Ken has ridden bikes of all frame materials and was anxious to compare the ride feel and performance characteristics of the Roubaix to some of his other bikes. Following is his “narrative review” of the Roubaix. Thanks to Susan Dennings and Jon Taylor of Oak Bay Bicycles in Victoria, B.C., for the photos.
By Ken Bonner
I ride a lot of long rides, averaging 17,286 miles/27,819 km per year for the last 15 years, with a focus on 1200+ km/750+ mile events. I want a bike that is light and comfortable over the long-haul, even loaded with minimal baggage.
To date, I have used bikes with all types of frames: a steel Apollo Imperial (racer); an aluminum Klein Performance (tourer); a titanium LiteSpeed Natchez by Lynskey (racer); and a titanium, hand-crafted Berg by Berg Bikes (racer).
I love riding each of these machines.
Recently, though, I got the chance to try a bike unlike any I’ve ridden.
Oak Bay Bicycles, a local shop in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada, in conjunction with their Specialized representative, provided me with the opportunity to test ride the new suspended Specialized Roubaix Expert Di2 (click to see the full product page and specs). The MSRP on the bike is $4,600. The bike I tested was the Neon Yellow/Monster Green color. It also comes in Tarmac Black/Charcoal.
I rode a total of 750 km/466 miles on this wonderful bike, including one 300-km/187-mile and one 200-km/125-mile rides in wet, miserable weather, plus several shorter rides. These rides included some very Roubaix-like broken pavement on fast curvy descents.
In order to have a realistic comparison to my other long-distance riding bicycles, I transferred all my baggage, seat and pedals to the Roubaix. I know, this is sacrilege, given that the Roubaix is a light, responsive performance bike.
Hot!
- The bright yellow color will be seen by motorists
- The headset dampening system works like a dream
- Responsive, even when carrying baggage and other essential items
- Climbing (sitting or standing) is better than my other bikes
- Dramatically improved handling over broken pavement on fast, curvy descents
- Hydraulic disc braking system is marvelous, particularly in the rain on the aforementioned descents
- Fast and comfortable Specialized tires
- Newly engineered dampening seat post-seat tube provides a modicum of extra riding comfort
- All roads, smooth or rough, suddenly become much nicer to ride on
- Fabricated with light carbon fiber that dampens road vibration
- Comes with Ultegra Di2 11-speed drivetrain
Not!
- Although offering three different headset dampening strengths, these cannot be adjusted on the road
- The Specialized tires were fast and comfortable, but flatted several times on dry roads (rear wheel, of course)
- Wheels come with disc brakes, but with a non-traditional mechanism for removing and attaching the wheels to the front forks or rear stays … best to ask for a demonstration from your LBS
- As a person used to a one-bolt seat post tightening system, the innovative dampening seat post – seat tube two-bolt system takes a little getting used to, in order to create equal clamping pressure on both sides of the seat tube
On-the-Road Experience
My initial reaction: I have died and gone to bicycle heaven!
And this was my reaction with only having the measurements of my Berg transferred to the Roubaix. If I had obtained a professional fitting, it would have been an even more extraordinarily positive cycling experience.
I discovered that even smooth pavement can feel smoother and faster with the Roubaix, and somehow, climbing on, or out of, the seat also seemed easier.
The head set dampening effect is not noticeable in terms of any lost power from bobbing up and down (there is no bobbing feel, by the way). After riding a 200-km/125-mile ride on rough road, it was not until the next day when I rode off a sidewalk onto the road that I realized there was a significant amount of “travel” in the dampening system. I thought my front tire had gone soft, but it was just the dampening effect.
One experience that really stood out in comparison with my other “vintage” bikes is that on fast, curvy descents on rough pavement, I was not being bounced around on the bike, fighting to control it. Going back to riding my usual bikes, I instantly noticed the “bone-jarring experience” that did not exist while riding the Roubaix.
The Roubaix tracked nicely in the curves with its tires (and the bike) firmly riding through the bad pavement. This, combined with the hydraulic disc brakes, allowed me to descend faster and longer into tight corners, knowing I could slow down quickly and safely much closer to the apex of the curves. This phenomenon helped me avoid vehicles coming the opposite direction on these narrow back roads.
While most readers would be extremely happy riding the Roubaix on their normal rides, I am curious about how I would feel about the Roubaix after riding it on a 1200-km/750-mile randonnee. I suspect that the Roubaix would reduce my end-of-ride muscle fatigue and provide a faster finishing time and recovery time.
Ken Bonner is a former marathon runner and renowned ultracyclist who holds the course record for the British Columbia Rocky Mountain 1200k and several UltraMarathon Cycling Association point-to-point records. Retired and living in Victoria, British Columbia, he rides about 18,000 miles a year.
This review would have been more relevant if the writer had been comparing the ride of the Roubaix to other modern bikes, like maybe say the Trek Domane SL or SLR. To compare the Roubaix to bicycles from days gone by does not give the reader an accurate picture of the capabilities or short comings of today’s technology when comparing it to yesterday’s technology. The content of this review is simply apples to oranges, regardless of the rider’s experience.
Thanks for the informative review (apples to oranges notwithstanding). For those of us aging cyclists contemplating the tradeoff between handling/performance and stiff ride, it’s nice to know the industry is trying to let us have our cake and eat it too.
Ken isn’t the only one how thinks the Roubaix is a great bike. Bike Radar gave it a bike of the year nod:
http://www.bikeradar.com/us/road/gear/article/road-bike-of-the-year-2017-specialized-roubaix-49533/
From my test ride experience, I was surprised how I DIDN’T notice the headset shock working, as in everything felt smooth and composed yet not bouncy. I have the same seat post (minus the rear triangle dampener) on my CruX CX bike, and I never notice it working, either… Until I ride a bike with a regular seat post and feel all of the rough road and every bump.
I understand the new Roubiax has no fender mounts (unlike the old version). For randonneuring or for extensive cycling in the Pacific Northwest, that really sucks.
It would have been helpful for those of us planning long trips on the Roubaix to see a photo of Ken’s bike loaded with gear and to see how he rigged his bike without the benefit of fender or rack lugs. He didn’t comment on a problem I’ve had with this bike: noise coming from the Future Shock suspension over significant bumps.
Bicycling magazine wrote a review of this bike (a year ago) providing one key piece of information not in this review; this Roubaix will take up to a 32c tire. Also, I do agree with Dan regarding the relevance of comparing the Roubaix to older bikes. This sounds like a job for Langley and friends.
My statement did not disagree with Ken’s perception/opinion of the Roubaix as being a great bike. My point was compare the bike against current technology not aluminum,chrome moly or titanium. By the way the Domane does have fender mounts which the Roubaix lacks. My suggestion to my clients is when choosing a new bike, do your research and ride as many of the bicycles you are researching as possible before making up one’s mind, since comfort over the bike is paramount and choose the one that suits you best, regardless of the brand.
I purchased the almost identical model in February and currently have about 4,000 kms on it (not quite up to Ken’s standards). Frankly I love for exactly the reasons Ken notes – “All roads, smooth or rough, suddenly become much nicer to ride on“. I am constantly surprised how much less fatigue I feel coming off long rides when compared to my other bike, which is also current generation Carbon-fibre frame with wider tires. As Ken says “the headset dampening system works like a dream“. It seems like suspended handle bars might be annoying (especially when climbing), but they isn’t aren’t – you never know they are there until you realize that for the first time on a long, badly potholed road, your upper body feels relaxed. It is marvellous.
A few notes – first the bike’s axle system is only non-traditional for roadies. The bike uses a thru-axle (TA) system that has been pretty standard for gravel-grinders and mountain bikes for the last half decade. I find TA systems far stronger and more reliable that a QR system.
Second, while Specialized claims the Roubaix will take up to a 32 tire, this isn’t always true. I had to remove a pair of Specialized “Roubaix” 32 tires from my bike because the tire height was too much and the tire rubbed in the bottom of the front fork. So check your tire sizing carefully.
Finally, the lack of fender or bag mounts is a drag. I too would like to see a photo of how Ken fitted the bike out. I’m still trying to sort this out so I can use the bike for some longer multi-day rides.
But these are minor quibbles – I love the bike and would buy another in a second if I had too.