Bike Setup: Dura Ace real derailleur, shifters, brake levers. Ultegra front derailleur and brakes. Roval Fusee wheels.
Summary: I'm 47, and I decided to purchase a road bike for fitness and recreation. Initially, I was thinking about getting something along the lines of an Allez Elite, but after testing a number of bikes, I moved up to an '08 Tarmac Elite. While I liked the bike a lot, I noticed a fair amount of neck, shoulder and back pain while riding. I had read about the Roubaix being much more comfortable, but I figured that I was stuck with my purchase. When I took the Tarmac in for an adjustment, I mentioned to the rep that I wished that I had spent more money and gotten something nicer and more comfortable. We talked to the manager, and he quickly agreed to give me full credit on the Tarmac (it had about 60 miles on it, clean, no scratches). I love this bike shop.
I tested the Roubaix Pro against the new Trek Madone 5.5. I really wanted to like the Trek: it was beautiful, and it had Dura Ace everything. However, the pain between my shoulder blades and neck was constant from the moment that I started my 20 minute test ride. A park near the bike shop has a nice, long, twisty concrete bike trail with some minor climbs, and I was able to give both bikes a good test.
When I got on the Roubaix Pro, the difference in comfort was night and day. To my inexperience, it felt stable, light and fast. On the Trek, I was confident that I would want to quit a ride well before my body was through for the day. I kept thinking, “I’m spending $4000 for THIS? It’s just more of the same as the Tarmac”. The Trek also seemed twitchy, but I’m sure that an experienced rider would enjoy it’s responsiveness.
The Roubaix has a mixture of Dura Ace and Ultegra components. Oddly, the Roubaix shifted much more smoothly than the Madone, and I couldn’t tell any difference in the Roubaix’s Ultegra brakes and the Madone’s Dura Ace brakes. To be fair, the Madone probably just needed some break in time or an adjustment. The brakes on both of these bikes were significantly better than those on the Tarmac Elite (as should be expected).
Overall, I feel that I now have a bike that I can enjoy for many years and many miles. I’m glad that I spent the extra money now for better components rather than have to buy again in a couple of years (my wife would never understand). My only wish is that this bike looked like the Madone: the Roubaix paint job is very underwhelming.
Strengths: Very comfortable, stable, light, quality components.
Weaknesses: Looks: Trek Madone 5.5 is a beautiful bike whereas the Roubaix is very understated. Comfort wins out over style, though.
Similar Products Used: Specialized Tarmac Elite
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Bike Setup: Stock 08 with Mavic Rsys wheels (as of today.)
Summary: I purchased the 08 in November when it was first available. (They don't give that option in this review.) I did not ride it much over the Winter but have started training for the July Courage Classic (a 3-day, 50mi/day charity ride in the Colorado Rockies.) I love this bike but am not as experienced or technical as many of you. For the past 2 years I road a Specialized Tricross Comp. The Roubaix is lighter, quicker and faster. Not quite as comfortable or stable as the Tricross. I put Mavic Rsys wheels on it for today's Elephant Rock ride (50 mi.) It has a compact crank and a SRAM 11-28 cassette. That will be a challenge for me in the mountains. The one concern I have is I get a lot of "creaking" at times in the frame. It was very evident during the climbs today. It has me concerned about a problem with the Carbon Fiber frame. I have mentioned it to the bike shop but they haven't taken it seriously - yet. I am about to turn up the volume on my concern. I have not heard this sound with other C/F frames or with the bikes of those riding next to me. Have also had some difficulty dialing in the gears. And there may be an issue mixing the SRAM cassette with the Shimano DA derailleurs.
Strengths: Less aggressive and thus more comfortable than a traditional road frame. Light. Handles well. More responsive and efficient than my Tricross.
Weaknesses: May only be my bike but something doesn't sound right with the frame. Lots of creaking noises at times. Especially noticeable when climbing.
Favorite Ride: Left Hand Canyon to Ward, Then Peak to Peak highway to Lyons
Bike Setup: Standard
Summary: I tired several bikes in coming to the selection of the 2008 Specialized Roubaix Pro. It came down to the Tarmac Pro & the Roubaix. The deal clincher was that the Roubaix is such a smooth ride. The vibration dampeners make it feel like you are riding on a newly paved road rather than a snowplow chipped & dented Boulder Colorado road. The bike climbs really really well & holds its line through corners on high speed descents.
Strengths: The lack of road vibration, weight, new seat design & how "gentle" the bike is on your body
Weaknesses: The Roubaix is more expensive than the Tarmac, but the difference in the ride makes it worth while.
Similar Products Used: Specialized Tarmac Pro
Specialized Allez Triple
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Bike Setup: Stock Roubaix Pro. DA and Ultegra with Roval Fusee wheels. Changed wheels to Roval Eschapee. Changed seat.
Summary: I finally decided on this bike after looking for a couple of months. Compared to my old bike, an Eddy Merckx Corsa Extra, this was a huge change. It was a close choice between the Roubaix and the Cervelo R3. I have put more than 2,000 miles on this bike and think it is the most comfortable responsive bike I have ever had. I am 6'3" and weigh 180lbs and I find this 58cm bike very responsive, even when riding in a very fast weekly club ride. The main reason I went with this bike over the Cervelo was the dealer. Knowing that bikes need to be set up to your specifications and that the bike can have issues, I felt this specialized dealer would be there to help. And yes, Gray Goat helped out tremendously from the initial bike set up to no questions asked about changing parts. I did have to take it back to the store several times to dial the bike in, but now it rides very smooth. The bottom bracket was a concern as it would bind when spun, but the dealer got that adjusted.
Strengths: Solid light weight frame. Specialized service. Very responsive and climbs well. I was a little timid when I started to ride this bike because of it being so light. I thought I would break it but, I have ridden this bike pretty hard on some club rides on rough roads and at race speeds and this thing handles itself very well. I wish I had a bike like this when I used to race 20 years ago.
Weaknesses: Roval Fusee wheels. After 1,200 miles my rims showed stress fractures around the spoke nipples. I took the wheels into the shop and I had a new set of Eschapee wheels within 3 days. They are holding strong so far. The tires did not last and felt like they slowed the bike down. I went back to my Continental tires and noticed a great improvement. The seat also had to go. Way to hard for me.
Similar Products Used: Eddy Merckx Corsa Extra, Trek 5200, Cervelo R3 and Bianchi C2C 928.
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