# Roubaix Silver Dust Finish - Is This Right?



## mschaub13 (10 mo ago)

Unboxed a new Roubaix this weekend - Smoke/Silver Dust/Black Reflective color.

Upon close examination, the finish looks goofy to me - it's "dusty", so I guess that's where the "Silver Dust" comes from. Don't really like it, and I'm having a hard time believing anyone would like it. Gives the impression something went wrong during the painting process. I sent pictures to Specialized and they are telling me it's an intentional look. Trying to get a second opinion from anyone else - is this really the intended look? Thanks.


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## tlg (May 11, 2011)

I've never heard of "silver dust finish". Those pictures really look like shit. But it's really hard to diagnose pictures like this over the internet. 

A few questions:
Was this bike bought mail order and not from a dealer?
Do you have a local dealer you could talk to? Show it to? View other bikes with the finish? 

What model year is it? Can you give a link to the website for the exact model?
I googled Roubaix Silver Dust Finish and found zero info.


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## PBL450 (Apr 12, 2014)

Is this like selling distressed furniture or jeans with holes at the knees?


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## ivanthetrble (Jul 7, 2004)

tlg said:


> I've never heard of "silver dust finish". Those pictures really look like shit. But it's really hard to diagnose pictures like this over the internet.
> 
> A few questions:
> Was this bike bought mail order and not from a dealer?
> ...


You didn't look very hard. Check the Specialized website and it is clearly an option for the Roubaix Sport model. The finish is semi-transparent and I believe you are seeing the carbon fiber pattern thru the color coat. My Tarmac is the same way but with a dark blue finish. I can get a few pics of it if you like. Did you order this bike sight unseen or did you see it in the shop beforehand? Also, is the frame itself supposed to be reflective? The sticker on the top tube seems to indicate that it is.









Roubaix Sport | Specialized.com


With seven wins at Paris-Roubaix, our Roubaix has proven that Smoother is Faster. Until this moment, however, smooth has admittedly come with some compromises. But not anymore. The all-new Roubaix Expert now delivers compliance without compromise by introducing a radical new Future Shock 1.5...




www.specialized.com


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## tlg (May 11, 2011)

ivanthetrble said:


> The finish is semi-transparent and I believe you are seeing the carbon fiber pattern thru the color coat.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Thanks. 
I've seen bikes with the carbon see through. That's what I thought this was at first. Just a shitty version.
But the pics on the website don't look anything like his though.


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## mschaub13 (10 mo ago)

*Was this bike bought mail order and not from a dealer?*
Mail order

*Do you have a local dealer you could talk to? Show it to? View other bikes with the finish? *
Yes - good idea

*What model year is it? Can you give a link to the website for the exact model?*
2022 - link


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## PBL450 (Apr 12, 2014)

Maybe it’s the pics but that doesn’t look like a naked CF to me. I love naked CF. That kind of looks rode hard and put away wet. Again, I’m sure it must be the pics. It doesn’t look like the finish on the link…


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## duriel (Oct 10, 2013)

Did you get a really good deal? Looks like someone got a blem and sold it. Did you get it from a dealer?


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## tlg (May 11, 2011)

mschaub13 said:


> *Do you have a local dealer you could talk to? Show it to? View other bikes with the finish? *
> Yes - good idea


That's why I would do. If it's a bad paint job, they would have better chance getting Specialized to warranty it.
The manufacturer will usually work with a dealer much more than an owner.


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## tlg (May 11, 2011)

duriel said:


> Did you get a really good deal? Looks like someone got a blem and sold it. Did you get it from a dealer?


^^^ Yes this too

Was it a dealer mail order?
A private sale mail order?
Ebay from another country?


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## ivanthetrble (Jul 7, 2004)

The Specialized website pics make it look more like a matte finish. My Tarmac and my wife's Roubaix (both 2020 models) have a gloss finish and while you can see the carbon pattern thru the color coat, it is no where near as obvious as your photos.


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## PBL450 (Apr 12, 2014)

I’m not seeing the CF in those pics. I have naked CF speed skating shoes and they look like this:


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## ivanthetrble (Jul 7, 2004)

PBL450 said:


> I’m not seeing the CF in those pics. I have naked CF speed skating shoes and the like this:
> 
> View attachment 483342


That is not what any of the Specialized frames look like. There are many patterns to the carbon fiber lay up and the weave shown here is just one of them.


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## PBL450 (Apr 12, 2014)

ivanthetrble said:


> That is not what any of the Specialized frames look like. There are many patterns to the carbon fiber lay up and the weave shown here is just one of them.


Maybe you aren’t looking hard enough? I posted naked CF. I don’t see any weave or pattern in the OPs pics. Maybe it’s because I’m looking on my phone and that’s limiting what I can I see? CF looks like CF?


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## ivanthetrble (Jul 7, 2004)




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## PBL450 (Apr 12, 2014)

ivanthetrble said:


> View attachment 483343


That’s a GREAT looking bike!


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## ivanthetrble (Jul 7, 2004)

This is my 2020 Tarmac SL7 Pro. It is hard to see from this pic but you can see the CF lay up pattern thru the color and clear coat in the blue areas. The silver rear triangle and seat tube are opaque so it is not visible in these areas. I will try to get some better pics of the top tube where the CF is more visible. And nowhere on this bike do you see a weave pattern to the CF. It is a different look but it is just the way Specialized frames are made.


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## ivanthetrble (Jul 7, 2004)

PBL450 said:


> That’s a GREAT looking bike!


I need to take some better pics. I have been scolded that it is not "set up" properly for pics. The valve stems are in the wrong position, the chain should be on the big ring front and small ring back, the crank arms should be parallel to the ground. I'm an amateur when it comes to photography. :-( I do wonder if the matte finish on the OP's frame makes it less attractive to him/her. I really don't mind seeing the CF on my bike or my wife's, which is a similar finish only a dark green.


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## ivanthetrble (Jul 7, 2004)

PBL450 said:


> Maybe you aren’t looking hard enough? I posted naked CF. I don’t see any weave or pattern in the OPs pics. Maybe it’s because I’m looking on my phone and that’s limiting what I can I see? CF looks like CF?


No, I can see your picture of a naked CF frame with a weave pattern clearly. The OP's frame will not have that pattern because Specialized does not use sheets of weave CF in making their frames. And no, CF does not just come in one look or fiber orientation. My bike is 100% CF and there is not a weave pattern like the picture you posted anywhere on the bike. The CF tubes on my '04 Lemond Zurich does look like the picture you posted. Weave CF tubes were what they all used to look like. The original Look frames from the late 80s had tubes the looked exactly like the picture you posted.


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## ivanthetrble (Jul 7, 2004)




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## ivanthetrble (Jul 7, 2004)

OK, here are a couple of pics of the top tube of my wife’s Roubaix. To me it looks like the top tube just has a gloss clear coat on it and the CF shows thru. I tried to get the worst possible light to show in the pic. I think the pic makes it look way worse than it does in person. Seeing it in person I think it looks really nice and the gloss coat gives it a nice depth that kind of changes slightly in appearance when the angle of the light changes.


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## ivanthetrble (Jul 7, 2004)




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## ivanthetrble (Jul 7, 2004)

This is the top tube of my Tarmac. You can see the CF but I think the gloss coat and transparent blue give the finish a nice depth or 3D look. You can see the direction of the CF but there is no weave CF anywhere on either bike. The OP’s bike appears to have a more of a matte finish and perhaps it gives a less desirable look? Bottom line, I don’t think there is a defect or paint flaw in the OP’s bike. It is just the way the frame was built. Since he bought it online he wasn’t able to see it in person before he bought it. If he had perhaps he would have picked a different color/finish. Our bikes have a similar look but have a gloss finish.


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## Herzomud (Jan 22, 2007)

I have a 2010 Cannondale SuperSix with the same carbon look as the original poster. It has a clear Matt top coat & looks very rough as a visual finish. 

The marketing at the time stated that the pretty carbon weave that everyone wants / expects to see is actually an aesthetic top layer that adds more weight than strength as the fibers do not have a unidirectional layup for optimum strength. Therefore the "unfinished" version gets all of the carbon strength benefits without the additional weight.


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