# 2011 Roubaix Expert (blue, 54cm) Sold Out?



## mcaswell (Mar 5, 2011)

My LBS has a 52cm, but not a 54cm. He checked the warehouse inventory status, and it said "July" for availability (but he wasn't sure if this would be when more 2011 models would be available, or if there would be no more 2011s and this was when the 2012s would start arriving).

Is there really a 2 month backlog on these bikes?

There's another shop about an hour and a half away that does have a blue 54cm, but I'd really rather buy it from "my" shop.

--Michael


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## PJ352 (Dec 5, 2007)

mcaswell said:


> My LBS has a 52cm, but not a 54cm. He checked the warehouse inventory status, and it said "July" for availability (but he wasn't sure if this would be when more 2011 models would be available, or if there would be no more 2011s and this was when the 2012s would start arriving).
> 
> Is there really a 2 month backlog on these bikes?
> 
> *There's another shop about an hour and a half away that does have a blue 54cm, but I'd really rather buy it from "my" shop.*--Michael


Tell your shop that and ask that they try to work a deal with the other shop. It's not an uncommon occurance.


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## DS1239622 (Mar 21, 2007)

I bought my 58cm Roubaix Expert in 2007 in mid March. The bike shop said that there were only a handful left in that size and color and that if I waited another week or two they would be sold out and it could take months to get one.

Right or wrong it sounds like par for the course.


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## mcaswell (Mar 5, 2011)

PJ352 said:


> Tell your shop that and ask that they try to work a deal with the other shop. It's not an uncommon occurance.


That's a good idea... I'll ask.

--Michael


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## pdainsworth (Jun 6, 2004)

Sadly, it is true that they are most likely out until the 2012 models come out. As PJ mentioned, your best bet is to have your shop work something out with another shop. My shop has done this a handful of times. The Specialized rep will usually help facilitate this, if needed.


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## dougrocky123 (Apr 12, 2006)

*Blue 54*

My LBS ( Santa Cruz, CA) has one. Its been sitting there 6 months with no takers. I got the black Expert back in Jan. before the price jump.


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## mcaswell (Mar 5, 2011)

Well, I guess it's a moot point... I took the shop's test bike (Roubaix Expert) out for a 20 mile ride today, and although it's definitely a great bike, I think I prefer SRAM to the Ultegra. So, at this point I'm leaning towards an Elite or Comp (Rival).

--Michael


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## dougrocky123 (Apr 12, 2006)

*Counterpoint*

I don't want to get into a Sram vs Shimano debate. I have both and about 30 seconds into the ride my brain takes over the shifting and from then on they both work great. What I'm getting at is that the frameset is the heart of the bike and the Expert is the newest tech and just a small step below s works at a lot less money. Same frame is used on their Roubaix Pro. The second most important component, IMO, are the wheels and I'm guessing that the wheels on the Expert are a cut above the comp or elite wheels.( I never tried mine as I replaced them with other wheels.) Hope this clouds the issue a little bit for your bike pick!


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## RkFast (Dec 11, 2004)

This is ridiculous....they should not be offering bikes for sale they cannot deliver on. Sold out in April???!!!??? Unreal.


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## mcaswell (Mar 5, 2011)

dougrocky123 said:


> I don't want to get into a Sram vs Shimano debate. I have both and about 30 seconds into the ride my brain takes over the shifting and from then on they both work great. What I'm getting at is that the frameset is the heart of the bike and the Expert is the newest tech and just a small step below s works at a lot less money. Same frame is used on their Roubaix Pro. The second most important component, IMO, are the wheels and I'm guessing that the wheels on the Expert are a cut above the comp or elite wheels.( I never tried mine as I replaced them with other wheels.) Hope this clouds the issue a little bit for your bike pick!


LOL. Well, I didn't have much trouble adapting... there were a few occasions when I unintentionally "double downshifted" by pushing the lever 2 clicks (since 2 clicks is what's required to shift down one gear with the SRAM), but I quickly adapted. So, even though I prefer the double-tap shifting, I could live with the Ultegra.

I wasn't too thrilled about how the rear gears would often kinda "ka-klunk" when shifting... my Secteur's SRAM Apex (both with the original 11-32 cassette and the PG1070 12-25 that I now use) seems to be much more crisp, but perhaps that's something that could be resolved with a swapping in a SRAM cassette (I assume the two are interchangeable), and it's certainly possible that it was just wear-and-tear on the test bike.

On the plus side, I was surprised at how little effort on the levers was required to shift with the Ultegra.

Anyway, in the end I decided to just wait until the Summer to see what the 2012 lineup will bring... keeping fingers crossed for a SRAM-equipped Expert!

--Michael


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## mcaswell (Mar 5, 2011)

RkFast said:


> This is ridiculous....they should not be offering bikes for sale they cannot deliver on. Sold out in April???!!!??? Unreal.


Yeah, I thought that was a bit odd as well. The way the dealer explained it to me, shops place their orders for the bikes they want to stock for the year in, IIRC, around July. Then Specialized only makes enough bikes to cover these commitments (with maybe a few extras, I'm guessing in the biggest and smallest sizes that the shops probably don't want to keep in stock and thus would be special orders).

I guess the bean counters figured it's financially better to just make what they know can be sold for full-price (even if that means they lose out on some sales if demand ends up being higher than predicted), rather than making a bunch of extras that they might have to clearance out when the new models are released.

--Michael


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## Maiaibing (Sep 9, 2010)

Got a Roubaix 2011 as soon as they came out last year. Got run down by a taxi and had to give up the original bike. Turned out to be quite difficult to find the same (blue/white) model again. But finally found one with the help of Specialized (a blue/white 54cm Roubaix Expert), which I am riding now. At first I was also told that I might have to wait until 2012...


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## jabrabu (Feb 16, 2011)

I was going to get a Roubaix Expert (54cm), but was told I'd have to wait until June, so I ended up ponying up for a Roubaix Pro.


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