# Tom Boonen rides a custom roubaix but why!



## b24fsb (Dec 21, 2006)

ok so I was reading the gear tech issue of velo news and in it there was a write up of Tom Boonen's specialized roubaix. it talks about how its all custom and larger lower headset bearings, larger tubes, extra carbon in areas for stiffness, shorter headtube length, basically is total custom prototype frame. they then go on to say that if a normal guy were to ride this bike that it would be to stiff and harsh. now granted top pro riders get custom stuff and extra carbon this but all that work for boonen to ride roubaix on steroids basically. if you were to look at the geo of a roubaix vs a tramac there really isnt that big of a differnce and if you take into acount that boonen shortened up the headtube length then why ride a roubaix even if it is all custom, wouldnt riding a tramac be a better fit? also the point of the roubaix is to have a better vertical compliance but hell with all the extra carbon and stiffening up does it really matter. also does not having zertz inserts really kill the dampening that much. im just curious about this Frankenstein of a bike


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## ukbloke (Sep 1, 2007)

The point for Tom Boonen is to win some of the classics like Flanders or Paris-Roubaix. If it gives him an edge, then it is worth it to him and QuickStep. The point for Specialized is clearly to sell more Roubaix bicycles (and to keep big Tom happy).

It is great marketing for them if Boonen wins Paris-Roubaix on a Roubaix. They will take US sales away from Trek which doesn't really have a bike in the same category. Specialized believe that the Roubaix is better suited to more riders than the Tarmac, and presumably they are selling more of them. In their promo material I imagine that they will hand-wave over the fact that Boonen's Roubaix is not really the same bike as the Elite/Comp/Expert/Pro Roubaix which is the bulk of their Roubaix sales volume.


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## bahueh (May 11, 2004)

*its actually*



b24fsb said:


> ok so I was reading the gear tech issue of velo news and in it there was a write up of Tom Boonen's specialized roubaix. it talks about how its all custom and larger lower headset bearings, larger tubes, extra carbon in areas for stiffness, shorter headtube length, basically is total custom prototype frame. they then go on to say that if a normal guy were to ride this bike that it would be to stiff and harsh. now granted top pro riders get custom stuff and extra carbon this but all that work for boonen to ride roubaix on steroids basically. if you were to look at the geo of a roubaix vs a tramac there really isnt that big of a differnce and if you take into acount that boonen shortened up the headtube length then why ride a roubaix even if it is all custom, wouldnt riding a tramac be a better fit? also the point of the roubaix is to have a better vertical compliance but hell with all the extra carbon and stiffening up does it really matter. also does not having zertz inserts really kill the dampening that much. im just curious about this Frankenstein of a bike


for Boonen to "win" on a roubaix on steroids....anyone can ride. 
a world champion doesn't have to ride a bike that doesn't fit or suit him....

not being sarcastic or rude, that's just he way it is. Specialized pays him a lot of money to win while riding their products...


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## b24fsb (Dec 21, 2006)

its not lost on me that specialized pays him big $$ to ride there bikes and that they want to keep the big guy happy. it just seems like a tramac is better suited for him thats all, perhaps if you we could get the real info in his bike like lengths, angle, carbon type and lay up it might be that he really does have a tarmac made to look like a roubaix. i just found it interesting thats all


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## ukbloke (Sep 1, 2007)

b24fsb said:


> it just seems like a tramac is better suited for him thats all


I think that's probably true, and I think he rides a Tarmac in almost all of his races except over the cobbles such as at Flanders and Paris-Roubaix. I suspect that this year's mods are to make him happy enough to ride that bike instead of the Tarmac.



b24fsb said:


> i just found it interesting thats all


Indeed, I'm looking forward to seeing the article too! In the mean time, here's some pictures of his winning Roubaix from 2008. I believe that the frame is a stock SL2 in 58cm with team geometry, but clearly the saddle and wheels are custom issue!


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## Mosovich (Feb 3, 2004)

*Maybe..*

it is a Tarmac with a different fork and different seat stays.. DOH!! Just a thought...


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## Mosovich (Feb 3, 2004)

*Another thought..*

Anyone notice that he doesn't use this bike for any other race? It seems like to me he would use it for Flanders or any cobbled race, but he doesn't..:idea:


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## ukbloke (Sep 1, 2007)

ukbloke said:


> I believe that the frame is a stock SL2 in 58cm with team geometry


Actually, that wasn't remotely true. Specialized don't sell the Roubaix with team geometry (just the Tarmac). Also, the top tube in the picture is almost horizontal which doesn't match any real for-sale Roubaix frame. So last year's bike was also a complete custom job for Boonen, and perhaps just for one race. All the marketing material that Specialized put out about redesigning the 2009 Roubaix based on Boonen's input seems rather specious now. He may have ridden that bike, but clearly he didn't actually race it.


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## ukbloke (Sep 1, 2007)

Mosovich said:


> it is a Tarmac with a different fork and different seat stays.. DOH!! Just a thought...


I think you are right! At the very least it is closer in geometry to a Tarmac team edition than any for-sale Roubaix.


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## Bianchi67 (Oct 16, 2005)

If your are naming a bike after a race (Roubaix as in Paris-Roubaix) then someone better be racing with it, even if their bike isn't the same Roubaix being sold to the masses.

Flander has only about half the amount of cobbles and most of that is actually on the climbs so the speed across the cobbles is a lot slower than at P-R.


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## crumjack (Sep 11, 2005)

Per internet message board chatter (the most reliable news source ), he says he rides lower than what he should because his seatpost once slipped in a race and he found he had more power in that position. If that really is true, that would explain the desire for a shorter headtube. 

I think there is a part of Boonen that just wants something a little different than anyone else. Nothing wrong with that. If he can get it, more power to him.


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## tconrady (May 1, 2007)

ukbloke said:


> So last year's bike was also a complete custom job for Boonen, and perhaps just for one race.


I recall all his frames being custom last year.

I could be remembering incorrectly however I was under the impression that Specialized did a custom run of 7-8 frames specifically for Boonen last year in early spring. If memory serves the frames and setups they were initially trying to get him set up with kept giving him back issues. It seems like I saw some ridiculous costs reported to produce those frames just for him.


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## davidka (Dec 12, 2001)

Boonen hasn't ridden a stock Specialized frame since they began sponsoring QS. He almost immediately switched to an aluminum frame with "S" logos all over it while Specailzed got together his custom which they do not offer for sale. It isn't like either of the bikes they offer to the public (larger lower HT bearing, stiffer layup, custom geometry). The Roubaix is the relaxed geometry bike in Specialized's line. It's more similar to a Trek Pilot or Cannondale Synapse.


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## Coolhand (Jul 28, 2002)

davidka said:


> Boonen hasn't ridden a stock Specialized frame since they began sponsoring QS. He almost immediately switched to an aluminum frame with "S" logos all over it while Specailzed got together his custom which they do not offer for sale. It isn't like either of the bikes they offer to the public (larger lower HT bearing, stiffer layup, custom geometry). The Roubaix is the relaxed geometry bike in Specialized's line. It's more similar to a Trek Pilot or Cannondale Synapse.


The larger lower bearing is standard on all the SL2 models as is the stiffer lay-up (especially on the Tarmac SL2). The "team" version with the shorter head tube is available to dealers if you really want one. 

The Al custom was done prior to the SL2's development.


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## ukbloke (Sep 1, 2007)

Here's a picture of Tom Boonen's Tarmac from yesterday's Tour Of Flanders. Click on the picture to see some more. The accompanying text on the second picture implies that this is the same frame as the Tarmac SL2 team frame set available for retail.


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## atpjunkie (Mar 23, 2002)

*Tom is also a freak*

he rides like 56-57 ST and a 59 TT. he has short powerful legs and a long torso
this low center of gravity makes him perfect for the stones
He's built like De Vlaemnick


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## kretzel (Aug 1, 2007)

atpjunkie said:


> he rides like 56-57 ST and a 59 TT. he has short powerful legs and a long torso
> this low center of gravity makes him perfect for the stones
> He's built like De Vlaemnick


that was my thought when I saw his PR winning Time at IB a few years back. crazy long TT & 14 cm stem.


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## STARNUT (Jun 19, 2005)

bearings for stiffness and sans Tarmac for tire and mud clearance?

Starnut


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## atpjunkie (Mar 23, 2002)

*eddy merckx*



kretzel said:


> that was my thought when I saw his PR winning Time at IB a few years back. crazy long TT & 14 cm stem.


once commented how Tom and Axel were roughly the same height but Axel's ST was 5 cm longer


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## davidka (Dec 12, 2001)

http://www.cyclingnews.com/tech/2009/probikes/?id=tom_boonen_specialized_roubaix_sl2_09


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## uzziefly (Jul 15, 2006)

And with his latest win, Specialized would make whatever the hell he wants just for him!


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## bertoni (Jan 10, 2008)

b24fsb said:


> its not lost on me that specialized pays him big $$ to ride there bikes and that they want to keep the big guy happy. it just seems like a tramac is better suited for him thats all, perhaps if you we could get the real info in his bike like lengths, angle, carbon type and lay up it might be that he really does have a tarmac made to look like a roubaix. i just found it interesting thats all


Tom has had a great deal of input on the design of the latest models of both the Roubaix and the Tarmac. But he has always favored a longer wheelbase for Paris Roubaix, as well as a more upright position. He has had trouble in the past with back pain as well. The similarities between Eddy Mercxx and Tom are striking. I am very impressed with his attention to every detail regarding preparation for PR, and the results speak for themselves. Obviously the guy is an incredible talent, but it takes more than that to conquer the hell of the north.


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## bas (Jul 30, 2004)

b24fsb said:


> ok so I was reading the gear tech issue of velo news and in it there was a write up of Tom Boonen's specialized roubaix. it talks about how its all custom and larger lower headset bearings, larger tubes, extra carbon in areas for stiffness, shorter headtube length, basically is total custom prototype frame. they then go on to say that if a normal guy were to ride this bike that it would be to stiff and harsh. now granted top pro riders get custom stuff and extra carbon this but all that work for boonen to ride roubaix on steroids basically. if you were to look at the geo of a roubaix vs a tramac there really isnt that big of a differnce and if you take into acount that boonen shortened up the headtube length then why ride a roubaix even if it is all custom, wouldnt riding a tramac be a better fit? also the point of the roubaix is to have a better vertical compliance but hell with all the extra carbon and stiffening up does it really matter. also does not having zertz inserts really kill the dampening that much. im just curious about this Frankenstein of a bike


if the bike wasn't strong enough he would break it in half in a sprint.


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## Francis Cebedo (Aug 1, 2001)

b24fsb said:


> Tom Boonen rides a custom roubaix but why!


To win. In the end, that is the point of racing.

These bikes are starting to look like the R3. Massive Downtubes and BB shells and whatever vertical compliance can be had on the stays.

fc


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## stevesbike (Jun 3, 2002)

the bike has freakish geometry - the headtube is 175mm. For comparison, the roughly equivalent stock has a 70mm longer headtube. The equivalent Cervelo S3 size is 25mm longer. It's more like a time trial bike headtube length


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## ukbloke (Sep 1, 2007)

stevesbike said:


> the bike has freakish geometry - the headtube is 175mm. For comparison, the roughly equivalent stock has a 70mm longer headtube. The equivalent Cervelo S3 size is 25mm longer. It's more like a time trial bike headtube length


The S-Work Tarmac Pro SL2 Team module in size 61cm also has a 175mm head tube. It also has the same 595mm top tube and 580mm seat tube. As Mosovich said - "it is a Tarmac with a different fork and different seat stays."


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## davidka (Dec 12, 2001)

The bike you reference is Tpm's custom geometry that Speicalized decided to sell to the public. 175mm is VERY short H/T length for a 61cm bike, especially one with an internal headset. It's worth noting that the next size down (58cm) in the range has only 5mm less head tube length while all the lower sized differ by 20mm H/T length. The 61cm is obviously unique.


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## muscleendurance (Jan 11, 2009)

$$$$ - in sponsorship like the rest of Pros.


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## ukbloke (Sep 1, 2007)

davidka said:


> The bike you reference is Tpm's custom geometry that Speicalized decided to sell to the public. 175mm is VERY short H/T length for a 61cm bike, especially one with an internal headset. It's worth noting that the next size down (58cm) in the range has only 5mm less head tube length while all the lower sized differ by 20mm H/T length. The 61cm is obviously unique.


That's a good observation, thanks! 

Clearly, Specialized likes to push the pro stuff out to the consumer line. They can then say that the pro teams are riding stock frames as well as reducing the number of custom one-offs they have to build. There were a lot of teams and riders on Roubaix at PR this year (QuickStep, Saxo Bank and Rabobank). They can't all be getting the same treatment as Tom obviously. I wonder whether all those guys would be happy with the extra ~4cm of head-tube on the Roubaix compared to their team Tarmacs that they ride in every other race?

My prediction - Specialized will release a Roubaix SL2 Team Frameset and Module for 2010. And the 61cm will be obviously unique.


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## ksanbon (Jul 19, 2008)

*Boonen's Roubaix SL2 - testrider.com video*

 He rides it because he can.....

http://www.testrider.com/fly.aspx?layout=player&video=2

If I was that good, I would too.


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## ksanbon (Jul 19, 2008)

*Boonen's Roubaix SL2 - testrider.com video*

oops - sorry!


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