# Roubaix 2017 BB



## ToiletSiphon (Jul 23, 2014)

Is the new Roubaix BB threaded or is it still the old press-fit OSBB? Specialized website isn't particularly clear on the subject.


----------



## willembad (Jun 26, 2013)

I have a Comp and it has Praxis crank and BB with external cups, so threaded.


----------



## 11spd (Sep 3, 2015)

willembad said:


> I have a Comp and it has Praxis crank and BB with external cups, so threaded.


Um no. Comp is reported to be BB30 and the Praxis BB you have with external cups is not only a conversion sleeve but one that is only compatible with a Praxis crank.

OP...The Roubaix line for 2017 is a mixed bag of older frameset design on lower levels and brand new frame design without Zertz, and front steerer shock. They are very different frames. Rumor is, the new frameset BB style is threaded. Be sure to visit your local bikeshop and check before ordering a given model if this is important and btw it is to me as well. I have a Roubaix SL3 Pro with threaded BB.

Merry Christmas to all on the forum and safe riding in 2017.


----------



## MMsRepBike (Apr 1, 2014)

For the new design with the spring, there's both. I've seen both threaded and press-fit. The framesets I've seen have press-fit and some built one's I've seen have had BSA threaded.


----------



## willembad (Jun 26, 2013)

11spd said:


> Um no. Comp is reported to be BB30 and the Praxis BB you have with external cups is not only a conversion sleeve but one that is only compatible with a Praxis crank.
> 
> OP...The Roubaix line for 2017 is a mixed bag of older frameset design on lower levels and brand new frame design without Zertz, and front steerer shock. They are very different frames. Rumor is, the new frameset BB style is threaded. Be sure to visit your local bikeshop and check before ordering a given model if this is important and btw it is to me as well. I have a Roubaix SL3 Pro with threaded BB.
> 
> Merry Christmas to all on the forum and safe riding in 2017.


I hate internet know-it-alls that doesn't know it all. I have a 2017 Comp and it has a threaded BB.


----------



## 11spd (Sep 3, 2015)

willem,
Have you had your BB off the bike? Does your BB say Praxis on the side? Is the word Tighten etched on the frame or the BB? Possible you do have threaded but as MM said, new Roubaixs are a mix of both.


----------



## willembad (Jun 26, 2013)

I'm all confused now. I have not had the crank off the bike. It is a 30mm spindle crank and I was unaware that they make a sleeve for BB30 that would still fit a 30mm spindle, but it's on the Praxis website, so they do. The cups are etched PRAXIS and the thread direction is on the cup. I can not identify the bb by the Praxis pictures since the BSA and Conversion cups look the same to me. If the frame is made in both flavors then I have no idea what I have. I apologize if I caused more confusion.


----------



## rcb78 (Jun 15, 2008)

Easiest way to tell without removing the BB would be to look at the arrows that show what direction to tighten the cups. If the drive side says to tighten clockwise, it's a conversion in some form of a press fit frame and the cups are threading into each other via a sleeve. If the arrow says to tighten counter clockwise, then it's a BSA and the cups are threading directly into the frame or bonded Al sleeve.
There are 30mm external cup BBs for both styles.


----------



## willembad (Jun 26, 2013)

Here's a pic of the drive-side cup. I can see a sliver of silver behind the cup so I'm guessing BSA into a threaded aluminum sleeve?


----------



## 11spd (Sep 3, 2015)

rcb78 nailed the response willem. For my money you do have a threaded BB and I stand corrected. Only reason I responded as I did was there was a previous Roubaix posted here...I believe it was Comp and it was BB30 and had a 30mm Praxis sleeve with a Praxis conversion sleeve with outboard cups. I was astounded that Specialized would convert a BB30 bike with a sleeve but this is apparently what the business agreement is with Praxis who provides the crank and a Praxis crank has to use their proprietary BB due to dissimilar spindle diameters side to side which is....30mm drive side and 28mm non drive side. Praxis now has a plethora of options for their cranks and conversions...in fact growing into a mind blowing array generally referred to as a cluster f#ck. 

BSA aka threaded BB has a left hand thread on the drive side. So, my opinion shared with rcb's excellent post is you have a threaded BB because it shows tighten in the correct direction for a LH thread on the drive side.

Yes, internet knowitalls are sometimes wrong. Guilty as charged. All bets are off with how fast and loose bike makers are changing BB's now...more a function of economics with supplier agreements than best BB for a given bike.
To me, with BSA, you win the BB lottery.


----------



## 1Butcher (Mar 15, 2011)

I do not have one, but I do have a Praxis on a SW Tarmac SL3, there is no rotation on the non drive side. You're suppose to hold that from turning.

So if there is no turning direction on then, that may be another indication. If anything, it may be a bit easier to see.


----------



## willembad (Jun 26, 2013)

I think I lucked out as well. I happened to be in my LBS today and looked at the 2017 Expert UDi2 model. It had a Ultegra crank with a Praxis conversion BB in a BB30 frame. The drive side cup had no thread direction on it and the cup had a flange against the bb shell, clearly not threaded. Seems like a lot of trouble to go through making both.


----------



## 11spd (Sep 3, 2015)

willembad said:


> I think I lucked out as well. I happened to be in my LBS today and looked at the 2017 Expert UDi2 model. It had a Ultegra crank with a Praxis conversion BB in a BB30 frame. The drive side cup had no thread direction on it and the cup had a flange against the bb shell, clearly not threaded. Seems like a lot of trouble to go through making both.


Looks like for '17 the new frameset style Expert is BB30 and the Comp you have which is more old school SL4 has BSA. Agree, odd Specialized goes to the trouble of both BB styles, especially if running external bearing BB's for both which they do with conversion sleeve BB's. More like outrageous they do this.


----------



## willembad (Jun 26, 2013)

11spd said:


> Looks like for '17 the new frameset style Expert is BB30 and the Comp you have which is more old school SL4 has BSA. Agree, odd Specialized goes to the trouble of both BB styles, especially if running external bearing BB's for both which they do with conversion sleeve BB's. More like outrageous they do this.


They make both an '17 Comp and an SL4 Comp for 2017. I have the new frame, not the SL4. It does not have zerts and has a future-shock front. You can see it in the first picture I posted.

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk


----------



## ToiletSiphon (Jul 23, 2014)

willembad said:


> They make both an '17 Comp and an SL4 Comp for 2017. I have the new frame, not the SL4. It does not have zerts and has a future-shock front. You can see it in the first picture I posted.
> 
> Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk


A bit off topic... How do you like the stock wheels of your new bike?


----------



## willembad (Jun 26, 2013)

ToiletSiphon said:


> A bit off topic... How do you like the stock wheels of your new bike?


I'll be honest, I only have 200 or so miles on the bike and most is on the trainer. I ride a Venge as my everyday bike and the Roubaix was just replacing an older bike that gets used for trips where there's some climbing involved. The wheels aren't junk but nothing special either. No idea on weight. I did 6-Gap on a demo with the Roval CLX 32 wheels and those were excellent with 28's.

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk


----------



## BluesDawg (Mar 1, 2005)

11spd said:


> Looks like for '17 the new frameset style Expert is BB30 and the Comp you have which is more old school SL4 has BSA. Agree, odd Specialized goes to the trouble of both BB styles, especially if running external bearing BB's for both which they do with conversion sleeve BB's. More like outrageous they do this.


This is backwards. The new 2017 frames with the Future Shock are BSA threaded. The previous SL4 frames, including the few SL4 models carried over for 2017, are OSBB using BB30 bottom brackets. Going back a few years, the SL3 (and all prior) Roubaix frames were BSA threaded. Only the SL4 frames used the press fit standard.


----------



## robnoxious (Dec 5, 2016)

can anyone tell me what the widest tire the rear of this frame will fit? i was hoping to buy a roubaix and run 700x32 panaracer gravel king SK tires not the slick tires. they aren't too wide of a tire but just not sure if they would fit on the rear of the new specialized roubaix.




willembad said:


> I'll be honest, I only have 200 or so miles on the bike and most is on the trainer. I ride a Venge as my everyday bike and the Roubaix was just replacing an older bike that gets used for trips where there's some climbing involved. The wheels aren't junk but nothing special either. No idea on weight. I did 6-Gap on a demo with the Roval CLX 32 wheels and those were excellent with 28's.
> 
> Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk


----------



## 11spd (Sep 3, 2015)

BluesDawg said:


> This is backwards. The new 2017 frames with the Future Shock are BSA threaded. The previous SL4 frames, including the few SL4 models carried over for 2017, are OSBB using BB30 bottom brackets. Going back a few years, the SL3 (and all prior) Roubaix frames were BSA threaded. Only the SL4 frames used the press fit standard.


Not that cut and dried BD. I believe you are correct the new Future Shock Roubaix frames being BSA. But Spesh advertised last year's SL4 and quite sure 2015 Expert level non-disk Roubaix as BSA. So you don't have to go all the way back to SL3 Roubaix that I own with BSA. There are some SL4 Roubaixs with 10r carbon that were BSA. During the same previous years however the SL4 S-works Roubaix was a combo of carbon OSBB aka narrow PF30 and alloy OSBB which is industry std BB30.
Hope that helps


----------



## 11spd (Sep 3, 2015)

robnoxious said:


> can anyone tell me what the widest tire the rear of this frame will fit? i was hoping to buy a roubaix and run 700x32 panaracer gravel king SK tires not the slick tires. they aren't too wide of a tire but just not sure if they would fit on the rear of the new specialized roubaix.


Rob, you maybe able to squeeze a 30c tire on the new Roubaix..depending on rim width and even tire construction....tire brands vary in width, but my suggestion if running gravel and needing wider is...go to the Diverge which is what that bike is designed for. Now...you may want the new shock for rough road riding which I fully understand. I have to believe that the future shock and seat post tech of new Roubaix...that it will have to filter down to the Diverge next year. In fact, this tech almost makes more sense on a bike designed for gravel riding although a certain level of added compliancy is available with wider tires and lower tire pressure compared to a Roubaix running 28's which even without a shock is a pretty friendly ride.


----------



## BluesDawg (Mar 1, 2005)

11spd said:


> Not that cut and dried BD. I believe you are correct the new Future Shock Roubaix frames being BSA. But Spesh advertised last year's SL4 and quite sure 2015 Expert level non-disk Roubaix as BSA. So you don't have to go all the way back to SL3 Roubaix that I own with BSA. There are some SL4 Roubaixs with 10r carbon that were BSA. During the same previous years however the SL4 S-works Roubaix was a combo of carbon OSBB aka narrow PF30 and alloy OSBB which is industry std BB30.
> Hope that helps


I'm sure you are correct about the mix of metal and plastic OSBB with various models. I have seen the catalog pages listing some of the SL4 frames with threaded BB, but it seems inconsistent and illogical. I wonder if it is yet another example of Specialized's infamous habit of having errors in catalogs that never get corrected. I do know that every SL4 framed bike the shop where I work has sold had an OSBB. We haven't sold every possible model, but a good mix.
The good news is it appears that they are going back to BSA threaded on most of the newest frame designs, road and MTB.


----------



## 11spd (Sep 3, 2015)

BluesDawg said:


> I'm sure you are correct about the mix of metal and plastic OSBB with various models. I have seen the catalog pages listing some of the SL4 frames with threaded BB, but it seems inconsistent and illogical. I wonder if it is yet another example of Specialized's infamous habit of having errors in catalogs that never get corrected. I do know that every SL4 framed bike the shop where I work has sold had an OSBB. We haven't sold every possible model, but a good mix.
> The good news is it appears that they are going back to BSA threaded on most of the newest frame designs, road and MTB.


Good question...reality or catalog error. For the SL4 Roubaix Expert which came with Ultegra crank, quite possible that bike was BSA and not simply a catalog or website error.
Honestly the reality of the BB lottery escapes any reason. The so called carbon OSBB that Spesh finally and thankfully discontinued was beyond a disaster. BB30 or BSA are both good albeit I vastly prefer BSA as you do. So yes very good news for future Roubaixes.
A further nit pick however is...FutureShock Roubaix isn't available without disk brakes. I live in flat country and don't want the maintenance or weight of disk versus traditional rim brakes. The FS Roubaix in spite of its weight gets rave reviews and apparently deserved.


----------



## taodemon (Mar 17, 2014)

11spd said:


> Good question...reality or catalog error. For the SL4 Roubaix Expert which came with Ultegra crank, quite possible that bike was BSA and not simply a catalog or website error.
> Honestly the reality of the BB lottery escapes any reason. The so called carbon OSBB that Spesh finally and thankfully discontinued was beyond a disaster. BB30 or BSA are both good albeit I vastly prefer BSA as you do. So yes very good news for future Roubaixes.
> A further nit pick however is...FutureShock Roubaix isn't available without disk brakes. I live in flat country and don't want the maintenance or weight of disk versus traditional rim brakes. The FS Roubaix in spite of its weight gets rave reviews and apparently deserved.


They are still making the rim ViAS for the pros and depending on the UCI status of disks there is a good chance there is a version of the roubaix with rim brakes too unless they plan on using the old roubaix for cobbles. With them being so adamant on pushing disk brakes we in the general public might never see the rim brake option though.


----------



## KonaSS (Aug 18, 2006)

UCI is allowing discs in 2017. FAT chance you are going to see a rim brake option for the new Roubaix.


----------



## taodemon (Mar 17, 2014)

KonaSS said:


> UCI is allowing discs in 2017. FAT chance you are going to see a rim brake option for the new Roubaix.


They allowed them last year too until they banned them again. You can only buy the disk ViAS but the teams are still riding the rim version of the bike. I find it unlikely that a rim brake version doesnt exist for the teams in case discs go the way of last year again. That said, it is highly unlikely that we will see a rim version as consumers.


----------



## BluesDawg (Mar 1, 2005)

11spd said:


> Good question...reality or catalog error. For the SL4 Roubaix Expert which came with Ultegra crank, quite possible that bike was BSA and not simply a catalog or website error.
> Honestly the reality of the BB lottery escapes any reason. The so called carbon OSBB that Spesh finally and thankfully discontinued was beyond a disaster. BB30 or BSA are both good albeit I vastly prefer BSA as you do. So yes very good news for future Roubaixes.
> A further nit pick however is...FutureShock Roubaix isn't available without disk brakes. I live in flat country and don't want the maintenance or weight of disk versus traditional rim brakes. The FS Roubaix in spite of its weight gets rave reviews and apparently deserved.


I'm afraid the disk vs rim brake ship has sailed. One reason I had my Zukas custom steel frame built to modified Roubaix geometry and room for 35mm tires with mid-reach caliper brakes (I went all out and had it built with posts for Paul Racer M brakes). I can entertain (but not necessarily concede) the argument for discs over cantis, but for tire sizes that can work with mid-reach calipers, give me calipers any day.


----------



## 11spd (Sep 3, 2015)

BD, can you post a pic of your Zukas?
thanks


----------



## KonaSS (Aug 18, 2006)

taodemon said:


> You can only buy the disk ViAS but the teams are still riding the rim version of the bike. I find it unlikely that a rim brake version doesnt exist for the teams in case discs go the way of last year again. That said, it is highly unlikely that we will see a rim version as consumers.


The big difference here is that for the ViAS, they have produced both rim and disc brake models, so sourcing some more rim brake models is not that big of a deal. But that is very different than producing a rim brake version of a bike that never existed.


----------



## BluesDawg (Mar 1, 2005)

11spd said:


> BD, can you post a pic of your Zukas?
> thanks


Twist my arm. 


happy camper by Benny Watson, on Flickr

IMG_20150331_142947069 by Benny Watson, on Flickr

Paul Racer Medium centerpull brakes by Benny Watson, on Flickr


----------



## robnoxious (Dec 5, 2016)

thanks 11spd, I do think you are correct. Just can't get myself to buy a diverge right now as I have a feeling that bike is going to change designs soon. I may order a roubaix comp and see what kind of clearance there actually is. 



11spd said:


> Rob, you maybe able to squeeze a 30c tire on the new Roubaix..depending on rim width and even tire construction....tire brands vary in width, but my suggestion if running gravel and needing wider is...go to the Diverge which is what that bike is designed for. Now...you may want the new shock for rough road riding which I fully understand. I have to believe that the future shock and seat post tech of new Roubaix...that it will have to filter down to the Diverge next year. In fact, this tech almost makes more sense on a bike designed for gravel riding although a certain level of added compliancy is available with wider tires and lower tire pressure compared to a Roubaix running 28's which even without a shock is a pretty friendly ride.


----------

