# What does Roubaix mean?



## Jake25 (Sep 20, 2006)

what does Roubaix mean in english

also how do you pronounce Toupe? and what does that mean...


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## allison (Apr 19, 2006)

Roubaix is named after Paris-Roubaix, the race in France. Pretty sure (correct me if I'm wrong) it's a town in France. 

Toupe is pronounced like the hair piece: to-pay


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## coinstar2k (Apr 17, 2007)

Yes. Paris to Roubaix is probably the best 1 day race in the world. It is in Northern France and the race has been around since the 1800's. Specialized designed the Roubaix bike because of the race course which takes riders over many cobblestone sections. The Roubaix bike has slightly longer chain stay and taller more upright geometry to better glide over the cobbles. It makes a very comfortable all around bike for the average rider.

Check out some crazy footage from the Paris-Roubaix race on www.theroadbike.com


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## Mark McM (Jun 18, 2005)

*Roubaix at Roubaix (not)*



coinstar2k said:


> Specialized designed the Roubaix bike because of the race course which takes riders over many cobblestone sections. The Roubaix bike has slightly longer chain stay and taller more upright geometry to better glide over the cobbles. It makes a very comfortable all around bike for the average rider.


The Roubaix may have been named after Parix-Roubaix, and its name might be intended to evoke the idea of comfort over cobbled roads, but it wasn't intended to actually be used at Paris-Roubaix. It was not used by any of the Specialized sponsored teams at Paris-Roubaix this year - most used the S-Works. Except Boonen - he used a custom aluminum frame. (What's up with that? doesn't Specialized claim that the Roubaix frame is made from carbon to absorb shock and vibration better than an aluminum frame? Or does Boonen's bike show that idea to be hype?)


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## coinstar2k (Apr 17, 2007)

The S-Works bike is a Roubaix.....true it isn't anything like the low end roubaix, but it was in fact designed for and ridden in the actual race.

Specialized Website



Versus TV Video interviews Specialized product developer at the actual race which confirms that they use the bike in the race.


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## I am The Edge (Jul 27, 2004)

isn't toupe also pronounced like "dope"?


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## allison (Apr 19, 2006)

Mark McM said:


> The Roubaix may have been named after Parix-Roubaix, and its name might be intended to evoke the idea of comfort over cobbled roads, but it wasn't intended to actually be used at Paris-Roubaix. It was not used by any of the Specialized sponsored teams at Paris-Roubaix this year - most used the S-Works. Except Boonen - he used a custom aluminum frame. (What's up with that? doesn't Specialized claim that the Roubaix frame is made from carbon to absorb shock and vibration better than an aluminum frame? Or does Boonen's bike show that idea to be hype?)


I was under the impression that Boonen needed a special bike with a longer TT because of his back issues from a crash a few years ago. He probably was just comfortable on the aluminum he'd been riding and didn't want to switch. 

I can attest to the Zertz inserts at least making a slight difference in comfort. Hubby went with a Felt Z25 bike and I made him ride my Roubaix expert (same frame as the SWorks this year) over the fairly unimproved national forest gravel road. He said it was much more comfortable than his bike to ride over the pavement. Don't think it was tires alone. He's got the Vittoria Rubino Pro's. 

No idea what the rest of the team was riding, but either way I imagine 30+ miles of cobblestones feels hellacious


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## allison (Apr 19, 2006)

I am The Edge said:


> isn't toupe also pronounced like "dope"?


I pronounce it the same was as the hair piece.

to-pay


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## Bocephus Jones II (Oct 7, 2004)

allison said:


> I pronounce it the same was as the hair piece.
> 
> to-pay


I'm so sorry you have hairpiece.


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## Tugboat (Jul 17, 2006)

Mark McM said:


> The Roubaix may have been named after Parix-Roubaix, and its name might be intended to evoke the idea of comfort over cobbled roads, but it wasn't intended to actually be used at Paris-Roubaix. It was not used by any of the Specialized sponsored teams at Paris-Roubaix this year - most used the S-Works. Except Boonen - he used a custom aluminum frame. (What's up with that? doesn't Specialized claim that the Roubaix frame is made from carbon to absorb shock and vibration better than an aluminum frame? Or does Boonen's bike show that idea to be hype?)


Boonen is on a custom aluminium frame due to having problems with a recurrent back problem on the stock sized Tarmac/Roubaix frames Specialized could provide. It's aluminium because they needed to build it very quickly... they are manufacturing custom carbon moulds for Boonen as well, but these take time. This will probably make Boonen the only rider to ever have road bike moulds made specifically to fit them (Trek did if for Lance's TT bikes IIRC)!


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## California L33 (Jan 20, 2006)

Bocephus Jones II said:


> I'm so sorry you have hairpiece.


You have to be careful taking off your helmet around the honeys- freaks 'em out when the hair stays in it. I grow my leg hair extra long to compensate. :blush2:


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## cyrax29 (May 23, 2007)

whats up fellow roadies. I new to this scene.


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## California L33 (Jan 20, 2006)

cyrax29 said:


> whats up fellow roadies. I new to this scene.


Welcome to the forum and the road. What do you ride and where do you ride it? 

Any questions, just start a thread, or do a search- it's probably already been answered. You might want to browse the "beginners" forum, too, or go straight to the pro or doping forums and give your opinion on whether Floyd is innocent, but be prepared for some heated debate.


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