# Ride position Tarmac vs. Roubaix..



## MCF (Oct 12, 2006)

I know there are plenty of threads out there comparing the Roubaix and Tarmac, but how would your ride position vary on the two? The effective top tubes are identical, the Tarmac has 1cm longer seat post tube (insignificant as both bikes will have same length from Center of BB to seat), and the Roubaix has a 0.5cm taller head tube (but as long as you aren't planning on using all 40mm of spacers provided, you could have the same handlebar height on both the Roubaix and Tarmac. The Tarmac has shorter chainstays and slightly steeper head tube angle making it quicker and has a 10mm longer stem (which can be adjusted on both bikes). So, would the ride position be the same if you set each up with the same seat height and reach from tip of saddle to bars? I assume if you set these, you could close your eyes and get on each and not notice a difference, correct? (until you rode each which I will do eventually and I am sure the Tarmac will be quicker for reasons stated above)....thanks!


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## Coolhand (Jul 28, 2002)

Your position would not change on either bike. You would just use different spacers/stem angles and such to achieve it. The handling will be a bit different, but probably less then you would think.


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## dlbcx (Aug 28, 2002)

Coolhand is right...you shouldn't force your body to fit the bike, it should be the other way around.


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## johnmyster (Mar 13, 2003)

The only difference you will notice is when you tip into a crit corner at 35 mph. They're both great. They both ride really well. I raced a roubaix for 3 years, just got a Tarmac. For 99% of riding, the roubaix is better. For the other 1%, the difference is pretty small. It's not as if the roubaix won't go through a corner. It just takes a bit more coersion - which is welcomed during training, centuries, group rides, fast group rides, etc.

Quicker does not mean faster in any way. You may not even notice the difference. I'm getting disappointed that it's now harder to get the roubaix with full size (53-39) gearing.


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## MCF (Oct 12, 2006)

Why is the Roubaix $300 more? Not that this would pursuade me one way or the other, just curious? The spec build seems identical...is it become of the extra 5mm in carbon to make the head tube longer....hehehe..but that would be offset by the 1cm extra carbon to make the Tarmac seat tube a little longer...hehehe..


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## mh3 (Mar 8, 2006)

MCF said:


> Why is the Roubaix $300 more? Not that this would pursuade me one way or the other, just curious? The spec build seems identical...is it become of the extra 5mm in carbon to make the head tube longer....hehehe..but that would be offset by the 1cm extra carbon to make the Tarmac seat tube a little longer...hehehe..


Mostly marketing, basically the Roubaix is a very popular bike and they charge in accordance with that. Street prices may very depending on which model is more popular at specific dealers.

FWIW, I think only the 61cm frames have a 5mm headtube length difference. It's more pronounced as you go down in frame size. Not an issue if that's your correct size though.


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## Magpie (Sep 13, 2004)

58cm bikes have 1 cm difference in head tube height.

They used to be more distinct...my '06 58cm has a 180mm top tube, while the Roubaix had 215mm like the current bike. This is why I'm selling my Tarmac for a Roubaix. Seems Specialized has plushified the Tarmac in the current model year.


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