Definitely not bonkers. However, I wonder what - apart from tyre clearance - truly differentiates the Roubaix from a (road oriented) gravel bike such as an Open U.P. - once gearing is adjusted
@@dlevi67 is the UP a gravel bike? If so, tend to have more reinforced areas of the frame to account for off road riding, even wider clearances, and more mounting points than Meccano. The geometry is also subtly different typically, with gravel bikes being even further 'relaxed' than endurance bikes. Even if it's more road focussed, the frameset probably weighs a bit more from being reinforced.
I also have a 2020 Specialized Roubaix, but the PRO with ETAP and this is by far my favourite back. 3000KM in already this year and I have loved riding every crappy bumpy road (as well as the smooth ones) in my lockdown neighbourhood. I think you did a good job of summing up just how versatile this bike really is.
I have this exact model! I have had a lot of bikes in the past and due to an accident i was diagnosed with a neck injury. This bike has helped me a lot with my neck pain, because it is very very very confortable! If you are looking for a confortable road Bike, this is the one. It is expensive, and i had the luky to find one in retail price, but is perfect! I think this review is excellent! The is no bike in the market that have this specs, and the future shock is a blessing. Specialized did an amazing job. It is a Bike for life.
The older you become, the more suspension is needed, I used to ride all day without it at 40, at 65 however I would rather poke myself in the eye than ride a bike without it.
I bought this exact bike a week ago (blue/grey) and my first ride was an 80km route with some smooth tarmac but also some less than smooth trails. I absolutely love it. Feels light, responsive, fast and confortable. A jack of all trades. Didn’t love the colour schemes specialized put out for the experto but whatever, I’m riding on it not looking at it.
I bought a Roubaix 2018 recently and was blown away by how comfortable the future shock was. It helped me relieve a lot of the pain I experience from long rides in the shoulders on rough terrains. Its a whole new experience riding this bike I dont think I can ride my other bikes again after being spoiled by the Roubaix smooth ride.
I've had Roubaix SL2, SL3, SL4 and now the 2020 SL7 Comp and it's by far the best. I live in the Scottish Highlands so cycling here is on a mix of bad tarmac, forestry roads, rough mountain roads and old railways and the Roubix copes with everything I throw it down. With the standard tyres with latex inners pumped to 80/85 it's fast and comfortable. I've also fitted a Charge Spoon saddle and the bike is comfortable for my usual 50-60 mile mixed surface rides. And I'm 66 so I need all the comfort I can get!
congrats, man! same for me - waiting for arrival of roubaix'21 comp. ^_^ can't wait, actually :D p.s. had a test-drive @ local bikeshop. it's really A PROPER BIKE! (now i'm with merida cx8000...and roubaix is far more great ;))
@Steve King 3.5k euro, same spec as the 2020, full Ultegra and it comes with the Future shock 1.5 (with the replaceable springs) not the 2.0 (dial one). I was going for the Sport version (which comes with the 105) but that was going to get delivered at the end of October so I decided to upgrade and get it faster.
I have an older 2010 Roubaix, which predates disc brakes and electronic shifting and a shock, but I absolutely love it. It's so smooth and non fatiguing, yet makes me feel I'm much faster than I am. It's just a joy to ride. This newer version seems like a big upgrade to that. Enjoy!
I have this bike and love it. It handles like a race bike but doesn’t beat you up on long rides. I do use the lockout on the future shock when I’m climbing or sprinting but other than that just leave it fully open. The future shock just works and you don’t really notice it until you lock it out. It’s not the lightest bike in its category but the aerodynamics are good and it just feels fast, I love it!
I have a 2019 Roubaix, and I absolutely love it. I thought the suspension, and electric shift unnecessary, until I rode it. I was sold as soon as I took it for a ride.
Matthew's reviews are always such a joy to watch. Love the bike too, but the missing mudguard mounts is a showstopper for me. A dedicated race bike can do without, that's perfectly fine, but I really don't understand why you'd leave them out on an endurance bike.
I just got back into cycling, The last time I was into it we had down tube shifters. This bike has made all the passion I had for the sport come back at least double. Matthew covers all unique aspects of this bike well. He's got me looking for a handlebar bag and planning one of those one way rides so I can enjoy more features of this amazing machine. So far I am mainly out chasing after much younger super fit Jockeys.
I just completed a 120-mile ride in mixed weather and on-road conditions without any problems and 10 other century rides on this bike and other than tires and regular maintenance, this bike has held up perfectly. Note: I'm a 225 lb endurance rider that rides on Continental Grand Prix 500 700x 28c tires in Florida. The suspension has been invaluable riding on mixed road conditions and has been very comfortable. This is an exception ride and forever my go-2 bike and have recommended it to other riders! (Mathew, xcellent review).
@@sgueglia A great investment. Of the 6-7 road bikes I've had, this is my favorite. I have 3,000 miles on time and other than normal maintenance, it has been flawless.
Great review. Love the presentation / filming & wit. Buying a Pro tomorrow, last one in the UK I think, world gone mad, don’t want to wait 18months. You have really helped me decide. Life is too short !!!
I just bought a 2022 Comp with the SRAM Rival group and even after only 160 miles ridden, I know this bike is gonna be with me for a long time. I never imagined ever spending quite so much on a bike($5000+tax) but it was money well spent, or it will be once my easy financing term is done. It's just so comfortable, so fast, so smooth and I never imagined the difference that a carbon fiber frame would make over aluminium(yes, I'm an American who says aluminium, hehe) until my first ride. I wanna convert to tubeless in the future, but even if that doesn't go well, the comfort just negates the need for tubeless riding. It's only my second ever proper bike, but as good as the Roubaix is, I can't see myself ever buying another. Cheers!
Thanks for your review, Matthew, a stunning bike, no doubt. And I have no problem with anyone opting for all the bells and whistles they can afford. It's their bike and it's their thing.
I bought this exact bike last year. Same colour, same size, I even have the same pedals. Watching this video made me so happy! It's a fantastic bike. Riding it is so comfortable, it's like riding on a cloud.
Totally agree, I have one too! With an red ax’s and cl50’s, pure beauty! Just have a proper mechanic take care of your cables and put like it should have been done with thermo wrapping and cut at the right length, it can be clean enough ;)
Wow, that sounds interesting, can you detail what you mean please. I went to look at a Roubaix Sport the other day and that bunch of cables at the bar really put me off the bike.
waiting for my new roubaix comp, that should arrive @ late september. very excited about it. thank you very much for a detailed review (it is surprisingly lack of reviews on 2020/2021 roubaix on youtube) - after watching it, i'm calm & know, that have made a right decision to bought it. p.s. sorry for my poor english ^_^
I just got a 2020 Roubaix Pro with the SRAM Force AXS ETAP to replace my 2012 Roubaix Pro with UDI2 (Upgraded to 11 spd). I love that older bike, but I am really stoked to ride the new model. This review confirms everything I hope to have with the newer tech. I already have the SRAM drivetrain on a gravel bike, and now I won’t have to readjust my brain when I switch from winter to summer bikes for the shifting differences. I am very excited! Thanks for the review!
I came from Tarmac SL6 to the 2020 Roubaix. The Roubaix is fast as the Tarmac, but much more comfortable. Future Shock 2.0 is a game changer. On my Sirrus X i have the Future Shock 1.5 with the internal spring, which also works fine, but 2.0 is another step forward. The Di2 works so smooth and i never heard from anyone going back to mechanical systems after electronic shifting experience.
Me, 2019 Roubaix Pro with Sram Force. Couldn’t be happier. Comfortable and fast. I ride this bike strictly on the road. I think I’ll try new tires and a little gravel. The shock, well I have it and it works. I set it about a year ago and haven’t adjusted it once.
I upgraded my 2020 Roubaix entry level model and its faster than the one in this video. Amazing what a deep dish carbon disc brake wheelset and an aero handlebar on the cockpit will do for a bike. I run 28 cm tires and its just a beast on the road! DON'T SLEEP ON THIS BIKE, ITS DEFINITELY A GREAT BUY IN THE SPECIALIZED FLEET OF BIKES!!! It's the total bike and in many ways it is better than the flagship Specialized road bike ridden in this years 2020 Tour de France.
I think the reason full internal cable routing would be difficult is because of the Future Shock integration. Takes the space for cabling away, but is well worth it!
Greetings, Thank you very much for this informative and most excellent review. Just about to purchase this bike at the local Specialized shop this weekend.
Of course there's a place for bigger tires and suspension in road cycling. Outside of major cities the roads can be pretty rough even if they're paved. And sometimes in the city as well, at least in North America. Even when training seriously, base miles are a lot more fun when not limited to the pristine pavement. Not all of us like road cycling for the sake of suffering to maybe one day do well in a race.
You do a great job in describing the Roubaix: it makes me want to get one. I rather have the mudguard mounts, but with this bike I would be completely happy.
Excellent review and I agree about the mudguard mounts - I have a 2016 Roubaix Comp - great bike and very comfy to ride. However, go back to my old bike in the winter, as I can fit mudguards to keep me fairly clean...
I bought a 2018 Roubaix expert di2 this year. It was brand new from the dealers unsold stock. I was looking at the 2020 domane sl5 and this Roubaix and after riding the Roubaix I was instantly sold on the future shock. I got the bike for 50 percent off of the retail price which made this too hard to pass up.i find myself riding more and more because of this bike and so far since may I have put 4000kms on it.
Just got my hands on my dream bike the S-works Roubaix in a 2022 model. Picking it up tomorrow and will report on how I like the suspension. Looking forward to the ride.
My brother has a 2005 Roubaix which I rode once, and really liked the responsiveness. The saddle was rubbish for me, which kept me from riding it further. I feel like suspension on a road bike is a mistake, another item to break, but your experience will make me reconsider. I also dislike the post 1990 frames in that there is no kickstand, and why would I want to leave my nice bike down on the ground or leaning where a wind may make it roll and fall? There should be kickstand mount points as there are brake mount points so as not to use the old squish the chainstays design. I find that you are quite correct in wanting mudguard mounts and space. My name gives away that I am in Minnesota, where the large metropolitan area is considered the top or second best city in the USA for bicycling, rivaled with Portland Oregon. We have large puddles of melted snow now and paths shared with dog walkers where we may have small rivers of dog urine (nice to splash that up on your water bottle). If Specialized did go to mudguard mounts, they could brand them with the letter P on top of a Do Not Enter circle, a "no pee"designation. If they don't do it the quirky QBP people (peeople?) may put it on their bikes along with "Fatties Fit Fine", a phrase that has angered uninformed overweight riders. As for the DI-2 I hate having to rely on batteries. They should have contacts to allow an external pack of AA, AAA, or a 9v battery for emergency use. My road bike has a dynohub because I refuse to be enslaved to batteries. I was also promoting wider (28mm and even 32mm) rubber back in 2009 and I was shouted at strongly on the Bicycling forums. I dislike the cassette, 11-34 is stupid wide and leaves gaps in the shifting. For 11 cogs I would choose Shimano's 12-28 because there is never more than a 10% change between cogs except for a 12% from the 25 to the 28. Super smooth shifting with load changes that will not wear out the cyclist. I have experienced climbs where shifting from 21 to 24 and 24 to 28 sent me from spinning to grinding and destroyed my stamina. These were on fairly steep climbs in the north Maryland and south Pennsylvania valleys. But I'm from Minnesota! I get around. Tighter cassettes also mean less overlap between chainrings. See Mike Sherman's gear calculator. Nice review on the Roubaix. I would consider it, but am considering a custom carbon frame from Calfee when I can afford it. It will have mount point for mudguards and I have a new kickstand design that a custom shop could build.
I felt guilty buying one over my still functional (19 yr old) road bike. I now ride more times a week it’s so good. My understanding is the dial on the 2.0 shock is only a lockout, does not gradient the pressure. I have the 1.5 and love the new wider tires at 60psi👍
I have the 2017 Roubaix Comp, with the 1st generation Future Shock. I have little to compare it to as my last road bike was a secondhand Sun Solo in 1982, but I absolutely love it.
I rented the original version the year it first came out. The only time I noticed the bars, and seemed a little odd, but I also got used to it after a little while and really didn't notice. That bike is also what inspired me to get disk brakes on my next road bike. It was early spring and I was in Colorado. The roads were wet from snow melt. I got surprised by a stop sign at the bottom of a fast descent. I went into panic mode but the bike just stopped without drama.
Electronic shifting is the future 100%. Suspension for a pure road bike? probably not. Suspension for an all-rounder? id have to say yes. And an all rounder is more the bike i would ride.
It would be pretty cool to see a heavier rider(90+kg) to review the roubaix 1. to talk about the futureshock as its not adjustable(spring rates) for weight which i think is really really poor design & 2. as its an endurance bike & all endurance bikes are best made for beginners & mostly beginners are heavy riders...
I'm almost 190cm and 81kg in size 58. Works really well for me, it's comfortable. There are 3 springs available in futureshock 1.5 version with different stiffness for different weight.
Endurance bikes mostly for beginners? Not sure what would make you think that. Perhaps, endurance bikes aren’t the best choice for your local criterium, but if you are someone who loves riding but just doesn’t happen to race they are a great choice-regardless of skill level. As to those who complain that there is limited adjustability to the future shock, keep in mind it’s not a mountain bike. The travel is intentionally extremely limited. The intent is simply to address the vibration from rough surfaces that tires you out over time. It takes the edge off, and it really works. It’s the difference between my feeling exhausted after a fifty mile ride and feeling invigorated. I weigh about 75 kg for reference.
Have been riding this for a month now! Love the bike!! I am however trying to see if I should get another pair of wheel rims and tyres for gravel or mix terrain riding. Any recommendations? Am I thinking right?
I have a 2018 version roubaix, even it's the lowest 9r model, I still love this bike, and i use the yellow one, the hardest FS spring. It rides like a dream for long . long rides. Maybe I will upgrade that FS1.0 to 2.0 kit, wish me luck.
Hi Mat, thanks for your question. The Giant Defy won BikeRadar's endurance road bike of the year award this year and you can find out what we thought about it and the Canyon Endurace here: ruclips.net/video/FYPbwWmrKVM/видео.html
BikeRadar Why isn't the Specialize your Endurance Bike of the Year? I'm sure I'm missing something, so forgive me, but based on this video it seems as though the Specialize is your number 1 choice.
Steve King Hi Steve, You make a good point and I thought that might have something to do with it. Although there are versions of the Defy that are pretty pricey too. I wonder which bike BikeRadar would choose, the Specialized or the highest end Defy (the one that comes with built-in power meter)? Because my wife might be reading this, please know that I am asking for a friend. 🤣
Great review. Seems like what the bike lacks is a bit more versatility (bigger clearance, mudguards..). Could there soon be a Diverge-Roubaix hybrid to rule them all ? Like they did with Tarmac/Venge
I got this for $500.00 at a pawn shop fell in love with it. Anyways loved the video I'm so happy I'm learning from this video as well..im not riding it yet to cold waiting for summer bike is beautiful.
I think there's absolutely a place for suspension on road bikes. It used to take the form of a nice supple steel fork and a quill stem. However, with the belief that stiffer is better / faster bikes have lost a lot of the suspension which used to be built in as standard. Disc brakes have moved the braking forces away from the fork crown to the drop outs, which means forks need to be stiffer to withstand this as well. In recognition of this bike manufacturers are having to engineer the compliance, which used to be inherent in bicycles back in. Not having ridden a Roubaix, or any other road bike with re-engineered compliance, I'm not intending this a retro good / modern bad comment, it's just something i think more people should be aware of. I'd be really interested to see someone do a back to back comparison of the Roubaix with a really nice steel framed bike. I think the results would be quite revealing.
It's an interesting point, particularly about forks. For a traditional steel fork to compete with a Future Shock it would have to be seriously bendy though, and that would likely come at the cost of steering precision. Likewise, quill stems are way flexier than modern cockpits - I know which I'd prefer. Disc brakes obviously have major design implications, but they also open up new avenues for improvements - for example now we can have excellent braking *and* large tyres on our road bikes if we want them. Rim brakes for wider rims and tyres have never been that great. Adequate, sure, but not great. In rear-end comfort I'd expect the Roubaix to beast a traditional frame too, thanks to that huge length of exposed seatpost that can flex. Traditional steel frames with horizontal top tubes have minimal exposed seatpost to flex, and even the best ones are going to offer negligible deflection from the frame itself. I embrace all bikes, but equally I'm grateful that bike designers are continually trying to innovate, and I do genuinely think bikes like the Roubaix represent progress. Thanks for watching! -Matthew
Thanks for a great review, it really cleared up my confusion about the differences of the Roubaix and the Tarmac SL6, apart from standard rim and tyre size. between Next season, going from a HT to a dedicated road bike & a dedicated trail bike I'm considering this bike. A couple of reasons: Comfort is important because time for prehab has greatly diminished after having a family. I also have some issues with my back and I figure this might help me during longer sessions , even on tarmac that isn't all that smooth. Even with front suspension on my current bike I can get tired in forearms and hands when riding real harsh trails. Any thoughts? I'm not getting three bikes(no gravel bike next season), "only" a trail bike and a road bike. Will I be able to keep up on group rides when others are riding Tarmac SL6 and the like, I imagine the difference in speed will be offset by being less fatigued on the Roubaix(?)
Hi there - I am trying to make a decision between Roubaix Sport and Tarmac Sport. Both are same prices and I currently own Allez Sport so will be a nice upgrade either way. I been torn for past few weeks which bike to go with, I read a lot of arguments from both sides, any wisdom from anyone would be greatly appreciated!! I do enjoy my Allez but I always felt I was always too slow, especially on climbs and I am in pretty good shape but I'm 6'4 220 pounds so Im sure that contributed :) I do a lot of 50 mile rides (at least twice a week) but also big into century rides, I don't need to be the fastest, but do want to gain some speed. I don't know how much slower Robouix is, don't care about few second difference but also don't want to be at the end..... Any advice would be greatly appreciated!!!
Many positive reviews, let me show you the other side too if you consider this model. I have a 105 version, comparing it to 2017 Supersix Hi-mod. Mixed feelings, super comfortable and works on gravel, but super heavy (more than 9kg) and sluggish. Cheap components, the crankset is the same as on Sirrus for 1000 EUR (Praxis Alba), cheap and heavy wheels with non-tubeless tires, proprietary components everywhere, I had to buy a longer version of a seatpost for 200EUR because the standard one was 1cm too short for 188 on 58cm frame. Hard to fit bigger lights on curved handlebars. Seat clamp cover constantly gets detached and dirt goes in. Due to softness, it's hard to tell if it's a tire losing grip or suspension is in work. Paintwork is very fragile too, Roubaix after a month of use looks worse than Supersix after 3 years.
The base Roubaix is on my list of possible upgrades when the day comes that I figure that my basic allez is holding my back. More accurately, *if* the day comes, cause I didn’t think a relatively cheap road bike could be so good
My 2020 Roubaix Comp is the most comfortable road bike I've ever ridden and that outweighs the weight sacrifice over my old Canyon Ultimate - at my age comfort wins out over speed and the gearing still allows steep climbs to be tackled - just a little more sedately. However, After less than 3000kms, over 5 months from new, through admittedly tough autumn and winter UK riding, the free wheel bearings started to grind and intermittently sieze, leading to a few uncomfortable moments and cog hopping. The upshot was new bearings fitted, but not accepted as a warranty claim. The cost of the new bearing isn't huge, but the issue is the failure after such a short time. I've never had a problem with any of my other bikes; my old Canyon lasted ten years and the bearings never needed changing, under similar riding conditons. So Specialized - is there a problem, was I just unlucky to get bearings full of dirty water and subsequent failure? (my mechanic asked if I had used a pressure washer to clean the bike - No) Has anyone else had such a problem? Was my bike shop correct to deny a warranty claim? After all the bike is called a Roubaix and so, should be designed to handle some very tough conditions - mine can't seem to handle poodling around Devon in the winter rain.
I have a '15 Roubaix SL4 Comp Disc. After 5 seasons of riding, and cleaning the bike with automotive soaps, I decided to try something new - a pump spray 'grease remover' (GR) for the chain and cassette. Huge Mistake! This stuff was not the more gentle citrus based stuff but a stronger acid type that could penetrate tiny openings like bearing seals.Spray it on, wait a minute or two and rinse it off with low pressure water hose.The chain and cassette looked brand new after this cleaning but apparently this new GR quickly seeped into the bearings in my hubs and freewheel and dissolved the grease. About 3 months after first using the GR my rear wheel hub started to drag and squeak. I disassembled both F/R hubs and freewheel, and found that most of the factory grease was completely gone, several of the forcing cones were galled by the dark brown (rust paste?) ball bearings, it was a mess but now they are completely cleaned, all rust has been removed, new ball bearings and forcing cones, with fresh lithium (waterproof) grease. In the meanwhile I had also used this GR on some chrome plated steel spoked Dunlop wheels on my classic '69 Triumph Bonneville - within 3 weeks the inside of these brand new wheels were totally rust and the spokes even started to rust! This acidic GR had seeped around the spoke holes into the inside of the wheel. Beware of acidic grease removers! I've gone back to Dawn detergent! My Specialized dealer who sold new the new bearings and cones, informed me that, in general, the wheel hubs and the freehub should be serviced about twice a year on most modern road bikes. Live and learn.
@@davidrsmith2417 After a long haul, 4 replacement sets of rear wheel bearings (the final set lasting only three months in almost totally dry conditions) and an independent assessment, along with the threat of legal action on the grounds of the product 'not being fit for purpose' (under UK law); the dealer and Specialized offered me a wheel set upgade, which I happily accepted. Now, six months on, everything is fine - the replacement set is performing well and although riding conditions here have been relatively benign, I'm hopeful the wheels will continue to perform when the bad weather arrives. The new wheelset is by no means top of the range, but performs far better than the original DT Swiis, Specialized own brand combination, both in terms of handling and rolling capacity; so it's pretty clear to me that, in order to offer a competitive price, lower spec and mediocre quality wheelsets are, probably, the easiest option for manufactures to save costs. Buyer beware, I guess, with lower to mid range models.
I have a 2019 Roubaix (without the knob) but with the variety of springs, and find I have never felt the need to change springs, and frankly I have mostly forgotten it is there. That is I forget it right up to the moment I hit a serious bump. Of course, being part of the target demo, older weekend rider, I am not a racer. Future Shock is seriously good tech. So far I have kept mine on tarmac but I wonder how it would work with bigger tires on compressed gravel roads.
I was hoping that 2021 Roubaix would come with FS 2.0 on Comp models (as they did with 2021 diverge) but no... they changed paint jobs and slapped S-works logo on the seat tube. Kind of silly that they force you to get Di2 if you want the new FS. Also, the downtube storage box would be nice (again, Diverge got it). Not to mention I cannot test ride a 64cm model because who would expect tall folks also ride bikes and the poll of test bikes in Europe could take that into account. I’m still considering this bike for the next season though.
Seems like a great bike! Too bad we all can't test more bikes! I'm convinced that there are many bikes that are in the same league? Canyon grail? The giant pro defy? Or my personal favourite, the GT Grade?? (if you didn't already know this one, definitely check it out, I haven't been on a better gravel bike than this one....
I’ve got a 2008 roubaix elite triple. It weighs in at 8.85kg with pedals, bottle cages, and my head unit mounted. I’m debating about upgrading to a new roubaix like the one shown. Will it feel like a material upgrade?
Now... the Aethos has been introduced. Have smooth and weight advantages displaced the Roubaix?I have a Roubaix SL4 and I am eager to upgrade - but, I am confused whether to stay with the Roubaix or go with the Aethos. I care about climbing and long distance (100 mile, 7 hour) rides - I live in a mountainous region. Other differences are wheel base geometry, cool handlebars, no shock system, and SRAM (which I don't prefer). Maybe you could do a video on this?
The are very, very different bikes. The Aethos is smooth for a pure road bike, but it's still essentially a race bike at heart (whatever the marketing says), with geometry to match. The Roubaix OTOH is comfier than most gravel bikes thanks to the shock and also offers a more upright position. Thanks for watching! -Matthew
How would you compare this up to the Trek Domane? Listening to Matthew's complaints about the messy front end and no fender mounts, it sounds like the Domane would be an excellent alternative.
Suspencion on a road bike is probably a good thing, as long as it is not proprietary. Modular solutions like Redshift stem seem like a better idea from a consumer perspetive. They may look a little weird but not so bad when compared to the Future Shock with that little non-removable chimney. But I wonder how Redshift compares to Future Shock in terms of comfort.
Yeah, I agree. Bought it and sold it soon after. It was downright dangerous the way the front end bobbed down mid-anything (yes I used the recommended elastomers). Avoid
Hi there! My dad was watching your video and has been driving me mad trying to see the logo on your grey jacket. Could you please tell me where you got it from? Thankyou!
Was considering a Cannondale Synapse, but this had me thinking again as who wants to be that person with a 4K bike with the annoying BB squeak having to ride on your own. Right up to the point where I find out it has no mudguard mounts I was sold, I live in the UK where we can have years where the summer bike barely sees 4 months use, this would be an excellent bike for riding long Audaxes along the hilly, mucky, chewed up lanes in my area but without mudguards it’s useless. The Enigma Etape disc might be my only choice for a lightweight winter bike suitable for hilly Audax rides.
I'm seeing a lot of technology from the mountain bike world transfer into road bikes, we mountain bikers must be doing something right, although I don't know if Roadies will admit that 😅
Tom Roth - yes and visa-versa! I have a '21 Levo SL mountain bike that I fitted with a larger chainring (34) and the excellent Specialized Fast Track tires so this MTB would be better suited for road and cross-country adventure riding & exploring (not racing) than any standard MTB. The adjustable suspension allows me to jump curbs and ride up/down steps in urban settings and then ride nearby mountain fire roads and single track. The electric motor controls are super adjustable for full customization of boosted power delivery for any usage. This is my good-at-everything bike, great-at-some things bike that I can ride anywhere - even long road rides with steep mountains. I am 73 years young.
If you don't feel the need to change springs in day-to-day practice, it makes you wonder if the di2 Comp is the much better buy for most people! Is it true that Specialized recommends replacing the Future Shock assembly on a schedule?
What do you think about the Specialized Roubaix? Is Matthew bonkers? Or do you think his feelings are justified? Let us know in the comments!
What about the domane?
Definitely not bonkers. However, I wonder what - apart from tyre clearance - truly differentiates the Roubaix from a (road oriented) gravel bike such as an Open U.P. - once gearing is adjusted
Love the bike minus the future shock, I'll pass on any bike with one myself.
Ugly
@@dlevi67 is the UP a gravel bike?
If so, tend to have more reinforced areas of the frame to account for off road riding, even wider clearances, and more mounting points than Meccano. The geometry is also subtly different typically, with gravel bikes being even further 'relaxed' than endurance bikes.
Even if it's more road focussed, the frameset probably weighs a bit more from being reinforced.
I also have a 2020 Specialized Roubaix, but the PRO with ETAP and this is by far my favourite back. 3000KM in already this year and I have loved riding every crappy bumpy road (as well as the smooth ones) in my lockdown neighbourhood. I think you did a good job of summing up just how versatile this bike really is.
I have this exact model! I have had a lot of bikes in the past and due to an accident i was diagnosed with a neck injury. This bike has helped me a lot with my neck pain, because it is very very very confortable! If you are looking for a confortable road Bike, this is the one. It is expensive, and i had the luky to find one in retail price, but is perfect! I think this review is excellent! The is no bike in the market that have this specs, and the future shock is a blessing. Specialized did an amazing job. It is a Bike for life.
High praise indeed from Matthew, and he really knows what he's doing.
The older you become, the more suspension is needed, I used to ride all day without it at 40, at 65 however I would rather poke myself in the eye than ride a bike without it.
I concur -- it's why I switched to tubulars (the cushion of a good tubular is soooo nice), and why a Moulton is in my future.
I bought this exact bike a week ago (blue/grey) and my first ride was an 80km route with some smooth tarmac but also some less than smooth trails. I absolutely love it. Feels light, responsive, fast and confortable. A jack of all trades. Didn’t love the colour schemes specialized put out for the experto but whatever, I’m riding on it not looking at it.
The older I am getting the more comfort when riding is paramount, definitely think this is going to be my next bike.
Excellent in depth review.
I bought a Roubaix 2018 recently and was blown away by how comfortable the future shock was. It helped me relieve a lot of the pain I experience from long rides in the shoulders on rough terrains. Its a whole new experience riding this bike I dont think I can ride my other bikes again after being spoiled by the Roubaix smooth ride.
I've had Roubaix SL2, SL3, SL4 and now the 2020 SL7 Comp and it's by far the best. I live in the Scottish Highlands so cycling here is on a mix of bad tarmac, forestry roads, rough mountain roads and old railways and the Roubix copes with everything I throw it down. With the standard tyres with latex inners pumped to 80/85 it's fast and comfortable. I've also fitted a Charge Spoon saddle and the bike is comfortable for my usual 50-60 mile mixed surface rides. And I'm 66 so I need all the comfort I can get!
Watching this while waiting for my 2021 Roubaix Comp to arrive, first road bike, first proper bike, can't wait :D
Congratulations! Enjoy!
@@dlevi67 Thank you
congrats, man! same for me - waiting for arrival of roubaix'21 comp. ^_^ can't wait, actually :D p.s. had a test-drive @ local bikeshop. it's really A PROPER BIKE! (now i'm with merida cx8000...and roubaix is far more great ;))
@Steve King 3.5k euro, same spec as the 2020, full Ultegra and it comes with the Future shock 1.5 (with the replaceable springs) not the 2.0 (dial one). I was going for the Sport version (which comes with the 105) but that was going to get delivered at the end of October so I decided to upgrade and get it faster.
I have an older 2010 Roubaix, which predates disc brakes and electronic shifting and a shock, but I absolutely love it. It's so smooth and non fatiguing, yet makes me feel I'm much faster than I am. It's just a joy to ride. This newer version seems like a big upgrade to that. Enjoy!
I have many bikes. This bike is the “GO TOO” with confidence in handling, speed and comfort . I like it very much
go to*
Which model do you use ?
I love mine, best bike out there
Jacqouille
I have this bike and love it. It handles like a race bike but doesn’t beat you up on long rides. I do use the lockout on the future shock when I’m climbing or sprinting but other than that just leave it fully open. The future shock just works and you don’t really notice it until you lock it out. It’s not the lightest bike in its category but the aerodynamics are good and it just feels fast, I love it!
I have a 2019 Roubaix, and I absolutely love it. I thought the suspension, and electric shift unnecessary, until I rode it. I was sold as soon as I took it for a ride.
32 mm TL contis are featured on both my bikes. Never been faster in the city, the comfort is unequaled, braking is safer, way more grip in the rain.
32/34 mm tires are more than enough for most roads! Ride on!
Matthew's reviews are always such a joy to watch.
Love the bike too, but the missing mudguard mounts is a showstopper for me. A dedicated race bike can do without, that's perfectly fine, but I really don't understand why you'd leave them out on an endurance bike.
I just got back into cycling, The last time I was into it we had down tube shifters. This bike has made all the passion I had for the sport come back at least double. Matthew covers all unique aspects of this bike well. He's got me looking for a handlebar bag and planning one of those one way rides so I can enjoy more features of this amazing machine. So far I am mainly out chasing after much younger super fit Jockeys.
I just completed a 120-mile ride in mixed weather and on-road conditions without any problems and 10 other century rides on this bike and other than tires and regular maintenance, this bike has held up perfectly. Note: I'm a 225 lb endurance rider that rides on Continental Grand Prix 500 700x 28c tires in Florida. The suspension has been invaluable riding on mixed road conditions and has been very comfortable. This is an exception ride and forever my go-2 bike and have recommended it to other riders! (Mathew, xcellent review).
Thats good to hear. I am approximately 3 Matthews also and and was wondering how it would perform. Thanks.
@@sgueglia A great investment. Of the 6-7 road bikes I've had, this is my favorite. I have 3,000 miles on time and other than normal maintenance, it has been flawless.
Great review. Love the presentation / filming & wit. Buying a Pro tomorrow, last one in the UK I think, world gone mad, don’t want to wait 18months. You have really helped me decide. Life is too short !!!
Matthew has so much knowledge and experience, I trust his word if he really says he likes a bike
I love mine. Mine is a blue sport frame, with bontraeger aelous 3 pro wheels, schalbe pro one tires, and a force axs drivetrain. Amazing bike
I just bought a 2022 Comp with the SRAM Rival group and even after only 160 miles ridden, I know this bike is gonna be with me for a long time. I never imagined ever spending quite so much on a bike($5000+tax) but it was money well spent, or it will be once my easy financing term is done. It's just so comfortable, so fast, so smooth and I never imagined the difference that a carbon fiber frame would make over aluminium(yes, I'm an American who says aluminium, hehe) until my first ride. I wanna convert to tubeless in the future, but even if that doesn't go well, the comfort just negates the need for tubeless riding. It's only my second ever proper bike, but as good as the Roubaix is, I can't see myself ever buying another. Cheers!
Thanks for your review, Matthew, a stunning bike, no doubt. And I have no problem with anyone opting for all the bells and whistles they can afford. It's their bike and it's their thing.
I bought this exact bike last year. Same colour, same size, I even have the same pedals. Watching this video made me so happy! It's a fantastic bike. Riding it is so comfortable, it's like riding on a cloud.
What’s the actual
Bike? And is it £5000???
I know it’s a roubaix but which one exactly?
I have that exact bike and love it! I changed the saddle to a women's WTB Deva and put latex tubes in the stock tires, which I'm keeping for now.
Totally agree, I have one too! With an red ax’s and cl50’s, pure beauty! Just have a proper mechanic take care of your cables and put like it should have been done with thermo wrapping and cut at the right length, it can be clean enough ;)
Wow, that sounds interesting, can you detail what you mean please. I went to look at a Roubaix Sport the other day and that bunch of cables at the bar really put me off the bike.
waiting for my new roubaix comp, that should arrive @ late september. very excited about it. thank you very much for a detailed review (it is surprisingly lack of reviews on 2020/2021 roubaix on youtube) - after watching it, i'm calm & know, that have made a right decision to bought it. p.s. sorry for my poor english ^_^
I just got a 2020 Roubaix Pro with the SRAM Force AXS ETAP to replace my 2012 Roubaix Pro with UDI2 (Upgraded to 11 spd). I love that older bike, but I am really stoked to ride the new model. This review confirms everything I hope to have with the newer tech. I already have the SRAM drivetrain on a gravel bike, and now I won’t have to readjust my brain when I switch from winter to summer bikes for the shifting differences. I am very excited! Thanks for the review!
I got the Roubaix SL4 Comp 2016 model - absolutely love it!
I came from Tarmac SL6 to the 2020 Roubaix. The Roubaix is fast as the Tarmac, but much more comfortable. Future Shock 2.0 is a game changer. On my Sirrus X i have the Future Shock 1.5 with the internal spring, which also works fine, but 2.0 is another step forward. The Di2 works so smooth and i never heard from anyone going back to mechanical systems after electronic shifting experience.
I sold my Merida Scultura 200 and I reserved a Roubaix sport. And i found this! Thank you!!
Me, 2019 Roubaix Pro with Sram Force. Couldn’t be happier. Comfortable and fast. I ride this bike strictly on the road. I think I’ll try new tires and a little gravel. The shock, well I have it and it works. I set it about a year ago and haven’t adjusted it once.
I upgraded my 2020 Roubaix entry level model and its faster than the one in this video. Amazing what a deep dish carbon disc brake wheelset and an aero handlebar on the cockpit will do for a bike. I run 28 cm tires and its just a beast on the road! DON'T SLEEP ON THIS BIKE, ITS DEFINITELY A GREAT BUY IN THE SPECIALIZED FLEET OF BIKES!!! It's the total bike and in many ways it is better than the flagship Specialized road bike ridden in this years 2020 Tour de France.
I totally agree. Best ever Bike I have ever had. So comfortable and fast. I love it!!!
I wouldn’t want front suspension for myself on a road bike but I’m sure there is a big market for those who like a road bike with this versatility.
“You don’t have to be fiddling with a knob when your riding” that needs to be on a T-shirt
gotta love a good knob fiddlin’
I think the reason full internal cable routing would be difficult is because of the Future Shock integration. Takes the space for cabling away, but is well worth it!
For these prices there are no excuses. Endurance bikes almost always have visible cables to make aero bikes stand out.
I have the 2020 comp di2 in yellow. I absolutely love it! I run 25mm conti 5000’s and it flies along nicely and still comfy. Good review.
I wanna get this bike too?.......how much you pay for it?
Greetings, Thank you very much for this informative and most excellent review. Just about to purchase this bike at the local Specialized shop this weekend.
I have the 2017 roubaix expert, best bike ever, smooth and fast. 🚴♂️👍
Me too. Love it
I have a 2017 Roubaix Comp and love it!
Hi Mattew, Your plea has been heard, the bike now has space for 40 mm tires and mudguards
Thanks for the great review. I ordered the Sport version and will get in mid June. Thanks again.
Of course there's a place for bigger tires and suspension in road cycling. Outside of major cities the roads can be pretty rough even if they're paved. And sometimes in the city as well, at least in North America.
Even when training seriously, base miles are a lot more fun when not limited to the pristine pavement. Not all of us like road cycling for the sake of suffering to maybe one day do well in a race.
You do a great job in describing the Roubaix: it makes me want to get one. I rather have the mudguard mounts, but with this bike I would be completely happy.
Excellent review and I agree about the mudguard mounts - I have a 2016 Roubaix Comp - great bike and very comfy to ride. However, go back to my old bike in the winter, as I can fit mudguards to keep me fairly clean...
I bought a 2018 Roubaix expert di2 this year. It was brand new from the dealers unsold stock. I was looking at the 2020 domane sl5 and this Roubaix and after riding the Roubaix I was instantly sold on the future shock. I got the bike for 50 percent off of the retail price which made this too hard to pass up.i find myself riding more and more because of this bike and so far since may I have put 4000kms on it.
Just got my hands on my dream bike the S-works Roubaix in a 2022 model. Picking it up tomorrow and will report on how I like the suspension. Looking forward to the ride.
My brother has a 2005 Roubaix which I rode once, and really liked the responsiveness. The saddle was rubbish for me, which kept me from riding it further. I feel like suspension on a road bike is a mistake, another item to break, but your experience will make me reconsider. I also dislike the post 1990 frames in that there is no kickstand, and why would I want to leave my nice bike down on the ground or leaning where a wind may make it roll and fall? There should be kickstand mount points as there are brake mount points so as not to use the old squish the chainstays design. I find that you are quite correct in wanting mudguard mounts and space. My name gives away that I am in Minnesota, where the large metropolitan area is considered the top or second best city in the USA for bicycling, rivaled with Portland Oregon. We have large puddles of melted snow now and paths shared with dog walkers where we may have small rivers of dog urine (nice to splash that up on your water bottle). If Specialized did go to mudguard mounts, they could brand them with the letter P on top of a Do Not Enter circle, a "no pee"designation. If they don't do it the quirky QBP people (peeople?) may put it on their bikes along with "Fatties Fit Fine", a phrase that has angered uninformed overweight riders.
As for the DI-2 I hate having to rely on batteries. They should have contacts to allow an external pack of AA, AAA, or a 9v battery for emergency use. My road bike has a dynohub because I refuse to be enslaved to batteries. I was also promoting wider (28mm and even 32mm) rubber back in 2009 and I was shouted at strongly on the Bicycling forums. I dislike the cassette, 11-34 is stupid wide and leaves gaps in the shifting. For 11 cogs I would choose Shimano's 12-28 because there is never more than a 10% change between cogs except for a 12% from the 25 to the 28. Super smooth shifting with load changes that will not wear out the cyclist. I have experienced climbs where shifting from 21 to 24 and 24 to 28 sent me from spinning to grinding and destroyed my stamina. These were on fairly steep climbs in the north Maryland and south Pennsylvania valleys. But I'm from Minnesota! I get around. Tighter cassettes also mean less overlap between chainrings. See Mike Sherman's gear calculator.
Nice review on the Roubaix. I would consider it, but am considering a custom carbon frame from Calfee when I can afford it. It will have mount point for mudguards and I have a new kickstand design that a custom shop could build.
I felt guilty buying one over my still functional (19 yr old) road bike. I now ride more times a week it’s so good. My understanding is the dial on the 2.0 shock is only a lockout, does not gradient the pressure. I have the 1.5 and love the new wider tires at 60psi👍
Just got my Specialized Roubaix TODAYY!
I have the 2017 Roubaix Comp, with the 1st generation Future Shock. I have little to compare it to as my last road bike was a secondhand Sun Solo in 1982, but I absolutely love it.
I rented the original version the year it first came out. The only time I noticed the bars, and seemed a little odd, but I also got used to it after a little while and really didn't notice. That bike is also what inspired me to get disk brakes on my next road bike. It was early spring and I was in Colorado. The roads were wet from snow melt. I got surprised by a stop sign at the bottom of a fast descent. I went into panic mode but the bike just stopped without drama.
Electronic shifting is the future 100%.
Suspension for a pure road bike? probably not.
Suspension for an all-rounder? id have to say yes. And an all rounder is more the bike i would ride.
Great review, I have the Diverge model and love IT. Thanks for the great content.
Excellent review and commentary, thank you!
It would be pretty cool to see a heavier rider(90+kg) to review the roubaix
1. to talk about the futureshock as its not adjustable(spring rates) for weight which i think is really really poor design &
2. as its an endurance bike & all endurance bikes are best made for beginners & mostly beginners are heavy riders...
I'm almost 190cm and 81kg in size 58. Works really well for me, it's comfortable. There are 3 springs available in futureshock 1.5 version with different stiffness for different weight.
Endurance bikes mostly for beginners? Not sure what would make you think that. Perhaps, endurance bikes aren’t the best choice for your local criterium, but if you are someone who loves riding but just doesn’t happen to race they are a great choice-regardless of skill level.
As to those who complain that there is limited adjustability to the future shock, keep in mind it’s not a mountain bike. The travel is intentionally extremely limited. The intent is simply to address the vibration from rough surfaces that tires you out over time. It takes the edge off, and it really works. It’s the difference between my feeling exhausted after a fifty mile ride and feeling invigorated. I weigh about 75 kg for reference.
Have been riding this for a month now! Love the bike!! I am however trying to see if I should get another pair of wheel rims and tyres for gravel or mix terrain riding. Any recommendations? Am I thinking right?
I have a 2018 version roubaix, even it's the lowest 9r model, I still love this bike, and i use the yellow one, the hardest FS spring. It rides like a dream for long . long rides.
Maybe I will upgrade that FS1.0 to 2.0 kit, wish me luck.
I don’t believe the 1.0 Future Shock can be upgraded
Pls let me know how this turns out for you I would like to do the same :)
The giant Defy is also quite a good endurance bike with a power meter for a lower price.What do you think about it?
Hi Mat, thanks for your question. The Giant Defy won BikeRadar's endurance road bike of the year award this year and you can find out what we thought about it and the Canyon Endurace here: ruclips.net/video/FYPbwWmrKVM/видео.html
BikeRadar Why isn't the Specialize your Endurance Bike of the Year? I'm sure I'm missing something, so forgive me, but based on this video it seems as though the Specialize is your number 1 choice.
Steve King Hi Steve, You make a good point and I thought that might have something to do with it. Although there are versions of the Defy that are pretty pricey too. I wonder which bike BikeRadar would choose, the Specialized or the highest end Defy (the one that comes with built-in power meter)? Because my wife might be reading this, please know that I am asking for a friend. 🤣
Great review. Seems like what the bike lacks is a bit more versatility (bigger clearance, mudguards..). Could there soon be a Diverge-Roubaix hybrid to rule them all ? Like they did with Tarmac/Venge
That's basically a first gen (2015-2017) Diverge. Add a ShockStop stem to it and you're pretty much there.
I just picked up an Allez… ❤️❤️it… but see myself upgrading to this down the road🤗🤗
I got this for $500.00 at a pawn shop fell in love with it. Anyways loved the video I'm so happy I'm learning from this video as well..im not riding it yet to cold waiting for summer bike is beautiful.
Great review, I found that very interesting. I'm waiting for the 2021 bike with hidden mudguard mounts 🙏
lol, I probably would have broken the knob too. Future shock seems okay though, don't hate it.
I think there's absolutely a place for suspension on road bikes. It used to take the form of a nice supple steel fork and a quill stem. However, with the belief that stiffer is better / faster bikes have lost a lot of the suspension which used to be built in as standard. Disc brakes have moved the braking forces away from the fork crown to the drop outs, which means forks need to be stiffer to withstand this as well. In recognition of this bike manufacturers are having to engineer the compliance, which used to be inherent in bicycles back in.
Not having ridden a Roubaix, or any other road bike with re-engineered compliance, I'm not intending this a retro good / modern bad comment, it's just something i think more people should be aware of. I'd be really interested to see someone do a back to back comparison of the Roubaix with a really nice steel framed bike. I think the results would be quite revealing.
It's an interesting point, particularly about forks. For a traditional steel fork to compete with a Future Shock it would have to be seriously bendy though, and that would likely come at the cost of steering precision. Likewise, quill stems are way flexier than modern cockpits - I know which I'd prefer.
Disc brakes obviously have major design implications, but they also open up new avenues for improvements - for example now we can have excellent braking *and* large tyres on our road bikes if we want them. Rim brakes for wider rims and tyres have never been that great. Adequate, sure, but not great.
In rear-end comfort I'd expect the Roubaix to beast a traditional frame too, thanks to that huge length of exposed seatpost that can flex. Traditional steel frames with horizontal top tubes have minimal exposed seatpost to flex, and even the best ones are going to offer negligible deflection from the frame itself.
I embrace all bikes, but equally I'm grateful that bike designers are continually trying to innovate, and I do genuinely think bikes like the Roubaix represent progress.
Thanks for watching! -Matthew
Great review. Just wish I could find one for sale. May not be an equivalent for 2021?
Thanks for a great review, it really cleared up my confusion about the differences of the Roubaix and the Tarmac SL6, apart from standard rim and tyre size. between Next season, going from a HT to a dedicated road bike & a dedicated trail bike I'm considering this bike. A couple of reasons: Comfort is important because time for prehab has greatly diminished after having a family. I also have some issues with my back and I figure this might help me during longer sessions , even on tarmac that isn't all that smooth. Even with front suspension on my current bike I can get tired in forearms and hands when riding real harsh trails. Any thoughts? I'm not getting three bikes(no gravel bike next season), "only" a trail bike and a road bike. Will I be able to keep up on group rides when others are riding Tarmac SL6 and the like, I imagine the difference in speed will be offset by being less fatigued on the Roubaix(?)
I tried the shockstop stem. Everytime I went to wrench on the bar I nearly toppled over. I am intrigued by this tho
With an etap group set this could be my next road bike
Great review :) love the Roubaix awesome bikes
Hi there - I am trying to make a decision between Roubaix Sport and Tarmac Sport. Both are same prices and I currently own Allez Sport so will be a nice upgrade either way. I been torn for past few weeks which bike to go with, I read a lot of arguments from both sides, any wisdom from anyone would be greatly appreciated!! I do enjoy my Allez but I always felt I was always too slow, especially on climbs and I am in pretty good shape but I'm 6'4 220 pounds so Im sure that contributed :) I do a lot of 50 mile rides (at least twice a week) but also big into century rides, I don't need to be the fastest, but do want to gain some speed. I don't know how much slower Robouix is, don't care about few second difference but also don't want to be at the end..... Any advice would be greatly appreciated!!!
Many positive reviews, let me show you the other side too if you consider this model. I have a 105 version, comparing it to 2017 Supersix Hi-mod. Mixed feelings, super comfortable and works on gravel, but super heavy (more than 9kg) and sluggish. Cheap components, the crankset is the same as on Sirrus for 1000 EUR (Praxis Alba), cheap and heavy wheels with non-tubeless tires, proprietary components everywhere, I had to buy a longer version of a seatpost for 200EUR because the standard one was 1cm too short for 188 on 58cm frame. Hard to fit bigger lights on curved handlebars. Seat clamp cover constantly gets detached and dirt goes in. Due to softness, it's hard to tell if it's a tire losing grip or suspension is in work. Paintwork is very fragile too, Roubaix after a month of use looks worse than Supersix after 3 years.
“Never borrow money to buy something that’s going to depreciate in value.” Kiplinger’s Personal Finance
The base Roubaix is on my list of possible upgrades when the day comes that I figure that my basic allez is holding my back. More accurately, *if* the day comes, cause I didn’t think a relatively cheap road bike could be so good
How is the future shock holding up for owners? Any maintenance issues or reliability issues so far?
I’m debating between this exact model and the Giant Defy Advanced Pro 2. Thoughts?
My 2020 Roubaix Comp is the most comfortable road bike I've ever ridden and that outweighs the weight sacrifice over my old Canyon Ultimate - at my age comfort wins out over speed and the gearing still allows steep climbs to be tackled - just a little more sedately.
However, After less than 3000kms, over 5 months from new, through admittedly tough autumn and winter UK riding, the free wheel bearings started to grind and intermittently sieze, leading to a few uncomfortable moments and cog hopping. The upshot was new bearings fitted, but not accepted as a warranty claim. The cost of the new bearing isn't huge, but the issue is the failure after such a short time.
I've never had a problem with any of my other bikes; my old Canyon lasted ten years and the bearings never needed changing, under similar riding conditons. So Specialized - is there a problem, was I just unlucky to get bearings full of dirty water and subsequent failure? (my mechanic asked if I had used a pressure washer to clean the bike - No) Has anyone else had such a problem? Was my bike shop correct to deny a warranty claim?
After all the bike is called a Roubaix and so, should be designed to handle some very tough conditions - mine can't seem to handle poodling around Devon in the winter rain.
I have a '15 Roubaix SL4 Comp Disc. After 5 seasons of riding, and cleaning the bike with automotive soaps, I decided to try something new - a pump spray 'grease remover' (GR) for the chain and cassette. Huge Mistake! This stuff was not the more gentle citrus based stuff but a stronger acid type that could penetrate tiny openings like bearing seals.Spray it on, wait a minute or two and rinse it off with low pressure water hose.The chain and cassette looked brand new after this cleaning but apparently this new GR quickly seeped into the bearings in my hubs and freewheel and dissolved the grease. About 3 months after first using the GR my rear wheel hub started to drag and squeak. I disassembled both F/R hubs and freewheel, and found that most of the factory grease was completely gone, several of the forcing cones were galled by the dark brown (rust paste?) ball bearings, it was a mess but now they are completely cleaned, all rust has been removed, new ball bearings and forcing cones, with fresh lithium (waterproof) grease. In the meanwhile I had also used this GR on some chrome plated steel spoked Dunlop wheels on my classic '69 Triumph Bonneville - within 3 weeks the inside of these brand new wheels were totally rust and the spokes even started to rust! This acidic GR had seeped around the spoke holes into the inside of the wheel. Beware of acidic grease removers! I've gone back to Dawn detergent! My Specialized dealer who sold new the new bearings and cones, informed me that, in general, the wheel hubs and the freehub should be serviced about twice a year on most modern road bikes. Live and learn.
@@davidrsmith2417 After a long haul, 4 replacement sets of rear wheel bearings (the final set lasting only three months in almost totally dry conditions) and an independent assessment, along with the threat of legal action on the grounds of the product 'not being fit for purpose' (under UK law); the dealer and Specialized offered me a wheel set upgade, which I happily accepted. Now, six months on, everything is fine - the replacement set is performing well and although riding conditions here have been relatively benign, I'm hopeful the wheels will continue to perform when the bad weather arrives. The new wheelset is by no means top of the range, but performs far better than the original DT Swiis, Specialized own brand combination, both in terms of handling and rolling capacity; so it's pretty clear to me that, in order to offer a competitive price, lower spec and mediocre quality wheelsets are, probably, the easiest option for manufactures to save costs. Buyer beware, I guess, with lower to mid range models.
Great review and video. Agree, but shame about the cables - especially considering how much this bike is
What front bag was that on the bike?
I have a 2019 Roubaix (without the knob) but with the variety of springs, and find I have never felt the need to change springs, and frankly I have mostly forgotten it is there. That is I forget it right up to the moment I hit a serious bump. Of course, being part of the target demo, older weekend rider, I am not a racer. Future Shock is seriously good tech. So far I have kept mine on tarmac but I wonder how it would work with bigger tires on compressed gravel roads.
I was hoping that 2021 Roubaix would come with FS 2.0 on Comp models (as they did with 2021 diverge) but no... they changed paint jobs and slapped S-works logo on the seat tube. Kind of silly that they force you to get Di2 if you want the new FS. Also, the downtube storage box would be nice (again, Diverge got it). Not to mention I cannot test ride a 64cm model because who would expect tall folks also ride bikes and the poll of test bikes in Europe could take that into account. I’m still considering this bike for the next season though.
Seems like a great bike! Too bad we all can't test more bikes! I'm convinced that there are many bikes that are in the same league? Canyon grail? The giant pro defy? Or my personal favourite, the GT Grade?? (if you didn't already know this one, definitely check it out, I haven't been on a better gravel bike than this one....
Isn’t it time they merged the roubaix and the diverge into one bike? There’s a lot of crossover between the two models.
Wants external BSA BB for easy service, but internal cables.. Haha. The Roubaix really is a sweet bike and better balanced than the competitors.
I’ve got a 2008 roubaix elite triple. It weighs in at 8.85kg with pedals, bottle cages, and my head unit mounted. I’m debating about upgrading to a new roubaix like the one shown. Will it feel like a material upgrade?
Now... the Aethos has been introduced. Have smooth and weight advantages displaced the Roubaix?I have a Roubaix SL4 and I am eager to upgrade - but, I am confused whether to stay with the Roubaix or go with the Aethos. I care about climbing and long distance (100 mile, 7 hour) rides - I live in a mountainous region. Other differences are wheel base geometry, cool handlebars, no shock system, and SRAM (which I don't prefer). Maybe you could do a video on this?
The are very, very different bikes. The Aethos is smooth for a pure road bike, but it's still essentially a race bike at heart (whatever the marketing says), with geometry to match. The Roubaix OTOH is comfier than most gravel bikes thanks to the shock and also offers a more upright position. Thanks for watching! -Matthew
How would you compare this up to the Trek Domane? Listening to Matthew's complaints about the messy front end and no fender mounts, it sounds like the Domane would be an excellent alternative.
I haven't tried the latest Domane yet, but I am hoping to at some point soon. Thanks for watching! -Matthew
How does it compare to Diverge?
I’m 5’1 and just bought a 44cm roubaix. You think it’ll fit me just fine? Coz the next size was 50cm and I felt like it might be too high for me.
It should. . . I'm 5'2" 44cm is perfect size for me. . .
@@conborzzzz good to know. Thanks!!
Suspencion on a road bike is probably a good thing, as long as it is not proprietary. Modular solutions like Redshift stem seem like a better idea from a consumer perspetive. They may look a little weird but not so bad when compared to the Future Shock with that little non-removable chimney. But I wonder how Redshift compares to Future Shock in terms of comfort.
Yeah, I agree. Bought it and sold it soon after. It was downright dangerous the way the front end bobbed down mid-anything (yes I used the recommended elastomers). Avoid
I’m looking to get into road bikes to supplement my cardio would this be a good bike to start with or should I look at a different style of bike?
Hi there! My dad was watching your video and has been driving me mad trying to see the logo on your grey jacket. Could you please tell me where you got it from? Thankyou!
Apologies, I missed this. It's a Quechua jacket from Decathlon from a few years ago. Cheap and cheerful! -Matthew
Love this video. Love my 2020 Roubaix!
Any issues with FS so far?
@@greenwich6094 no issues at all
@@1bojanbojan thanks how many miles ?
Was considering a Cannondale Synapse, but this had me thinking again as who wants to be that person with a 4K bike with the annoying BB squeak having to ride on your own. Right up to the point where I find out it has no mudguard mounts I was sold, I live in the UK where we can have years where the summer bike barely sees 4 months use, this would be an excellent bike for riding long Audaxes along the hilly, mucky, chewed up lanes in my area but without mudguards it’s useless. The Enigma Etape disc might be my only choice for a lightweight winter bike suitable for hilly Audax rides.
@@johnvandermause9218 Yes you are right,the Domaine does look like a really good option meeting all my requirements, a do it all bike.
I'm seeing a lot of technology from the mountain bike world transfer into road bikes, we mountain bikers must be doing something right, although I don't know if Roadies will admit that 😅
Tom Roth absolutely 👌
Tom Roth - yes and visa-versa! I have a '21 Levo SL mountain bike that I fitted with a larger chainring (34) and the excellent Specialized Fast Track tires so this MTB would be better suited for road and cross-country adventure riding & exploring (not racing) than any standard MTB. The adjustable suspension allows me to jump curbs and ride up/down steps in urban settings and then ride nearby mountain fire roads and single track. The electric motor controls are super adjustable for full customization of boosted power delivery for any usage. This is my good-at-everything bike, great-at-some things bike that I can ride anywhere - even long road rides with steep mountains. I am 73 years young.
the tyres that you speak are the 700x32? tubeless right? and the pressure 45/50?
Yep, thereabouts! When I had 28s I ran them around 52 front/58 rear. -Matthew
Hows the chainring shifting with the clutch derailleur?
/ is the GRX version a stronger clutch more like a 1x?
@@briannashwinter7795 that's a great question and one for Matthew to answer when he gets back from his holidays 🏝
AG Coarseman asking about the clutch difference between the grx version and the ultegra RX version of the rear derailleur
Do the Expert models with the 2.0 Future Shock come with different springs to try?
No, the 2.0 doesn't have interchangeable springs, it's effectively a sealed unit. Thanks for watching!
If you don't feel the need to change springs in day-to-day practice, it makes you wonder if the di2 Comp is the much better buy for most people!
Is it true that Specialized recommends replacing the Future Shock assembly on a schedule?
Service life is supposed to be 500 hours, but I haven't seen an explicit recommendation to replace it after that time. Thanks for watching! -Matthew
Roubaix vs Aethos. Thoughts?