How well does it ride? By closing this box or using our site, you agree that we and our partners can collect your data and use cookies for ad personalization and measurement. A black painted 56cm S-Works frame is said to dip under 900g, with complete bikes starting from 7. Sure the new Future Shock is a bit heavier itself ~175g, but Specialized knew weight weenies would complain. The bikes also feature compact chainsets and 11-32 and 11-30 cassettes, which will offer plenty of help on the hills — though this will mean jumps between gears are a little more clunky and noticeable. Meanwhile, to ensure the weight and ride quality, Specialized turned to a Rider-First Engineered design to deliver optimal stiffness and compliance across all sizes, from 44 to 64cm. Control is the key word here. When you sit on the bike, it drops a few millimeters into its travel, and hovers near that position as you roll along.
What I can say is the bike is quick, light, comfortable, and plenty capable. While riding some of the punchy climbs around Oudenaarde, Belgium, which feature in the Tour of Flanders, I noticed some bob when attacking smooth, cobble-free climbs out of the saddle. Specialized say only 15% of rider weight ends up on the bar for general riding, so the Future Shock can remain supple without complex seals, and smooth roller bearings around its slider. Of course weight is a factor here, with our 52cm sized S-Works model weighing 7. It was almost 6 pounds heavier, literally, than my road bike, which is not a weight weenie bike by any means.
Seriously, the Arenberg segment on Strava says 0% of elevation change. A cassette with such a broad range typically results in some big jumps in the middle, but in this case one of the biggest jumps happens at the bottom. Specialized bikes have a heavy presence in the pro peloton, and are ridden by teams such as and Boels-Dolmans. Starting with the same D-shape design found on the Tarmac, Specialized took its compliance a step further by building additional flex into the upper and developing a new drop-clamp design in the frame. Who else really needs to have a special bike built for cobbles? The increased clearance makes sense for a bike with the capabilities of the Roubaix. The 2020 Specialized Roubaix Comp Road Bike has proven that Smoother is Faster.
Jimmy Cavalieri Ride Impressions Testing the new Roubaix at the Sea Otter Classic, I went searching for the most neglected pavement the Monterey area had to offer. Now, Roubaix component spec is simply sized proportionally. Mudguard and pannier eyelets are included to make commuting an option, too. Designed around a focus on speed and speed alone, the Venge features entirely integrated cables and hidden brakes where rim versions are used, whilst the newer disc version is said to offer slightly improved aerodynamics thanks to the less bulbous fork rear and seat stay. But honestly I am short 160cm and light 50kg , so 1.
My issue is that it does what the Tarmac does, although, we are expecting an update from the American brand in 2020 when it comes to the Tarmac. This initial future shock was released in 2016 as part of the 2017 line up, and the newest version has an improved system which is more aesthetically pleasing. Specialized cleverly moved the suspension parts above the head tube, which means rather than suspending the whole front of the bike it just suspends you and the cockpit. So will that be a more aggressive racing machine? However, both are all-new and aerodynamically-optimized. In this case, it uses a progressive spring which adjusts throughout the compression to prevent bottoming out on heavy impact.
Extra booster springs can be added for riders looking to fine-tune the stiffness. Rider First engineering means the lay up is adjusted to suit the requirements of average rider weight at each size whilst the bridgeless rear stay remains, aiding mud clearance. Frames average out around 900g according to Specialized, saving around 200g from the pervious version. To put this into perspective, the stack height on a comparably sized comes in at 610mm, which is still taller than a typical road bike as opposed to endurance road bikes but a far cry from the Roubaix, and the is very similar at 611mm. After all, smoother is faster. Check out the RoubaixCast Just like with the Venge last summer, we wanted to dig deeper. The first time I rode the old Roubaix was on the actual cobbles of Paris-Roubaix, starting at the Arenberg and finishing at the velodrome.
Review: The new Roubaix in the details The big trick beyond the smoother damped internals, all-new Future Shock 2. The American giant even said that the new Specialized Roubaix is more aerodynamic than the current Tarmac and lighter than the current Venge to slightly confuse things a little further. The Future Shock cartridge alone weighs about 530 grams, not sure if the hydraulic unit is lighter, but even if it is, the difference is not going to be huge. For the times I rode my Diverge on the road, I felt like the Future Shock was a bit unnecessary because for the most part, if your frame can fit them, running 28mm — 30mm tires provides a lot of the same benefit for much less weight and complexity, at least on the road. It made the Roubaix cobbles fun, almost, as my hands floated above the chatter, isolated by real suspension. Like other hydraulic suspension systems, Future Shock 2.
We cover the shiny new things, with in-depth interviews and detailed stories about how the bicycles and components work, plus reviews to see if they live up to the hype. As aero as a Tarmac. The 50x34 chainrings combined with an 11-34 cassette give you great gearing options in the middle to lower end of the range, and the 50x11 top gear can get you going quickly when you need it. Pavé seatpost, engineered aero flex photo by Leon van Leeuwen While the new Future Shock 2. But has the Roubaix gone to far over to the performance side here? That 20mm of front suspension mentioned above? To refuse, you may browse this site in privacy mode or change cookie settings on your browser.