Specialized 04 Roubaix Comp 27

I am in search of a new road bike and read an article about the Specialized
Roubaix.

Has anyone ridden or have any experience with this bike.

Thanks for any input,

Jeff M.

"Jeff Marder" wrote in message nk.net...
I am in search of a new road bike and read an article about the Specialized
Roubaix.

Has anyone ridden or have any experience with this bike.

Thanks for any input,

Jeff M.

I've not ridden the bike, but consulting the geomancy tables.....

If you look at the picture of the bike you'll see short reach brakes.
The design doesn't maximize the space under the brakes, so
you have a bike for cobblestones/bad pavement that only takes skinny tires,
pretty odd. Also the steering geometry is still in fast range, tho they
did extend the wheelbase in front. Hi speed bumpy descents are nicer
on a more stable bike. For the stated mission of the bike, a Seqouia
with all the adjustable and suspension bits removed might be a better
choice.

Scott G.
in badly paved Ohio

Thank you,

Jeff
"Scott Goldsmith" wrote in message
om...
"Jeff Marder" wrote in message
nk.net...
I am in search of a new road bike and read an article about the
Specialized
Roubaix.

Has anyone ridden or have any experience with this bike.

Thanks for any input,

Jeff M.

I've not ridden the bike, but consulting the geomancy tables.....

If you look at the picture of the bike you'll see short reach brakes.
The design doesn't maximize the space under the brakes, so
you have a bike for cobblestones/bad pavement that only takes skinny
tires,
pretty odd. Also the steering geometry is still in fast range, tho they
did extend the wheelbase in front. Hi speed bumpy descents are nicer
on a more stable bike. For the stated mission of the bike, a Seqouia
with all the adjustable and suspension bits removed might be a better
choice.

Scott G.
in badly paved Ohio

I've ridden the bike, and I like it. The geometry is
similar to our Heron Road (damn copycats). Lower BB, longer
wheelbase, and taller headtube. This translates into a bit
more upright position and smoother ride. The Roubaix comes
standard with 700x25 tires (which actually measure 25 mm
wide). I didn't check to see if larger tires could fit.

In any case, the bike is designed for the type of riding
that most folks actually do. A recent study showed that
only 0.3% of cyclists race.

Todd Kuzma
Heron Bicycles
Tullio's Big Dog Cyclery
LaSalle, Il 815-223-1776
http://www.heronbicycles.com
http://www.tullios.com

Ken wrote:
Todd Kuzma wrote in :

I've ridden the bike, and I like it. The geometry is
similar to our Heron Road (damn copycats). Lower BB, longer
wheelbase, and taller headtube. This translates into a bit
more upright position and smoother ride.

How reliable are those "zertz" gel inserts in the frame? Are they
replaceable? It is refreshing to see nice frame with the handlebar at the
same height as the seat, but the gel sounds like a fragile gimmick.

They are replaceable. I don't know how long they will last.
Specialized hasn't really shown any data indicating that
they make a noticeable difference in ride. I consider them
a gimmick and choose to ignore them.

I'm a skeptic when it comes to such claims. Since I sell
steel, lugged frames, I'd love to be able to say that there
is major difference in the ride quality of frame materials.
However, until I see some objective data, I'm not buying it.

Todd Kuzma
Heron Bicycles
Tullio's Big Dog Cyclery
LaSalle, Il 815-223-1776
http://www.heronbicycles.com
http://www.tullios.com