Specialized Roubaix a Beach Cruiser?

Triathlon Forum
1

I’ve been getting some grief from my mates about the fact that I’m thinking about choosing a Roubaix over a Tarmac (both 2011). I tell them that I haven’t had a road bike in 20 years, and that my P4 is enough of a rocket ship that I don’t need to have the Tarmac (I don’t race bikes other than in Tri’s so always use my tri bike). The Roubaix seems to be a more comfortable ride, yet is still pretty lively. The Tarmac feels like a Porsche, and the Roubaix like a Jaguar. Both nice, but the Porsche (Tarmac) is lighter and seems more agile - perhaps even a bit twitchy.

What would you do?

2

The Roubaix is a perfectly good bike. It seemed to do pretty good for Fabian and Tomeke 3 years straight in Paris-Roubaix.

3

If you can make a Roubaix work with its very long head tube I would go that way. I find my Tarmac is a little unforgiving on rough roads. Chatters a little on fast rough descents. I know a couple guys who are very racy on Roubaix’s so there is no way that bike will hold you back.

4

Cervelo RS is (in a way) between the two. The Roubaix felt mushy to me.

5

oh gosh yes so dramatically different those two bikes
this is sarcasm

I’ve been getting some grief from my mates about the fact that I’m thinking about choosing a Roubaix over a Tarmac (both 2011). I tell them that I haven’t had a road bike in 20 years, and that my P4 is enough of a rocket ship that I don’t need to have the Tarmac (I don’t race bikes other than in Tri’s so always use my tri bike). The Roubaix seems to be a more comfortable ride, yet is still pretty lively. The Tarmac feels like a Porsche, and the Roubaix like a Jaguar. Both nice, but the Porsche (Tarmac) is lighter and seems more agile - perhaps even a bit twitchy.

What would you do?

6

Why not just get the Ruby?

7

heres my input:

the weight difference is immaterial

the roubaix probably has some vertical compliance of some utility if you ride on horrific roads on flat resistant tires a lot.

both are going to be stiff enough that even your 1,200 watt bursts aren’t going to trouble them

while there will be handling differences (fork rakes and geometry differ) after a couple of days either one will feel ‘normal’ and either one will easily handle even crit races. hell people do cat 1 crits on folding bikes. it doesn’t matter

the head tube is taller on the roubaix, but then if you size down and don’t need the reach even that doesn’t matter, and plenty of your snobby friends on tarmacs will have spacers and crap anyway so what difference does there 2cm lower head tube matter?

and finally, get an s5

8

Jackmott - love the S5 comment.

I find the Tarmac to be kind of crispy on the road and am now leaning toward the roubaix.

9

does crispy mean too bumpy?
just be sure you had the normal wheels, tires, and pressures and saddle you are used to when making that comparison.

Jackmott - love the S5 comment.

I find the Tarmac to be kind of crispy on the road and am now leaning toward the roubaix.

10

Make sure you have an S5 and compare it with an S5 before you buy an S5 :slight_smile: j/k I had a Roubaix, it was an okay bike. Really

11

I spent a good bit of time at the local shop trying both in different sizes this past winter and ended up with a Roubaix.

I found the tarmac to be a lot twitchier and not nearly as stable on the descents (of which I have a lot of). Depending on your size and build, you may find the opposite to be true. (I’m 6’4 and got a 61cm).

Yeah, the head tube is a bit taller, but in my case I can just flip the stem and take the spacers out.

See http://redkiteprayer.com/?p=1222 for an overview, http://redkiteprayer.com/?p=1408 for a direct head to head and then http://redkiteprayer.com/?p=1313 and http://redkiteprayer.com/?p=1400 for a review of the Roubaix.

12

I find that my Roubaix serves me just fine for what I need it for (long rides, hill workouts, and a lot of trainer time). And the P2 works just fine for tri races. If you’re not looking to race on a roadie, then perhaps you don’t need a bike that’s designed for that. Buy whatever will make you want to ride more.

13

I’ve been getting some grief from my mates about the fact that I’m thinking about choosing a Roubaix over a Tarmac (both 2011). I tell them that I haven’t had a road bike in 20 years, and that my P4 is enough of a rocket ship that I don’t need to have the Tarmac (I don’t race bikes other than in Tri’s so always use my tri bike). The Roubaix seems to be a more comfortable ride, yet is still pretty lively. The Tarmac feels like a Porsche, and the Roubaix like a Jaguar. Both nice, but the Porsche (Tarmac) is lighter and seems more agile - perhaps even a bit twitchy. What would you do?

I used to sell Specialized bikes so here’s one of my experiences that changes my whole perspective and was “close to home” at the same time … two stories in one lol

My husband was being deployed and needed a road bike to take along with him. He races a 58 cm P3 so whatever he got had to be able to fit in a carrying case that could be easily moved around and stored so selling Specialized made it the first go to choice with my EP discount.

The Roubaix is a relaxed fit geometry with the zert inserts for “noise” dampening and the little switch angle in both the fork and seat stays to throw off any road noise… its questionable if either of these really work much if you ask me, a carbon fork, frame and seat stays dampens road noise the best in the first place but what the hey. The more relaxed geo with a longer wheel base makes it more of a touring bike great for centuries (endurance riding) and even (dare I say) commuting and group rides that aren’t a hammer fests. I had a number of clients during this time who felt that the Tarmac as you said was much more “twitchy” (their words too) and would be better for criterion riding than just tooling around town or going for a tempo group ride.

My husband tried both and didn’t like the fit of the Roubaix at all (said it felt mushy) and tried a Tarmac and loved it but try as we might we couldn’t get his size without incurring big shipping charges that negated my EP discount altogether.

As far as other clients went the only complaint we ever got about the Roubaix is that was so darn long in the top tube that almost everyone would end up getting a shorter stem (a built in $80+ up sell) whereas the Tarmac with its shorter top tube and more aggressive fit was very nearly a soft fit and go kinda bike but often more than people wanted to spend. I think both bikes are beautiful, but there is always a risk of working for a single branded store and I learned that right at home. I hated turning people away who didn’t fit one of the four road bikes we had (Roubaix, Tarmac, Allez or the Secteur) … so in the end I felt the Specialized line was too limited in choices and sometimes very hard to get the size you needed (without shipping up charges to get it from a different region).

I ended up leaving the Specialized store and went back to the shop I had worked at previously with a wider brand scope (6 brands in house with store to store buying priv for four other brands as well) because I learned that one brand does not fit all and I wanted to put people on bikes and wanted a wide enough brand range to get them on one and not necessarily on one brand.

So, the hubby finally went with a Cervelo S series to take on deployment with him, it fit great from the get go, no new stems nothing, she brakes down easy to go in her case and is a swiz to put back together at every new stop. Basically, he loves it and wishes he could have an R series but that’s not going to happen anytime soon.

So my point to all this, maybe another brand choice would be a better fit for both body and wallet… Giant makes some great full carbons now that are easy on the $$.

14

I considered the Roubaix on my last purchase. It is a very upright and comfortable bike. Almost too comfortable, felt a bit disconnected to the road on it. Like driving a big long Cadillac. Nice, but it sort of floats.

Had an RS and really liked the ride. Thought it lacked a little in the performance department.

I ultimately wound up on the Ridley Excalibur. Has the taller head tube but still feels plenty fast and responsive. A very good mix, in my opinion. And can generally be found at a very competitive price.

Just my $.02

15

I was basically in your exact position, ride a P2 for my tri bike and was looking for a road bike. I was deciding between a Tarmac and a Roubaix and I suppose the Roubaix might have a little bit of a reputation as a “touring” bike.

But my road bike position is pretty relaxed, I ride my tri bike low and steep with zero spacers, but have a past compression fracture in my lower back, so my road position is more relaxed. Plus, this was to be my bike for lot of long miles and increased comfort and frame compliance sounded appealing. And looking at the geometries, I could be on a Roubaix with one spacer, or a Tarmac with four, so why not ride the bike with the appropriate geometry for my fit?

I coudn’t be happier. The bike is comfortable, fast, stable and I can ride it forever on all sorts of roads without hesitation.

Interesting thing I remember reading from Jordan when he went to the Specialized HQ was that the majority of people there were on Roubaixs, and they could obviously ride anything made by Specialized.

16

Hey everyone:

Thanks for the great feedback. I rode the Roubaix for 4 hours today up and down Hygrade and Deer Creek Canyon here in Denver as well as on the flats around Chatfield. I have to say it felt great. It does feel long and stable, which is nice. And it handled the corners pretty damn well (and fast). Definitely not as agile as the Tarmac, but after 4 hours, I felt pretty damn good off the bike compared to my P4.

I’m going to take the Tarmac out for a longer ride this coming week and get a better read. But I have a feeling the Roubaix is going to be the right choice in the end for the reasons that SWBKRN44 stated.

17

I want an S5, but I’d rather have mine made by Audi :slight_smile:
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