Last year, we tested the Specialized Roubaix Comp — the bike that went on to win 2017 edition of Bike of the Year — but here we’ve called in the cheapest (£1,900 / $1,900 / €1899.90 / AU$N/A) version of the Roubaix to see how it stacks up over the next few months.
- Bike of the Year 2017: Specialized Roubaix wins Road Bike of the Year
- Specialized Roubaix Comp review
Specialized Roubaix specs
- Frame: Specialized FACT 9r carbon with 20mm Future Shock, 12x142mm
- Fork: Specialized FACT carbon, 12x100mm thru-axle
- Wheels: Axis Sport Disc
- Tyres: 28mm Specialized Espoir Sport
- Crankset: Shimano Tiagra 4700 50-34t
- Bottom bracket: Shimano Tiagra 4700 threaded
- Shifters: Shimano Tiagra 4700
- Front derailleur: Shimano Tiagra 4700 braze on
- Rear derailleur: Shimano Tiagra 4700 GS
- Cassette: Shimano Tiagra 4700 11-34t
- Chain: KMC X10EL
- Brakes: Tektro Spyre flat mount
- Handlebars: Specialized Shallow Drop, 70x125mm
- Bar tape: S-Wrap Sticky gel
- Stem: Specialized 3D forged alloy
- Saddle: Body Geometry Toupé
- Seatpost: Specialized alloy, 27.2mm
- Weight: 9.81kg w/o pedals
A Roubaix for the masses
Slightly confusingly, this bike is just the ‘Specialized Roubaix’ — all of the other bikes have a suffix to identify where they sit in the range, but this is just a plain ol’ Roubaix.
This bike and the cheaper options in the Roubaix range use Specialized’s X9 carbon layup, which is a slightly heavier, less compliant weave than is used in the more expensive bikes.
However, the frame is otherwise unchanged from the top-end model, with the same Future Shock damper in the head tube and roomy seat tube that allows the 27.2mm seatpost to flex
The bike is built around a Shimano Tiagra groupset and Specialized Axis Sport wheels. These wheels are shod with 28mm Espoir tyres that also come courtesy of Specialized. These should go some way to smoothing out the worst road buzz that the Future Shock can’t handle.
These days we’d normally expect a disc equipped bike of this price to have hydraulic disc brakes, however there’s a lot of unique tech packed into the Roubaix so it’s not surprising that the bike instead uses TRP Spyre mechanical brakes.
As you’d hope of a modern bike, the Roubaix is built around the flat mount brake standard with thru-axles front and rear.
Retrogrouches (and those that actually work on their own bikes) will also be delighted to see that the Roubaix uses a threaded bottom bracket shell.
We’re really looking forward to trying out this bike and you should expect to see a full review on the site in the coming months.
