Specialized Roubaix Comp review
Built for comfort but far from sluggish
GBP £1,999.00 RRP Skip to view dealsPublished:
At first glance the Roubaix resembles Specialized’s Tarmac bikes, with a head tube that’s been jacked up a couple of centimetres. But take a closer look and you’ll discover a full complement of Zertz elastomer inserts – large ones in the seatstays and fork, with a smaller one in the seatpost. It’s also slightly heavier than the Tarmac.
But don’t go thinking this is going to be sluggish. Comfort might be programmed into its DNA, but its heritage includes victories in some of Europe’s toughest pro road races, and it’s no slouch in the handling stakes either, with precise steering and zippy acceleration.
But what really sets the Roubaix apart is its performance over poor surfaces. Whether it’s Belgian pavé or your average pothole-strewn British road, the Roubaix has the ability to flatten out large and small bumps and considerably reduce road buzz, allowing you to tackle poorer surfaces quicker and with much more confidence.
It’s not perfect. The high front end isn’t at its best when you’re climbing out-of-the-saddle, but it’s perfectly composed when you’re seated, the 28t sprocket giving you a low gear that helps. The Fulcrum 6 wheels and own-brand tyres come into their own going downhill, and are never less than confidence-inspiring.
The Roubaix’s super-plush ride is achieved through a combination of those Zertz inserts and frame geometry – and we actually think the geometry is more crucial here than the Zertz. The chainstays, for instance, are dramatically different to the Tarmac’s, flaring out, narrowing, and then flaring out again.
There’s also one other way that Specialized increase comfort, and it’s a little bit sneaky. While their tyres are nominally 23mm, we got out the vernier callipers and found they were both 25-26mm wide – an extra 10 percent that’ll make a major difference. Why not just label them as 25mm? Especially as research suggests 25mm offers the best rolling resistance.
Riders who like uncompromising, hard-riding road bikes may feel a little ‘disconnected’ from the road on the Roubaix, but most of our testers were impressed by its feel and the performance, reckoning this was a price worth paying. Comfort? Performance? It seems Specialized’s engineers have struck the right balance. Now they just need to tidy up the brake cable that hangs beneath the curved top tube.

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Product Specifications
Product
Name | Roubaix Comp SL2 (11) |
Brand | Specialized |
Available Sizes | 49 52cm 54cm 56cm 58 cm 61 cm 52cm 54cm 56cm 52cm 56cm 52cm 52cm 52cm 49 56cm 52cm 52cm 54cm 56cm 52cm 56cm 61 cm 52cm 54cm 56cm 54cm 54cm 52cm 52cm 54cm 56cm 52cm 56cm 56cm 52cm 54cm 56cm 52cm 54cm 56cm 52cm 54cm 56cm 52cm 54cm 56cm 54cm 56cm 54cm 56cm 54cm 56cm 56cm |
Weight (kg) | 8.49 |
Rear Wheel Weight | 1780 |
Rims | Fulcrum Racing 6 |
Saddle | Body Geometry Avatar Comp w/ hollow Cr-Mo rails |
Seat Angle | 73.5 |
Seatpost | Specialized Pro, FACT carbon w/ Zertz insert |
Shifters | Shimano 105 STI |
Stem | Specialized Comp-Set, 3D forged alloy, 4-position adjustable, 4-bolt 31.8mm clamp |
Weight (lb) | 18.7 |
Rear Hub | Fulcrum Racing 6 |
Brake Levers | Shimano 105 STI |
Spoke Type | Fulcrum Racing 6 |
Bottom Bracket Height (cm) | 26.6 |
Chainstays (cm) | 41.5 |
Seat Tube (cm) | 51.5 |
Standover Height (cm) | 79.8 |
Top Tube (cm) | 56.5 |
Rear Tyre | Specialized All Condition, 700x23c, wire bead, 60TPI, w/ Flak Jacket protection |
Rear Derailleur | Shimano 105 |
Bottom Bracket | With crankset |
Frame Weight | 1330 |
Brakes | Shimano 105 |
Cassette | Shimano 105, 10-speed, 11-28t |
Chain | Shimano 105 |
Cranks | Shimano 105 50 x 34T |
Fork | Specialized FACT carbon full monocoque w/ Zertz inserts |
Fork Weight | 470 |
Frame Material | Specialized FACT 8r carbon, FACT IS construction, compact race design w/ Zertz inserts, 1-1/8" to 1-3/8" headtube, threaded BB |
Front Derailleur | Shimano 105 |
Pedals | Black cage, body & toe clips w/ strap |
Front Hub | Fulcrum Racing 6 |
Front Tyre | Specialized All Condition, 700x23c, wire bead, 60TPI, w/ Flak Jacket protection |
Front Wheel Weight | 1280 |
Grips/Tape | Specialized S-Wrap w/ 2.5 gel pads |
Handlebar | Specialized Expert shallow drop, 2014 alloy |
Head Angle | 72.5 |
Headset Type | 1-1/8" upper and 1-3/8" lower Cr-Mo cartridge bearings w/ 20mm cone spacer and 20mm of spacers |
Wheelbase (cm) | 101 |