New 2020 Specialized Roubaix
New 2020 Specialized Roubaix
It’s Paris-Roubaix this weekend and Specialized has launched a brand new version of their Roubaix bike. Previous versions of the Roubaix have notched up six Paris-Roubaix wins and the new bike is both lighter and faster. The pro teams will be racing it in the 2019 edition.
Specialized originally designed the Roubaix for racing the cobbled classics of Northern Europe. Over the years the Roubaix bike developed into a more general purpose ‘comfortable’ road bike. If you wanted to go fast you bought a Tarmac or a Venge. If you wanted an easy ride you bought a Roubaix. With the new 2020 version Specialized have taken the Roubaix back to its roots. They have made it lighter than the Venge. More aero than a Tarmac and given it more a performance focussed ride.
While the Roubaix can be raced in cobbled classics, and will be by the pro teams. Specialized see the core market as people who want to ride long distances fast. If you are doing 150km rides at the weekend, going bike packing. Or doing a weeklong trip across the Alps or Pyrenees this is the bike for you. The new Roubaix is going to be fast enough that you can sit at the front of groups. It has enough compliance built in to keep you comfortable in the saddle for hours at a time.
Future Shock 2.0
With the new Roubaix Specialized are taking the approach that ‘smoother is faster ‘. So it comes with a Future Shock to allow 20mm of movement at the front of the bike to soak up bumps and vibrations. The Future Shock had a big upgrade last year to make the steering feel more connected. It has been upgraded again for 2020 with the introduction of the Future Shock 2.0. It uses a hydraulic damper that allows the handlebars and stem to move vertically. While the wheels and forks stay where they should. The new Future Shock 2.0 (on the Expert level bikes and above). Comes with a dial on the stem so you can adjust the damping as you ride.
At the back Specialized have designed a new Pave Seatpost. Which allows a small amount of movement back and forwards while still having and aero shape. So when you handlebars move the seatpost will move with it, allowing the rider to float above the bike.
Beyond Gender
The new Roubaix is the first bike to be launched as part of Specialized’s new ‘beyond gender’ philosophy. This means there is no men’s or women’s specific Roubaix. Instead they are making a single unisex version. Which is available in frame sizes from 44cm to 64cm and in a much wider range of colours. Most versions of the Roubiax (e.g. the Roubaix Expert or Roubaix Comp) come in 2 or three different colour options. So you there is a much wider range of choice. Specialized will be speccing the smaller size bikes with wider saddles (more female friendly). Larger frame sizes with narrower saddles (more male friendly).
The expectation from Specialized is that you will be having a basic bike fit when you buy a Roubaix. That your local Specialized dealer will swap out the saddle if needed at the same time as adjusting the saddle height. Making sure you are sitting right on the bike. If you buy a Roubaix from a Cycles UK shop. You will get this as part of our ‘sized and setup’ service.
How Much Do They Cost?
At the moment the entry level bike is the Roubaix Sport at £2600. It comes with a full Shimano 105 groupset and hydraulic brakes. The next bike up is the Roubaix Comp. Which is available with standard mechanical Shimano Ultegra gearing and hydraulic brakes for £3400, or with Ultegra Di2 for £4400. Both the Roubaix Sport and Roubaix Comp come with the Future Shock 1.5. Which has the same internals as the Future Shock 2.0 but does not have the dial to allow for on the fly adjustments.
The Future Shock 2.0 kicks in with the Roubaix Expert at £5400. Like the Roubaix Comp at £4400 it comes with Shimano Ultegra Di2 equipment. But on the Expert you also get carbon wheels as well as your on the fly damping adjustment. If you prefer SRAM equipment then you can go for the Roubaix Pro. With SRAM Force ETAP AXS 12 speed gearing for £6400. Above that we get into the S-Works bikes which top out at £10,000.
