Specialized Roubaix Elite Triple

Price Paid:  $1000.00 at Joe Jones, Portland,

Model Year:
2006

Favorite Ride:
77 loop

Summary:
no real complaints about the bike. It's served me well. However, I'm getting more serious about racing so looking for something a bit swifter.

Strengths:
components.

Weaknesses:
none to speak of

Price Paid:  $1500.00 at Jax Bicycles Fullert

Model Year:
2005

Bike Setup:
Fizik seat, rol wheelset, Full Ultegra, Oval bar stem, contiental 6000 wheels

Summary:
This is for a 2004 Triple. Have been riding this bike for the last 5 years in SOCA and Seattle. Love the ride and am pleased with the bike. When I bought the bike I did not know much about cycling but talked with the shop and read some reviews.

This bike has been put through a lot from long rides to numerous crashes. Does great in traffic smooth and quick. I really like the looks of this bike silver and black and honestly am so glad I bought this bike when I did. One day will buy up but till that time am happy with this beautiful bike with a great ride.

Strengths:
Smooth ride, smooth shifting, fun to ride

Weaknesses:
Wished I would have gotten a double instead of a triple, specialized seat uncomfortable (it hurt), wheelset

Price Paid:  $2000.00 at LBS, Redmond, WA

Model Year:
2007

Bike Setup:
Stock Setup: full Shimano 105, though the Compact Double 50/34 crank is a "generic" Shimano identical to the 105. The bike itself is full carbon with zerts inserts and the newer s-shaped seat stays.

Summary:
First, this review is for a 2009 Compact Double.
Second, you should know that I am 6'7" and weigh in at about 230 pounds, age 33. I hadn't ridden a bike much at all for 15 years when I started bike occasionally commuting on my late 80s mountain bike last year. So, I was out to improve my efficiency and enjoyment of riding by upgrading to a road bike.

This bike and the Wilier (also full carbon) both exhibited the fantastic road-smoothing feel of a full carbon bike, and I think I would have been happy with either one. I found the Wilier at the first bike shop I went to, and just wasn't ready to spend $2k+ on a bike yet.

The Trek models, and the Allez all felt squishy when I stood up and started cranking to get up to speed. Virtually all of them felt twitchy, and I could even feel the wheels flexing under me on the Treks.

The Trek 2.3 and Allez both would have been sufficient if I was more concerned about price and willing to feel every vibration in the road. However, the more I test rode these bikes (and others)...the more I realized a huge difference in power on the full carbon bikes.

In the end, I chose to spend more for a setup that had sufficient components that I wasn't concerned about them and a frame that absorbed the constant bump and vibration of my 11 mile commute.

A few specific choices involved:
1) Components. I rode several bikes with Sora or Tiagra shifters, and the amount of play in the shifters before they engaged was just ridiculous. Once I test rode Sora, Tiagra and 105 back-to-back, I lost faith in the Sora and Tiagra components.

2) Power transfer. I have a fair bit of leverage and weight to throw into some pedal-mashing, and when I threw it into the full carbon bikes...they flew. I could literally feel the bike leap with each pedal stroke. On the other bikes, I could feel the frame (or even wheels) flex and drain the power before it got turned into speed.

3) Vibration damping. It's just no contest. Going to portions of carbon, and adding zerts (on the allez) definitely help. Going full carbon takes yet another leap in ride comfort. In this case, you absolutely get what you pay for.

4) Fit. I was concerned about being able to fit on a 61cm bike. I searched for over a month to find 63cm+ bikes to ride, and had to "settle" for riding 61 and 62 sizes.

Ultimately, I ended up on a 61, and it's just fine. I'm not past maximum extension for the seat or seat post, and the Roubaix just feels like a natural extension of me when I ride.

If you're a larger rider like me, the absolute best advice I can give you is to deal with a Local Bike Shop instead of a big chain. They'll spend more time helping you fit the bike for test rides and you'll then be able to truly judge the differences. The big chains will raise and lower the seat, but don't expect much more.

One final note. I did pass up a previous-year closeout on a 64cm Roubaix Expert because I didn't like the service at the shop that had it, and the 61cm Elite was $500 less (even after the 64 was on closeout!) and the fit works.

Strengths:
-Road-noise eating full carbon
-long-ride comfortable geometry
-full Shimano 105

Weaknesses:
I don't have enough experience to claim any.

Similar Products Used:
I rode: Trek 1.5(64cm) & 2.3(64cm), Wilier Mortirolo(61cm), Specialized Allez (61cm), and several others that were not memorable for various reasons

Price Paid:  $1800.00 at Sunset Cycles (my LB

Favorite Ride:
North Plains loop

Bike Setup:
Stock, so far.
Sometimes I do consider upgrading my shifters and possibly some of the other components...

Summary:
This is for the 2008 Specialized Roubaix Elite Compact.
I love this bike, it's comfortable enough that I can ride on consecutive days with no problem... yet is plenty stiff, light and handles very well.
I bought this bike to get myself back into biking after many years away. I wanted something more on the "comfort" side of the spectrum, but that wouldn't be a compromise.
The frame is quite stiff, but very forgiving. It is surprisingly comfortable over bumps and potholes. Apparently the carbon frame and "Zertz" technology are the real deal.
This is a fantastic bike for someone like me, getting back into riding, or maybe even beginners who want a good bike, not a "beginners bike".
I haven't done any "light offroading" with it yet, but having been a mtn biker in a previous life, feel confident that this will handle it w/ no problems.
I have a lot of hills where I ride and sometimes find myself wishing I had a triple crankset- but I just need to ride more and get stronger.
The components are fine for this level of bike, but I am considering some upgrades. Fortunately the frame is good enough to justify the expense.
Maybe the best thing about this bike is that it's made road riding so enjoyable that I want to ride it as often as possible!

Strengths:
Excellent bike for the price. The frame is amazing. The components are a good compromise of performance vs price.

Weaknesses:
None, really, although probably doesn't have that snobby cache' that many roadies seem to aspire to...

Similar Products Used:
None.

Price Paid:  $0.00 at lbs

Model Year:
2007

Favorite Ride:
all no wind ones

Bike Setup:
all that came with the bike,no need to change anything

Summary:
what can i say that is not ready told,i love this bike,not allways that fun to go to work:)but this bike makes the day:)sorry i cant help out more about details,maybe i will switch the 105 to sram someday,but that is mostley because im curios about sram,and if i win the lottery i will go for more expensive shimano wheels,the frame is worth it.

Strengths:
very smoth ride:)relaxed geometry.

Weaknesses:
none

Similar Products Used:
italian steel-trek1500