Quality materials, versatile, sturdy frame, clean lines. And I got a good deal at the end of the season.

Looks like someone needs to steal it. I'm still debating going back to drop bars. Otherwise, I can't find anything I don't like.

Many of us think we've found the bike we'll ride to our tour or race in the sky. Yeah, me, too. It was a Specialized Roubaix in aluminum and carbon. Fit me well and those Zertz® dampeners really made a difference for riding on less than ideal pavement. Alas, after cycling Trans Am on it in the summer of 2015, I must have made some mistake in packing it and the frame was abraded on the bottom of the downtube beyond repair. Time for a new frame. New frame only, or new bike - frequently a question.

Looking at frames and at bike options on a variety of locations I wanted a slightly smaller frame size [shrinkage at my age is not uncommon] and equally good vibration absorbing characteristics. The Urbano seemed to be a likely choice and I could order some options I chose.

I went with the upright bars and hydraulic disc brakes. All were somewhat common for me with my fattie and with my full squish bikes. Also, I'm not enjoying so much time changing flats in the cold and wet, so I went with tubeless Stans Team Grail rims. All of these were good choices. I have a titanium rear rack and stainless full fenders. This will work well for around town on less than ideal days and for cycling. With the rack, I'll be able to carry some gear for weather changes and maybe an extra beverage or two.

The bike gleams even with the standard finish. It's a bit darker than I anticipated, but shines well in contrast to painted frames. The stainless fenders [Vélo Orange] lighten it up a lot, especially around the black tires and rims.

Riding is as I expected. Firm and comfortable on washboard / pavement anomalies and across bumps. I've only ridden a couple of hundred miles before winter set in and the ice mandates going to the studded fattie. Admittedly, I'm wondering about 700c x 40 studded tires for it, but not sure it will make the clearance of both the tires and the snow buildup. The upright bars give me no more discomfort in my arms and shoulders than do drop bars. The shifters and brake levers for the Ultegra system work well and are easy to adapt to. I'm accustomed to non-index Campy record as well as indexed Shimano 105 componentry and this is equally as good as either of those were when they were new.

Braking with the hydraulic system will need a bit of a break-in. I've found that on my other bikes as well. The cooler and damper Alaska climate coupled with heat gained in braking seems to take a bit more for setting in the pads.

The bike comes with Kenda tires which seem to do fine. I haven't really put them in a sharp turn on gravel to see how thy perform. I'm still getting over a crash in March that took 4 months of PT to get me back on track. But the Kenda roll well, do not self steer or anything, and are quiet in all the conditions I've put them through so far. Of course wet leaves on pavement in fall is a bit dicey, but I can't imagine any bike doing that any better.

Wheels are true and round and the brakes do not rub while rotating. The drivetrain works smoothly and quietly. I've stood up on a couple of somewhat steep climbs and do not note significant frame flexing when pedaling hard. Certainly, there is no rubbing during those times from the drivetrain.

Similar Products Used:

Specialized Roubaix Elite, Mondia Special [1970s version]