LUW, why did you choose to get the elite and then upgrade the brakes instead of getting a comp (one model up) which had the hydraulic brakes (different wheels & ultegra shifters as well)? I would have thought doing the hydro upgrade was more expensive than the $600 premuim we have (in the US) for the comp over the elite?

The Comp would have everything I would need, with bonus Ultegra mechs, and I wouldn't have to spend a penny to make it what I need. But SPZ Brazil did NOT bring the Comp version :crash:.

The comp has 505 shifters, but ultegra derailleur.

Scheduled for Feb 1, 2017
Join us February 1st at 6:00 PM PST. SBCU will be presenting a webinar with our experts, Chris Yu and John Cordoba, discussing the development process and unique technologies on the new Ruby and Roubaix. Through our partnership with McLaren Applied Technologies our road team broke the mold of what is possible for endurance road bikes. We learned a lot along the way and we’ll show you some of our earliest prototypes we built in our endeavor to create the smoothest bike in the world.

Have there been any comparison tests of this bike vs. the Domane SLR published yet?

FWIW, I went with the Elite here in our local shop even though I had the chance to get the COMP with RS505 Hydraulic shifters and brakes. My reasoning was that the RS505 gets mixed reviews and (to me) the brake hoods are uncomfortable.

The Shimano RS685 Brake set can be found for under £400 so I plan on upgrading to that set soon which will still put me at around the price I would have paid for the COMP. The RS685's get great reviews and the hoods are more to my liking.

That is what I am looking for as well.

My current bike has the RS505, and the new Roubaix I test rode had the RS685. The RS685 felt much better than my bike.

Did anyone else tune into this? I watched it live and asked a couple questions. Not much new info, but worth watching. For example, Chris said they tried a futureshock on the seatpost too.

Did you ask the best place to hide the motor in?

Looks like the S-Works Roubaix isn't going to be available until April end, due to supply issues with SRAM components.

I'm seriously considering purchasing the 2017 Specialized Roubaix Pro with Udi2 and the Roval carbon wheels - the list price is $6,500. I have visited three bike shops in three different states to check out supply and they are all listed at full price. Should I expect any kind of discount on this bike or is it to new / hot to expect that?

The big manufacturers usually have a Spring Sale in March. Not all models are discounted though. Hang tight, it's only a few weeks away. As an example I got my Diverge Expert nearly 20% off last year.

Retailers of most major manufacturers are given a range that they are allowed to sell the bikes at and most dealers go right to the minimum allowed price. If sold below that figure they have broken their dealer contract and can loose that brand. Only way to get a lower price TYPICALLY on a current model bike is to either find a unscrupulous dealer or as already mentioned hope for a factory sponsored sale.
NOTE: I just checked MAP on the Roubaix Pro and it is listed at $6,499.95

I have no interest in buying a Specialized bike ever... but I'm curious.

Does this have an option to disable the suspension? The way Cannondale's MTB/Road hybrid that has a switch to make the suspension fixed when climbing or sprinting? The issue of loss of power from the suspension system when pedaling hard.

I was dropping of my bike at the LBS yesterday (for insurance inspection after accident), and there was very nice looking Roubaix. It was orange, and had quite a few interesting things I've never seen on a bike before. The wheels appeared to have something put on the outside of the rims, I'm assuming an aero thing, flat mounts that were clipped into SPD-SL pedals, and I'm pretty sure it was outfitted with Giant Conduct Hydraulic brake system, judging by the stem and the standard 105 brifters. It's a gorgeous bike, and I wouldn't mind owning one, just was out of my budget. . .

Yeah, it's a switch called Tarmac. But you have to switch before the ride.

Specialized studied the effect in a university lab and didn't measure any significant difference. Most of the reviewers also said they didn't notice it climbing.

fwiw I now have about 330 miles on my comp and the futureshock has disappeared from my consciousness while riding. I have actually bounced it at stops a few times to see if its still working (and it is). I really never notice it at all anymore though if I focus, I can remember how buzzy the old bike was along some stretches of road I ride frequently (e.g. the grooved concrete you can get on the surface of a bridge) and then I marvel at how well it is smoothed out.

Glad to know I'm not the only one being silly :lol:.
Though I normally bounce it as soon as I climb on.
Just in case.
You know...

New guy here. I'm 55 years old and have ridden bikes competitively on and off for 35 years. I just went from another full carbon bike to the Roubaix Expert and I am definitely hooked! My first ride out it took a little getting used to especially on in the saddle climbs. Because of the seat post configuration I found myself surging in the saddle forward and aft. It was a weird sensation but it also taught me to be more vigilant about my pedal technique. Out of the saddle climbs are no issue because there is virtually no bobbing from the spring, which is not dampened by the way. I have some regular routes that I like to ride and found that when I got home I was significantly less fatigued than on any other bike I've ridden and my times were better by almost 5 minutes! The next day I was fresh and ready for another long ride. The 700x26 tires are wonderful in their grip and rolling resistance. I did some slow speed maneuvering and found the bike is very easy to handle without being twitchy. The brakes are smooth and offer awesome control. I had a panic stop due to a car and was in complete control from 24mph to stop. I look forward to many more miles on this bike.

Randy

Yes. The latest issue of Velonews has a comparison. FWIW, They scored the Domane slightly higher (89 to 87.1), but honestly, the results are odd. They complained about the feel of the front shock, saying they could feel it bouncing while pedaling out of the saddle. I can't feel that, and neither can any other reviewer I've read. And the Roubaix scored better in a couple of important categories: lab and pedaling response. It has a stiffer frame.

I bought the Roubaix, but not because of any of that. It was the fit. They're both excellent, but the Roubaix was a better fit for me, so I got that one. And I really, really like it.

Would you have a link to the review?

I can only find a review of the 2016 Roubaix.

I haven't ridden the new Roubaix so have no opinion myself, but every review I've read has at least mentioned the handlebar bobbing when hard climbing/sprinting and at least a couple reviews have complained they didn't like the feel. So Velonews comments seem consistent with other reviews. From what I can tell, some riders find this behaviour disconcerting, others (like you) don't mind it at all.

- Mark

It's no on line, as far as I know, only in print. It may appear on line soon; just a guess.