friedymeister89

I'm looking to get a new road bike (first), endurance geometry, and I find myself torn between these two bikes. I can get a pretty good deal on a 2015 Roubaux with 105s and axis brakes - $1590 + tax + $200 gift card + fitting, or I can get the Nashbar Carbon 105 Road bike with 105s and tektro brakes for $825 + fitting. I tested out the roubaix, diverge, emonda alr6, and synapse carbon and the roubaix won without question. I'm looking for some input.
Thanks in advance!

Maelochs

Unless the Nashbike weighs a few ounces more I wouldn't expect much difference in quality or performance unless you are the sort of rider who really should be spending three times as much.

I have been looking at CF bikes a lot lately, and Nashbar seems to offer great deals on bikes pretty much comparable to the name brands.

Unless I had ridden both bikes extensively (haven't) I couldn't compare, but getting pretty much the same for $500 less sounds pretty sweet to me. Take the money saved and buy a full Ultegra groupset and put the 105 on another bike, or buy some some amazing wheels.

mtnroads

Unconscionable? In what way? A Roubaix SL4 disc costs much less now than when I bought mine two years ago for $4k, and no I don't regret it for a second.. I love that bike. The reason the name brands are expensive is they actually do R&D.. not just copying existing designs and building to a price point. Nashbar certainly doesn't spend as much developing and testing new frame designs and technologies as companies like Specialized. Yes I know they spend less on marketing too, but the point is a company like Nashbar wouldn't be in business if the other firms weren't eating some of the development costs and pushing the technology forward. Then everybody benefits. Get whichever bike you want and can afford but I suspect the difference between the two bikes will be noticeable in ride, handling and maybe longevity.

bmthom.gis

What is the warranty on Nashbar bike frames? At least if you go with the big brands, it's usually a lifetime warranty to the original owner. I haven't fully decided what the next new bike will be, but I do know it won't have a BB30

friedymeister89

I'm pretty sure the nashbar is a lifetime warranty with their "Forever Guarantee." I'm expecting the bike to arrive by Tuesday so hopefully I'll be able to post some first impressions.

mtnroads

From $700 to $1000 in 6 years is called inflation.

My bike is the Roubaix Expert, the first model available with disc brakes. Thats why it was $4k. But that's my point - due to constant innovation by the leading companies, you are now the beneficiary of technology trickle-down, whether you buy the Roubaix or the generic bike. Either one will be better than similarly priced bikes of 2-3 years ago.

Champlaincycler

It's true. I couldn't pull the trigger on a 2015 Roubaix SL4 Comp this past summer as the price was a bit out of range, but man I loved the bike and test rode it twice. When I decided to buy it anyway as my retirement gift, it was gone. I went on line early September and found the 2016 version was 4-5 hundred cheaper. Took the printout to my favorite bike shop and a week later it was here.
I have this theory that the big companies want to change to discs on all mid level bikes and above. To sell them, they need to drop prices as they're just out of range for a lot of buyers. So, the same model with standard brakes drops accordingly. Just a theory.

BTW, I love riding this bike and am hopeful that its my last new bike purchase. Its not crazy light but its stiff where it needs to be , its fit is gentle on my old neck, gearing is great for the hills I ride, comes stock with the most comfortable saddle I've ever ridden, nice wheels, brakes are the tight and positive, shifting is great and it doesn't beat me up on long rides. I never thought I'd ride a Specialized but its the one that works for me.