TomNeilson

I'm prepping for my first ever long route sportive the Paris Roubaix.

I've checked out strava segments (a closing lap in the famous velodrome looks amazing btw- can anyone do it in <27 secs? ) and i thought this guide to surviving paris roubaix was useful, but I was hoping to get some first-hand tips / experiences from any members who have ridden Roubaix?

Aside from making sure that everything is very well attached to my bike , what else should I prepare for?!

Thanks
Tom

K.Katso

I did the first edition in 2011. It's not that hard, no real climbs, but the cobbles are pretty rough. They make the cobbles in Flanders look like smooth asphalt in some places. You'll probably find yourself riding on the edge, in the dirt or grass at some point. Everybody does this, even the pros. It's just too rough in the middle of the road. Two things to think about - the slower you go, the rougher it gets, so go as fast as you can and don't put a lot of weight on the bars. Second - be prepared for the weather. If it rains, you will be cold and completely covered in mud. Bring sufficient clothing for this, and make sure you watch the weather.

mkadam68

Your forearms are going to hurt. The cobbles are so bad that your handlebars will bounce/vibrate around. It'll hurt/annoy your hands, so you'll be tempted to hold onto them only loosely, but you can't or you'll crash. So you'll need to grip them. Tightly. After so many hours, your forearm muscles will be tired & sore.

The cobbles actually have potholes. They're depressions within the cobbled surface, that are also cobbled. Some are no big deal. Others...

Some cobbled sections also have a pronounced crowned center and ruts from wheels. Another reason to ride on the side dirt/grass.

Doge

My son raced the juniors last year and tied the KOM on the approach Strava Segment | Av Alfred Motte > Stab the juniors ride this about as fast as the pros, just half the distance and they do all the cobbles, not the smooth road before. In the Velodrome, unless it is solo, it can get real slow and becomes a track match sprint - which it was.

So...he also pre road it.
-Carbon bars. He used the Ritchey one piece WCS. They were great.
-Carbon seatpost
-27-28 Big tires. They really should be tubulars. Get a high TPI count. Ride 60-70 PSI.
-Not 100% sure on this, but he thinks NO GLOVES works better. Gloves move and cause blisters. So he went padded bars, and gloves and got blisters. Would not do gloves again.