illdrag0n

Howdy all,

New to specialized and Future Shock.

I'm moving from a stiff race bike (Cube Litening) to a Roubaix Sport looking for more long distance comfort. I'm worried about the future shock feeling too saggy in the sprints and climbs, so I'm want to go as stiff as I can whilst obviously retaining the benefits of the shock.

My mind says to chuck the stiff spring in, but specializes guidelines confuse me. They indicate the soft spring is best for smooth roads and to use the stiff spring for gravel.

Is anyone familiar with this system and can give me advice? I'm a Clydesdale rider and the Roubaix will exclusively be on tarmac.

Cheers

Iride01 

I can't tell you anything about future shock. The local dealer several times tried to get me to buy a Roubaix which seemed a little more relaxed geometry than the Tarmac. I bought the Tarmac and don't find anything uncomfortable about riding it. And it gives me the simplicity of not having to worry about whether or not my suspension or shock protection will wear out or need maintenance.

I ride long rides and I've not felt any discomfort from bumps or road roughness on a new bike without shock protection.

Random11

The springs are easily changed, so why not try them out and see which one works best for you?

illdrag0n

For precisely the reason you mention, relaxed geometry. I need the extra stack height due to lower back issues

Iride01 

Having never used or needed suspension or shock absorbing devices on a bike, I'm going to be skeptical of them. There are many other bikes that don't have the tech that are a similar relaxed or even more relaxed geometry.

I'd hope some other's of heavier ride weight can tell you how well those function for them. I will tend to think the heavier rider might be hitting the limit stops more often making the ride worse. But I suppose the mfr. likely was able to design it to handle well the riders at the max weight spec'd for that bike.

Are your roads so rough that you really need that? Might a cross-bike with 32 tires work for what you want to do? Although some road bikes are saying they'll handle 32 mm tires, many 28 mm.

Ogsarg

The future shock is designed to absorb jarring kinds of bumps and you should not have it activating from sprinting, etc. The reason for using the heavy spring on the bumpiest roads is to keep it from bottoming out.

I'm on the medium spring and it takes a pretty good bump to get it to start to compress so I may try the lighter spring. A heavier person naturally is going to put more force on the spring and would likely need it to be stiffer for any given surface. As mentioned above, ride it for a bit and if you think it's too soft, go with the heavier spring. Not difficult to switch.

Atlas Shrugged

Not sure why you are commenting when you have no experience with the product or have the need or desire for an endurance or comfort configuration. I am in the clydesdale category and own own two future shock equipped bikes. A Diverge as well as S Works Roubaix and they work great. Having put multiple of thousands of km with no maintenance no concerns. I have done a couple of month long tours with the Diverge including a trip from Laos through to Hanoi, Vietnam the last thing on my mind was the reliability of the future shock.

one4smoke

I have a Giant Roam hybrid with a front suspension that I still ride on occasion, and let me tell you, when it's not locked out I sure can tell a huge difference on climbs and such. But on my Roubaix with the 1.5 FS (medium spring) there's no discernible difference while climbing or sprinting. Maybe Peter Sagan would beg to differ, but I'm no Sagan.

Iride01 

Because I'm interested in knowing about them. By commenting on stuff even when I don't know anything about it I learn quicker. Everything I ask here is something I've previously wondered about concerning the future shock.

Your other input was useful and right on target for both me and perhaps the OP. Thanks for that part.

Sojodave

There is a Facebook group for Roubaix owners. I posted a poll on what spring people use that have a Future Shock with springs. The majority said they use the black(medium) spring and the second was the yellow (stiffest). As someone said earlier, you can experiment with which works for you.

OldTryGuy

Just had the 1.0 warranted so replaced with the 1.5 on my 2018 Roubaix Expert. Tried all 3 in 1.0 and each did its own thing. Picked up bike on Friday 2 weeks ago and on that Sunday rode 105 miles. Nice ride.

redcon1

Why not just read the responses posted for a particular question, then? Take a step back and look:

OP: I want to know about Roubaix/Future Shock 1.5, anyone have one?
Iride01: I don't have one, don't know anything about it. I like my Tarmac.

See the point? You can't contribute one thing that may help the OP. But you could certainly refrain from posting your meaningless thoughts, and read what others post. Then, if you want to learn more, formulate some questions about the other's experience and poste them.

Iride01 

Sorry, while I see your point, I don't understand why you think only people with experience can participate in the conversation. And if being completely on topic is the point, then why are you even posting.

Ferrouscious 

The OP wants to know if the Future Shock will reduce stiffness while sprinting. It seems to me that you want to know as well. The only way we can get to the right answer is through someone with experience. It's up to us as the consumer to verify any claim the manufacturer makes. How? By trying it and answering others' questions about the product.

Someone else joined the discussion to silence some of those concerns. He verified that the Future Shock not only balances vertical comfort with lateral stiffness, it does so with a high degree of reliability. Another person piped up to back that claim. See how that answered all the questions the OP had and more? That's what we need.

PoeCo

So, I owned both a 2019 Ruby (same as the Roubaix) and a 2018 Diverge. They both have the future shock, but it's not the particular version you are asking about, but thought I would say that, like you, I have lower back (and neck) issues and having the stack for long distance rides is so nice! One of the reasons I wanted the future shock is because I have fairly severe hand issues as well, so when I ride longer than about a half hour (which is every ride), I start to experience numbness to an extreme degree. Anyway... I ended up selling my Ruby recently, but still have the Diverge. What I really loved about the Ruby was the comfort. I have never had a bike that was so comfortable over long and short distances; however, I seem to have paid the price in regard to speed with that bike. Of course, I cannot be entirely scientific about this as my rides aren't in a controlled environment, but on average over a year, compared to the road bike I had prior, my speed-averages on an average ride decreased about 1-1.5 mph. For some, that may not matter, but for me it was incredibly demotivating and I started to really beat myself up mentally trying to figure out why I was riding more, yet slowing down. Ultimately, I loved the bike for comfort reasons, but because the Diverge is so similar (but can fit a fatter tire for gravel riding too), I ended up just keeping it and going back to a less-comfortable, but faster road bike. I don't take the replacement road bike on long rides (I take the Diverge), but at least I know I can move a bit swifter, when the desire strikes.

I'm sorry that I can't offer advice re: the 1.5 version, but as others have suggested, I'd think trying each of them out would be beneficial to see how they feel for you.

Iride01 

It really amazes me how many of you want to point out how terrible it was of me to make some conversation that in your viewpoint was not proper.

However what have you contributed to the OP's conversation that is proper in you viewpoint to the specific question ask by the OP?

I won't change my ways anytime soon. If I see a thread in this forum that I want to comment in whether it directly answers the OP or poses some other thoughts, then I'll do so.

If you don't like it, just ignore me.

scottfsmith

I have a Roubaix with the middle weight spring installed. I got a Roubaix because of too many stiff muscles, I’m an older rider. The spring definitely helps smooth out the ride compared to my previous stiff bike. It also doesn’t feel that inefficient when standing, the relatively low force there doesn’t seem to make it move much.. not like a mountain bike where standing is very inefficient. I am sure pros would want the 2.0 to turn the spring off in the smooth bits to save that tiny little bit.

One thing I discovered recently though was putting on bigger tires seems to have made even more impact than the spring on smoothing the ride. I am now using the S-Works Turbo Rapidair 30mm tires, man are those sweet! Running them tubeless at 65R/60F for my 165lb body. It is shocking how much more fun riding is with these tires, and I don’t know if I really need the spring with them.

illdrag0n

Certainly didn't effect me on today's ride. Using the medium spring. Didn't notice it sprinting or out of the saddle but it was a godsend on some of the crap roads. 66 strava achievements on my regular club ride doesn't lie

OldTryGuy

About ready for some new tires and I appreciate your review.

Had to get out for the NEW MOON RIDE on the Roubaix the other night/day ----- sooooo >>>

https://www.strava.com/activities/4777317917

Got my 2nd Moderna shot on Monday and must admit that riding seemed just a bit off, sluggish, as far as physical response.

redcon1

Nice! I only got the medium spring fitted to my Leftover 2019 Expert with FS 1.0. I would like to try thes oft and firm springs at some point. Did you have to return the springs with the warranty work? If not, I would be interested in purchasing them from you. Barring that. I guess I could source the soft and firm online somewhere.

OldTryGuy

Springs B-gone. Sorry

badger1

If you purchased the bike from a LBS/Spec. dealer, have you asked them for the other two? The 1.0/1.5 bikes ship or should have shipped with all three springs. Some dealers likely have unwanted extras sitting around.

Atlas Shrugged

You seem to have put a lot of upgrades on that bike, perhaps just drop in a 2.0 FutureShock while you are at it. My dealer had some in inventory and price was nominal.

redcon1

I asked at the time, but since it was a demo/leftover they couldn't locate them. The SWAT box (see the other thread, haha) was removed too, but they threw in a fully loaded new one, so I didn't push the springs with the smoking deal they offered. Now I'm thinking I might like the firm a little better. I love this bike and it's fine as it is... I just wanted to experiment a little.

illdrag0n

Wheels and group came from my previous bike.

Specialized have confirmed the 2.0 won't fit in the headtube of a 1.5 bike anyway.

I've got all 3 Springs here, but I can't see myself needing to change