New Specialized Roubaix with suspension - who's interested ?

[Globalti]

My 2014 Roubaix SL4 is, for me, the perfect compromise between comfort and stiffness and I find it fine for 100 mile rides although the zertz inserts don't do anything, I'm sure.

My next general purpose bike was going to be another Roubaix but with discs but now, having seen what Specialized have done with the steerer and seatpost I'm not so sure. My main objection is that these things may work fine in sunny dry California but what happens when they get into wet and gritty Britain? Years ago I bought a USE suspension seatpost for my mountain bike but after a few rides it siezed, wrecked by Lancashire grit getting inside the seal as muddy water dribbled down the seatpost.

Thoughts?

 

[Pale Rider]

Despite being the combined efforts of Spesh and McLaren, the suspension seems to be no more than a coil spring under the handlebars.

There's not much to go wrong, and I suppose a road bike doesn't get a lot of mud and grit in that area.

I've no idea if it does what Spesh claim, but it seems likely to me it will function reliably.

https://www.specialized.com/gb/gb/bikes/road/roubaix

 

[Banjo]

certainly would like to do a test ride but all the local bike shops know I cant afford one.

Another new bike that I would love to have a ride on is the cannondale slate which runs on 650 wheels but with 42mm tyres believe it or not.Apparently this gives it the same wheel circumference as 700c wheels and 25mm tyres.

http://www.tredz.co.uk/.Cannondale-Slate-Apex-2017-Road-Bike_96453.htm

 

[potsy]

Another new bike that I would love to have a ride on is the cannondale slate which runs on 650 wheels but with 42mm tyres believe it or not.Apparently this gives it the same wheel circumference as 700c wheels and 25mm tyres.

Ooh, now that is a bike I never knew I needed, until now

 

[T4tomo]

Lefty fork, the height of uglyness, coupled with small wheel, big tyres to enhance that munterness. I'm out.

 

[Banjo]

Back to the op. I can see the roubaix concept becoming popular if they start fitting it to lower cost bikes.

As someone with a bit of joint pain in the elbows I would certainly be interested in trialling the suspension headtube .

It would be interesting to hear Mike Lanes take on it.He does massive mileage on a roubaix(audax annual points winner at least once) .I know he has some type of seatpost suspension fitted.

 

[bonsaibilly]

Despite being the combined efforts of Spesh and McLaren, the suspension seems to be no more than a coil spring under the handlebars.

There's not much to go wrong, and I suppose a road bike doesn't get a lot of mud and grit in that area.

I've no idea if it does what Spesh claim, but it seems likely to me it will function reliably.

https://www.specialized.com/gb/gb/bikes/road/roubaix

Indeed so, it seems a bit of a marketing triumph to me, I mean anyone could whack a spring into a tube, call it hi tech and give it endorsements and you can add several hundred quid to the price of a bike.

I think it's bollox, looks stupid ugly and doesn't do anything your wrists and elbows can't do better.

 

[Kajjal]

This was tried in mountain biking many years ago and affected the bike handling too much. May be OK on a road bike.

 

[mustang1]

I'm waiting for Ferrari to bring out a diesel engine.

 

[Pale Rider]

I'm waiting for Ferrari to bring out a diesel engine.

If Ferrari had the development budget of Audi they would have done so long ago,

http://www.topgear.com/car-news/motorsport/top-gears-coolest-racing-cars-audi-r10-tdi#3

 

[dan_bo]

So are we talking flexstems or what?