Globalti
Legendary Member
Been riding a 2006 Roubaix for the last 4 years and enjoying it. However it's got some witness cracks in the paint and it's getting a bit ropey so I've borrowed a demo 2012 Roubaix SL2 from my LBS for a few days. This is the very lowest incarnation of the bike with Sora and some cheap wheels and naff tyres so it's quite heavy and the tyre and wheel combination is dire, really heavy, sluggish and dull.
So today I put my own Ksyrium SL wheels on it and my own seatpost and saddle and took it for a nice long ride. It's still a little heavier than my own Roubaix. It has 9 speed so I had to swop the cassette over to my wheel. The cassette only does 14-28, which is a pain on downhills. However having taken out two of the major variables my main interest is the frame and what 6 years of evolution has brought to the handling.
As expected it feels more direct and efficient especially on climbs. The ride is super-plush, much more so than on the old Roubaix with its straight seat stays, in fact on lumpy tarmac you can feel the rear end bouncing and it feels like my first ever ride on a titanium mountain bike - I kept glancing down to check I hadn't got a puncture! With the tyres at 110 it glided over the worn-out top-dressing and broken up surfaces like a magic carpet. For the first time in ages I didn't get neck and back ache and since the riding position is identical to the old bike I have to conclude that the smoother ride is the reason.
Best of all is the cornering and the downhill ride; it corners superbly, much more confidence-inspiring than the old Roubaix and on fast twisty downhills it turned me into a proper hooligan. The Sora brakes are stiff and heavy but when they do bite the bike scrubs off speed very securely, presumably thanks to the stiffer front end. The 2006 Roubaix has simple cylindrical frame tubes and is more akin to a traditional steel or ali frame in the way it looks whereas the 2012 version has masses of material around the BB and head tube, which contributes to the laterally stiffer frame and more stable cornering and handling.
Assuming an SL3 frame would be lighter and better equipped I think my mind is made up, I'm going to put my name down for one. But before I do, has anybody got any thoughts on the SL4?
So today I put my own Ksyrium SL wheels on it and my own seatpost and saddle and took it for a nice long ride. It's still a little heavier than my own Roubaix. It has 9 speed so I had to swop the cassette over to my wheel. The cassette only does 14-28, which is a pain on downhills. However having taken out two of the major variables my main interest is the frame and what 6 years of evolution has brought to the handling.
As expected it feels more direct and efficient especially on climbs. The ride is super-plush, much more so than on the old Roubaix with its straight seat stays, in fact on lumpy tarmac you can feel the rear end bouncing and it feels like my first ever ride on a titanium mountain bike - I kept glancing down to check I hadn't got a puncture! With the tyres at 110 it glided over the worn-out top-dressing and broken up surfaces like a magic carpet. For the first time in ages I didn't get neck and back ache and since the riding position is identical to the old bike I have to conclude that the smoother ride is the reason.
Best of all is the cornering and the downhill ride; it corners superbly, much more confidence-inspiring than the old Roubaix and on fast twisty downhills it turned me into a proper hooligan. The Sora brakes are stiff and heavy but when they do bite the bike scrubs off speed very securely, presumably thanks to the stiffer front end. The 2006 Roubaix has simple cylindrical frame tubes and is more akin to a traditional steel or ali frame in the way it looks whereas the 2012 version has masses of material around the BB and head tube, which contributes to the laterally stiffer frame and more stable cornering and handling.
Assuming an SL3 frame would be lighter and better equipped I think my mind is made up, I'm going to put my name down for one. But before I do, has anybody got any thoughts on the SL4?
