Specialized Roubaix Comp or Tarmac Comp?

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Ady138

New Member
Location
London
Going to be buying a new bike on the 1st march but don't know whether to go for the
Specialized Roubaix Comp or the Tarmac Comp. Is there must difference in the two?
I'm a keen rider looking to enter a few Sportive's this year. At present I'm going out 4 times a week doing 30 and 40 mile loops but my aim for this year is to chalk up the 100 miler !

Your thoughts please

Ady
 

PaulSecteur

No longer a Specialized fanboy
The tarmac is a race bike with a more aggressive riding position, with lower handlebars and more weight on the wrists. the roubaix is a more relaxed riding position.

which will siut you will depend on your physical tollerences to the position and what sorts of distances you want to do.
 

smutchin

Cat 6 Racer
Location
The Red Enclave
To repeat what I said in reply to amaferanga in another thread:

The riding position [on the Roubaix] is only slightly more upright than a more conventional racer - just enough for it to be noticeably more comfortable without making a significant aerodynamic sacrifice.

If you find the geometry of a conventional racer comfortable, good for you, but bikes like the Roubaix are aimed at those of us who aren't quite as - ahem - slim or supple as we used to be.

The Roubaix and similar are marketed as "sportive" bikes rather than full-on racers. As mentioned in t'other thread, I chose a Felt Z35 rather than the Roubaix in the end, but both are lovely rides and offer a good balance of comfort and speed. But it's a highly individual thing and you should definitely try both to see which works best for you.

Worth bearing in mind, though, that even if the Tarmac is comfortable for a short test ride, it may leave you feeling a bit sort after a proper long, hard ride. If you regularly do sportives or audaxes, I would definitely suggest giving the Roubaix strong consideration. If racing or time trialling is more your thing, the better aerodynamics of the Tarmac might be more suitable for you. [Edit: just re-read your OP and realised that you're looking to do 100mile sportives, in which case I would steer you more towards the Roubaix.]

d.
 

zizou

Veteran
I have a Tarmac and it is a comfortable bike even for longer rides (admittedly i've never done a 400km audax but done plenty of sportives on it). I dont think i'm particularly flexible either - i can touch my toes and things like that but i'm not exactly a yoga champion
 

smutchin

Cat 6 Racer
Location
The Red Enclave
Plenty of people do 400km (or longer) audaxes on "race" bikes and get on just fine. It's a very individual thing.

Last year, I did a 400 on my fixie, which has more race-like geometry than the Z35 (the bars are an inch or two lower relative to the saddle height), and I got on fine with it, though I do find the Z35 more comfortable for that kind of distance, and at audax pace, the difference in aerodynamics is neither here nor there. But the difference between those bikes isn't really the same as the difference between the Tarmac and the Roubaix, since my fixie has an alu frame, which is a harsher ride than the carbon, but on the other hand, I run it with 32C tyres, while the Z35 only has clearance for 25C...

Anyway, I wouldn't dogmatically insist that the OP rule out the Tarmac but the Roubaix is the one of the two that is designed more with the kind of riding he has in mind.

d.
 
OP
OP
Ady138

Ady138

New Member
Location
London
To repeat what I said in reply to amaferanga in another thread:
Worth bearing in mind, though, that even if the Tarmac is comfortable for a short test ride, it may leave you feeling a bit sort after a proper long, hard ride. If you regularly do sportives or audaxes, I would definitely suggest giving the Roubaix strong consideration. If racing or time trialling is more your thing, the better aerodynamics of the Tarmac might be more suitable for you. [Edit: just re-read your OP and realised that you're looking to do 100mile sportives, in which case I would steer you more towards the Roubaix.]

d.

Great advice thank you
 
OP
OP
Ady138

Ady138

New Member
Location
London
Thanks for your reply's Chap's. I'll be sure to test ride each of the bikes mentioned but seeing as I'm 42 now and my toes are increasing getting harder to reach the Roubaix is sounding favorite.
 
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