Specialized S- Works Roubaix SL4 review. Set aside your notions of the Specialized S- Works Roubaix SL4 being some cushy doctor/lawyer machine. While the geometry and positioning says . Seriously, on even moderately good pavement this thing is smooth.

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If vibration was like a field of greens, this new Roubaix is like some guy with a machete who's hopped up on caffeine and speed. Specialized Zertz elastomeric inserts on the Roubaix SL4. The Kmplayer 3 6 0 87 Final Exe. Yet for all the bike's remarkable ability to gloss over smaller imperfections, the frame is much harsher on washboarded dirt roads, potholes, and frost heave than previous Roubaix iterations. In some ways, the unusual COBL GOBL- R seatpost picks up where the frame leaves off and does a much better job out back than we expected with bigger impacts. But, unfortunately, there's no corresponding aid up front.

The trade- off for that firmer ride is a far sharper personality than before in terms of pedaling responsiveness and handling precision. Unfortunately, we don't have independent numbers to support this but after spending an appreciable amount of time on Specialized's Tarmac SL4 last year, we'd dare say that this Roubaix gives up nothing in terms of efficiency (and a recent conversation we had with Omega Pharma- Quick. Step rider Sylvain Chavanel seems to back up this assertion). Mash the pedals and there's a greater sense of urgency than there has been with previous Roubaix models, especially when you're attacking steep grades or sprinting for a sign. Crit racers might find the Roubaix SL4 to be a little too lazy for their liking, but most people will probably have few complaints with such rock solid high- speed stability. What's indisputable, though, is that this sucker is light.

Avion Models — Manuals — Recent Prices on Commons parts Repairs: Awning - Body - Brakes - Electrical - Flooring - Hardware Heating - Interior - Literature. 2 couches have been dumped on footpath outside 31 Bucknell Street for over a week, through all the very wet weather, so will now be saturated.

Total weight for our 5. Frame: More 'Tarmac with Zertz' than classic Roubaix. Visually speaking, there's little to hint at the new carbon fiber Roubaix SL4's firmer ride, as it's a distinctly evolutionary progression from the previous SL3 version. Distinctive features include the way the humongous down tube and top tube effectively wrap around the head tube to promote front- end stiffness, the tapered seat tube that morphs from round up top to rectangular down at the OSBB (Specialized's version of PF3.

One key feature borrowed from the Tarmac range is the new one- piece bottom bracket and asymmetric chain stay assembly, which supposedly boosts drivetrain efficiency under power. The seat stays are straighter and offset further from the centerline of the seat tube up top, too, which Specialized claims further increases rear- end stiffness – to the tune of nearly 2.

SL3 if you believe company claims. Many brands vary tubing sizes and shapes according to frame size, but Specialized has gone one step further with the Roubaix SL4 by varying the lower steerer tube diameter as well, to help maintain the same ride quality across the range: 1 1/8in for 4.

The stock 2. 5mm- wide Specialized Turbo Pro clinchers actually measure closer to 2. Actual weight for our 5.

S- Works Tarmac SL4 we tested last year. The matching 3. 90g fork tacks on a more significant 8. Equipment: Wide- range gearing and lots of lightweight bits but so- so brake performance.

Specialized offers not just one but two top- end S- Works Roubaix SL4 variants: the monumentally expensive US$1. We've already tested the SRAM Red 2.

The drivetrain shifts precisely and reliably under power, and it runs much more quietly than previous iterations. The impressively accommodating stock gearing is 5. T up front and a mountain taming 1. T out back. The rear derailleur cable is routed through the chain stay and hollow carbon fiber dropout. It runs quietly and shifts well but after a couple of months of steady use, including a few wet and nasty rides on local dirt roads, the snazzy finish is already starting to wear.

Previous experience on SRAM's latest linkage- enhanced single- pivot rim brake calipers has shown them to generate heaps of power, with very good lever feel and modulation. In this instance, however, braking performance from the Roval Rapide CLX 4. Specialized by Swiss.

Stop) was more inconsistent. Braking performance in dry conditions with freshly surfaced pads is about average as far as carbon rims go, with passable initial bite but a very progressive build- up in power the further back you pull the lever.

That performance degrades tremendously when the pads are even somewhat dirty or glazed, however – which doesn't seem to take long. In one instance, our hands actually started to cramp towards the bottom of a sketchy 3. Needless to say, things don't improve when the rims are wet. Specialized contracts these pads from Swiss. Stop, whose carbon- specific pads we've generally found to be among the best available in the past. In fairness, sanding down the glaze and grime restores braking performance normal, but even then it's never as good as other setups we've used, such as Swiss.

Stop's benchmark Yellow King pad. The wheels are notably light at just under 1,4. Ceramic. Speed bearings, the well- damped ride is a good match for the chassis, they're reasonably stable in crosswinds, and the internal- cam skewers generate heaps of clamp force. The Turbo Pro tyre's supple casing rides smoothly, too, and its round profile is predictable in corners, with a gently progressive turn- in. Hidden nipples on the rims will slow down any required truing, however, and we feel this type of bike could certainly benefit from an internal rim width greater than the 1. Otherwise, the rest of the Specialized bits passed with flying colors. We found the densely padded saddle very comfortable for long days in the saddle, and while fitter riders might prefer a handlebar with more drop, the compact bend one used here is comfortable and well shaped.

Despite having an extra shim included to provide the angle adjustment, the forged aluminum stem is solid and creak free, too. Switch- hitter. Given such disparate performance characteristics, the question becomes a matter of whom Specialized has built this thing for. Enthusiast riders who want a premium rig for comfortable long- distance cruising might very well want something with a more progressive ride quality. Racers, on the other hand, will enjoy getting to the finish line feeling a little less beat- up on more poorly maintained courses, but might take issue with the higher stack height and more leisurely handling (we had to use a - 1. Specialized marketing man Chris Riekert puts it this way. The best way to make an endurance bike better is to make it faster.

The new SL4 provides the exact same amount of deflection as the Roubaix SL3 but is a substantial amount more laterally stiff. That is a large reason why we pushed so hard for the system of the sharper SL4 frame paired with the COBL GOBL- R to deal with large impacts. We're allowed to dream, right?