S-Works Roubaix HTC

TMR
TMR Posts: 3,986
edited June 2011 in Road buying advice
Have any of you seen the retail version of the S-Works Roubaix frame? If so, can you please confirm whether it has the 'High Road' logo on the top tube by the seat post?

TIA.

Comments

  • bristolpete
    bristolpete Posts: 2,255
    Yes it does, but it is a retro fitted sticker, same as the Shimano one on the chain stay. Easliy peeled off.
  • TMR
    TMR Posts: 3,986
    Yes it does, but it is a retro fitted sticker, same as the Shimano one on the chain stay. Easliy peeled off.

    Good lad - that's exactly what I wanted to hear! ;)

    I think the frame in those colours looks very nice, just didn't like the HTC branding. I'll give the Concept Store at Ruislip a call tomorrow and see if I can go for a test ride.
  • gkerr4
    gkerr4 Posts: 3,408
    Yes it does, but it is a retro fitted sticker, same as the Shimano one on the chain stay. Easliy peeled off.

    Good lad - that's exactly what I wanted to hear! ;)

    I think the frame in those colours looks very nice, just didn't like the HTC branding. I'll give the Concept Store at Ruislip a call tomorrow and see if I can go for a test ride.

    I think this is what specialized always do on the 'team' frames - the stickers are removeable. I have the 2008 S-works roubaix "quick-step" - and the logos on the top-tube and tops of forks are removable also.
  • TMR
    TMR Posts: 3,986
    I'm going for a test tomorrow. The RRP is £2099. What's the best I can hope for price wise? Is £1800 unrealistic?
  • gkerr4
    gkerr4 Posts: 3,408
    i dunno - it's hard to say what margin a retailler has in these things any more - it may be less than you think and a lot of manufacturers (trek especially) seem to want to 'set' prices

    in addition, in the last few years the big manufacturers have become much better at stock inventory control - the popular sizes(52/54/56) actually sell-out mid season which keeps prices high (what size are you after?)

    you can only ask and if you have cash in your hand...

    that said, i doubt you would get it for £1800 - tredz have it at 1999 - maybe 1900 if you pushed?
  • Aggieboy
    Aggieboy Posts: 3,996
    I'm going for a test tomorrow. The RRP is £2099. What's the best I can hope for price wise? Is £1800 unrealistic?

    I'd love to be proved wrong but I think you'll find that the Spec' Concept stores will not discount anything off a bike.
    "There's a shortage of perfect breasts in this world, t'would be a pity to damage yours."
  • TMR
    TMR Posts: 3,986
    Aggieboy wrote:
    I'm going for a test tomorrow. The RRP is £2099. What's the best I can hope for price wise? Is £1800 unrealistic?

    I'd love to be proved wrong but I think you'll find that the Spec' Concept stores will not discount anything off a bike.

    I'm not buying a bike Aggie, it's £2099 for the frame. I'll have it built elsewhere.

    I don't need to buy it off them, happy to shop around.
  • TMR
    TMR Posts: 3,986
    gkerr4 wrote:
    in addition, in the last few years the big manufacturers have become much better at stock inventory control - the popular sizes(52/54/56) actually sell-out mid season which keeps prices high (what size are you after?)

    My Super Six was 56, so 56 I guess.
    you can only ask and if you have cash in your hand...

    that said, i doubt you would get it for £1800 - tredz have it at 1999 - maybe 1900 if you pushed?

    Yes, cash burning a hole in my pocket. £1900 would be OK.
  • TMR
    TMR Posts: 3,986
    Right, a small update:

    I test rode a Bianchi Infinito Ultegra on Thursday - it was very, very nice. Very comfortable, but still fast. Rough roads were muted nicely - a huge difference from my Super Six.

    I've just got back from the local Specialized Concept Store where I test rode an S-Works SL3 Roubaix Elite Ultegra. I wanted to ride the HTC variant, but that wasn't possible. I'm actually not sure now. I had expected the Roubaix to walk away with it, but it's weird because the ride wasn't at all what I expected.

    I felt very detached from the road, as though I wasn't getting a lot of feedback. The bike I rode had a standard BB (the HTC variant I am considering buying has BB30), and when really pushing it I could feel some flex in the BB. Not all of my power was going down, it felt a little spongy.

    They had one HTC S-Works Roubaix frame in my size (56), and there are basically none left for sale in the UK so I've put a £200 deposit on it while I make my mind up.

    I don't know what to do - on the basis of 30 mins on each bike the Bianchi Infinito was the better bike for me. The difficulty is I couldn't ride the HTC version of the Roubaix which has BB30, is lighter and uses stiffer carbon.

    How do I decide?

    Appearance wise, the HTC Roubaix is stunning - bare matt carbon with white, green and yellow detailing. I have a choice of Bianchi frames, and all the non-Celeste ones are nice.
  • ShutUpLegs
    ShutUpLegs Posts: 3,522
    Toss a coin? :wink:
  • TMR
    TMR Posts: 3,986
    ShutUpLegs wrote:
    Toss a coin? :wink:

    It may well come to that! I guess I'm worried I'll buy the Roubaix, build it up and the ride quality is the same. I just want the road muted, I don't want to be isolated from it entirely.
  • unixnerd
    unixnerd Posts: 2,864
    If you've got a Super Six now why not try a Cannondale Synapse for comparison?
    http://www.strathspey.co.uk - Quality Binoculars at a Sensible Price.
    Specialized Roubaix SL3 Expert 2012, Cannondale CAAD5,
    Marin Mount Vision (1997), Edinburgh Country tourer, 3 cats!
  • gkerr4
    gkerr4 Posts: 3,408
    Well, I'm an s-works Roubaix fan but to be honest, I can't see the BB30 version riding any different so if you didn't like the s-works ride then would say that the Roubaix is not for you!
  • TMR
    TMR Posts: 3,986
    gkerr4 wrote:
    Well, I'm an s-works Roubaix fan but to be honest, I can't see the BB30 version riding any different so if you didn't like the s-works ride then would say that the Roubaix is not for you!

    It shouldn't flex in the BB though.

    But you're right. I think it's going to be the Bianchi - now to find someone who has a frame...
  • allen
    allen Posts: 214
    I am surprised you find the bb flexing I have a 2011 roubaix and it does not flex at all. Out of saddle hard steep climbs it just goes forward no flex nothing just cranking you up the road. The real plus for me as well is the sheer comfort and ride over less than perfect roads which makes a real difference to the enjoyment of a ride and the ability to maintain pace and descend at speed with confidence. The disjoiinted feel you mention is I think down to spec tyres. I tested the same machine as you and felt exactly as you so when I bought mine swopped the tyres to contis best black stuff and its a joy to ride : )
  • gkerr4
    gkerr4 Posts: 3,408
    Completely agree with Allen above - mine is a 2008 frame- no flex at all.

    Stiff and comfortable - tyres make a difference and pressure of course,

    But if you don't like the ride then you don't like the ride!

    How was the riding position? I'd have thought the Roubaix and the bianchi would be quite different?
  • TMR
    TMR Posts: 3,986
    gkerr4 wrote:
    Completely agree with Allen above - mine is a 2008 frame- no flex at all.

    Stiff and comfortable - tyres make a difference and pressure of course,

    But if you don't like the ride then you don't like the ride!

    How was the riding position? I'd have thought the Roubaix and the bianchi would be quite different?

    I can obviously only articulate what I felt. There were no issues climbing out of the saddle, but on the flat over a 500m section of 100% effort, it felt spongy - I don't know how else to describe it.

    The riding position between the Infinito and Roubaix was very similar. Have a look at the geo, they are almost identical. The difference in ride was that while the Infinito did a comparable job of absorbing road imperfections, it just felt alive to me. The Roubaix just felt detached.
  • allen
    allen Posts: 214
    I thinks that the tyres though. Just checked the actual width of the tyres I took off mine and they are 26/27 mm ( which is something that cycle pluses review said) compared with the 23 s on the Bianchi. That would make a huge difference in feel to any bike. Certainly works for me but your money your choice and whatever works for you
  • TMR
    TMR Posts: 3,986
    Yes, you may be right regarding the tyres, they were much wider. I know I'm not going to be able to compare like with like exactly, it was hard enough to get Specialized to agree to take the Roubaix out in the first place, I doubt they'd agree to swapping the tyres as well.

    I guess I'll just have to take a punt.

    Thanks to you all for the comments - I've certainly plenty to think about.
  • Evil Laugh
    Evil Laugh Posts: 1,412
    Why dont you just go back and tell Spesh what you said here, I'm sure they have some similar wheels around, fulcrums or whatever, to what was on the Bianchi with 23s on they could swap over in 1 minute for a test ride.

    If they can't do that for you I wouldn't bother.
  • allen
    allen Posts: 214
    Not sure where you are looking but I went to a concept store and and test rode for 40 miles no issue at all just left a credit card deposit - obviously ; )
  • nferrar
    nferrar Posts: 2,511
    I have an 08 non s-works Roubaix and know what you mean about the detached feeling of the ride (and after test riding another bike recently I also didn't realise how much BB flex there was on the Roubaix). However the BB30 s-works should be a different kettle of fish, at least stiffness-wise - if it's good enough for Cancellera to win on it's good enough for the likes of us. However weather it still overly-deadens the ride I don't know, like you say you'd really need a proper test ride on the model you're looking to buy.
  • carrock
    carrock Posts: 1,103
    Aggieboy wrote:
    I'm going for a test tomorrow. The RRP is £2099. What's the best I can hope for price wise? Is £1800 unrealistic?

    I'd love to be proved wrong but I think you'll find that the Spec' Concept stores will not discount anything off a bike.

    Yes they will

    I went to a concept store for a browse one cold day in December- they hadn't taken a penny all day so I got a Ruby for my wife for £1350 (RRP £1599)
  • vorsprung
    vorsprung Posts: 1,953
    Right, a small update:

    I've just got back from the local Specialized Concept Store where I test rode an S-Works SL3 Roubaix Elite Ultegra. ... it's weird because the ride wasn't at all what I expected.

    I felt very detached from the road, as though I wasn't getting a lot of feedback. The bike I rode had a standard BB (the HTC variant I am considering buying has BB30), and when really pushing it I could feel some flex in the BB. Not all of my power was going down, it felt a little spongy.

    I agree that the Roubaix feels a bit "detached". On my test ride I felt that the steering was less direct. But in my case this was a plus point, I want the bike for Paris-Brest-Paris 1200km so comfort is the #1 concern over steering, power transfer etc

    Now I've got the bike I find that the power transfer is excellent, much better than my old 2005 aluminium Orbea

    I didn't get to try an Infinito so I couldn't comment on the Roubaix vs that
  • Right, a small update:

    I test rode a Bianchi Infinito Ultegra on Thursday - it was very, very nice. Very comfortable, but still fast. Rough roads were muted nicely - a huge difference from my Super Six.

    I've just got back from the local Specialized Concept Store where I test rode an S-Works SL3 Roubaix Elite Ultegra. I wanted to ride the HTC variant, but that wasn't possible. I'm actually not sure now. I had expected the Roubaix to walk away with it, but it's weird because the ride wasn't at all what I expected.

    I felt very detached from the road, as though I wasn't getting a lot of feedback. The bike I rode had a standard BB (the HTC variant I am considering buying has BB30), and when really pushing it I could feel some flex in the BB. Not all of my power was going down, it felt a little spongy.

    They had one HTC S-Works Roubaix frame in my size (56), and there are basically none left for sale in the UK so I've put a £200 deposit on it while I make my mind up.

    I don't know what to do - on the basis of 30 mins on each bike the Bianchi Infinito was the better bike for me. The difficulty is I couldn't ride the HTC version of the Roubaix which has BB30, is lighter and uses stiffer carbon.

    How do I decide?

    Appearance wise, the HTC Roubaix is stunning - bare matt carbon with white, green and yellow detailing. I have a choice of Bianchi frames, and all the non-Celeste ones are nice.

    While I appreciate the benefits of a test ride, I'm not too sure how it would compare directly to your own self-build unless its your intention to build your frame up to exactly the same spec.

    My S-Works Roubaix frame build is certainly nothing like the complete build.

    As for price, I would expect to see reductions becoming available. Specialized do not as a rule allow their dealers to discount at all until the next years range is out. Note - Specialized, Concept Stores and other retailers are now starting to promote their Allez range with 10% discounts. I'm sure others will follow.2012 will soon be here (July/August?).
    There's no such thing as too old.