Product news: Specialized Roubaix 2017: Completely new model with 20mm travel

Market: For the coming year, US manufacturer Specialized is presenting a new version of the popular endurance racer Roubaix. The highlight of the Specialized Roubaix 2017 is certainly a completely new suspension between the head tube and the handlebars, which bears the name 'Future Shock'. For the first time, the Roubaix also has a women's model, the Ruby.

Since its market launch, the Specialized Roubaix has been one of the best and most popular endurance bikes on the market. But true to the motto 'standing still means going backwards', California has nevertheless set about it and completely redesigned its successful model for the coming year. Of course, the area of ​​application remains: an endurance bike for the bad roads out there, for the cobblestones of the eponymous hell of the north and everything in between.

Specialized Roubaix 2017: 20mm travel thanks to 'Future-Shock'

Die-hard fans of the previous Roubaix must be strong, because the 2017 model has very little in common with its predecessor. Undoubtedly the most noticeable change is the disappearance of Zertz damping from the seatstays and fork. While the elimination of the elastomers at the rear of the bike is compensated for on the one hand by the proven CG-R seat post and on the other hand by a significantly lower support clamp at the height of the seat stays and thus more flex, something very special has been thought of at the front. From now on, the so-called "Future Shock" system will be used on all Roubaix models. Die-hard Specialized fans should be familiar with the name: in the past, the US manufacturer's specially developed mountain bike suspension forks bore this name. The connection is clear - even if the Roubaix does not (yet?) get a suspension fork in 2017 - at least not in the traditional sense.

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The suspension, developed in cooperation with McLaren, sits above the head tube, where the headset spacers are actually located. A bellows-like cover gives a visual indication of the technology inside. At first glance, this is not dissimilar to a suspension fork: The new design with a steel spring sits in the head tube, which, according to the US manufacturer, offers the rider 20mm of travel. So the impacts are absorbed by the ground and not even given to the driver. The result is less fatigue, longer endurance and higher speeds. It's not for nothing that Specialized puts its new Roubaix under the motto "smoother is faster".

Each Roubaix comes with three different springs for the Future Shock System. Mountain bike riders have to rethink this, however, because the spring rate does not depend on the rider's weight, but on the route: Since the suspension sits above the head tube and only a fraction of the rider's weight is loaded here, this parameter only plays a subordinate role. Specialized promises that the suspension does not change the handling and that no power is lost even during sprints. But it should be an unfamiliar feeling at first. Incidentally, there is no damping at all.

Specialized Roubaix 2017: A little more race – optionally with riser handlebars

Even if the Future Shock System is certainly the technical highlight of the new Roubaix, it is far from the only innovation. The geometry has also been tweaked and, as always, worked closely with the pros from the WorldTour. The steering angle is a bit steeper, the head tube is a few millimeters shorter and the fork offset is also a bit smaller. All in all, the new Roubaix gets a little more sporty characteristics - but so that fans of a comfort-oriented seating position also get their money's worth, there will be handlebars with different rises.

The newly won race genes of the 2017 Specialized Roubaix are also evident when looking at the weight: The S-Works frame weighs just around 900g, the other variants are still significantly lighter than the predecessor at 1.050g. Not included is the Future-Shock cartridge, which increases the weight by about 300g. By the way: All Roubaix frames were developed using Specialized's Rider First Engineering concept. The different sizes were not scaled up or down from a basic model, as is often the case, but each was developed for itself. The goal is clear: Regardless of the frame size, the riding experience should be the same, in S as well as in XL.

In the Expert, Pro and S-Works models, the Roubaix comes with a SWAT box that is located in the lower part of the frame triangle and offers additional storage space for tubes, cartridges, tire levers, tools and more. The SWAT (Storage, Water, Air, Tools) philosophy, which is already very popular with mountain bikes, is consistently followed.

Specialized Roubaix 2017: models and prices

Specialized Ruby: women's version of the Roubaix

Also new for 2017 is the Ruby - the women's equivalent of the Roubaix. In terms of features, the models are like one egg to the other, only the geometry and equipment have been changed accordingly on the Ruby.

Both the new Roubaix and the Ruby will be available from Specialized dealers in the coming weeks. More details about the equipment can be found on the Specialized website.

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