Anyone riding a Roubaix SL4 ?

[diegogarcia]

Just wondered if anyone out there riding an SL4 Roubaix. Still not furnished myself with a geared bike and note that these are looking good. Any opinions ?

[dhcp]

Yes - just picked one up locally that had been ridden just a few times. I have an Expert with all Ultegra and I just ripped all of it off and installed a 2013 SRAM Red set I picked up off ebay, literally just finished installing the crank a half hour ago. Not sure how to handle the cabling since it's all internal in 2013, may have to have a LBS finish that part.

I took before and after picture of the bike on the scale, it's 15.8 pounds right now with a cage but no pedals or chain, full SRAM Red components, stock seat and seatpost, stock stem/bars, mavic ksyrium elites and continental 4000s.

I'm coming from a 2011 Cannondale SuperSix 2 (SRAM Red, HM carbon) which has always been reported as uber-stiff but the few test rides I took on the 2013 SL4 Roubaix before I tore it apart felt *stiff* - moreso than my Cannondale. I'll wait before I get the rebuild complete before I pass judgement but this thing was numbing my hands from the vibration, something I absolutely didn't expect. It coud be riding position, I haven't spent any time trying to dial in the fit, but for all the hype I was shocked at how much this thing transmitted vibration. The Ultegra hoods are a lot smaller than the SRAM I'm used to so I was riding with two finger underneath rather than the three I can normally do, I'm sure it all contributed to a questionable ride but sheesh - the magazines fall all over themselves about how absorbant this bike is and that hasn't been my experience. The SL4 Roubaix is a new animal, so who knows.

I once had a 2011 Roubaix (SL2) and that thing was a lounge chair, but it was a 58cm, I usually take a 56cm but it was a stellar used deal and I talked myself into thinking it fit but it was always a little big, but the thing was much more comfortable than my first impression of the SL4.

So the SuperSix is supposed to be my "B" bike and the new Roubaix was going to be the "A" bike once it's done but I have more than a little trepidation at how rough this thing rides. I weight about 225 pounds and rock the bike pretty hard so I'm wondering if maybe the whole "shock absorption" thing was tuned for a 165 pound rider and I'm overwhelming it and like a progressive mountain bike suspension, I'm pushing it to the extreme part of the range just sitting on it where it's super stiff and not in the soft center section that would be with a lighter rider.

The wheels that come from the factory are crap. I took it for a ride with them once and any time I was out of the saddle and pedaling the wheels rubbed up against the brake pads something serious. Now they sit in a corner and will probably end up on whatever bike I sell next, those mavic ksyrium elites are my favorite wheel I've ever ridden so far (for a bigger guy), I have them on the Cannondale too, they take a beating and stay true.

Anyone else weigh in on their experience on the new SL4 Roubaix?

[fa63]

The few magazine reviews I have seen point to the new Roubaix SL4 as being not quite as comfy as its predecessors, so your first impressions sound consistent with those. Maybe try some larger volume tires?

[dhcp]

That's a good idea - I'm currently running 23cm Conti 4ks, I could switch to 25 to see if it make a difference, I think I have a set around. The bars on the SuperSix are FSA compact ones, wonder if those ergos make a difference too?

The seatpost and stock seat are probably vibration points as well but it sure seemed like I was feeling it from the front as cockpit, after 20mi I was shaking out my wrists.

[boots2000]

I have been riding one for over 1 year. 1st a pro version. Recently an S-works SL in matte black.
With new SRAM Red, Look Keo2Max carbon Ti and an SRM my bike is under 15.5 lb/7.037 kg. Could go even lighter as I
have a heavy S-works multi stem on it.
Bike rides awesome, made me forget all about my Tarmac. 1st 1-2 rides front end feels a little sluggish at slow speed but after I adapted I found that I prefer the handing.
Truly gives nothing up in terms or stiffness or weight to other bikes- and it is way more comfortable.

[vfb]

I have been riding a roubaix pro frameset for about a month now. Set up with sram red, trp brakes, specialized stem and bar syntace P6 seat post wheels are ambrosio hubs, dt revo spokes brass nippels and velocity A23 rims, of fulrcrum racing 7 for gravel riding. The weight is around 7,5 with garmin gad sensor and everything. Or as we say ready to ride, i can still save some weight in stem, saddel, QR ti bolts and so on.
Previuesly i have been riding a cube agree gtc 2010, a specialized tarmac SL2 2010 (winter bike) a specialized crux expert M5 alloy frame (2012), and a little time on a Tarmac S-works Sl3 htc (2011)

Is is as stiff at the s-works Sl3 when i have to go up in speed, and closing gaps in group rides sprinting and so on. Stering is precise stiff, and good sometimes i ride in circles because it is funny to make turns on the bike
Comfort is very high, i ride a lot on gravel and crappy roads. And coming from my tarmac which replaced my crux, the change from crux to tarmac was very good comfort wise, but the tarmac is not as stiff as the crux. But moving from tarmac to roubaix felt like cheating, on gravel roads it is sooooooo comfortable fast and stiff. The first time i rode it was at a race, and i could just pick crappy lines, and flying over them and didn`t get beat up as some of the other guys in my group did. And i know specialized also says that, but this my own opinion: it is as race as my tarmac, just sooo much more comfortable, so i can't see a reason to go back to the tarmac... Did i say that i love this bike?