bigsnake76

Bought a 06' roubaix comp on saturday for an upgrade of the Giant OCR 1 Large I was riding. It is on order should be in this week, got 250 bucks off retail price of 2200. I feel it was a fair price, LBS has to make a profit too. I read all the reviews that you all have posted and no one dissed the bike at all, felt pretty comfortable with the purchase.
I was wondering how you have yours set up, racy or comfortable. The bike that i test rode was a 58 cm Roubaix expert triple, the stem on the thing was pointed straight up, seemed like there was no drop at all. I almost felt like I was riding a hybrid compared to my Giant but I am sure it was the stem. The LBS says that I might be able to ride a 56 but said the 58 would be more comfortable for longer rides and the 56 would be a bit smaller. The manager said I looked good on the 58 because I had the seat post raised pretty high on 58 the roubaix expert with my 34" cycling inseam, by the way I am 5' 11". They offered to order the 56 if I did not like the 58 after they set it up on the trainer. It is just strange because i felt like i was streched on the L Giant and I compared the roubaix specs with my OCR specs and the 58 roubaix is a bigger bike than the L Giant but I felt more comfortable on the roubaix!!!! blah blah blah....I had some questions for all of you roubaix comp owners.

1. can you take the gerolsteiner sticker off easily?
2. Any problems with shifting and the compact crank?
3. Does it come stock with white handle bar tape?
4. Do you have the stem flipped down for more of a drop or up for a more comfortable ride?
5. What about the specialized pro tires, did you upgrade them right off the bat. I have read some bad reviews about them?

SECRET

I just purchased an '06 Roubaix Comp Triple as well. I got it for $400 off the retail 2200, so pretty much same ballpark as you. I don't know if you were riding doubles, but the bikes that I tested were all black handle bar tape. I tested it with the stem both ways and definitely felt that I wanted it flipped up for comfort.

Congratulations on your purchase. I should have some pics of my new Roubaix Comp in a week or two when it comes in.

Grasschopper

Congrats on the purchase...I also have the 06 Comp and am loving it though I have pretty much rebuilt it as I wanted Campagnolo. IMO you got a reasonably good deal too. I can address your questions though:

1) the Gerolsteiner logos damn near fall off if you breath on them...look at them wrong and they will run in fear...seriously Specialized used a very low tack adhesive and if you actually want them on there you can contact Specialized customer Service and they will send you ones with much higher tack adhesive.
2) the shifting is fine but if you didn't look close they helped this out by putting 50t and 36t rings on there rather than 50t and 34t so the gearing is quite as low as a triple...but with the 12-27 in the back you have plenty of gear.
3) yes...it is nice tape...but I dumped that when I dumped the stock bars.
4) I don't run the stock stem but mine is flipped up at the moment...mine is a 6° rise/drop stem. Even with the 6° rise I still have like 2" of drop from my saddle to my bars. One really cool thing about the stock pro fit stem is that it can be run at a bunch of different stem angles due to the shim system it uses. From +/- 16° to +/- 8° in 4° steps (I think it is 4° anyway).
5) I did but that is because when I sold the wheels before I ever rode them and simply gave the tires to my father who was looking for tires for his backup bike...he hasn't said a word about them either way other than thanks for the free tires. I too heard bad things....but I would ride them until you knew they had an issue or until they wear out. Specialized does make some VERY good clincher tires though...so don't just write off Specialized tires.

Enjoy...you picked a great bike.

Edit: Wow I just reread you post...your 5'11" on a 58? I am 5'10" and I am riding a 54...though I believe I have a shorter than avg torso...the 548mm TT is perfect for me.

bigsnake76

Thanks for all the feeback, and in response grasschopper's reaction to the 58, I measured myself today and I am 5'11 1/2 and my cycling inseam is 34" (pelvic bone to the floor). I am worried about size but the shop manager tells me that he thinks the 56 will be "very sporty". I am not racing, just riding for fitness and he also says that I have a lot of seat post showing on the 58 meaning the 56 would be way to small. What sucks is they have no 56's in stock and I am just going off the shop managers word that a 58 will fit. This is not his call, it is mine but he told me that if I do not like the 58 when we get it set up, he would order me a 56. Whatever, I might try to find a 56 at another shop and give it a spin.

Once again thanks for all your feedback and I will post some pics as soon as I get it.

Grasschopper

Well your inseam is 2"+ longer than mine...the 58 could be the right bike...if you have or can ride it and it feels good and if the manager is making offers like that then I would say go for it...it really is a super bike.

bld61

I am 6" on the nose and ride a 56. I have the legs for a 58 but a short torso so the 58 has to long of a reach for me. I had it custom fitted with the 175 crank for the extra length. The seat post will look long since its a compact frame and sits lower then a regular frame. I rode about 300 miles on the pro tires and did not like them. Just the shape of them wigged me out. They talked me into trying the new Roubaix S-works tires. Talk about a nice fast rolling tire. 297 TPI, 700 X 25/23c. There expensive but I think there well worth it for the quality of the ride. Next best thing to a Tubular if you ask me.
I know you will enjoy the bike.

bigsnake76

Once again, thanks for the feedback. I have been thinking about the sizing thing all night during Prison Break and 24. I have not ridden a 56 all I have ridden on the test ride was the 58. My last bike (Giant OCR 1 L) was too big. I put down 200 bones on the bike and I am paying the rest of the balance when it comes in later this week. I am going to call the manager tommorow morning and tell him I will not buy the bike until I either ride a 56 from his shop or ride a 56 at another LBS and find out if they have a 56 in stock that I could test ride. Dropping too much much money to just ride the 58 and not at least try the 56 to see what I feel more comfortable on.
I just find it hard to believe that I need a 58 when I am 5'11 1/2" with a 32" pants inseam and 34" (pelvis to floor) inseam.

bikechic

I just bought the Roubaix expert ('06). I'm 5'10 1/2" and have the 56. My husband, who is 6' would have bought a 58 but he got a Madone 5.9 instead (double the price and I doubt double the bike, but we both love our choices). I could probably fit a 58 but it would be a bit of a stretch in the arms. So far, after 320 km, I have no trouble with the tires nor the shifting on the double crank. All day at work today my mind was on my next ride (felt sorry for my clients!).

foxden

I have the 05 Roubaix Elite, the LBS measured my inseam (32 inch, 81 cm pelvis to floor) my torso is 53.9 cm, arm 68.0 and the size according to their calculations was seat tube 53.5 (the 54 cm frame is closest) and the top tube and stem combo wsa 62.9 (they put on a bit shorter stem to make that work).

None of this should be guess work, they should be able to calculate and set up the bike to fit you.

af2nr

I was in the same boat as you, sort of. I went to one shop that had a 05 on closeout in 58, they set it up for me and said that with as much seat post as was showing a 56 would be too small. I only rode the bike for about 20 minutes and although I felt good I still felt a little stretched out. I was really thinking about making this deal when I decided to check another shop, they had both sizes in stock of the 06 but they told me the just by eyeing me the 58 would be a stretch. BTW I am 6' with a 33 3/4" inseam. They set me up on the 56, which basically had the same amount of post showing and it fit like a glove before we even tweaked the bars, stem, seat, etc. I have a slight drop between seat and bars and am still in a comfortable position, which I could never get with my 57 LeMond I had before, and mostly do rec/distance rides. I have had no problems with any of the of the factory specs of the bike and mine did come with white tape, although I have seen some without it? Good luck on your new ride!

bigsnake76

I really appreciate all your feedback, I went with the 56, I could probably ride the 58 but they would have to change the stem in order to accomodate me not being able to see the front hub. The thing that is strange is the manager of the store wanted to order me the 58 and he fits triathletes all the time but it does not matter. Fit comes down to the rider and what is comfortable, not the seller, he tells me I could go 56 or 58 and riders have this problem all the time. I get on the 56 and everything just fits, i cannot see the front hub with the factory 120mm stem and for some reason that makes me feel more comfortable. The 56 just feels more sporty and agile than the 58 to me. Picking it up tommorow night, and getting dialed in. This bike rides and shifts so much better than my 05 Giant OCR 1 I was riding (not to diss Giant). Saw a guy today in the middle of no where in southern Illnois riding a roubaix, Must be a good bike. Now hopefully I will ride it for many miles of enjoyment sweating out the Budweiser Select calories taken in from the friday and saturday night before.

af2nr

Congrats on the new ride, now just be sure and post some pics!

Flywolf

Congrats bigsnake, you will love the bike, I have an 05 Roubaix Comp double and couldn't be happier. Thanks to the great advise I got from the guys here on BF. Enjoy it and post some pics