rockabilly808

so I posted the thread about upgrading the allez and it was brought up it would cost almost as much as a new bike so now it;s gotten me looking at the Tarmac and the roubaix. I know the tarmac is more of a race oriented bike and the roubaix's geometry makes it a bit more comfortable than the tarmac, are there any other key differences I'm missing between the 2 bikes? and I plan on racing at some point, though it has less aggressive geometry is the roubaix still capable of racing? oh and I'm looking at the 2008 tarmac elite and the roubaix elite triple.

bikeM3987

If you plan on racing, I would stay away from the triple. I say go for the tarmac.

rockabilly808

gotcha, what's the big difference between the tarmac and roubaix which supposedly makes he roubaix more comfortable, the roubaix does have an abundance of zertz inserts which I for one and a big fan of

balsingh

I got the tarmac for the same reasons, racing-based. however, if you have watched the tour, you will see riders on the roubaix. but for more intense rides, like crits, then a more aggressive geometry will certainly enhance handling and cornering as i feel there is a heightened sense of control w/ the tarmac over the roubaix. both are great bikes though. can't go wrong.

what are you going to be using it for?

bikeM3987

I took them both for a short ride, as I almost bought one this year. To me, the Tarmac felt more responsive, whereas the abundance of the Zertz on the Roubaix made it feel spongy to me. My bike is AL so this might be why though, even though I am <150 lbs. Go ride them both and see what you think. I think it will come down to the frames overall stiffness, not the geometry that will change the ride.

rockabilly808

well I;d be using it primarily for riding for exercise but I;d like a bike that responsive and performs well, I'm also looking at the cannondale synapse, from what I hear it;s a top notch ride, anybody happen to know it costs though? the synape carbon SL 3 compact to be exact, and how would it stack up against the tarmac and roubaix?

80vette

I have test ridden both of them.
I did not like the Roubaix at all. Just did not handle "crisp" enough for me.

I thought the Tarmac was an excellant bike. Handles well, very responsive w/o being so rigid it makes your teeth rattle.

Go ride both of them and see which one appeals to you.

rbart4506

I've got an 07 Roubaix Expert and am in the process of purchasing an 08 Tarmac Expert. Both of these bikes have the 8r Az1 frames so comparing them is like comparing apples to apples. They both employ the same construction, but the Roubaix adds in the Zertz. I've got over 8000km's on my current Roubaix and when I got on the Tarmac I thought 'Wow, this feels just as supple (vertically compliant) as my Roubaix!'. The test ride wasn't long enough to really notice the difference between the two in the handling department, but my wife who has the same bikes did notice a difference in handling and acceleration. I plan on using the Tarmac for the shorter rides and leave the Roubaix for the longer hilly rides since the Roubaix is a compact and the Tarmac standard. Who know, I might just end up riding the Tarmac most times if it's just as comfortable and more responsive.

Either way you will be getting a good bike, but if you intend to race you may want the Tarmac over the Roubaix. I originally went for the Roubaix due to the comfort level and the fact I will not be racing, but now I'm looking for something a bit more aggressive and responsive. Really, the Roubaix is a great bike and has served me well. It's been a blast to ride and has gone as fast as I've been able to push it.

SeqTarRou

In October of 2005, I bought a Tarmac Pro and a Roubaix Pro. At the time, the geometry was the biggest difference, most of that being in the head tube length and angle. It was great having two bikes to choose from when I went out to the garage and they each rode very differently. The Tarmac was surprisingly comfortable.

Over the past couple of years, the Tarmac geometry has become more like the Roubaix and they are not nearly as different from each other as they used to be. The head tube length and angle differences as well as the shorter wheelbase help make the Tarmac a bit snappier in the corners. The first couple of seasons I owned them, I found myself on the Roubaix a little more than the Tarmac. This past year, I found myself on the Tarmac almost exclusively. I ended up trading the Roubaix for a 2007 S Works Epic mountain bike and have bought a 2007 S Works Tarmac SL to replace the Roubaix. I'm not sure how much I'll ride the 2005 Tarmac Pro anymore, we'll see.

The Roubaix is a very capable racer but it all depends on what kind of racing you plan to do. For the short crits, the Tarmac might be the better choice. For the longer distance races, you may prefer the Roubaix.

As noted, go ride both. You may find you like the more aggressive geometry and snappy handling of the Tarmac or you may find it is a bit too much.

rockabilly808

I plan on test riding both of em this weekend, well weather permitting that it, doubt my LBS would let me take brand new bikes for a test ride in the pouring rain.

umr_aero442

Mine Did last weekend during a specialized Demo Day! got to ride the S-Works SL2....all i can say is WOW.

I just bought a 07 Tarmac Comp. I LOVE IT. it is really fast and responsive. If i had the money at the time, i would have upgraded the wheels on the spot though now it'll have to wait till the summer when i can get a job again. I also did not like the Robuaix b/c it was too cush.

Get the Tarmac if you can afford it!

rockabilly808

I'm also looking into the canondale synapse carbon SL 3 and S5

MulliganAl

Yup, I also purchased the 07 Tarmac Expert and I like it for the same reasons. I liked the Roubaix when I rode it also but the Tarmac just felt snappy and more responsive. I also like the riding position of the Tarmac better.

I'm also looking to upgrade my wheels.

BHBiker

Spez Tarmac you can't go wrong!

elemental

I have not ridden any of the carbon Synapses, but I test rode an aluminum one when my mom (who conveniently also rides a 56) was trying to pick out a bike in August, and I hated it. Bars were very wide for the size and so high up I still felt upright in the drops. Though this could be removed by removing all of the spacers, flipping the stem, and getting narrower bars, this would kind of defeat the purpose of getting the Pilot over something like a CAAD9 or Six13. Though I haven't ridden a carbon Synapse, I am betting the geometry is quite similar, and with the carbon, the ride may even be softer (some would say "better"). For comparison's sake, I currently ride an aluminum Scott with a pretty decent saddle-to-bar drop (actually need to put a couple spacers up top this week- it's starting to feel like a recliner as I get more flexible), so it's all relative, but after riding the Synapse I can tell you that the geometry makes an enormous difference in feel and I think a bike like that would not be my first choice in a crit. My mom's Trek Pilot is fairly similar, and feels all wrong handling wise: It turns in sluggishly, it doesn't respond when you stand up and hammer. This is, of course, all relative: Before I rode the Scott, which now feels kinda soft fit-wise, I rode a fixed gear with a saddle-to-bar drop which probably approached six inches.

So, like everyone else said, test ride all of them, but if you want advice, I would steer clear of the Synapse.

BikeWNC

I'm going to mirror what has already been said. I test rode both the Sworks Tarmac and Roubaix at a Specialized demo day a couple of months ago. I preferred the Tarmac over the Roubaix. The Tarmac is a snappier bike. It is quicker handling than the Roubaix. Both were plenty comfortable while the Tarmac gave more feedback which I liked. The Tarmac was a better climber too. Both are great bikes but unless you need the geometry of the Roubaix I would go with the Tarmac.

Luwin1026

+1 for the Tarmac - I have an 06 S-Works and absolutely love it. And it's comfortable enough (for me) to have done long rides on including a double century in July.

yogi13

The tarmac handles much more like an allez, but is cushier, with slightly less road feel. The geometries on the allez and the tarmac are almost identical. The roubaix has a longer wheelbase and head tube, which makes it more sluggish in turns but more comfortable on long rides, or on rough pavement. It's geometry is much more like a traditional touring bike. If you like the way your allez rides overall you'll probably prefer the tarmac.

Unagidon

if you're used to allez, then tarmac for sure - virtually same geometry. One bike i think you should also try out is the 08 madone - i guess a 4.5 would be in similar price range as elite. It would almost be in between the roubaix and the tarmac.

rockabilly808

I actually rode the madone when my brother was shopping for a new bike and it just didn't feel right, couldn't put my finger on it but just somthing wasn't quite right.

Blade-Runner

I'm about to pick-up the Tarmac "Expert" here is a few weeks.

I'm thinking about looking into a Cannondale for the whole "Made In America" thing before the big buy. Which Cannondale model is closest to the Tarmac "Expert?"

Unagidon

Understand. I had my heart set on Madone 5.2, but ended up with Look 555 instead. But still think the Madone is a great bike.

rockabilly808

well I test rode the tarmac today at the LBS, LOVED it, soon as the funds are available I'm buying the tarmac. Now who wants to buy a 2007 Allez elite triple w/ a cateye strada cadence?

Coyote2

So you're "upgrading" from a perfectly good and new bike because you are planning to race?

Yet another bike forums victim.

rockabilly808

yeah basically, I do actually plan on racing though.