Originally Posted by
FrenchFit
I have a Roubaix Comp, one of last triples, and a dozen other bikes. It's an improvement in weight, stiffness and aero you're looking for..and the Roubaix delivers. My mph jumps up significantly when I ride that bike. The bike is comfortable for long rides, even after I slammed the stem and went with a more agressive wheelset. However, I am not in love with the ride qualities of carbon. There is a certain deadness to carbon; for me it just takes the fun out of riding. So, you can have comfort and speed but the quality/characterisitics of that ride is going to be a matter of individual preference. My Roubaix is semi-permanently parked.
The carbon deadness you feel is due to the material count and layup of the frame not the carbon itself. Ride a SWorks frame and you will notice the lively road feel. Any material can be made to ride to a certain extent, within the boundaries of frame construction, to ride however you want. Though there will always be tradeoffs depending on the material you choose. In my opinion, carbon maximizes the best of the characteristics I like in a frame.