Ah, another Roubaix owner. Here is the link on Zertz technology:
http://www.specialized.com/bc/techlab_zertz.jsp?a=b
Still looking for anyone with some first hand experience.
On the comment about the forum being stuck in the 1970s, actually it did strike me about touring technology in general. I did a lot of touring in the '70s and '80s and the bikes still look pretty much the same. I'm a big windsurfer and it's amazing how technology has filtered down to the masses from the pros. Carbon masts and booms have pretty much wiped out glass and metal. They are stronger, last longer, and are significantly lighter. (Strength may be counter intuitive but to get an idea of how it works take a look at a tree swinging in the wind. Some flex is actually good when under stress.) The downside is that carbon is still more expensive but the cost has come down significantly. At first there was a bit of issue with durability, however that was quickly overcome with better manufacturing techniques. If in fact the comment about the failing fork is true rather than urban myth, it is likely an early carbon fork that was poorly manufactured...