johngwheeler

I'm looking for a new endurance road bike and test rode a Focus Paralane 105 (54cm) and Specialized Roubaix Expert (2017) today (also 54cm).

I'm 177cm (5'9.5") with an 86-87cm inseam (c. 34") and found the 54cm (medium) Focus fit me very well. I had expected to need to the larger (large / 56cm) size to get the stack I wanted, but I found the handlebar drop very comfortable). The 54cm Roubaix, however, felt cramped, so I really need to test a 56cm frame.

In terms of ride quality, these are my thoughts:

Paralane felt really good; responsive, yet stable when out of the saddle. Seemed to give plenty of confidence around corners or when sprinting (didn't get to try any descents on my test ride). Riding up a steep incline was easy with 50-32 and no front wheel lift or rear wheel slip. The Fizik Aliante saddle was really comfortable. Overall, I was really impressed with how nibble, yet sure-footed it felt compared to my Giant TCX cross-bike (with 32mm road tires). The Shimano 105 gears were much softer in their changes to my SRAM Rival, but maybe a little less positive than I like. The front derailleur was a bit uncertain at times, but I got used to it. The bike made a very good impression on me.

The Roubaix Expert - which costs nearly AU$2000 more - and is out of my price range (I would be looking at the Comp or Elite), felt really smooth. Brakes were excellent and the gear shifting of the Ultegra groupset seemed noticeably better than the 105 (which I hadn't expected). I think the 54cm frame is slightly too small for me as I felt a bit cramped and the saddle wasn't as comfortable. Out of the saddle, it felt less stable than the Focus Paralane, possibly due to its size, but maybe also because of the Future Shock suspension. On a patch of cobble-stones it was impressively composed and smooth - I didn't try the same patch with the Focus, which I should have done, and will do before making a decision. My overall impression was that the Roubaix offered a more refined and comfortable but somewhat less engaging ride that than the Paralane.

Both bikes felt way more nimble and agile than my Giant TCX, which has been my "road-bike" for the last few months. I was actually blown away by how good these bikes felt on the pavement.

I would need to test like-for-like with a 56cm Roubaix with a 105 group set to make a fair comparison (both in spec and price).

I'm really starting to think that my road riding is compromised on the Giant TCX, which is a cyclocross race bike. It's a nice bike, and a lot faster than my commuter (Trek Crossrip), but the Focus Paralane and Specialized Roubaix left it feeling like a donkey compared to a racehorse - well, not quite, but the difference was significant!

Trek Domane, Cannondale Synapse and maybe Cervelo C3 are on my list too.

That was a fun test!