Specialized Roubaix 54 vs 56cm
 

Hey everyone,

Looking to get a Specialized Roubaix but kinda feel in between sizes. I'm 5'11 with short legs. 31.25 inseam based on the geometry which size would fit me better?

Hard to say without seeing you on the bikes, but I'd be leaning towards the 56. Definitely ride both sizes before committing.

The 56 felt kinda stretched out where as the 54 felt more agile and quick but a bit cramped. Not sure which to go with as I seem to have very short legs and long torso for my height.

Let me ask you, are you new to bikes - or have you been riding a while? Because what can seem stretched out initially you may eventually adapt into as your body adjusts. And the 54 could seem cramped once that happens. You could go with either size of course, but personally I (5'10"+) prefer a 56 on a road bike. I havent ridden a Roubaix though.

Can't you ride both and see how each feels??

Sitting here with a 58cm Felt smh wondering how someone my size (same as OP) would even consider a 54.

What's your inseam?

56 bro, trust me.

Similar to yours. 30 length in pants and sometimes those are too long. We are built like turtles. All body and short stubby legs.

The reach between the sizes is very small. Will this have a big impact on the fit and feel?

54cm - 380
56cm - 387

It mainly depends on what saddle to handlebar drop you ride with. If it isn't much probably best to go for the bigger frame so you don't need so many spacers under the stem. Will be easy to get the same reach on either frame with different stem lengths.

+1

I have very similar dimensions and either a 56 with a 120mm-ish stem or a 58 with a 100mm-ish stem seems to work best (on frames with adequate standover height) - on a 54 I would feel really cramped if I didn't have some mongo stem. I do have long-ish arms and maybe there's a difference in flexibility/position, but I couldn't see choosing a frame with a 540mm-ish effective TT for myself.

I know everyone has a different fit and body, but if I was on a 54 it would look like Donkey Kong on a moped. Current bike has a 575 horizontal top tube and 392 reach. I did change the stem out because it was a bit too stretched out on a 110 but I rode it like that for a year including two centuries so it wasn't like it was uncomfortable.

Im 5'9" with a 30" inseam and a 56 is too big for me, Im a 54 kinda guy except on a BMC. They run big. Id say 56 for you also. :D

I'm 5' 8" and ride a 54 cm Specialized Roubaix. It fit's me perfectly.

Am also 6'(184cn) but longer legs. 34 in pants and I have Roubaix in 58.
Maybe 56 is right for him, not 54 I belive.

I'm 6' and the shop recommended me 56cm and I'm about 33 in pants.

Try on 54cm and see how it feels.

Surprisingly I felt better on the 54 because the one felt a bit more agile while still dampening vibrations but at the same time a bit cramped. Would the shop swap out to a longer stem free of charge?

Ask them.

Compact frames were designed with short legs/long torso in mind. I think the 56 is more suited for OP than the 54.

I'm 6"0 with a 32" inseam, and I'm between a 56 and a 58. So I'd say the 56".

If you want it to feel the best, pay for a fitting where they adjust the seat height, seat forward and back, and change the stem to match you.

Smaller bikes typically feel better on the parking lot because they are more lively, but can be less comfortable after a few hours in the saddle. On the other hand, stems, saddles, handlebars, the ones you get when you buy a complete bike are just placeholders - it's cool if they fit out of the box, but it's also cool if you need to replace any or all of them immediately. Having a 120+ mm stem doesn't necessarily mean that the bike is too small if you know what you are doing.

Is there any chance to take the bikes for a longer test ride, perhaps on a loop with some climbing and descending?

I'm 6', 34" inseam, long arms. 56 for me. I test rode the Roubiax and a 56 or 58 would have worked fine.

I ended up going with a different brand, but stuck with a 56. Glad I did. After quite a few miles, I wouldn't want it any bigger. When I was test riding the 56 seemed cramped. Now, not at all. I was probably overthinking the actual feel and not enjoying the ride. Once you stop thinking and just ride, the bike feels different.

Try to get in a long test ride or two. That way you can stop overthinking every little detail of the bike and just enjoy the ride.

Thanks for your opinion. I ended up good no with the 54 with a 120mm stem because I wanted a more aggressive position but still get the smoothness and vibration dampening of the Roubaix. It's now a genetic cross of the Roubaix and Tarmac. I call it the Tarbaix! 😋

When I started riding many years ago I was 5"10 with a 32.5" inseam. I rode a 54 in perfect comfort. Over the years I've noted that I can ride anything from a 54 to 58 (C to C) with similar comfort but I do have to use different stems to accommodate reach.