I'm glad someone noticed my firewood kindling hatchet!

This one looks like an an old 10 speed Hobo Fixie with upside down drop bars. Not.

Maybe we can get back on track…

Hot. You spent a lot of time staging that bike. Another 30 seconds to remove the bottles and saddle wedge would have made it smokin'.

Nah. It's as ridden.

2008 Roubaix SL

Nah.

Good looking vintage bike.

Steel fork from Independent Fabrications and tubulars, if that helps inform your votes.

Cool looking that deserves better staging.

Nice Specialized with Dura Ace 7800, I prefer it to the newer models

So this, plus the deafening silence from the rest of the crowd, says "Not Hot." But since it isn't not hot enough to get the real Not Hot treatment like some others, I wonder -- can an aging Zertz-equipped bike become hot again? ...or is it now a middle-aged showgirl, passable but forever consigned to the background?

I can envision carbon stem, modern rims, probably black tape because there's just too much white right now. The chainring is ugly AF for sure. Curious what others see.

IMO, it's in that in-between era where it's not really "classic/vintage", and it's not up to date with modern design. I expect that the bike rides very nicely, and performs every bit as well as it always has. Being that this thread is a beauty contest, "middle aged showgirl" is probably an apt analogy. Updating parts won't change the exposed cable routing and era-trend graphics, but would help get the most out of what you're working with. Personally, I think the white saddle and bar tape work well on that bike. If it were mine, I would trim the steerer so the top cap sits flush on the stem (if you're still trying to dial in your fit, don't do this).

In-between era: For sure. I was conflicted about even posting it here.
Rides nicely: Absolutely yes, especially when it's smoothing out some of Tucson's sketchier roads. I suppose in those moments it's still Hot. hahaha
Trim the steerer: Very tempting, but the bike isn't the only one aging around here. Best to keep it in case I need to adjust upward for my old self in the future.

Appreciate the input!

Honestly, I think it would look better with a whiskey fork or an enve fork.

Clean bike, Nice staging, nice color scheme. I imagine it rides nice. Honestly I like the crankset. It’s different. The wheels are boring. Ritchey zetas might make it pop, Carbon wheels would improve the ride, but personally skittish on carbon with rim brakes. Not sure if it’s super hilly where you are but bad things can happen.

Cockpit could be an upgrade, but honestly if you like the way it rides, why change it.

I don't think it's too much white. I was thinking Spesh white cages. I think black rims may look better with less spokes, but that's just me. It's not bad looking, by any means, it's more likely a bike I would relegate to commuter status than use on the beatdown ride.

FWIW, my vintage Ridley is around the same age.

IMO, the 3 changeable things that easily make a bike "hot," regardless of age, are color coordination, bar position, and deep section carbon wheels. A lot of the 2000s and 2010s bikes have fairly garish color/graphics schemes. Finding component/accessories that match those schemes, can be difficult IMO.

I posted my circa 2013 Canyon Ultimate on here a couple years back. It received a "hot" however, I think that particular bike is borderline "meh" in real life. The main reason being the wheels are only 38mm deep carbon wheels. When it had deeper wheels, it was unquestionably a good looking bike in my eyes. Even when I do think it's a good looking bike, it's because I'm viewing the bike through the lens of form follows function. It's a climbing bike with virtually no aero considerations, so shallow wheels get a pass. Even at that, the "hotness" difference is made by the color coordination and the fact that the stem is nearly slammed.

But that obed though. Sizzle.

I bet it would look cooler with 40mm carbon rims, black tires, black bar tape, black saddle, black crankset and rings, black brakes, and black RD...so all black everything with the blue frame.
To be clear though, itll still be a 17 year old frame with a dated looking top tube curve and cyst looking zertz on the seat stays.

"Cyst looking"

Not very hot...

...or the snow would have melted.