Beaker

Anyone use the Specialized Roubaix line of tires? I have the Roubaix Pro’s on my Roubaix comp (unsurprisingly), but I’ve been mulling over a couple o’ things having put a couple of hundred miles on them now.

https://www.specialized.com/bc/SBCEqP...jsp?spid=35652

1) How much of the Roubaix ride quality is coming from the fact that they’re 25/23?
2) Do you buy the marketing “contact area of a 23 on the flat but cornering contact of a 25”?
3) Have you switched your Roubaix over to 23’s, is there any difference in handling (ride or rotating mass - I'm not a weight weenie at this point in my life)?

I’m thinking about changing to 23’s some time down the line since a) these are fat boys (not necessarily a problem, but looks a little weird) and b) it’s a bit of a pain coaxing them past my brake calipers (yes they’re open). Other than that, I’ve no major complaints.

Brad Smith

Hmmm. Are the Roubaix tires new? My 2006 came with All Condition Pros, I thought.

Beaker

Mine's an '07 - I think they must have been new spec for that model year, looking at their website, the 06 did have the all condition pro's

freemti

I like mine just fine. However I don't have a huge resume of experience with different tires so its not like I can say they are so much better/worse that brand X. My LBS put them on my new bike and I have maybe 200 miles on them so far. I can say they seem to perform just fine, I have some downhill curves on my commute that I regularly take in the mid 30mph range - never felt unsteady. They "seem" faster than my older commuter bike with Bontrager hardcases - but it not a fair comparison.

I won't invoke the fl*t voodoo by suggesting that I haven't had a fl*t on my commute which has some shoulders with a lot of gravel and road debris - but I haven't....

kensuf

I put a set on my backup wheels a week ago to get ready for the Perry-Roubaix and Webster-Roubaix.

They're big donut tires and roll slowly compared to the pro2's I'm usually running. But they seem pretty tough.

I don't plan on using them after March 22nd except for the occasional training ride.

George

I thought they were to soft and picked up every pebble on the road. I got a flat the first week with the Specialized tires. Anyhow I stayed with the 25s and went with the Conti's 4 Seasons.

ericm979

The carcass shape does make for a wider contact patch- but of course it'll be the same size as a regular 23 tire inflated to the same pressure. I didn't think that they cornered any better or worse than the better regular 23s I have used. Cornering is mostly due to compound, and the Specialized tires have a pretty soft tread. Better for cornering, worse for rolling reistance. But the differences in both from say Michelin Pro 2s are not that great. I was a little worried about leaning so far in corners that I'd roll off the edge of the tread, but I never quite got there so it was ok . Riders who are very agressive on turns might have a concern.

I stopped using the Specialized tires since even the 23s don't fit in the very tight chainstays on my Pedalforce QS2.

Allegheny Jet

My Roubaix Expert came with the 23/25's. I purchased a spare to use when the back tire gets used up. I put 2,000 outdoor miles on the tires, then used them more on the trainer. I ran the back tire to the threads on the trainer and put a junk tire on for the remaining indoor sessions. I do have an issue with taking the front wheel off as the tire will not clear the brake shoes without major coaxing. I never had a flat on the tires and I weigh 195lbs so they must be durable. I hope to take the unused tire back to the LBS and exchange it when I buy Conti 4000's. I just can't get used to looking at my front wheel and seeing that big balloon of a tire out there.

rbart4506

I had them on my 07 Roubaix Expert. I found them to be a nice handling tire. They provided more grip then the All-Condition Pro. I had problems getting the wheels off because of tire/brake interference. I also found them a tad on the soft side and real easy to cut.

I swapped them out after about a month for some 23c Michelin Krylion's. I didn't notice a major difference in ride comfort, but the bike seemed to roll better with the smaller tires.

Beaker

Good comments -- you've confirmed my sense that these aren't bad tires, but I might get a lower rolling resistance with a 23. I'd also found that they pick up a lot of stuff from the road.

So any other recommendations for a good 23 that will be a little faster, but somewhat tough enough to not give me more punctures?

Beaker

OK - an update, I've been happily rolling along on my Roubaix Pro donuts, and went in to get some advice from my LBS about adjusting my brakes - did so, tightened my cables and this rendered getting my front wheel off even tougher. Given that I'm loading my bike into my car at least twice a week I've bitten the bullet and ordered a set of 23mm PR3's from PBK.

I figure this should both give me some relief from squeezing the tires past my brake calipers (the guy in the store recommended deflating them to avoid dragging the brake pads out of line) and also work out how much less rolling resistance I'll get. At ~$38/tire this seemed too good an offer to pass up.

Anyone got any first opinions while I'm waiting for Royal Mail and USPS to get their acts together? I've read lots of talk, but not much experience with these yet.