S-works roubaix or not?
-
- Posts: 4
- Joined: Sat Mar 15, 2014 5:20 pm
S-works roubaix or not?
Postby lbren » Sun Nov 23, 2014 5:38 pm
I notice this s-works roubaix sl4:
http://www.bikeexchange.com.au/a/road-b ... /102612201" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
The prices seems pretty good.
Should i buy this and sell my current bike? Current ride is a basso laguna. Unfortunately I can't keep both!!
- rodneycc
- Posts: 2879
- Joined: Mon Oct 14, 2013 1:50 pm
- Location: Melbourne Eastern Suburbs, Victoria
Re: S-works roubaix or not?
Postby rodneycc » Sun Nov 23, 2014 6:09 pm
2013 Lynskey Helix;2013 XACD Ti Di2
2013 Giant TCR Adv SL1;2014 Giant Defy Adv SL
- Ross
- Posts: 5742
- Joined: Sat Nov 07, 2009 8:53 pm
Re: S-works roubaix or not?
Postby Ross » Sun Nov 23, 2014 7:49 pm
- Xplora
- Posts: 8272
- Joined: Sat Dec 11, 2010 12:33 am
- Location: TL;DR
Re: S-works roubaix or not?
Postby Xplora » Sun Nov 23, 2014 9:00 pm
You have three questions to ask yourself.
Can I handle the bike? (Will it hurt you because you can't handle the stiffness?)
Is it appropriate for you now? (is it too racey or too relaxed to make you happy?)
Will it be appropriate for you next year? (is it too racey or too relaxed to make you happy in the long term?)
The Tarmac, Venge and Roubiax are great for these questions. A Venge will seriously mess you up if you are on tough and rough roads, both bumps and geometry. It's hard work riding a bike like that for 200kms if the roads aren't good.
If you're on good roads, and still want to ride fast, rather than comfy, a Tarmac might be a good choice.
But, if you want to race, and criteriums lasting 30 minutes are the only thing you can race, then a Roubiax might suck because you just can't get the power down the same as a Venge, or even a Tarmac.
The Tour was won on a Tarmac. But you aren't Nibali, so this might be a bit much for you... and you've got to be an elite sprinter to consider taking a Venge onto a normal road for longer rides, because it's just not as comfortable as the Roubaix.
Only you can answer those questions. At least its fairly easy to make the call with Spesh, they aren't very confusing with their bikes.
-
- Posts: 3459
- Joined: Mon Jun 30, 2014 10:23 am
Re: S-works roubaix or not?
Postby CKinnard » Sun Nov 23, 2014 9:14 pm
As noted often,
- carbon brake surfaces are not ideal for long or steep descents due to overheating issues, and these wheels' braking behavior has not fared well in reviews.
- deep section carbon wheels are very stiff and transmit a lot of road shock into your hands and bum.
- the wheels have an internal rim width of 16.2mm which is approaching the narrowest available, and the least suitable for enduro riding for which 25-28mm tires are more appropriate.
- the wheels have internal nipples, which makes quick true-ing difficult.
If I was buying an enduro bike in the next 6 mths, I'd get something with hydraulic disc brakes. The last time I did a steep hill descent, I had to pull over for 10 minutes to let the rims cool down as the brake pads were turning to mush. To my surprise the rear rim was hotter than the front, and I was unable to touch it for 5 minutes.
Whoever chose the components for this bike is making an appeal to cyclists more concerned about the 'look' of a bike, rather than fit for purpose.
- Duck!
- Expert
- Posts: 9876
- Joined: Tue May 21, 2013 8:21 pm
- Location: On The Tools
Re: S-works roubaix or not?
Postby Duck! » Sun Nov 23, 2014 11:33 pm
Quite the contrary. Although the tensile stiffness of carbon is greater than aluminium, making the wheels stiffer against low-frequency stresses, carbon (or more correctly, composite laminates including but not exclusive to those based on carbon fibre) have far superior high frequency vibration damping properties to aluminium & steel, so considerably less "road buzz" is transferred to the rider when riding on carbon rims.CKinnard wrote:I don't know why anyone would buy a relaxed geometry frame built for long rides and rough roads, then put full carbon rims on it that are better suited to 1hr criterium racing on smooth bitumen.
As noted often,
- deep section carbon wheels are very stiff and transmit a lot of road shock into your hands and bum.
- Ross
- Posts: 5742
- Joined: Sat Nov 07, 2009 8:53 pm
Re: S-works roubaix or not?
Postby Ross » Mon Nov 24, 2014 6:17 am
You'd need to ask Specialized that question as that's how the bike comes from the factory.CKinnard wrote:I don't know why anyone would buy a relaxed geometry frame built for long rides and rough roads, then put full carbon rims on it that are better suited to 1hr criterium racing on smooth bitumen.
- biker jk
- Posts: 7010
- Joined: Tue Nov 17, 2009 6:18 pm
- Location: Sydney
Re: S-works roubaix or not?
Postby biker jk » Mon Nov 24, 2014 9:56 am
Given that radial wheel stiffness is non-linear with rim depth the relative dampening properties of carbon over aluminium would need to be enormous to offset the role of rim depth. Mavic's testing showed that a 30.5mm deep rim was 200% radially stiffer than an Open Pro (18.4mm depth). So if we compare the Roval CLX 40mm rim to an Open Pro it would be 300% stiffer for the same rim material. That would indeed require some extra special dampening properties of carbon rims which frankly I don't believe exists.Duck! wrote:Quite the contrary. Although the tensile stiffness of carbon is greater than aluminium, making the wheels stiffer against low-frequency stresses, carbon (or more correctly, composite laminates including but not exclusive to those based on carbon fibre) have far superior high frequency vibration damping properties to aluminium & steel, so considerably less "road buzz" is transferred to the rider when riding on carbon rims.CKinnard wrote:I don't know why anyone would buy a relaxed geometry frame built for long rides and rough roads, then put full carbon rims on it that are better suited to 1hr criterium racing on smooth bitumen.
As noted often,
- deep section carbon wheels are very stiff and transmit a lot of road shock into your hands and bum.
- Xplora
- Posts: 8272
- Joined: Sat Dec 11, 2010 12:33 am
- Location: TL;DR
Re: S-works roubaix or not?
Postby Xplora » Mon Nov 24, 2014 10:33 am
-
- Posts: 4
- Joined: Sat Mar 15, 2014 5:20 pm
Re: S-works roubaix or not?
Postby lbren » Mon Nov 24, 2014 10:55 am
My current basso laguna can absorb the some of the bumps surprisingly well. Would love to keep the laguna and get the roubaix however i don't have the space to keep two.
Interesting to know properties of the carbon rims.
I guess a test ride will solve this.
- biker jk
- Posts: 7010
- Joined: Tue Nov 17, 2009 6:18 pm
- Location: Sydney
Re: S-works roubaix or not?
Postby biker jk » Mon Nov 24, 2014 11:05 am
Given that elastic modulus (resistance to being deformed elastically) of carbon fibre is around 2.7 times that of aluminium, I would be most surprised to find that a 40mm carbon fibre rim wouldn't be a lot more radially stiff than an Open Pro rim.Xplora wrote:Do you have any experience with the difference, biker? The reason I ask is that there are assumptions being made there - Mavic has tested rim depth within the same material, but where is the testing for the carbon for the same rim depth?
- Ross
- Posts: 5742
- Joined: Sat Nov 07, 2009 8:53 pm
Re: S-works roubaix or not?
Postby Ross » Mon Nov 24, 2014 7:18 pm
To the original poster, you can always buy some alloy wheels later if you decide you don't like the ride with the carbon wheels. I doubt you will though, the Roubaix I'm sure even with the carbon wheels will be a lot smoother than your current bike.
- Duck!
- Expert
- Posts: 9876
- Joined: Tue May 21, 2013 8:21 pm
- Location: On The Tools
Re: S-works roubaix or not?
Postby Duck! » Wed Nov 26, 2014 10:17 pm
You're referring to low-frequency impacts/vibrations, and in this case deep wheels will always be stiffer than shallow wheels due to the reduced vertical compliane in the rim, regardless of material. The greater elasticity of carbon will take some of the sting off, but a big bump will always be felt as a big bump. A deep carbon rim will transfer more of the impact than a shallow aluminium rim, but it will feel less jarring than a similarly-profiled aluminium rim.biker jk wrote:Given that radial wheel stiffness is non-linear with rim depth the relative dampening properties of carbon over aluminium would need to be enormous to offset the role of rim depth. Mavic's testing showed that a 30.5mm deep rim was 200% radially stiffer than an Open Pro (18.4mm depth). So if we compare the Roval CLX 40mm rim to an Open Pro it would be 300% stiffer for the same rim material. That would indeed require some extra special dampening properties of carbon rims which frankly I don't believe exists.Duck! wrote:Quite the contrary. Although the tensile stiffness of carbon is greater than aluminium, making the wheels stiffer against low-frequency stresses, carbon (or more correctly, composite laminates including but not exclusive to those based on carbon fibre) have far superior high frequency vibration damping properties to aluminium & steel, so considerably less "road buzz" is transferred to the rider when riding on carbon rims.CKinnard wrote:I don't know why anyone would buy a relaxed geometry frame built for long rides and rough roads, then put full carbon rims on it that are better suited to 1hr criterium racing on smooth bitumen.
As noted often,
- deep section carbon wheels are very stiff and transmit a lot of road shock into your hands and bum.
It's the high-frequency, small chattery bumps that carbon excels at ironing out. It's a property of composites, regardless of fibre, that the resin binding the fibres transfers the load between the fibres (which is where the stiffness comes from), and in the process absorbs some of that energy, resulting in a reduction in vibration transfer.
Return to “General Cycling Discussion”
- General Australian Cycling Topics
- Info / announcements
- Buying a bike / parts
- General Cycling Discussion
- The Bike Shed
- Cycling Health
- Cycling Safety and Advocacy
- Women's Cycling
- Bike & Gear Reviews
- Cycling Trade
- Stolen Bikes
- Bicycle FAQs
- The Market Place
- Member to Member Bike and Gear Sales
- Want to Buy, Group Buy, Swap
- My Bikes or Gear Elsewhere
- Serious Biking
- Audax / Randonneuring
- Retro biking
- Commuting
- MTB
- Recumbents
- Fixed Gear/ Single Speed
- Track
- Electric Bicycles
- Cyclocross and Gravel Grinding
- Dragsters / Lowriders / Cruisers
- Children's Bikes
- Cargo Bikes and Utility Cycling
- Road Racing
- Road Biking
- Training
- Time Trial
- Triathlon
- International and National Tours and Events
- Cycle Touring
- Touring Australia
- Touring Overseas
- Touring Bikes and Equipment
- Australia
- Western Australia
- New South Wales
- Queensland
- South Australia
- Victoria
- ACT
- Tasmania
- Northern Territory
- Country & Regional
Who is online
Users browsing this forum: MattyK
- All times are UTC+10:00
- Top
- Delete cookies
About the Australian Cycling Forums
The Australian Cycling Forums is a welcoming community where you can ask questions and talk about the type of bikes and cycling topics you like.
Bicycles Network Australia
Forum Information
Connect with BNA
This website uses affiliate links to retail platforms including ebay, amazon, proviz and ribble.