Specialized designed and engineered the Roubaix to allow pro riders to survive spring classics like the famous Paris-Roubaix race. Sections of paved roads are integrated into the course of these classics and make these spring races difficult, even hellish!
This ancient road construction technique, which consists of assembling stone blocks with mortar to make roads, was frequently used in northern France and Belgium, where Paris-Roubaix, as well as the Tour of Flanders and Gent-Wevelgem, to name but a few, are held.
What do the cobblestones of Flanders roads and those of Quebec have in common? They are called "Hell of the North" and are sometimes compared to "rodeos where everything shakes". This is reminiscent of our Quebec roads...
Poor paving, cracks, bumps, holes and potholes, crumbling shoulders – we certainly have nothing to envy the Belgians! These are all reasons to choose a Specialized Roubaix.
A feat of design, the final result is convincing despite the disparate tube shapes and sections: a thin curved top tube, a mega down tube, a tapered seat tube, rectangular chainstays, and a seatstay line interrupted by the insertion of Zertz ™. This is partly the secret of the Roubaix's comfort: the Zertz ™ inserts. These small elastomer pieces (similar to silicone, but stiffer) are integrated into the fork blades and seatstays. Their function is to absorb some of the vibrations to prevent them from reaching the rider. The rest is in the very design of the frame, a balance between vertical compliance, lateral stiffness, and lightness for optimal comfort on long distances on all roads.
Cobblestone racing specialist, Tom Boonen is the one who has won the most, with 15 between 2005 and 2012. That's why Specialized asked him to collaborate on the improvement of the Roubaix. In appreciation of this fruitful collaboration, Specialized released a special Tom Boonen edition frame, of which only 10 copies are available in Canada. We are therefore lucky to be able to offer it to you! Who will be the lucky one?
Come admire this magnificent frame at the Laval and Sainte-Thérèse boutiques.
Interested in seeing how the Paris-Roubaix race unfolds? Don't miss the 112th edition of Paris-Roubaix on Sunday, April 13, 2014 at 7 AM live on RDS.