Roubaix-inspired all-surface road grip
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By Robin Wilmott
Published:
Specialized pitches the Roubaix Pro as a fast road tyre that’s built to handle the roughest roads, with a tough casing and great puncture protection.
On top of that, it’s claimed to offer plenty of grip while handling well. On paper, that sounds akin to the Holy Grail of tyre performance.
A high (yet narrow) recommended tyre pressure range aside, the Specialized Roubaix Pro is a fast-feeling, grippy, very competent winter tyre.
The Specialized Roubaix Pro tyre is available in three sizes.
Unusually, these are listed as 700 x 23/25c, 700 x 25/28c and 700 x 30/32c, with respective claimed weights of 260g, 300g and 355g.
One could argue that because tyres rarely size up accurately to the printed sizes, giving width ranges like this is more indicative of what you might see in reality. Presumably, these ranges denote the potential inflated width of a tyre on rims with narrower or wider internal widths.
The 25/28c tyres tested came in 3g lighter than advertised, at 297g apiece.
The 120 TPI (threads-per-inch) Endurant kevlar and nylon casing protects the tyre from bead to bead, while being said to offer the benefits typical of a supple, high-TPI casing.
A strip of BlackBelt technology material sits beneath the tread to make it as impermeable as possible.
Specialized’s Gripton rubber compound provides the all-important road contact, and the recommended inflation range for the tyres tested is a fairly high (yet narrow) 85 to 95psi.
The Roubaix Pro has a generously sized casing that’s easy to handle, and was (perhaps understandably, given the link between Specialized and Roval) very easy to fit to my Roval test wheels.
The wheels’ 20mm internal width helped the Roubaix Pros inflate to 29.5mm wide and 27.5mm tall.
The width is a surprise given the 25/28c rating, but the resultant volume bodes well for comfort.
The tyre’s Gripton rubber tread has a slick central band, flanked by a pattern of subtly raised diamond shapes that get larger towards the shoulders. They’re arranged in a curved, angled pattern that resembles cobblestones (no prizes for spotting the theme here).
The inflated tyre profile is a broad, shallow rounded shape. The patterned tread extends to the very limit of realistic cornering angles, and transitions smoothly into the sidewalls.
On the road, it feels extremely stable, with the generous air volume creating the potential for decent comfort.
However, if you stick rigidly to Specialized’s recommended tyre pressure range of 85 to 95psi, that potential is largely unrealised.
The ride quality is still good, feeling very composed and predictable on uncertain surfaces. However, weighing 74kg, I found that reducing pressure a little below 85psi certainly increased the cushioning effect and improved grip levels.
Of course, deviating from recommended pressures comes with its own risks, such as negatively affecting tyre wear, possibly increasing the chances of punctures, plus voiding any warranty the product might be covered by.
At almost 300g each, there are slightly lighter options than the Roubaix Pro, but the Specialized tyres defy their mass by rolling keenly.
I found I could corner at speed with confidence thanks to the tyre’s textured shoulders and fairly supple casing, which combine to generate grip.
Acceleration is perfectly acceptable for a winter tyre. The Roubaix Pro doesn’t feel especially racy, but neither does it feel sluggish or dull.
The tyre is equally at home in wet or dry conditions, and I could find good grip in all rideable conditions.
Although my test period shouldn’t challenge the limits of wear, I’ve ridden the tyre on abrasive gritted roads, over hedge trimmings (thorns and splinters) and the usual detritus that often covers winter roads. Up until now, it has remained resilient.
The Specialized Roubaix Pros are quite impressive tyres, suitable for winter use.
With generous air volume, predictable handling and reliably solid grip, they’re a fine winter or commuting option.
I find the restrictive recommended pressure range disappointing, as will many wanting to maximise the tyre’s larger-than-advertised inflated width. But that aside, the Roubaix Pro tyre is a strong-performing all-round winter tyre.
Contributor
Robin Wilmott is a freelance writer and bike tester. He began road cycling in 1988 and, with mountain bikes in their infancy, mixed experimental off-road adventures with club time trials and road races. Cyclocross soon became a winter staple and has remained Robin's favourite form of competition. Robin has always loved the technical aspect of building and maintaining bikes, and several years working in a bike shop only amplified that. Robin was a technical writer for BikeRadar for nearly a decade, and has tested hundreds of bikes and products for the site. He has also written extensively for Cycling Plus, Velonews and Cyclingnews.
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