2018 Specialized S-Works Roubaix SRAM eTap

Specialized has been saying it for years—smoother is faster. But with the all-new S- Works Roubaix with SRAM eTap, this philosophy is taken to new, remarkable heights.

The frame is one of the lightest that we’ve ever made, and it’s been constructed from our top-tier FACT 11r carbon fibre. Its stiffness levels are also off the charts, and compared to the SL4 iteration of yesteryear, you’ll experience a whole new, faster, and more efficient geometry. Through some engineering sorcery, however, we’ve managed to keep the same fit, feel, and position that we’ve all come to love from the SL4, and kept it consistent throughout the size- range due to our Rider-First Engineered™ construction.

Of course, you’re probably thinking, “get on to the suspension thing up front.” We call it Future Shock, and essentially, it’s a piston in the head tube with 20mm of travel. We developed this technology in partnership with McLaren Applied Technologies, and the result of this are a host of drastic performance improvements, namely in the vertical compliance department. Without giving a physics lecture, we found that focusing on vertical compliance, instead of fork splay, meant that we could improve smoothness, speed, and comfort in one fell swoop. And of all the bikes that we’ve tested with our Rolling Efficiency Model, the new Roubaix outperforms anything on the market.

Lastly, we spec’d it top of the line equipment, like the futuristic SRAM eTap wireless shifting and featherweight Roval CLX 32 carbon wheels.

• Featuring our Rider-First Engineered™ design that ensures every frame size has the same legendary responsiveness and smooth ride quality that you’d expect from a Roubaix. The S-Works FACT 11r frameset is our highest quality carbon frame, offering the ideal blend of light overall weight and targeted stiffness, while the all-new Future Shock “suspension” system at the cockpit delivers a revolutionary degree of comfort and control.