Specialized Roubaix Ready to go

The Specialized Roubaix seems to be the most suitable carbon framed bike for long distance rides. Here it is with just the Crud Road Racer Mudguards on and the stock Mavic Aksium wheels. But as supplied it required one or two further tweaks to make it just right. It also needed different wheels and lights adding.

Generator Front Wheel and B&M Cyo

The front wheel is a 32h open pro with a Schmidt hub. The Schmidt hub has already done numerous events in recent years including PBP and has had to be sent back to Germany for repair because it was worn out. The Mavic Open Pro is the second rim with this hub. I think I will need to replace the rim soon, it feels worn concave on the braking surfaces. The light is a Busch & Müller (B&M) Cyo. Members of the general public are the best judges of this light. “I thought you were a car” several of them have commented when I have passed with the Cyo in full effect.

Schmidt hub front wheel and Cyo light

Over Kill High Strength 36h Back Wheel, Hope Hub

Rear wheel being built

This is an entire new wheel. After my troubles with the last bike wheel this is designed to be weather resistant, strong and easy to service. It has a Hope Pro 3 hub and 36h Open Pro rim. Hope hubs, I am told, have the problem of being noisey when freewheeling. Against this minus point they have excellent weather proofing, stainless steel bearings and the local bike shop can service it for me, if I’m feeling lazy. A 36 spoke rear wheel can loose 1 or 2 spokes but still remain true enough to ride. So it can keep going when other wheels have given up.

Wheel with Hope hub and RSP Astrum rear light

Aslo you can see here a RSP Astrum LED battery powered LED light, which is daylight visible.

Titanium Seatpost to Carry Big Saddlebag

The bike as supplied had a carbon seatpost. Although I am not of the party that believes that carbon is just an accident waiting to happen, seatposts do seem to fail occasionally. Also I like to have a huge saddlebag on a seatpost mounted SQR block. The SQR block attaches with a steel band that could cause stress damage to a carbon post. So the old Titanium USE Alien seatpost has been installed.

USE Alien Titanium seatpost with SQR block

Now all I need is some fine winter weather and a few kilometres of road…

UPDATE: someone asked what the weight of the bike was as shown, with pedals, lights etc. It is 10.1 Kg