Could the new Roubaix go all-road?
Specialized appears to be developing a radical new frame design, according to a patent application filed by the company.
The patent shows a frame without the lower section of the seat tube.
Instead, what Specialized calls a ‘strut’ intersects the down tube, connecting the seatstay junction to a point around two thirds of the way down the down tube.
The patent claims this design could increase compliance by “advantageously reducing the vertical stiffness of the bicycle while maintaining or reducing to a lesser extent the horizontal (e.g. lateral and/or torsional) stiffness of the bicycle while increasing the comfort for the rider”.
Specialized is no stranger to introducing innovative designs. The 2017 Roubaix was a notable departure from the-then endurance bike convention with its Future Shock. The Venge ViAS was also a futuristic aero road bike ahead of its time.
More recently, the Diverge STR shook the gravel bikes genre with its Future Shock Rear suspension system.
Is this the new Roubaix?
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First spotted by Cyclingnews, the frame shown in the patent clearly portrays a drop-bar bike. But exactly what it could be is unclear.
To start, the frame doesn’t appear to be aerodynamically optimised, which means it’s unlikely to be a new Tarmac, Venge or Shiv.
The Aethos is Specialized’s lightweight bike with traditional tube shapes. Given areas of the frame will need to be reinforced to support the ‘strut’ and rider – thus, increasing weight – we also reckon it’s unlikely this will be a new Aethos.
This leaves the Roubaix and Diverge as the two bikes most likely to adopt this design.
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However, with the Diverge STR new on the market, the Roubaix seems the more likely fit. After all, Specialized hasn’t updated its endurance road bike since 2020.
The tube shapes, particularly the hourglass-like head tube and sculpted top tube, resemble the current Roubaix’s frame design.
The illustration shows a seatpost opening that looks similar in profile to the Pave SL post found on the current model, too.
Let’s not jump to conclusions
However, there are several red flags that muddy this theory…
A 1x Roubaix is unlikely
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Critically, the lack of a seat tube means the bike wouldn’t be able to accept a front derailleur.
1x drivetrains are yet to take off for road riding and Specialized would create a sizeable controversy if users had to ditch the front derailleur.
Specialized could partner with Classified to offer ‘2x’ gearing.
Classified Powershift is a two-speed gear system housed in the rear hub, effectively replacing a front derailleur. While an increasing number of brands are starting to partner with Classified, Specialized has always been a brand to do things on its own terms.
It also feels unlikely the brand would tie the success of a model on a third-party partner.
Do we need an all-road Roubaix?
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The frame also has a number of accessory mounting points, with the main triangle looking like accepting two bottle cage mounts. There also appears to be a third bottle cage mount under the down tube, as well as mounting for a bento box on the top tube.
This is rather a lot of bottle cage real estate for an endurance road bike. That said, the recently launched Trek Domane has a similar mounting-point arrangement.
Of course, it could be a new Roubaix heads in a more all-road direction, with a slightly wider tyre clearance and light off-road focus.
When will this bike see the light of day?
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The Diverge STR Future Shock Rear patent was filed in April 2018 and then published in February 2021, with the bike launching in October 2022.
This newly published patent was filed in July 2021. If previous form is anything to go by, this bike could be up to two years away and Specialized tends to work on a two-to-three year product cycle with each of its models.
Whatever Specialized is up to, we’ll be watching closely. And, of course, there’s a very real possibility this patent could all amount to nothing.
After all, it’s not uncommon for brands to file patents for designs that ultimately never see the light of day.