Specialized Roubaix Pro

The Specialized Roubaix Pro is a very good all-weather training and commuting tyre. With a slick central tread and heavily siped shoulders, it balances smooth, easy rolling with predictable handling on loose and wet surfaces. If you stick to the minimum inflation pressures you do get to feel every bump in the road, but if you're looking for the best road bike tyres you can get for this kind of money, they're well worth considering.

The Roubaix Pro is marketed by Specialized as an endurance road tyre, so you'd expect it to be long lasting and hardwearing. It's also, as the name suggests, ideal for mixed surfaces.

This model has been around for a few years now, and appears to have a cult following; and if the reviews on the Specialized website are anything to go by, it'll be sticking around for years to come. On my first ride on the Roubaix Pros, I was straight out onto damp roads for a spin around Manchester, and I found it hard to disagree with the reviews I'd read.

They offer plenty of grip on damp and loose surfaces, yet are sprightly and responsive off the mark, and once they were spinning along, I didn't feel like I was working any harder than usual. What was immediately noticeable, however, was how unforgiving the Roubaix Pros are if you stick to the high minimum pressure of 115-125psi; that, and a fairly narrow width, mean they do little to absorb hard surfaces.

The tyres feature a 120tpi casing and Specialized's Gripton compound. With a slick central tread, they not only roll smoothly and efficiently, but have stable high speed characteristics – no wobbles or loss of traction when cornering on descents above 30mph, while the shoulders offer assured handling on loose and damp surfaces.

The Roubaix Pros are 120tpi (threads per inch) and include Specialized's Endurant bead-to-bead casing and BlackBelt technology (a layer of aramid fibres under the tread).

Unlike Shaun's issues when reviewing the Specialized Roadsport tyres, I didn't experience any problems during my rides – whether I was trundling through Cheshire lanes, down loose surfaces or around Manchester. Of course, this could be down to sheer luck, or it could be the additional BlackBelt technology the Roubaix Pros feature.

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You can read about these different technologies on Specialized's website, but briefly: the Endurant casing is wrapped around the tyre and doubled back on itself, which Specialized claims results in the tyre offering puncture resistance and defence against sidewall/shoulder tears, while the BlackBelt tech is tightly woven aramid fibres placed directly under the tread to provide protection against sharp debris.

Sizing

Specialized offers the Roubaix Pro tyres in three width 'ranges': 23/25mm, 25/28mm and 30/32mm, the sizes depending on the wheel you mount them on and their internal rim width.

When mounting them on my 35mm-deep BMC CRD-351 wheels with a 17mm internal width and 25mm outer, the Roubaix Pros did require tyre levers for the last 20 per cent – much like my experience with Continental GP5000s and Pirelli Velos.

Value

The Roubaix Pros are a decent price for a tyre of their quality. The CST Czar Dual Compound tyres Shaun tested recently are slightly cheaper at £29.15, and he rated them for their wet weather handling and decent puncture protection. They're also lighter, although they don't feature a 120tpi casing, so you might find them slightly harder work once you're going.

The Pirelli P7 Sports that Steve tested last year are cheaper still at £28.99 (for the 28mm – £26.99 for the 24mm, £27.99 for the 26mm), but he did note their significant weight and sluggish feel.

The Vittoria Rubino Pro G2.0s (as tested by Stu in 2020) that came standard on my BMC are more expensive at £44.99, and I wasn't particularly impressed by their ride quality or their rolling resistance, though they were equally impressive on loose and wet surfaces.

Conclusion

The Specialized Roubaix Pro tyres are a great option if you're looking for a dependable winter, training or commuting tyre. With their 120tpi casing and mixed tread design, they offer a responsive ride with assured handling in wet and loose conditions. Specialized hasn't compromised on the Roubaix Pro's durability either, with the inclusion of its Endurant casing and BlackBelt technology ensuring you can experience miles of worry-free cycling. If you run them at their recommended minimum pressure, though, it does result in an uncompromising ride quality that ensures you feel every bump.

Verdict

Grippy tyre offering excellent performance in all weather conditions