First impressions: Carbon, or the bike?

[Owlie]

I tested out a 54cm Specialized Roubaix the other day. A Roubaix rather than a Ruby because no one keeps 54cm women's road bikes around. It was a little long, but it felt better than my current bike, fit-wise. Anyway, I took it on a 1.5-mile test ride (some small hills, mostly quiet neighborhood streets), and it was a rather strange first experience with carbon.

The fact that I felt insulated from the road was kind of cool. Weird, after riding an aluminum bike for two years, but cool. What I didn't like was the fact that it was weirdly sluggish and the cornering felt very odd. I felt like I was fighting the bike half the time. Is this something that you need to get used to with carbon? I'm wondering if it felt odd because I'm not getting the sort of "feedback" from the road that I'm used to. Or is it just an artifact of that particular bike? The shop guy suggested that it may have been the frame because it's a men's bike and built for a heavier rider. Any truth to that?

(I'll admit that part of my frustration stemmed from the pedals. I don't like toe cages so I flipped them over. No grip on those things whatsoever.)

[spokewench]

I have a carbon bike and it is definitely not sluggish. I would think it is fork rake if cornering felt sluggish, or something else in the geometry.

[zoom-zoom]

Any idea what length stem they had on there? Longer stem could definitely = mushier cornering.

I think the Roubaix/Ruby is a fairly relaxed bike, though. I believe it's similar to my previous Synapse. I didn't love the handling of that, especially on corners. I HAD to slow down for corners...I thought it was me, but once I got on my new bike I realized it wasn't me...that bike was simply a dog for corners. I don't have to slow down much at all for corners, now.

[smittykitty]

Wow, DH and I are always remarking how quick our Roubiax & Ruby respond as compared to are alum. bikes. Corners are great too. Weird. Maybe the fit?

[Owlie]

Wow, DH and I are always remarking how quick our Roubiax & Ruby respond as compared to are alum. bikes. Corners are great too. Weird. Maybe the fit?

Possibly. It was a little on the long side, but a little more comfortable than my current bike. I rode a 54cm aluminum Dolce (same geometry as the Ruby, and that's close to the Roubaix geometry, though not exactly) on the same route, and it didn't have the cornering problem--in fact, it felt like it cornered better. Either the fit, then, or the carbon layup. I'd love to give the Ruby a shot, in case it is the difference in the carbon layup or something--but preferably with pedals I can keep my feet on!

Zoom-zoom, you've got me wondering if it would be worth trying a few more aggressive frames (women's versions of CAAD10 and SuperSix, maybe a Madone in the H2 because no one has the Amira around here) just for comparison purposes. Probably more bike than I will ever need, because I don't have a competitive bone in my body! Well, if it fits, I can consider it, right? (Plus, my bike is oddly more comfortable in the drops, which is weird, because we've pretty much established that it's too long...)

[Owlie]

A way to compensate for a bike that is too long is to go to the drops. I was there a lot before getting a shorter stem. After the effective TT length was adjusted, I had to remind myself to go there. I even flattened out as though I had TT bars. (So the reach was so long, it was as if there were TT bars on the bike). Can't do that now, the reach isn't long enough.

That makes sense. It puts less strain on your upper back and neck than doing weird things to try to hold yourself up. I keep wanting aero bars for the trainer.