In 2004 Specialized launched a bike with slacker tube angles, a longer wheelbase and, for the first time on a carbon frame, zoned frame compliance with the inclusion of ‘Zertz’, a vibration-damping viscoelastic polymer frame insert. Called the Roubaix, it heralded the birth of the modern endurance bike.
While boosting comfort without sacrificing speed has always been an obsession for pro riders facing the gruelling cobbles at the Spring Classics, nowadays riders of all abilities can benefit from endurance bike design.
Most brands offer an endurance machine, and while frame technology moves on, the primary goal of providing rider comfort remains the same.
With neither stiffness nor weight the driving force behind endurance bikes, designs often feature innovative solutions and concepts borrowed from other cycling disciplines, such as in-built suspension…
