It looks like the Robaix Pro frame lists for $1700 INCULDING headset, fork and seatpost. Can anyone verify that this is correct? If so, it looks like a fairly major bargain. I did a rough pricing with Campy Chorus components except for a FSA compact carbon crank and it would appear that you could have a really sweet bike for about $4300. Has anyone out there built up the frame? What were your results?

It looks like the Robaix Pro frame lists for $1700 INCULDING headset, fork and seatpost. Can anyone verify that this is correct? If so, it looks like a fairly major bargain. I did a rough pricing with Campy Chorus components except for a FSA compact carbon crank and it would appear that you could have a really sweet bike for about $4300. Has anyone out there built up the frame? What were your results?

According to Specialized website $1700 is the correct price for the Roubaix frame/fork/seatpost (headset?). I have a Roubaix Comp 27 and ride it almost every day. Its a great bike.

Why would you choose Chorus over other groups? Just curious. It sure is beautiful stuff and I wouldn't miss having shift cables in my face.

I saw a Roubaix Pro frame / fork on sale at one of my local bike shops for $1,350 ($1,700 MSRP) and it was my right size (54cm). However, I just bought a stock '04 Roubaix Pro on sale for $3,150 and upgraded to the following components:

FSA Compact Pro Elite Carbon Crankset
FSA Ti ISIS bottom bracket
Modolo Curvissimo KX Carbon bar
Specialized S-Works Carbon stem
Specialized S-Works All Condition Pro tires
Fizik Arione saddle
Fizik Bar Gel

Now the entire bike is all carbon and the price came to $4,000 before taxes. I think that is a great price in the sense that there is nothing left to upgrade. It pretty much uses all top of the line components, except for maybe more lightweight wheels, but I would have more durability that light weight when it comes to wheels.

consider this (because I'm doing a similar thing with the tarmac.)

Buy a roubaix comp (which is around 2300 I think, you should be able to swing 2000 at the shop.) The roubaix comp and pro have the same frames. Then sell the new components from the roubaix. And I'm sure theres a few you can keep over rather than have to buy new. You'll recoup the money. Oh you already bought it nevermind.

Hairscrambled, try out a campagnolo shift group, its a different shifting method than shimano and you might like it. Thats the main difference.

In answer to the previous question about why I was thinking about a Campy Chorus group if I get the Robaix frameset. Campy vs. Shimano is kind of a personal preference thing. They both make excellent quality components and the argument has been presented well on both sides in other forums on this site. My personal preference tends toward Campy. I gravitate toward the Chorus group because it works as well as Record and is considerably less expensive while only marginally heavier.

With Shimano you swing the entire brake lever to shift to a larger diameter gear and press the smaller inner lever to shift to smaller gears. I heard Campy works differently. Can you go back and forth between the groups? I use Shimano on both bikes but have always wanted to try Campy.

Campy is different in that when you go the the smaller gear its with a button/lever on the inside (inside meaning facing toward opposite side lever) that you push straight down. larger gear is the same inner lever under the brake part. you don't move the brake lever at all, which I found on shimano to sometimes cause me to brake when I shift.

Thanks. I'm going to try it on my next bike.