While the cobbles of Paris-Roubaix may seem alien to modern races, when the iconic spring classic was first run in 1896 poor road surfaces were the norm, hence the continuing attraction of Paris-Roubaix and the other cobbled classics.
In early editions, bikes were well-adapted to the rough surfaces, with a long wheelbase, balloon tyres, limited or no gearing and shallow-drop bars. It’s only really since the 1950s that race bikes have become increasingly adapted to smoother surfaces, with narrower tyres, more gears and more delicate frames.
Those changes have resulted in pros tweaking their bikes for more comfort, greater reliability and better handling on the cobbles. Many of the Paris-Roubaix bike hacks endure, although the changes in modern bikes have resulted in them being increasingly capable and comfortable, even on cobbles.
However, here are some key changes the pros still make for Paris-Roubaix.
Double-wrapped bar tape
Adding a second layer of bar tape to cushion the hands has been a pro hack at Paris-Roubaix for years. In the days when bar tape was a single layer of cotton fabric wrapped on round alloy bars, this was vital, but modern bar tape is already pretty yielding and grippy, and tape makers offer gravel tape designed for comfort and grip on bumpy surfaces. There’s the option to include gel inserts under the tape as well.
Pro-level bikes are now equipped with carbon bars, which help to deaden vibrations. Aero tops provide a wider surface too, so there’s less hand pressure, although many riders still prefer to swap back to round alloy bars for the race if their bikes allow it.
Nevertheless, double-wrapped tape remains a favoured addition to bikes heading for Roubaix, even if Mathieu van der Poel won the 2024 race with single-wrapped bars and riding without gloves.
Bar tape everywhere
It’s not only the handlebars that get an extra dose of tape for Paris-Roubaix. Bar tape is a handy addition to other components to help keep things in place and rattle-free.
In past editions, we've spotted swatches of bar tape on computer mounts and bottle cages. It’s also useful as a cushion between pedal surfaces and shoes’ cleats to help deaden vibrations.
Wider tyres
Wider tyres have always been a hallmark of bikes ridden at Paris-Roubaix. When pros usually rode 23mm tubular tyres at 100psi or more in road races that meant 28mm tubs, which was as wide as could be fitted into frames and between rim-brake caliper arms.
Now, bikes can handle 30mm-plus tyres. Mathieu van der Poel won the 2023 and 2024 editions on 32mm tyres, while some modern aero bikes such as the Cervélo S5 can clear even wider tyres – 34mm in that case.
Will tyres go even wider in 2025? Pirelli has launched a 40mm version of the P Zero Race, although at the moment that leads to too large a wheel-plus-tyre diameter to be allowed by the UCI.
There aren't many road bikes that it would fit in either – yet. But at the 2024 race, Israel-Premier Tech rode the Ostro Gravel, which has 45mm tyre clearance, so bigger tyres may be waiting in the Roubaix wings.
Single-chainring drivetrains
Three of the four editions of Paris-Roubaix Femmes have been won on 1x bikes and, although so far every men’s win in modern times has been on a 2x bike, 1x is increasingly prominent in the spring classics.
With a clutched derailleur, deeper chainring teeth and the option to fit a chain guide, along with 12 or more speeds and ratios to match a 2x setup, 1x is a natural choice on the rolling terrain between Compiègne and Roubaix.
We reckon it’s only a matter of time before the men’s race is won on 1x.
Extra satellite shifters
Extra shifting positions mean no need to take your hands off the bars on cobbled sections to change gears, so satellite shifters are a handy addition, either on the tops or the drops – or both as on Marianne Vos' bike from the 2024 edition.
SRAM AXS groupsets enable you to have up to four pairs of wireless Blip satellite shifters hooked up, so there's no lack of choice of hand position.
Non-standard components
Peter Sagan won the 2018 edition of Paris-Roubaix on a custom rim-brake Specialized Roubaix, when that bike had already switched to disc brakes. He also had an alloy bar and a mechanical Dura-Ace groupset.
Some pros still roll out their Speedplay Zero Pavé pedals for Roubaix. These are cross-shaped rather than the standard lollipop-shaped for better engagement in dirty conditions.
Double seatpost clamps are another hack that has been used with standard round seatposts, designed to avoid slippage as the rider is bounced up and down.
Sagan’s was the last of the heavily customised Roubaix bikes, though and, more recently, component swap-outs have been more limited.
Largely, that’s due to the bike-specific parts fitted to modern race bikes, which can’t easily be substituted. Van der Poel’s Canyon Aeroad, for example, has its own design for the bar/stem and an aero seatpost with an in-frame clamp.
We have seen riders swap from aero one-piece carbon cockpits to separate alloy bars and stems in previous editions, though.
In fact, the modern trend, which started with Sonny Colbrelli’s win in 2021, is to ride a pretty standard aero road bike with wide tubeless tyres. Is Paris-Roubaix tech becoming boring?
