Specialized Allez elite 2008 or Focus Cayo 2008?

meatball

Hi

I am looking at buying my first road bike in 17 years and I am looking at either the Specialized Allez Elite 2008 or Focus Cayo 2008. Any recommendations?

Meatball

Current Bike:- 1992 Muddy Fox Mega Courier - it's special...lol

Lagavulin

Spec wise the Cayo appears to win hands down.

Before my Allez (Sport) was given the all clear after a prang I was looking at replacing it with another Allez. Looked at the Elite but for £800 the 2008 model looked poor value.
I got my 2006 Sport for £600 and its basically the same specification; Tiagra with a 105 rear mech. The '08 Elite has some Zertz inserts but in my view there's nothing particularly "elite" about it. When you compare that with the Ultegra SL and Mavic Aksiums on the Focus for £100 more it seems a bargain.

That said I'm more than happy with my Allez. Good frame that can be upgraded and I'd say it's a good starting bike for a newcomer or someone making their return. Mine came with quite a hefty stack of spacers so you can lower the front end by quite a bit in time to suit.

leanne

meatball
without knowing all the tech stuff to much i bought thr 2008 elite last week and am very pleased with it just got back from a 15 miler and it rides like a dream i had a 58cm trek which i bought after being sized wrongly the elite is a 54cm and i have put my average up from between 18.5-19.5 to 20-21mph so after taking advise from some of the readers i tried different ones out and after having this bike a week now know i made the right choice, good luck

JC.152

i'd say the Focus Cayo.

Last week at a club TT, a bloke had got the cayo your looking at, and in person it is a lot of bike for the money, with looks and spec of probably a £2000 bike.

Only thing I would say is that You probably won't be able to see the Focus and get measured up before you bought it like you can at a bike shop with the Specilized.

cbj

Just got back from a 50 miler on a 08 Cayo - I love this bike. No idea how it compares to the Specialized though , its my first road bike ever, but the Cayo is a fairly safe bet I'd have thought..

FSR_XC

08 Elite has a much improved frame over the 07 model.

Carbon Forks with Zertz inserts and carbon seatstays with Zertz too - and that's what you are paying for.

This should mean a better frame than the Cayo with the option to upgrade components when they wear out.

Strangely, I bought an 07 Elite instead