Specialized Secteur - Elite or Comp?

geordieindevon

Posting this in beginners as I got no response in Buying advice

As a beginner has anyone bought a secteur? If so what is your experience of it?

I am thinking of buying one of the top end Secteurs.....the elite comes in at £999 and the Comp at £1299.

Is it worth paying the extra 300 for the Comp? Anyone tested both bikes?

Thanks

Infamous

Going by the specs, £300 gets you a carbon seatpost, a slightly different frame and a slightly different stem. Not worth it imo.

I'd get the Elite and spend £300 on some wheels.

LazyLoki

That's carbon fiber seat 'stays' not seatpost. And the frame geometry is the same as the Specialized Roubaix but even taking that into account it's still not a good deal. The only other thing you get with the comp over the elite is that its a slightly less ugly bike! I've seen all the Secteur models in the shop and quite frankly they are pretty somber looking things.

Thats personal opinion of course but my honest advice is that if you're happy enough to spend £1299 on a Secteur Comp, then just hold out for a bit longer and get together the extra £400 for the Roubaix Elite. I assume you're buying the Secteur because of the comfort factor and you'll get a lot more of this with the full carbon Roubaix and it's a much nicer looking bike! Not that this is important of course!

LazyLoki

Oh also, if you're not happy to spend the extra on a Specialized Roubaix then I'd probably recommend the Cannondale Synapse over the Secteur. Same kind of idea as the Secteur/Roubaix but a much nicer bike in my opinion. Also the Secteur is new for 2010 so theres no chance of getting a good deal on price while the Synapse has been around a while so you can get a good price on a 2009 model.

Depends on what size you are but for example:

http://www.evanscycles.com/products/cannondale/synapse-carbon-105-compact-2009-road-bike-ec016639?query=synapse

in a 58cm and:

http://www.evanscycles.com/products/cannondale/synapse-carbon-105-triple-2009-road-bike-ec016640?query=synapse

ina 54. Both slightly more than the Secteur but full carbon bikes with better components. There are also aluminium synapse models that come in cheaper than the secteur.

Bobbinogs

Hi there John, I am also a newbie and have had a Secteur Elite for the last two months after using a hybrid to cut my teeth. I can thoroughly recommend it. As per the earlier post, I also tried the Canondale Synapse 2009 (105 with Compact) which was really nice, fairly similar geo but full carbon, oh and about £300 more which made me say no. To be honest, I could have afforded more but set myself a strict budget to stop the whole thing spiralling (bit like buying a house: you start off looking for a 2 bed semi and before you know it, you and the wife are viewing a 10 bed mansion with swimming pool and duck island... until the reality check kicks in).

IMHO, The Sectuer Comp does look good but just starts the spiral into the next price bracket without offering a killer reason. Hence, why not invest a grand now and start to save up for the £2.5k you know you will spend in two years' time (giving you one summer decent bike and an excellent winter one when you will have the legs to match them)!!!

Then again, one thing the forums have taught me is that cycling advice is all about opinions...which is part of what makes it so great.

Baybash

I got an Elite. Decided the extra £300 wasn't worth it. I got the Secteur because I wanted a comfortable bike that had rack points and had to get it via Evans Ride to Work. Agree it's not a looker but it is very smooth, comfortable and reasonably light.

geordieindevon

Thanks everyone for your comments..I will be going to the spesh shop in Plymouth soon and trying a few bikes out. They do have a good deal at the moment on all 2010 bikes of 36 months interest free credit...perhaps I may stretch to the Roubaix

Lagavulin

The Elite seems to be A1 alu' - the stuff they made my Allez and Hardrock out of - while the Comp is E5. From what I remember Specialized used to make their S Works frames out of Columbus E5 at one point (wanted a Cippo' zebra print S Works).

I don't know enough about the materials and it isn't obvious like with the carbon rating of a Roubaix (Fact 6r, 8r, 10r etc.) as to stiffness increase etc. I probably ask a Specialized dealer if they think its worth it, making clear I'd likely be willing to spend the difference on a wheel upgrade.

They both seem to be 105 throughout. Hell, they haven't even thrown in the usual upgrade of the rear mech for noveltys sake.