specialized Allez 16

adwt2004

hi,

I'm looking to get a specialized allez 16, they come up a lot on ebay and i've heard they're great frames. What I wanted to know is whether I can change the groupset to tiagra/105 as I'm not keen on the Shimano 2300 or Sora that they keep putting on bikes (personal preference!)

i notice the cassette is 8 speed and most groupsets are 9-10 speed. Has anyone else done this mod?

Not sure on spacing etc.

Thanks

Red Rider

The biggest difference is going to be the tiagra/105 shifters (which are double tap, right? and don't have thumb clickly down shifts). Sure, the other bits are slightly lower spec too but can anyone really tell without jumping off one and straight on to another?

To buy a whole tiagra/105 groupset aint going to be cheap. So unless you have one lying around, I would have thought you'd be better off looking for a bike that is already equipped with it.

To 9/10 speed it, you'd obviously need to change the cassette.

Someone more knowledgable will be here soon...

peanut1978

I am currently building a bike and you could get a full 105 groupset relatively cheaply, but you would have to shop around.
Not all 105 is now compatible either

5600/5700.

Older Ultegra will be fine with 105

Drop me a line if you want any advice or have any questions.

Cheers

Jed

adwt2004

Well I was advised that the frame and wheels on this bike are good and you can get nearly new ones for £300ish so I wouldn't mind getting a 105 groupset for it. I'm just after a good frame, forks, and decent wheels.

I was just unsure of spacing and whether a new cassette 9 or 10 speed would fit on the rear hub?

The tiagra/105 shifters have two levers. They're not double tap like campag or sram. I don't get on with them, or the sora sti's.

Zendog1

I've done exactly what you want to do with 5600 105 (not sure about 5700).No problems it's all compatible. The cassette needs a 1 mm spacer but this comes with the cassette.

Having said that I would consider replacing the wheels at the same time - they are err not very good.

Keep the bits, buy the cheap Ribble Audax frame / forks and you are sorted for a winter hack as well .

Bear in mind you are going to need some tools which can get expensive.

Cheers
Steve

Pigtail

Why not go for the allez elite?

I got a pretty much unused one for just over £500. Same frame, tiagra throughout, and it's red!


Cheers

James

adwt2004

Thanks for the advice. At least i know the cassette will fit on the wheel. I just happened to stumble on to an allez elite from 2009. It is much better specced than the current one and the current one costs more. What's going on there? Bike shops must think we're mugs!

What size is your red allez pig tail? Any pics?

Pigtail

Sorry I don't have any pictures - but it's a 2010, 54cm frame.

I've only had it about 6 weeks, with at least 3 being too snowy / frosty to get out.

The 2011 is made of a different alloy, which is the reason given for the higher price.

adwt2004

I was on about the 2009 versus the 2010. The 2009 had 105 and the 2010 has tiagra and no doubt costs more. It was just me being disgruntled that they charge more for a product that is inferior in spec.

Pigtail

Well I'm new to all this, but it certainly appears that all the manufacturers have up-priced and down-specced in the last couple of years.

People seem to be blaming a drop in the pound. I'm sure the cycle-to-work scheme and the rise in interest in cycling has something to do with it.

To put that £500 into some kind of perspective for me, my company car went back earlier this year. I went to auction and bought a 2002 Rover with a full mot for £420. We have always done a bit of cycling as a family, so I'm used to buying bikes, but the most expensive one I had ever bought was around £280.

So going to the LBS and being told that £500 was not enough for a decent bike felt like I had entered a strange parallel universe, where cyclists did not have to deal with the economic realities that the rest of us have to face. The allez elite was listed at £799, but they were selling off the 2010's at £699. I really liked it, the shop promoted it, but they only had a 52. They were convinced it was the right size, but despite not having been on a 'racer' for about 25 years it didn't feel right.

Now if I was struggling to cope with £700 for a bike - imagine what my wife was like. The idea that I spent £420 on a car and wanted to spend twice that (she is prone to exaggeration) on a bike certainly didn't add up for her.

So - to prevent a long story getting even longer- I found a 54, unused, still with plastic wrap on the bar tapes on ebay. I feel it fits perfectly and absolutely love it. Now all I need to do is wait for the snow to stop and put some serious miles in to justify it.

James

keefsloan

I have an allez 16 in silver (wanted red but Evans didn't have any left and, because I got it for a very special £350 because I "have contacts", I made do. It's not so bad...) and started tweaking and fettling within a couple of months. Remember the old saying "ebay is your friend!" and you'll do fine. Across about 4 months I fitted a 2nd hand set of Ultegra shifters (£70) & jagwire cables (£30), a 2nd hand Ultegra chainset (£30) plus new Ultegra BB (£25), new Ultegra 10spd cassette (£40) and 105 rear mech (about £40 as well I think), some new 105 calipers both ends and switched to some Fulcrum 7 wheels (£100). That's probably about £300 in total but, as it was across a few months, it wasn't so bad and I didn't really feel it too much. I was advised against upgrading by a good friend of mine who knows his bikes (I only use it for the 30 mile return commute) who said that I wouldn't notice the difference other than the wheels. And he was partly right; the wheels roll a whole lot better than the stock items and are slightly lighter so that was a good move. The brakes are a massive improvement on the stock calipers and blocks and the Ultegra levers are a massive step above the 2300 STi's that come as standard and make shifting (and therefore riding) a real pleasure, especially when you're on the drops and want to change. But the rear mech and Ultegra crank don't, IMHO, make any difference. Well, not that I can feel anyway. The one good thing about the new crank and the outer shell BB is that I can change them much easier than the cartridge type. So, as an aid to future maintenance (and looks!), it was a good move. But otherwise I could, and probably should, have stayed with the original items. I have the same problem with motorbikes - can't leave alone. I NEED a new exhaust. I NEED new brake and clutch levers. I NEED s single seat conversion. I NEED race tires (even though I have't been on a race track for well over 18 months!). It's a disease and I NEED help...

Warwickshire Whizzer

I think Ribble are doing the Tiagra groupset for £280 at the moment. Which is silly cheap.

Not sure what the cost difference is to get an Allez already built with Tiagra?

105 Groups are £420 for the cheapest I've seen about.

But if you buy the bits individually, and swap the 105 chainset for a Sram apex, you can do it for £370.

pneumatic

Dales in Glasgow are doing the Secteur 2010 at 200 quid less than I paid for the Allez.

http://www.dalescycles.com/products.asp?l1=ROAD

You might just get a better new bike for the same money as you would spend cannibalising a second hand one.

Of course, you might just like the fettling challenge!

adwt2004

Well the brand new 2010 model would cost £640 with tiagra groupset. The boardman comp comes half 105/half tiagra for £630 unless halfords have jacked the price up. I was in there weekend. Aparently it's part of their contract that they have to build the bike. They will make exceptions though such as you're taking it out the country or long distance. If i bought one, i'd tell them something along those lines.

I have a boardman hybrid comp and apart from the gearing being a pig to set up right (was crap when i had it), break disk rubbing annoyingly and the headset coming loose oh and the front wheel nearly coming off and me avoiding a crash it's a good bike. you can't beat going fast and having your wheel wobbling about. Let's just say that my shoes lost some tread while coming to a brisk stop.

oh and that was the Brislington halfords store in Bristol in case you wondered.

It probably makes sense for me to get the bike already with tiagra then I guess, I was looking forward to tinkering though

adwt2004

keefsloan wrote:

It's a disease and I NEED help...:)

Lol!

My fiance has a lot to put with! boys toys and all that, another vice for me is guitars, I won't go there..

keefsloan

adwt2004, I know where you're coming from. As a guitarist myself, and working 100m from Denmark St in London, I'm constantly reminded of stuff that I should spend my hard earned on. Damn you, bikes and guitars! If only I didn't have children ruining my fun...


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edindevon

pneumatic wrote:

Dales in Glasgow are doing the Secteur 2010 at 200 quid less than I paid for the Allez.

http://www.dalescycles.com/products.asp?l1=ROAD

The Edinburgh Bicycle Cooperative have the Secteur 2010 in their upcoming sale for £349.99, so that's another £50 saving. The sale begins on Tuesday December 28th and the official start time is 10.00 am, though last year it started a few hours early.

Edindevon