Which Allez?

kitenski

Afternoon all,

Brief intro, I used to ride road many, many years ago and in the past 5 years have been MTBing a fair bit, doing between 30-100 miles a week mostly off road during spring/summer.

I also do some spinning classes at a local gym and am considering a beginner road bike, I am aged 44 if that makes any difference!

I live in North Leeds, so there are some decent hills around.

I notice some very good offers on Specialized Allez bikes, and with an extra 15% off at Edinburgh Cycles from Friday the prices look v good!

I am going down to try some out this week.

However I'd thought I'd ask some opinons.

First question is do I need the extra gears on some of the models? Secondly is there any difference in the models apart from gearset and frame?

My four options appear to be:

Red Allez 16, E5 Aluminium Frame, Shimano 2300 gear set. 10.24kg at £499 – 15% = £424

Black Allez 24, A1 Premium Frame, Shimano 2300 gear set, 10.12kg £519 – 15% = £441

White Allez Sport 18, A1 Premium Frame, Shimno Sora gearset, 9.44kg, at £599 – 15% = £509

White Allez Sport 27, A1 Premium Frame, Shimano Sora gearset 9.58kg at £649 – 15%= £551

CRAIGO5000

Or go for an older model like mine and get Sora/Tiagra gearing as standard.

2008 bikes can be had nearly new from £250-£350 on ebay/gumtree.

chiark

As above, have a look on Gumtree in Leeds as there's some Specialized around right now, including a Sport with 105 derailleur that tempted me greatly - it's now dropped in price, too...

Your options are a compact chainset or a triple. With a good compact, you get nearly the effective range of the triple so that's what I went for.

I'm in North Leeds too, and I've got a compact 50/34 with 11-28 on the back and that gets me up everything so far - albeit slowly right now. I've wimped out of going up the chevin so far, but that's next month's challenge...

kitenski

Gumtree prices seem to be £350-£400, reckon I'd prefer to spend the extra £24-100 on new...

KnightOfTheLongTights

Well I have the Silver Allez 24 and can recommend it.

Silver is probably the worst paint-job, you're better off with the Black.

I would go for either of the triples if you're planning rides around the Pennines or Peak.

chiark

Fair enough. Only thing I'd say is to see if you like the 2300/Sora style of dropping down cogs, which means you need to be on the hoods rather than on the drops. The Allez Sport I've seen on Gumtree is considerably better spec'd...

If those four are your choices then it's down to whether you can justify the extra for the Sora over 2300 - I'm not sure it's worth it - and whether you want compact or triple.

unixnerd

I'd second the idea of a used bike form Ebay / Gumtree, I've bought from both.

Ignore the 8 speed versions of the Allez, you want at least 9 these days. If you don't have problems on big hills I'd not get the triple version either, compact should be fine. Nothing wrong with Sora but Tiagra / 105 shifters are nicer to use for a race bike.

AlunJ

Deffo get the sport, I like my allez 24 but that's what I would have got if I knew the prices were going to drop soon

McBoom

I'd go for a Sport - 9-speed gives better upgrade options in the future.

As an MTBer you might appreciate the lower gearing of the triple, as 34/25 on the double can be a grind on Yorkshire's steeper hills, especially if you're used to spinning up them on a MTB.

Personally I'd go for the double. If you find you don't have a low enough gear then buy a wider cassette with 27 or 28 on it. It'll still have cost less than a triple and it's not money down the drain because when you're due a new cassette you could stick the original one back on as you'll likely be stronger by then.

Dmak

I like my Sport. It's white!

mattrixdesign2

I have a 2010 Allez 16 - nice frame, 2300 gears are basic but functional - I plan to get new wheels and groupset (bought discounted when the time is right) and should have a pretty nifty setup.

FYI I got my 2010 Allez in Dec last yeat for £380 brand new from Evans, a good price, considering I alsmost spent £580 on one a few months earlier!!!

Its seems some of the 2011 models are already dropping in price.

EDIT: I went for a double (not compact) thinking I was strong enough, but with a MTB background I find it hard work on the steeper hills.

Wh05apk

It's interesting to see prices dropping so early in the year, I wonder if this is an admission that the price rises/spec cuts of the last 2 years have been excessive?

oceheb

Im in Leeds as well. Bought Allez 16 2010 on sale. Bike quality is very good, I would recommend it. The only thing is somtimes 8 gears are not enought, so I think it is worth to pay more for 9 speed cassete. Not sure about 3 speed front.
Will change mine cassette when time comes.

chiark

Have taken the plunge yet, Kitenski?

Pigtail

Wh05apk wrote:

It's interesting to see prices dropping so early in the year, I wonder if this is an admission that the price rises/spec cuts of the last 2 years have been excessive?

Do you mean in general, or specific to Allezs?

I have a 2010 elite with full Tiagra, picked it up practically unused on ebay late last year for £543. At the retail price of £799 I thought it was hard to justify.

Over £900 for the 2011 seemed really pushing it.

Super Domestique

oceheb wrote:

Im in Leeds as well. Bought Allez 16 2010 on sale. Bike quality is very good, I would recommend it. The only thing is somtimes 8 gears are not enought, so I think it is worth to pay more for 9 speed cassete. Not sure about 3 speed front.
Will change mine cassette when time comes.

I have the same bike and agree, not sure I would need the triple but 9 speed would be good.

Some find the sora style shifters fine to begin with but the more they use the drops the smaller 'thumb trigger' becomes hard to reach. (at least that is what I have found)

humpyg

I bought the White Allez Sport 27 about a month ago. Paid £750 from Evans but got it price matched a week later down to £720. Of course as soon as the 7 day price promise was up, it was reduced even more (grrr) down to £650, so the £550 you could get is a really good deal.

I think it's a great bike, finding it a nice weight, and quality ride. With having steep hills around my area I went for the triple. I try not to use the extra cog unless I really need it. I'm generally doing 30-45 mile rides on it around 3 days a week and I don't have any issue with it. I upgraded the brakes to 105 and swisstop pads but that's mainly because I got them for a bargain. I'lll upgrade the other sora parts to 105 but only when they break.

I don't have an issue with changing up or down a gear while in the drops, obviously got a good reach with my thumb

Anyway, I recommend the Allez Sport

dragonontheedge

I am on an Allez also except mine is an immaculate 2008 model which I bought secondhand 2 years ago for 250 notes. It came with Shimano WHR500 wheels so I reckon it was a bit of a bargain ( and no it was not stolen. It came from a friend who had taken it in part payment of rent on a flat)

I have done 4000 + miles on it and it still looks and rides "factory fresh".

Mine is the 9 speed version with a 50/34 Sora compact upfront.

Since purchase I have fitted Mavic Askium wheels along with an 11/25 cassette out back.

I am slowly but surely upgrading mine and have now fitted a 105 front mech to compliment the Tiagra rear mech.

Plans include a new 105 chainset and better shifters although the Sora shifters are sweet enough (for now) ! 105 brakes will be on it by the weekend.

I had thought about a 105 rear mech but having changed my gear cables last week I just cant see how it would be possible to get a better quality gear change.

Whilst on the drops I can use the small shifters although I confess they are at the limit of my reach.

I did contemplate a change to triple up front but the reality is that the gearing I now have is good for anything I throw the bike at. I did Ditchling Beacon recently and did not have to drop below 3rd gear. I struggle a wee bit at the top of my local nemises of a hill (Hollingbourne near Maidstone) but anyone knowing it will see where I am coming from.

I have to say I just love my Spesh. It rolls along beautifully with little effort and is entirely free of creaks sqeaks and the like. It has proved to be an amazing bike which has never let me down.

Hope this helps and enjoy your new Road Bike.

Al

keyser__soze

kittenski, what did you end up getting?

chiark

He's gone for the Allez Sport compact

pease

i snapped up a 2010 allez in silver for £200 off of gumtree, its my first road bike and so far im enjoying it! but got the urge to get something more high-end now....