Specialized Allez Elite Compact

girkenroth

hello,

this is my first post :-)

i am in the research phase of purchasing my first road bike. looking for entry-level road bike with a good reputation, i have chosen to target on the Specialized Allez Elite Compact from 2008 (http://www.specialized.com/us/en/bikes/ ... t#features) - and found a dealer that offers a used model for a rather competitive price. the test drive went quite well, everything seemed to function properly and i felt quite comfortable. the only issue i'm concerned about is size. i am 1.70 meters tall (5' 7'') and the model i've tried is 54. it didn't feel too big (or perhaps they are too big and i'm not aware of that due to lack of experience), but looking at some size charts i see that 54 is the maximum for my size. if i understand correctly, each brand has a slightly different measurement system. therefore i am wondering if the Specialized Allez Elite Compact fits my size?

any advise will be much appreciated!

best,
alex

Bobbinogs

I have a 2008 Allez Elite and think it is a fantastic bike. In the summer I stick some RS80s on and it seems to love getting thrown around and honking up hills, etc.

Now, sizing can be slightly subjective but at 5'7" you are pretty much on the limit but our proportions are different so there is no exact science. I am just about 5'10" and run mine with a 100mm stem. When you pop into the dealer, take time in sorting out the saddle first (height and setback). Once you have that right (most dealers seem to want to just adjust the height) then see how it feels again, a 90mm stem may make the difference...but if you like it then buying it won't be the worst mistake you have made (assuming the price is right) because the 2nd hand market is very bouyant (probably valued at about £350, ruff nuff, I paid just over £300 for mine last year and it came with some Mavic Aksiums that were just a couple of months old, result!).

girkenroth

thanks very much for your reply. the dealer i'm in contact with offers them for £220, so i reckon that's a good price.
i'll take your advise about the size. i am afraid i won't really be able to tell whether they fit 100% before i take them out for a continuos, long-distance ride. hope they won't turn out to be too big...