Upgrade Spz Allez Sport or buy a new Tarmac Sl4 ?

joaop

Hey guys!

I love my Specialized Allez Sport 2014 (claris groupset / axis 1.0 wheels / aluminium fork), I rode more than 16.000km, I go to competitions and do serious trainings.

At the moment, the bike needs a lot of replacements like new cassete, crankset, STI shifter (one) and Im thinking about buy a new groupset (shimano 105). The bike weighs 10kg, and I wanna replace the wheels to reduce weigh with a Fulcrum Racing 3. Need to change saddle and seatpost too.

The geometry of the Allez is perfect for me, and Im afraid of losing it changing the frame with a new bike.

What's your opinion ?

Keep my Allez and do all this upgrades ?

Replace for a new Specialized Tarmac SL4 ?

What I dislike about Tarmac SL4 is the wheels, after buying the Tarmac, I'll not have more money for new wheels.

guy.spartacus

Why not buy a new Allez Dsw Sprint Comp - same geometry, 105, nice new frame too

slowbike

I believe the Tarmac is the same geometry as the Allez (if you buy the same size)

I'd prefer to go N+1 - that way you'll have a backup bike - but if your backup bike needs a load of new stuff and its either or then it's debatable as to which is best right now.

You could "save" money by not getting FR3's - get some slightly cheaper but just as effective wheels - FR3's are about £300 - you could get Quattros for <£200 - or a totally different brand if you want.

The Allez frame is generally good - don't know about the Alloy fork - as mine has a carbon one - but doubt it's significantly different - you could always get a Tarmac and replace the parts on the Allez with second-hand ...

guy.spartacus

or even the expert with Ultegra for SL4 money

joaop

Allez Dsw Sprint looks great !!


anyone knows where can I find this color ? (this is not the original wheels)

@Slowbike, that's a good ideia too, time to think..

guy.spartacus

I can only find the green and orange on Evans

and this...thing

https://www.specialized.com/gb/gb/red-hook

Bobbinogs

I am not sure what the crankset damage is, but suspect you really mean that one of the chainrings is a tad worn? If so, the problem boils down to a chainring, cassette (+ chain) and shifter (which can be sourced off ebay). Then, bear in mind the time of year...which is heading towards winter despite the nice week ahead. So, for less than about £75 all the real issues can be sorted, the rest is about stuff you want rather than need.

Hence, my view is get some Raceblade Long SLs, sort out the list above and ride your bike through the winter. There is little point in buying some nice new wheels and then thrashing them with a long ride on wet gritty roads. There shouldn't be many competitions left now so make a good training plan for the winter and get in the right shape with some long baserides topped up with increasing interval efforts as the new season approaches. In Spring, look at the whole thing again but with a bit more cash in your pocket and your pseudo-winter bike put to oneside.

slowbike

Bobbinogs wrote:

I am not sure what the crankset damage is, but suspect you really mean that one of the chainrings is a tad worn? If so, the problem boils down to a chainring, cassette (+ chain) and shifter (which can be sourced off ebay). Then, bear in mind the time of year...which is heading towards winter despite the nice week ahead. So, for less than about £60 all the real issues can be sorted, the rest is about stuff you want rather than need.

Hence, my view is get some Raceblade Long SLs, sort out the list above and ride your bike through the winter. There is little point in buying some nice new wheels and then thrashing them with a long ride on wet gritty roads. There shouldn't be many competitions left now so make a good training plan for the winter and get in the right shape with some long baserides topped up with increasing interval efforts as the new season approaches. In Spring, look at the whole thing again but with a bit more cash in your pocket and your pseudo-winter bike put to oneside.

Whilst I agree with most of what you've said - my view is that if you're going to consider a new bike then the best time to do so is NOW whilst the 2016 models are discounted as they bring in new stock

joaop

Bobbinogs wrote:

I am not sure what the crankset damage is, but suspect you really mean that one of the chainrings is a tad worn? If so, the problem boils down to a chainring, cassette (+ chain) and shifter (which can be sourced off ebay). Then, bear in mind the time of year...which is heading towards winter despite the nice week ahead. So, for less than about £75 all the real issues can be sorted, the rest is about stuff you want rather than need.

Hence, my view is get some Raceblade Long SLs, sort out the list above and ride your bike through the winter. There is little point in buying some nice new wheels and then thrashing them with a long ride on wet gritty roads. There shouldn't be many competitions left now so make a good training plan for the winter and get in the right shape with some long baserides topped up with increasing interval efforts as the new season approaches. In Spring, look at the whole thing again but with a bit more cash in your pocket and your pseudo-winter bike put to oneside.

nice point! this is the side of my brain that's saying: "you have a great frame, the geometry is excelent for you, keep your bike and do upgrades".

But there is little things on the other side of the brain saying "claris group is heavy and not so strong as a 105 groupset, sometimes I feel that another gear (that I don't have in 8v) would be a better option to maintain that speed/pace. I could fix the workaround to fit my fizik saddle on that seatpost. STI levers are switching 2 gears in a certain gear (it's not cable or the dropout)".

I live in Brazil, summer is comming in 2 months.

SirUlrich

guy.spartacus wrote:

Why not buy a new Allez Dsw Sprint Comp - same geometry, 105, nice new frame too

Having recently rebuilt my old (and sadly cracked after ~ 15,000 miles ) A1 Allez onto a new DSW allez frame with the full carbon fork, I would agree with this! I prefer it as a bike to my Trek Madone 5.2 and my old Tarmac SL3....its just such a fun frame to ride! I could't quite believe the difference the frame would make, but the proof has been in that I put ~1,500 miles on it now and have left the lighter and more carbon frames in the garage all summer :roll: