Specialized Alias comp or Liv Envie Advanced 1?

newtriathlete

Hello everyone,

I am new triathlete. I would like to buy a bike to use in my triathlons ( sprint, Olympic, and half iron man). Also, I am want to use the bike for bike training to prepare for the races.

I am between specialized alias comp vs 2017 Liv Engine Advanced 1. I understand both are different but I need your advise on which suits my purpose more in the long term.

Also, I prefer the one that fits shorter women. My height is 4'11 with 27.7 inseam. The recommendation for both brands based on my height is xxs.

Both are in similar price range. I like the look of the Liv Envie but Specialized Alias states it is designed for Tri purpose. If any of you have experience/ advise, please share it.

Thanks,

Semantik

newtriathlete wrote:

Hello everyone,

I am new triathlete. I would like to buy a bike to use in my triathlons ( sprint, Olympic, and half iron man). Also, I am want to use the bike for bike training to prepare for the races.

I am between specialized alias comp vs 2017 Liv Engine Advanced 1. I understand both are different but I need your advise on which suits my purpose more in the long term.

Also, I prefer the one that fits shorter women. My height is 4'11 with 27.7 inseam. The recommendation for both brands based on my height is xxs.

Both are in similar price range. I like the look of the Liv Envie but Specialized Alias states it is designed for Tri purpose. If any of you have experience/ advise, please share it.

Thanks,

The Liv Envie Advanced is the one I would go for- not sure why you mention the Advanced 1 version when the 2 is the same bike but with 105 components . the 11 speed 105 is excellent. The extra money for Ultegra really not worth it I would say..Not looked at the price of these but with a bit of haggling am sure you could get an Advanced 2 for around 12 to £1300. Guess the Specialized would be a fair bit more. I ride with someone regularly who has the Envie and she finds it very responsive,fastest on the flat of all her bikes.. The Specialized is only really suited to triathlons on account of the fact it has clip on tri-bars. Don't see anything else about the bike that makes it better for that purpose than the Giant. A set of clip-on tri-bars can be had for about £30 and would make the Giant at least as capable at triathlon as the Spesh if not more so. Of course the Giant is also an aero bike, whereas the Spesh is not. You want to go as fast as you can,don't you?
Top tube length on the XXS Giant is a bit longer than the smallest Spesh but actually the measured reach on both frames is very similar (only a few mm difference) so you should in theory be no more stretched out on the Giant than on the Specilaized.

newtriathlete

Semantik wrote:

newtriathlete wrote:

Hello everyone,

I am new triathlete. I would like to buy a bike to use in my triathlons ( sprint, Olympic, and half iron man). Also, I am want to use the bike for bike training to prepare for the races.

I am between specialized alias comp vs 2017 Liv Engine Advanced 1. I understand both are different but I need your advise on which suits my purpose more in the long term.

Also, I prefer the one that fits shorter women. My height is 4'11 with 27.7 inseam. The recommendation for both brands based on my height is xxs.

Both are in similar price range. I like the look of the Liv Envie but Specialized Alias states it is designed for Tri purpose. If any of you have experience/ advise, please share it.

Thanks,

The Liv Envie Advanced is the one I would go for- not sure why you mention the Advanced 1 version when the 2 is the same bike but with 105 components . the 11 speed 105 is excellent. The extra money for Ultegra really not worth it I would say..Not looked at the price of these but with a bit of haggling am sure you could get an Advanced 2 for around 12 to £1300. Guess the Specialized would be a fair bit more. I ride with someone regularly who has the Envie and she finds it very responsive,fastest on the flat of all her bikes.. The Specialized is only really suited to triathlons on account of the fact it has clip on tri-bars. Don't see anything else about the bike that makes it better for that purpose than the Giant. A set of clip-on tri-bars can be had for about £30 and would make the Giant at least as capable at triathlon as the Spesh if not more so. Of course the Giant is also an aero bike, whereas the Spesh is not. You want to go as fast as you can,don't you?
Top tube length on the XXS Giant is a bit longer than the smallest Spesh but actually the measured reach on both frames is very similar (only a few mm difference) so you should in theory be no more stretched out on the Giant than on the Specilaized.

What you said makes sense! If the aero bar is the only reason to call Speclized Alias tri bike, this is easy addition to the Liv Envie. I thought Alias Tri could have additional feature that I could not find in my research. As far my purpose, of course having aero bike is an advantage. Thanks for your comment!

cyclenutnz

The alias is a terrible concept, designed for a tri seat position but sold to women as suitable for road riding. Ends up being poor for either purpose in all but very rare situations.

Unfortunately, 700c wheeled bikes are much too big for you. Consider this bike with smaller wheels:
http://www.dolan-bikes.com/road/road-bi ... -5800.html

The envie is among the smallest 700c bikes but will still lead to you being over stretched. Getting something you can be comfortable on is far more important than brand or components.

Semantik

cyclenutnz wrote:

The alias is a terrible concept, designed for a tri seat position but sold to women as suitable for road riding. Ends up being poor for either purpose in all but very rare situations.

Unfortunately, 700c wheeled bikes are much too big for you. Consider this bike with smaller wheels:
http://www.dolan-bikes.com/road/road-bi ... -5800.html

The envie is among the smallest 700c bikes but will still lead to you being over stretched. Getting something you can be comfortable on is far more important than brand or components.

That's good advice. The only real world problem the OP will face is the lack of choice when it comes to a 650c bike and the limited aftermarket wheel and tyre choices available- eg Wiggle sell ove 270 different wheelsets in 700c but ony ONE wheelset in 650! Don't doubt the bike you have linked to is a competent bike but pricewise it is not exactly cheap . Also nothing is said in the spec about the frame itself- it might ride like a garden gate for all we know.

cyclenutnz

Semantik wrote:

That's good advice. The only real world problem the OP will face is the lack of choice when it comes to a 650c bike and the limited aftermarket wheel and tyre choices available. Don't doubt the bike you have linked to is a competent bike but pricewise it is not exactly cheap . Also nothing is said in the spec about the frame itself- it might ride like a garden gate for all we know.

Wheel and tyre choices are sufficient, though not extensive.
The industry is letting down petite riders, the Dolan is the only non custom carbon 650 I'm aware of. Didn't want to point at something difficult like a gunnar. Dolan Geo is fine so won't be a slug.

It is hard for under 5ft riders to get properly fitting bikes. But it's not worth pretending that 700c is a viable alternative just because it's hard to get 650c.

cyclenutnz

A relevant article posted today by the inventor of tri bikes
http://www.slowtwitch.com/Bike_Fit/The_ ... _6305.html

I'd note that the Trott is not well designed so has a very long reach and would not suit.

lochindaal

If you look at the Envie and the Liv TT bike you will see the frame geometry is identical.