Specialized?
jac
Posts: 452
in General Chat
Hi,
I've been recommended a Specialized Allez 09 by a mate of mine.
This would be my first tri bike..my question is: Would it be a good purchase? Does anyone have one or know anything about them?
Thanks in advance
I've been recommended a Specialized Allez 09 by a mate of mine.
This would be my first tri bike..my question is: Would it be a good purchase? Does anyone have one or know anything about them?
Thanks in advance
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Comments
ps Check out other bike threads on this forum
On the other hand there are other brands that are great(maybe even better) with on top:
CERVELO[image]http://forum.220magazine.com/micons/m4.gif[/image]
Got the Soloïst team 4 months ago, changed a lot for me(running of ths bike feels like easy-ish[:)]).
I've got an Allez and I like it, not that I have anything particularly to compare it to.
My previous bike was a Ridley, which was about 1200 new price.(great bike).
So the difference in price is about 300, but it IS worth it.
How long have you had your Allez? £500 is my budget, really, so would like to stick to something around that mark.
How do you find the gears on the Allez?
It definitely kicks my mountain bike into touch, but is it worth it for a first purchase?
The gears are pretty good, smoother than my old bike. I can imagine gears could be smoother still though, but that's more money I guess.
If you get really into tri you will undoubtably end up wanting a £2K carbon dream machine, but I'd say an Allez will do as a very good start.
Not sure the wife would ever allow me to spend £2k on a carbon dream machine! (What she doesn't know won't hurt though!)
For entry level bike Allez has long been recommended as the best however check out the Boardman as for the same price it is also getting rave reviews.
I would agree that you could probably get more for your money these days. There are plenty of bikes about on the market around the same price with a better mix of components and spec in general. Fix a budget and get reading bike reviews!!
Going to test ride it again - but think I'll go for it.
Reason I ask is that I bought my Cannondale a couple of years ago through my employer's R2W and saved an absolute packet. Company buys bike and sells it to you via monthly instalments taken from your salary at source. Not paying VAT and saving on the income tax meant I could afford a bike that I couldn't, if you get what I mean.
Plus, as it was coming out of my salary every month, the missus didn't find out how much I'd actually spent!!!
Even if you don't have access to a R2W scheme, I'd recommend having a nosey through the sale stock on a website like Evans Cycles. I wouldn't touch Evans with a barge pole when it comes to servicing etc – most people on here would agree that they're a bunch of clowns. But their prices are hard to beat. If you know what brand/spec/size of bike you're after, it's well worth checking out.
Took the Allez out again today and still like it.
Will try a Boardman out too to compare.
It seems like a lot of cash to me at the mo so want to get it right!
I got a second hand 2006 allez comp off ebay for £500 last year full 105 carbon stays and forks etc, but basically the same bike ,and IMHO its great with clip on bars you can get a more or less full on arse up position and as i could only afford one bike its a perfect do anything machine.
Mat
However when I got my (RED therefore must be faster) Trek Equinox 9.5 TTX which weighed just over 7kg things improved dramatically [:D][:D][:D]
I would go for it
I.
Even though they have had tremendous reviews I'm reluctant to buy one without trying it.
Also the Allez, at 54, is perfect for me. The Boardmans are either smaller or about an inch and a half bigger.
I'm thinking I'm going to go with the Allez, which I enjoyed riding. And according to reviews and guys in the shop it's easily upgradable.
Thanks for that. Ended up buying the Allez at the end of last week and got some Gator skins put on for the winter riding!
So far really enjoying it. It's light, it didn't break the bank and it's comfortable too!
The shop gives it a service after six weeks, so overall I'm happy with my purchase.
Thanks guys for all the advice.