Specialized Allez Sport Triple

Price Paid:  $850.00 at Cycle-Fit

Model Year:
1999 or older

Favorite Ride:
ACS Bike-A-Thon

Bike Setup:
Full Shimano Ultegra extept for Specialized Strongarm crankset.

Summary:
I bought this bike as a leftover in 1999...it is my first road bike and I LOVE it. The components are all Shimano-Ultegra and I've had no problems with performance or maintenance...everything has worked exactly as intended. Actually, the frame just broke where the chainstay meets the drop-out (right through the hole for the replaceable derailleur hanger) but the frame has a lifetime warranty and Specialized is sending me a brand new replacement frame (I should have next week). I would highly recommend this bike for anyone who is into serious recreational road riding (charity rides, excercise, etc., NOT just putzing around).

Strengths:
Light weight, beautiful color and paintjob, high quality hardware and components.

Weaknesses:
None

Similar Products Used:
N/A

Price Paid:  $100.00 at from a friend

Model Year:
1999 or older

Favorite Ride:
May Valley & Cedar River, WA

Bike Setup:
Full RX100. Steel all the way.

Summary:
My allez sport a 94' but i got it from a friend with less than 100 miles on it.

Strengths:
the RX100 group although old feels great and sifts smooth. The all steel build also makes for a nice ride.

Weaknesses:
The wheels are pretty junky. they heavy and out of true.

Similar Products Used:
trek t1000

Price Paid:  $850.00 at Mike's Bikes

Model Year:
2006

Favorite Ride:
'The Loop' in Palo Alto

Bike Setup:
Egg beater pedals (get rid of the toe clips)
Mavic wheelset
Sora/Tiagra shifters/drive train (unfortunately)

Summary:
Great entry level bike. It was a toss-up between this and the Allez Elite, the Elite frame however couldn't take a rear-mounted rack so I went with this one. But I wound up not mounting the rack anyway and using this bike not as a commuter. Oh well.

Strengths:
Great solid frame, bike has great pick-up and I'm able to best anyone from a dead stop. Stylish look. I'm not worried while going 35mph downhill, feels very solid.

Weaknesses:
Shifters. Sora shifters are terrible, the front derailleur is aweful. I was considering upgrading the entire drive-train but am now looking to buy the Elite.
Wheels are terrible as well. Had to replace with a Mavic Wheelset. The stock wheels are heavy, easily out of true, and cause the entire frame to vibrate like crazy. If you are looking for smooth shifting, spend the extra dough to get the Elite and the 105 shifter set.

Similar Products Used:
Trek 1500, Allez Elite (friends 2004), Fuji Road

Price Paid:  $600.00 at Used

Model Year:
2005

Favorite Ride:
Anywhere

Bike Setup:
Stock except for Neuvation M-28 Aero 2 wheels, Vredstein tires, and Shimano clipless pedals.

Summary:
My first "real" road bike. I got into road biking after being a die-hard mountain biker for many years. My father-in-law bought this bike, but didn't like the sloping top tube. Since it was similar to a mountain bike, naturally I had no problem with it. I ride this bike most every day. The bike feels almost like it was made to fit me. I'm not much of a climber, but I feel like the bike wants to climb well. After playing hockey for the past 30 years, my legs are pretty strong. I don't detect any flex in the frame no matter how hard I push. The main problem I had was with the Alex wheelset that came stock. It required a lot of truing. I replaced it with a set of Neuvation M-28's and haven't looked back. I also removed the gel inserts under the handlebar tape, but that's just a personal preference thing.

Strengths:
A lot of bike for a little money. I'm not into weight, but the bike is relatively light compared to friends bikes of other brands at the same price point. Bike had held up well under me, and I'm neither graceful or light.

Weaknesses:
Stock wheels. No broken spokes, but needed lots of attention on the truing stand. If it wasn't for the wheels, the value rating would have been a 5.

Price Paid:  $800.00 at Bayou Bicycles New O

Model Year:
2003

Favorite Ride:
any smooth road with little traffic

Bike Setup:
Standard except Look clipless pedals, Sigma computer, Mavic Aksium wheels.

Summary:
I loved this bike when I first bought it and still do. I have ridden three MS 150's and logged over 5,000 miles so far without even an adjustment to the deraileurs. The rims were Alex at the time, and although not the greatest, I did get approximately 3,500 miles out of them before changing to a set of Mavic Aksiums. Swapped pedals out for Looks when first purchased. This bike was flooded with salt water during Hurricane Katrina for a number of days and is working fine after having BB bearings and wheels changed. Pedals look like crap but are still working for now. The frame had lots of water in it. Still looks good and rides great - I was thrilled to salvage it.

Strengths:
Light, strong, responsive. Good components.

Weaknesses:
Wheels, but I didn't have nearly as bad an experience as some responses have noted. I am 215# by the way, riding a 61 cm frame.

Similar Products Used:
Old Peugeot road bike,
Cannondale model unknown,
Mongoose MTB