Specialized Sirrus A1 Sport

Price Paid:  $1500.00 at Wakasa Cycles

Favorite Ride:
cannondale CAAD%

Summary:
I love the Specialized Sirrus. Only drawback, I keep breaking the frame. I've had three in the past two years and keep snapping them where the top tube meets the down tube. I'm not riding them off road, I'm just a big strong guy. So far every time I break one Specialized sends me a new one gratis but it is a pain changing components every 4 to 6 months.

Price Paid:  $550.00

Favorite Ride:
in the valley!

Summary:
First bike I've ever bought that wasn't from a garage sale, got me excited into cycling and opened up another world for me! Bought the bicycle in late July and rode until almost March through the cold Canadian winter in -25C weather before finally giving it a break, and it held up pretty good. I've replaced the chain twice and rear hub once and spent a few hours installing cyclocross tires, installing full fenders and cleaning those gears! A great commuter bike, but at this point, I need something better, and am about to experience another winter and close to turning this into a single speed to save myself hassle.

Strengths:
Very light and fast.

Weaknesses:
The seat has never been tight, Specialized masks that fact that the seatpost has teeth on it by putting some rubber over it (kind of funny really). My gears have never, ever worked properly, even after getting them replaced and cleaned, they've always squeaked and rattled.

Price Paid:  $950.00 at Camden cycles - Lond

Favorite Ride:
Phoenix park loop

Bike Setup:
Mostly standard kit, though upgraded groupset last year. New forks and front wheel - went for a skinnier soft comopund 23c but with Dr sludge tubes - so far so good1

Summary:
This is a great bike and streets ahead of my previous Ridgeback Speed. The only issues I've had were with the wheels. They're not meant for anything other than smooth tarmac - espcially if you're tipping 95Kg like me...

Original groupset was a little soft and quickly wore out - though to be fair I do a lot of 'torquey' stop/start riding round the city

Strengths:
Lightweight, fast, great ratios, great geometry

Weaknesses:
Those damn wheels! I've replaced the front following a collision with a car :-/
Rear has been re-spoked. Maybe it's the roads in Dublin - Used it in London no probs for a year!

Price Paid:  $850.00 at Cycleways Dublin

Favorite Ride:
Specialized Sirrus Sport

Bike Setup:
Front and rear racks

Summary:
Nice bicycle. Big problem with wheels, all spokes kept popping. Shop redit wheels which stopped this but had a lot of problems with truing of wheels. Changed wheels and hubs 6 months ago for slightly heavier set and everything is much better. Hubs and drive shaft went after 4,000 miles

Strengths:
Comfortable, reasonable value for money, after sales service

Weaknesses:
Wheels, spokes and hubs

Similar Products Used:
Hybrid Specialized Sirrus Sport

Price Paid:  $499.00 at Bloomington Cycle

Favorite Ride:
Specialized sport a1

Bike Setup:
Factory except I put a different specialized seat on there. The factory seat was very uncomfortable.

Summary:
This bike is head and shoulders above my old ride which is a GT Palomar mountain bike, which I have had tons of problems keeping the gears from slipping. I decided I needed a road bike because I never went off road and I am mostly a commuter and recreation cyclist. This bike overall fits my needs. It is fast, it is a cross bike with an up right riding position it is lightweight and very easy to ride.

Strengths:
Lightweight. The gears are very precise. The tires are very strong.

Weaknesses:
In the month I have had this bicycle there has been some squeaks and some noises which concern me a bit. I think my wheels may need a bit of truing as they seem to be rubbing my break pads a bit. This is all stuff that a trip to the repair shop would easily correct.