Specialized Allez Comp Cr-Mo Triple

Price Paid:  $900.00 at Cycle Center

Model Year:
2006

Favorite Ride:
Chilly Hilly

Bike Setup:
stock...

Summary:
After shopping around for months, debating whether to buy aluminum, carbon or steel, I went with the time tested steel frame. I have to say that compared to other road bikes I was looking at $1000 - $1,500 price range, this one was not only the best deal, but probably the most comfortable for me to ride because of the compact frame. Although, I am having some shifting issues that perhaps a tune-up can cure, but overall the bike rocks. I road it on the Seattle to Portland ride, over 200 miles, and it functioned perfectly.

Strengths:
steel soaks up bumps and partial ultegra set up.

Weaknesses:
some non-ultegra components, seat and handle bars.

Price Paid:  $1600.00 at Cycles d'Oro Greensb

Summary:
Bought this to replace a 15 yo reynolds 531 frame. The shop swapped out the poorly reviewed Shimano wheels for Mavic Cosmos. I was skeptical that I'd see a big performance boost and I was WRONG! This bike is great- very solid yet very comfortable and suddenly I am a faster rider. The compact geometry works great for me-I have shorter legs and a longer torso and this bike allows me to stretch out but also keep my seat forward for proper alignment with the pedals.
The frame is very solid- no flex noted at all. Probably due to short rear stays. At the same time the bike is a sponge when it comes to road vibration- the carbon fork and seatpost do a great job.
Shifting is precise and snappy- braking is a big improvement over my old Campy Nuevo Records.

Strengths:
Light weight
Stiff yet comfortable
Steel is real!

Weaknesses:
Stock wheels

Price Paid:  $1550.00 at Dartmouth Cycle

Favorite Ride:
Anywhere on the Northeast Coast

Bike Setup:
Stock set up.

Summary:
As a long ago road racer, recently back in the saddle after sending two kids off to college, I'll first note "long live the steel frame!" The 62cm frame, combined with the Pave advanced composite seat post give an extremely responsive, yet comfortable ride. The Columbus tubing is very light, the paint job attractive (important when you're 6'3" ride this noticable a frame!). I've ridden 8 or 10 rides of 50 - 80 miles each since buying it and have yet to find anything I want to change. I did want a Flight Deck wired computer, but couldn't come up with a bracket for the carbon fork. Went wireless instead, so no big deal. The geometry of this bike is such that it is very comfortable on whatever pavement the roads have to offer.

Strengths:
Light weight and very responsive. Steel frame and Pave seatpost smooth out the ride for an older guy like me.

Weaknesses:
None that I can find.

Similar Products Used:
Came off a 1974 Cilo, full Campy Record components onto the Specialized.

Price Paid:  $1600.00 at Hutch's Eugene Or

Favorite Ride:
Aufderheide

Bike Setup:
no changes from specs, other than the saddle.

Summary:
Interesting that this is the first review of this bike until you realize that the bike shop where I purchased this machine carried zero, zippo, no steel bikes. I ordered the bike after testing the Allez comp aluminum triple, which was a very nice bike but I felt the steel bike would be better for me, an older dude, plus the alum bike's extreme red was a bit much for me. This bike is a beautiful blue color and rides extremely well. The shop mechanics were amazed that this extra large 58 cm bike weighed only 20.5 lbs. I have put about 150 miles on it in the first week. The Ultegra components work smoothly although, as I was warned by another website during my pre-purchase research, the bike came with a Tiagra cassette. The dealer replaced it after a week with an Ultegra cassette but they did not seem exactly happy about having to do so. Although there is a rumour about a shortage of Ultegra components, I find it objectionable that Specialized would put such a low-level component on a bike that is advertised as full Ultegra and not even alert the buyer to this fact on their website. At any rate, if you are contemplating an Allez or other higher-end Specialized bike I'd advise you make sure you are getting what you paid for.

Strengths:
Great look. With full Ultegra components it is priced very fairly. Lifetime frame warranty. Nobody else will have one.

Weaknesses:
You probably won't be able to test one because most dealers don't stock steel bikes anymore.

Similar Products Used:
I tested the Allez comp triple alum and the Orbea Mitis triple, which costs $400 more and, although it has a carbon rear triangle, it was not as smooth a ride as the steel Allez and it has a 105 bb and poor Zeus brakes.