Specialized Alles 2011

[Buffalo Soldier]

I'm thinking about buying this (the cheapest version -> Double). Anyone who already has tried it?

 

[forty four]

there good bikes my first road bike was an allez. for 2011 the allez frame is the same geometry as the upper level tarmac so a great frame. if you can get one of the mid level allez with a better drivetrain.

 

[Missael]

yes , i tried it ,

its good one ,

you may also try it dude ,

best of luck ................

 

[Buffalo Soldier]

Damn, Allez ofcourse, not Alles

 

[Buffalo Soldier]

And what about the Shimano 2300 gear? Isn't to basic to be any good?

 

[bill_jefferys]

Still waiting on my Specialized Tarmac SL3 'Project Black' to arrive.. so i decided to do a little project of my own.

Specialized Allez Comp 56cm
Fi'zik Aliante Carbon Braided Rails Saddle
SRAM Force
Deda Newton Bars
Dada 100 130mm Stem
Speed Play Ti Pedals
Chris King R45 Hubs built onto DT Swiss RR465 Tims with Sapim CX Ray Spokes
Tune Skewers
Tacx Tao Cages

Voila!

 

[Hawkwood]

I bought an Allez last spring, the cheapest version. The normal price was £499, but the shop I got it from had a 10% discount deal, so I got it for £449. I bought it because it has a long headtube, and as I suffer with neck trouble I thought I'd give a higher riding position a go. The bike began as about 24 lbs, but once I'd swopped over all my equipment, Campagnolo Centaur, SRAM crankset, Ambrosio hubs and rims etc it ended up around 18 lbs. I sold virtually all of the original gear on a certain auction site for about £250. It rides fine, I have just one small issue, the original headset is okay, but I'd like to upgrade it, trouble is neither Specialized or the headset manufacturer can tell me what it could be upgraded with, it seems as if it's a one off design. So in my view for the money you get a decent frame and all of the equipment can be upgraded as and when you have the money.

 

[Buffalo Soldier]

Thank you for the info, but my question remains: will the shimano 2300 'satisfy'. I'll use the bike max 1 or 2 times a week (70-90 km rides).
Some say i should at least use a shimano 105. Others say this technique evolves so fast, this years 2300 is about as good as 2007's 105 etc.

So should i upgrade immediately, or rather gradually, like you did? You sold your original gear for 250. What was the extra cost for all the new gear?

 

[Hawkwood]

I bought the Allez having already got all of the gear to swop over from another bike, so I was effectively buying a new frame for £200. In the 1990s I raced on a bike that weighed 22-23 lbs, now that weight seems positively lardy. The 2300 equipment looked well enough made, though it's 8 sprocket at the rear. If I were you in the first instance I would upgrade the wheels. You will need some clipless pedals as well so factor them in. The choice you have is do you buy the cheapest one and then possibly start upgrading almost immediately, or do you spend more to begin with and then not need to upgrade so much later?

 

[Buffalo Soldier]

I'm a poor college student, so upgrading later could be a better choice...

i've got the pedals already (bought new ones for my old bike last year).

What's wrong with these wheels?

 

[Hawkwood]

Nothing that much wrong with the wheels, however they are often the best thing to upgrade first as you can save a fair amount of weight. From memory the tyres were quite heavy, so use them until they wear out, then replace them with lighter betters ones.

Also obviously look out for deals, the shop I bought mine from was part of a chain that was discounting all Specialized bikes by 10%. Ask them if they'll also throw in a bottlecage and bottle, a pump.....

 

[Buffalo Soldier]

now i'm thinking about buying a 2010 model (doesn't have to be the allez, or a specialized).
I see some good prices for these end of series models...

 

[Hawkwood]

now i'm thinking about buying a 2010 model (doesn't have to be the allez, or a specialized).
I see some good prices for these end of series models...

I've just found the 2010 Specialized Allez Sport 18 with Shimano Sora down from £599.99 to £499.99, so the deals are out there.

 

[Buffalo Soldier]

Pff, all these doubts & possibilities. 3 more shops to visit tomorrow, i'll make up my mind afterwards.

btw: compact or triple?

 

[Hawkwood]

Pff, all these doubts & possibilities. 3 more shops to visit tomorrow, i'll make up my mind afterwards.

btw: compact or triple?

I've never used a triple set-up, however I recently moved to compact 50/36 and like the set-up. There has been heated debate about compact versus a traditional set-up e.g. 53/39, however for me it seems to work. I guess that a compact set-up could give you the same gear range as triple, but will be a little lighter and slightly easier to set-up and use.

Others on here will have more experience of triple set-ups and can provide better advice.

 

[purpletezza]

Go for the 2011 Allez. It is made from E5 tubing, the same tubing stuff that Cipo won the 2002 world champs on. The pedigree of this tubing is excellant. I have a 2004 Specialized SWORKS E5 frame and it is superb. My size L frame built up with Deda bits, 7800 Durace and Ksyrium ES wheels wheels weighs only 7.4 Kg. I have raced it for years. In my opinion a top quality alloy frame beats the lower half of any carbon frame range. ie you have to spend many more $$ on a carbon frame that the Allez to get something significantly better and lighter.

 

[Hawkwood]

Go for the 2011 Allez. It is made from E5 tubing, the same tubing stuff that Cipo won the 2002 world champs on. The pedigree of this tubing is excellant. I have a 2004 Specialized SWORKS E5 frame and it is superb. My size L frame built up with Deda bits, 7800 Durace and Ksyrium ES wheels wheels weighs only 7.4 Kg. I have raced it for years. In my opinion a top quality alloy frame beats the lower half of any carbon frame range. ie you have to spend many more $$ on a carbon frame that the Allez to get something significantly better and lighter.

+1

I think I read somewhere that the Allez frame is close to what Boonen was riding a few years back. I did what you did and sold off the bits so I ended up with a good frame for about £200!

 

[sublimit]

I've been thinking of getting an Allez. The 2011 version has the same geometry as the Tarmac I think and slightly different to the 2010 version.
I'm kind of leaning towards the 2011 Allez sport 16 and then upgrading the rear mech and eventually the shifters and wheels.

 

[Buffalo Soldier]

To get a benefit from the upgrading, you have to do everthing yourself, i presume?
In the shop, they told me they could replace the 2300 rear derailleur by a sora, for an extra €50.
I've looked it up, and the Sora derailleur costs €10 more than the 2300...

 

[Hawkwood]

To get a benefit from the upgrading, you have to do everthing yourself, i presume?
In the shop, they told me they could replace the 2300 rear derailleur by a sora, for an extra €50.
I've looked it up, and the Sora derailleur costs €10 more than the 2300...

My view is if you're going to upgrade then go for a big improvement not a small one. I believe that the Sora groupset is 8-speed the same as the 2300 one, so I'm not sure whether getting the Sora derailleur will make much difference. However I've seen an entire 105 groupset for £299 and that would be a major upgrade, 10-speed and lighter. So I'd live with the 2300 for a while, then upgrade to a decent groupset, and sell the 2300 equipment on an auction site.

I've always done all of the work on my bikes, so doing the swop wasn't a problem.

 

[Buffalo Soldier]

I don't think i'm skilled enough to do this myself (in a proper way)

 

[sublimit]

To get a benefit from the upgrading, you have to do everthing yourself, i presume?
In the shop, they told me they could replace the 2300 rear derailleur by a sora, for an extra €50.
I've looked it up, and the Sora derailleur costs €10 more than the 2300...

I was thinking of Shimano 105 or possibly Ultegra and put it on myself. But yes that does sound expensive.

Building a bike up is trial and error for myself and i find it fairly straightforward but obviously if you dont have the tools it makes things difficult. You might be better sticking with the 2300 for the time being but if you feel you want the upgrade, buy it by mail order and get a cycling shop to put it on sometime down the line.

 

[Buffalo Soldier]

So, my budget just went drastically up today (my father said he wants to "sponsor" me). I might even be able to afford the Allez Comp.

Only a bummer that paint job looks a lot less appaeling than the double (here in Belgium):

double

comp

 

[usedtobefast]

So, my budget just went drastically up today (my father said he wants to "sponsor" me). I might even be able to afford the Allez Comp.

Only a bummer that paint job looks a lot less appaeling than the double (here in Belgium):

double

comp

i thought white was the new black. get the better bike all total. it will make you happier.

 

[Hawkwood]

So, my budget just went drastically up today (my father said he wants to "sponsor" me). I might even be able to afford the Allez Comp.

Only a bummer that paint job looks a lot less appaeling than the double (here in Belgium):

double

comp

That's a great result for you, as one of the other posters mentoned white is trendy now.