Specialized Allez 2023 Review | Cycling Weekly
Specialized has just released the update to their flagship entry-level road bike, the Allez. It has seen a myriad of changes which certainly reflect the changing of the times. Sam Gupta runs through everything you need to know about the new models and asks 'is the new Allez good value?'. The updates to the Allez include a disc-brake only platform, bigger tyre clearance, a revised endurance geometry and two new price points for both the standard Allez and the Allez Sport. Let us know what you think of the new road bike from Specialized down below.
Category
🥇
SportsTranscript
00:00 Specialized has just launched the latest generation of its highly regarded Alé model.
00:05 The Alé name means quite a lot to the American brand and has a fair bit of history attached
00:10 to it, but this new model contains some updates that certainly reflect the changing of the
00:16 times.
00:17 For those unaware, the Alé is Specialized's entry-level road bike.
00:21 It now comes in two models, a Shimano 8-speed Claris build with tetromechanical disc brakes
00:27 and a Shimano 10-speed Tiagra build with hydraulic disc brakes.
00:32 That's right, you heard me correctly, the Alé is now a disc brake only bike.
00:37 There will no longer be an Alé available with rim brakes.
00:42 If there was ever a more obvious sign that rim brakes are fading away, then this is definitely
00:47 it.
00:48 The tetro calipers found on the base level Alé will likely leave a lot to be desired.
00:53 That's not to say that the performance will be bad, but it's no secret that to get the
00:58 best out of cable actuated brakes, you need to stay on top of the maintenance to ensure
01:02 the setup is always at its best.
01:05 The step up to hydraulics on the Alé Sport is a welcome upgrade and will tick the boxes
01:10 of the riders who do want the feature on an entry-level road bike.
01:15 One by-product of ditching rim brakes is that it's opened up the opportunity to expand
01:20 the amount of tyre clearance on offer.
01:22 So from the previous 28mm, the new Alé can accommodate tyres of up to 35mm in size, or
01:29 32mm when using mudguards.
01:33 Specialised-owned road sport tyres are fitted from stock and it's made use of the new space
01:39 on offer by opting for the 30c tyre size.
01:43 When I tested these tyres as part of a wider budget tyre group test, I did find them to
01:49 be a little harsh, thanks to a slightly harder casing, but they didn't lack any grip.
01:55 For purchasers of this bike, I would suggest that when the time does come to replacing
02:00 the tyres, you should remember that there are better options available and ones which
02:05 will definitely improve the ride feel.
02:08 Other changes include a complete overhaul of the bike's geometry.
02:12 For a long time, the Alé was always a slightly softer version of the Tarmac, which is the
02:17 brand's racy road bike.
02:20 But with the introduction of the Alé Sprint, which currently has a carbon copy of the Tarmac's
02:25 geometry, the new Alé has now opted to mimic the geometry of the Roubaix, the brand's
02:31 ever-popular endurance bike.
02:33 I bet I can guess what you're thinking.
02:36 Disc brake only, big tyre clearance and now a more relaxed controlling geometry.
02:42 Is the Alé now just a gravel bike?
02:45 Well, no.
02:46 After having ridden the bike, it does feel like a purposeful road bike.
02:50 The lack of a future shock means it's not as forgiving as the Roubaix, but it still
02:54 feels keen in its handling.
02:56 It feels predictable and responsive.
02:59 The bike still captures some of that Alé magic, which I can only really describe as
03:03 a bike that just wants to be ridden.
03:06 Except with this generation, that ride is a more relaxed one.
03:10 As I mentioned earlier, I think that a change of tyres would make a huge benefit to how
03:15 this bike feels, and happily, that's a pretty easy thing to do.
03:19 I would expect a change of rubber to make the bike feel a little more sprightly, especially
03:24 when putting the power down.
03:26 The extra tyre capacity is nice to have, especially with the seemingly constant degradation in
03:32 road quality.
03:33 Ironing out the lumps and bumps means that you really don't have to worry about which
03:38 roads you do and don't ride down.
03:40 And if you need to make a dash across some light gravel or hard pack, then you can.
03:45 But this still isn't a gravel bike.
03:48 It's just a versatile road bike that seems to cater for an incredibly wide audience,
03:53 which is hardly surprising when you consider the role that this bike plays in Specialized's
03:59 road bike lineup.
04:00 The versatility doesn't even stop with the big tyre clearance, but as mentioned, Specialized
04:05 says that you can use full wraparound mudguards and racks.
04:10 So this keeps the door open for commuters and adventure riders.
04:15 Other small changes include through axles, again thanks to those disc brakes, and a funky
04:19 looking bridge between the seat stays.
04:22 Specialized claim this is purely for aesthetics.
04:24 I see it as being slightly pointless, and even though they say it doesn't interfere
04:29 with the ability to mount mudguards, I'm not too sure why they had to add in the possibility
04:35 of doubt.
04:36 The new models also come with a couple of brand new price points to match.
04:40 The base Allee will come in at £1,100 or $1,200, while the Tiagra equipped Allee Sport
04:47 will land at £1,600 or $1,800.
04:52 For context, the previous base Allee was just shy of £1,000, and the old Sport, which had
04:57 Soarer, was £1,250.
05:01 So in the first instance, the extra £100 gets you those tetromechanical disc brakes,
05:06 but for the Sport, the extra £350 gets you hydraulic disc brakes and a step-up in groupset.
05:14 The claim weights are kind of where you'd expect them to be.
05:17 A 56cm Allee Sport is listed around 9.5kg or £21, while the base Allee is listed at
05:24 circa 10kg or £22.2.
05:29 Very respectable weights and easily reduced with a new set of wheels and tyres.
05:34 The question this new Allee has left me with is, is the new Allee good value?
05:38 Logic, to some extent, would dictate that the entry-level road bike offering from a
05:43 brand the size of Specialized should be good value, but is it?
05:48 Are they pricing themselves out of a hotly contested market by leaving the £1,000 price
05:53 bracket behind?
05:55 Has Specialized become arrogant in its branding of the Allee and believes that the name alone
06:00 will be enough to shift bikes?
06:03 When looking at the competition, one thing becomes very clear.
06:06 There are better value options available from the other big brands.
06:11 Cannondale has its CAD Optimo range, which we are big fans of.
06:15 Yes, it doesn't come with disc brakes, however, the rim brakes are still perfectly functional
06:20 for the purpose.
06:21 The same goes for Giant.
06:23 It has its Contend model, which is available with disc brakes for less money with more
06:28 groupset options.
06:29 There's a similar story over at Trek 2 with the aluminium version of the Dimane.
06:34 I think it's hard to say that the new Allee is good value when you're looking at the
06:38 competitors.
06:39 And of course here, I've only mentioned a few bikes from a few of the big brands.
06:43 If you're after an entry-level road bike, even larger savings can be found from smaller
06:48 brands or ones with the sole purpose of delivering good value.
06:53 Of course, Specialized is okay with losing market share to its competitors and is just
06:57 hoping that customers will still buy into the Allee name and what it represents to so
07:03 many people.
07:04 It's a reputation that the new bike still embodies, that being a well-thought-out geometry,
07:09 despite its more relaxed change in nature.
07:12 And the frame is lighter than a lot of the cheaper options out on the market.
07:17 It may not be the best value entry-level road bike, but it is a good quality road bike.
07:23 Let me know your thoughts on this new Specialized Allee down in the comments.
07:27 If you enjoyed the video, then please do drop it a like, subscribe to the channel for more
07:30 content and I will see you again very soon.
07:32 [MUSIC PLAYING]