UsedToBeFaster

Done Spec Allez 2019 onwards

Internal cables
full carbon fork
Great red paint job
Relaxed geometry stack 595 reach 385
20 pounds
Looks and rides amazing

Is there a better speced bike?

see https://www.bikeradar.com/reviews/bikes/road-bikes/specialized-allez-2019-review/

MSRP $895

https://www.bikeradar.com/reviews/bikes/road-bikes/specialized-allez-2019-review/

NumbersGuy

No Doubt the Allez is a great option in that price range, but it's far from the only one so this isn't really a drop the mic recommendation.

Internal cables don't really add anything to the riding experience, red paint is down to personal preference, that stack and reach is for a size 56, which is irrelevant to those who need a different size, and 20 lbs is pretty much the norm for this category of bike.

If someone isn't brand conscious, Bikesdirect offers options with better specs, such as 105 11 speed vs Claris 8 speed groupset. The Giant Contend is similarly specced with a lower price or Cannondale CAAD Optimo is a more racy option if that suits the rider's preference better. It all comes down to personal preference as there are good options from many brands at this price point, and most will feature similar specs as dictated by the price.

Tacoenthusiast

Now if only someone would stop all the stop all the best beginner bike under $1000 threads

Cypress

Giant Contend 1 has an upgraded groupset over the Specialized, weighs less, and comes in at the same price.

noodle soup

But it's not a Specialized.

That company brainwashes people, like no other.

UsedToBeFaster

That's what I'm trying to do. If someone ask we just all respond Spec Allez and be done.

You refer to the Giant Contend 3. Have you ridden that bike? It has an ALU fork which is extremely harsh and it weights closer to 23 pounds. The tried to soften the ride by putting on folding tires but a beginner will spend the price difference on dental work if they ride even vaguely rougher roads.

You refer to the Giant Contend 1. Firstly, it costs about $100 more which to a beginner is a bit of money. But the real issue I had with the Contend's is that the geometry is not relaxed enough. Giant messed up the Contend in my opinion. If you compare the 2018 Geo with the 2020 Geo you'll see they actually made it more racier. The size Large had a S/R of 605/390 but its now 596/393. I found I was quite stretched out in it so they didn't make it nice and upright like the Allez or even more racier like the CAAD.

Besides the name "Contend" is a really bad name. I could see people stopping you only to paraphrase Marlon Brando, "You could have been someone, you could have been a ContendER but instead your a Bum" :-)

noodle soup

@Cypress

See what I mean

Cypress

If $75 (not $100) is the deal breaker, maybe someone shouldn't be spending $900 in disposable income. Additionally, you'd have to spend $1050 for the comparable Specialized.

But it sounds like you've made up your mind on the Specialized and its hyper-specific slower geometry.

Maybe you should have named the thread "Are there any other bikes that have this exact geometry, for this exact price, and with this exact name."

UsedToBeFaster

I don't own a Specialized, never have and probably never will. But it doesn't mean I won't recommend them. I just happened to ride all the entry level bikes this winter and the Allez stands out for all the reasons mentioned plus it was very upgradable. The welds on the bike are great and the full carbon fork means your not really wanting in the frame department. I read that the frameset comes in at 1700 grams which for an alloy frame set is hard to beat.

So why look further. Nice setup with a great frame that is upgradable.

The CAAD Optima is of comparable quality but that's not a beginner's bike.

Cypress

And now I'll add "with this exact frame weight and weld shapes" to the title. The frame on the Giant is probably lighter to boot.

Trakhak

To muddy the waters a bit, I'll just note that my current favorite fixed-gear bike is a 2005 aluminum Specialized Langster with a straight aluminum fork. Five-hour-plus rides among the green pastures and horse farms of northern Baltimore County, no fork-related dental work needed.

Bah Humbug

That geometry doesn't work for me.

noodle soup

Neither the Contend nor Allez would work for me.

UsedToBeFaster

Neither me, but we are not beginners.

Eric F 

Why do all beginners want/need relaxed geometry? My first road bike was nowhere near "relaxed". A couple of years later, it was the bike I won my first race on.

noodle soup

My bike actually has less reach / more stack, but I have very long legs, with short arms and torso.

Bah Humbug

That geometry wouldn't have worked for me then, either. I have a long torso and short legs, so this new-fangled "endurance" geometry hurts my back. Unfortunately for both me and your point, that geometry is also frustratingly standard now, so it's certainly not a differentiator for the big S.

NumbersGuy

That's nice that you think we should all just go with your opinion and stop the conversation (which is the whole point of forums).

Actually I did not specify the Contend 3, but thanks for making assumptions again. The Contend AR3 and Contend 1 both fit the $1,000 thread topic and come with carbon forks. Since you bring up comfort and tires, you get 32c tires on the AR3 (along with disc brakes), and 28c tires on the Contend 1 or Contend 3 vs the 25c on the Allez.

It seems like you've decided which bike in this price bracket is best for you, and can't grasp that others may have different preferences. That's why having a forum to discuss what the various options offer to bring to light what may be good options for different individuals is a valuable resource.

Ogsarg

Stop all the best anything threads. For just about any type of bike, bike part, accessory, clothing, etc. there are many choices with many attributes that differing levels of importance to a given user. To say one is best for your needs is fine. To tell people it's best for everyone is just wrong.

Maelochs

Speaking of Contend .... this thread is not a contender for the "What is wrong with the Internet" thread roster but it might make the Honorable Mention short list, if the rest of the season stays quiet ....

DrIsotope

Spesh ran aground for me when they threatened to sue a coffee shop owner for daring to use the word "Roubaix" in his shop's name-- a word Spesh themselves appropriated from a town in France. Add to that some really awful dealer practices, and pricing their bikes to a prestige level they largely do not deserve, and Specialized never cracks my top ten for best of anything. The ride of any of their bikes I've swung a leg over I would classify as "unremarkable." They are the Honda of cycling, and there's nothing at all wrong with that. But they price like they're a boutique badge.

Eric F 

Valid point, but preferences are developed over time through experience. Newbs are just looking for guidance in a world they are just getting into.

cb400bill

And they didn't even own the rights to the name.

https://www.outsideonline.com/1920596/war-specialized

Worse still for Specialized, Bicycle Retailer reported that Advanced Sports International (ASI), owner of Fuji, Kestrel, Breezer, and SE Bikes, actually owns the worldwide rights to the Roubaix trademark, which they license to Specialized. ASI President and CEO Pat Cunnane said that not only could Richter keep his café name but that Specialized had overstepped its licensing agreement when it registered for the Roubaix trademark in Canada.

Seattle Forrest

aplcr0331

I think Specialized is top 3 most grand tour wins over the last 25 years or so. For many people that watch races that means “pedigree”. Plus they have popular riders on their bikes, I’m guessing Sagan moves a few units.

I've only ridden an Allez and I liked that just fine. My closest bike shop in my home town sells Specialized and the shop has a good rep so I went there to buy a bike.

I now ride an older Cannondale which I like more than the Allez. It never occurred to me to check the history of bike manufacturers for “troubling” decisions they made that would sway my purchase. Seems like I might be stuck on a Huffy or something.

Never heard the legal story over the name. What an interesting story! I had no idea you could trademark the name of a city. Nor did I know that the Japanese under Fuji trademarked Roubaix in the USA. Even better is that Fuji licenses the name Roubaix to Specialized in the USA. Hilarious!