boog

I've got an '06 Allez Elite. It is an E5 Columbus SLX frame with a cut-out for the rear wheel on the aero seat tube. Regular round seat post, not aero, 105 drivetrain except the Truvativ cranks. Great first roadie, coming from commuting on an old Trek MTB. I will upgrade the components long before I replace the frame.


boog

UniversalFrost

same here and it is an awsome ride. not as nice as my buddies synapse carbon 1, but still a very nice ride.

rbart4506

Yea I have an 04 Roubaix with the aluminum/carbon frame and an 07 Roubaix Expert with the AZ1 8r carbon frame....Night and day difference between the bikes...The 07 is so much more comfortable!

tkman

Thanks.

Huh - so you can have a NON-Aerotec frame with the aero shaped seat tube. Wonder what bikes other than the 06 Elite have that frame? This will make shopping a little tougher. Oh well. (Not saying that that bike is bad and hell if I see one around here I may end up with one).

Guess I'll have to HTFU shopping before I even get a chance to HTFU riding.

yogi13

I checked the label on my 06 allez expert. It says "Aerotec E5 Alloy manufactured by Columbus". No mention of SLX. Seeing both side by side a couple of years ago, I remember the down tube on the expert being wider diameter, and some differences on the seat tube. I didn't recall the seat tube being shaped around the wheel on the comp and elite models, but it may have been. For those of you with the elites: is the seat tube on your bikes shaped, i.e. elongated much like TT bike's might be? On the expert it is.

Slackerprince

I got back into road biking about a year and a half ago, and got an 05' Allez Elite, which was the last year's model at the time, and I think I lucked-out. It had 105 all the way around, with an FSA Gossamer crank and FSA headset. It did have black no-name brakes. I have noticed the reduction in components in the newer models. I am upgrading my whole group to Ultegra-SL, just because. I am getting all the stuff through probikekit.com, which I found here on BF. Cheap! Like a lot of people, I'm jonesing for Carbon, but I LOVE my bike and it rides great! I'm Fred enough for now. Besides, with my guitar aquisition fetish, I have to pace-out my purchases. Guitars and bikes, 2 crazy gear fetishes!
Anyway, it's good to hear about all the Allez people.
Later.

Slackerprince

tkman

I did some more research trying to nail down which bikes have what frames, and the Specialized website lists the 2006 Allez Comp with two different frames: Aerotec on the triple and E5 SLX on the double. I'm thinking this must be a mistake - I doubt they would use two different frames for the same model based on the chainring. Can't tell by the geometry either since it is blank for these bikes (E5 Aerotec and E5 SLX have slightly different geometries).

Anyone know which frame comes with the '06 Allez Comp? (The 05 Comp is Aero and the 07 Comp is SLX, so can't really go by that either - I'd guess the '06 is NOT Aerotec but I'd like to know for sure).

yogi13

I rode an 06 allez comp (105 gruppo/gerolsteiner color scheme) before buying my expert. The expert had the E5 frame with the larger tubes, the comp didn't. Both were doubles.

CKspeed

I ride an 06 Allez Comp triple. The sticker on the tube says Max SLX E5 Alloy Columbus.

pagliaci

This will not happen anytime soon.

The bulk of Specialized sales (and Trek, Giant, etc.) are lower to mid priced aluminum frames. This forum is skewed towards exotic bikes but the average buyer buys a hybrid with Sora parts and that frame has to be made-in-China aluminum to keep the price point down.

tkman

Thanks. Yeah I saw one on ebay with that sticker. The website specs are obviously wrong (and repeated ad infinitum on all the bike shop listings. Not that that isn't a good frame either. If I saw that bike around here in my size I'd snap it up.)

otismedina

What is the difference between the SLX and the E5? SLX is just heavier, right?

tkman

I actually got a call back from the rep and he said that the SLX is a little heavier. BtW the 06 Allez Comp is "E5 Aerotec SLX", which meands it has the the Aerotec shape frame with the SLX aluminum.

bike_forever

I just picked up a 2005 Specialized Comp (like new) with Columbus E5 Aerotec frame with Carbon fork, stays and seat post. Handle bars are carbon wrapped. The best part is that the components are mixed with Ultegra front derailleur/ brakes and Dura Ace (flight deck brifters & rear derailluer) There is a Flight Deck computer that works well too. The FSA crank set/ headset, Mavic hubs/rims are also very smooth and rigid. I could not pass up buying this bike after a test ride. This bike is not overall as light as a full carbon frame but it is extremely comfortable and a stiff climber. I have only ridden it 10 miles so far but it has tested out very well and I cannot wait to take it on an all day ride soon!

rmartinezhtx713

I pick up a specialized allez comp. With a sticker showing E5 alloy Max SLX . the tubing look's aero with a matte grey like finish. ive tried every which way to look it up but can't seem to find any bike that looks like it . i know every bike color won't be the same but I also look at the lay-out where lettering are place or other designs as well still dont see anything .i tried to post a pic but i cant on here ... 8m on Instagram @ rmartinezhtx i just uploaded a few pics .. If anyone want to help .. Thanks

EnooN2C

I rather ride aluminium because of the frame longevity. Most carbon frames fail on the BB of used on roads. I have a Allez E5 Aero Comp. 2004 I think. Later models of the Allez have hourglass seat stays. Cool design.

guadzilla

Holy thread revival, Batman....

How many carbon frames have you seen failed on the BB? My Ridley lasted me 10 years, and i just sold it to someone who is also enjoying riding the heck out of it. That aside, I prefer carbon for one significant reason: ride quality, which can tuned by tweaking the layup and shapes to a degree that is not possible with metal frames.

EnooN2C

It depends on how hard you ride it really and how often.
I tend to a abuse my frames by jumping curbs and other heavy onslaught. Daily use kind of staff. Been hit quite a few times by buses and such. BB tends to be the weakest area of carbon frames. I'm my experience.

Just Mark

In the interest of keeping this 12 year old thread going, I have to say, if you have been hit by buses multiple times, you may want to evaluate where and how you ride as much as you evaluate frame material.

EnooN2C

It's all about carbon now. But I still prefer to ride metal. That's how it's been all my life and when I though about building a new bike to ride, went for specialized. I like their geometry as opposed to Trek and other brands. Though Bianchi makes the best frame size to me on 55cm.

guadzilla

Fair enough, i dont do that kind of heavy impact stuff with my bikes. My perception that carbon was fragile changed after carbon MTB bikes became mainstream, but i dont have any personal experience.

And yeah, to echo what someone else said: got hit a few times by buses? Dang. Once is all it would take for me to re-visit how badly i wanted to cycle.

EnooN2C

Cycling is not a cheap sport. And staying on top of the form even more expensive. Carbon is still very far for me cash wise. Can't afford it. I've seen carbon Chinese bikes on eBay and I'm very weary about them. If they are as good as mainstream one, maybe I'll go carbon.

guadzilla

I've actually had decent experience with Chinese carbon stuff, as long as you get them from a reputable supplier. I got a pair of Yishun deep section wheels from a Bike Forum group buy back in 2010 or so - they survived a race crash at 52kph and are still going strong with a third owner. I recently got handbuilt carbon wheels from LightBicycle - they've been getting good reviews for their quality as well as their post-sales service. We are seeing the maturation of the Chinese bicycle industry - while there is still a lot of crap on Ali Express, the reputable companies are establishing their brands and trying to become credible manufacturers (following the arc of Japanese and then Korean manufacturing).

But yeah, i agree that purely from a performance point of view, you dont lose much, if anything, with good Al compared to carbon.

guadzilla

I am also very amused to see a post from so far back talking about that mythical "Specialized Rep" who said that Al is gonna get killed. Funny, given the attention the new Allez frameset got earlier this year. And now there is scuttlebut from another "Specialized Rep" that the Venge will be discontinued.

EnooN2C

I've been hearing good reviews on Chinese carbon wheels and frames. Perhaps my next frame build will be carbon. Will take loads of research tho before embarking on such a journey. I mainly cycle on public city roads and on all types of terrain where 700c can manage. Can't be about where to chain my bike and scratched and see such. It m on my 4th AL frame build with all custom parts. Cute and cheap project with top of the line performance for 10 years ago. I wonder how many seconds these new carbon performance have managed to shave.