liquefied

I picked this up on CL for a great price. Seems to be in very good condition. I have no prior experience with Specialized so I have no idea what year it is. I'm guessing early 80's. I'd also like to know if the components are stock or if it's been messed with. Thanks!

unworthy1

I wouldn't say "messed with" but the NR Campy RD and Cinelli stem/bars are not stock...looks like the cranks and seatpost are, probably brakes and FD, too. Nice rims, but also may be aftermarket. Don't worry: build it as you wish.

WNG

Pics aren't detailed enough. I'd say the bike was a parts bin build. Most of the components used aren't recognized as OEM on an early 80s Allez. The above BB cable guides would indicate this frame is an early offering. The color is more red than burgundy, plus the lugs aren't long, both would have been indicators of a 3Rensho built version.
Taiwanese I think.
Regardless, You got yourself a hell of a bike on your hands.

GrayJay

A lot of good info for dating this bike can be found in this thread
https://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...ed-Allez/page2

My guess it that it is a '86 and that the Dia-Comp Aero brakes are original to the bike, these were somewhat unusual brakes and specialized did use them on some of the Allez models. All the specs and pictures I find show that '85 and older Allez used non-aero brake cable routing, first aero cable routing seems to have started around '86. (Altho it is distinctly possible that the brake levers were added later). Shifter cable routing above the bottom bracket seems to have been used on Allez through '86. If the hubs are specialized brand (read the dust caps), then those GP4 wheels are likely original. The NR rear derailler is almost certainly a later parts-bin replacement.

liquefied

Thanks for the info, Gray. According to that thread I think you're right in guessing it's an '86. It has Shimano dropouts. The hubs are not specialized though, the front is Maillard and the rear is Avocet.

Looks like I'm going to have problems finding new brake pads for it. These things are weird. There's plenty of pad left on them though so maybe I can sand them down to fresh rubber.

I will probably be flipping the bike since it's a tad too big for me.

b dub 

Very nice indeed!!!

Here is some great info on the 3Rensho Allez: https://onespeedbiker.blogspot.com/20...zed-allez.html

What's going on with the bottom bracket? Is the shell all rusted through?

I would love to see close-ups of the lugging and the fork.

Edit: Oops, I was beaten (again)

liquefied

I'll see if I can get more pics later once the bike is all cleaned up. The BB has a few paint chips and gunk on it, no rust.

T-Mar

Many Specialized were built by Miyata and the serial number format does match Miyata's, in which case it is a 1984 model. I concur that few, if any, components are original.

mazdaspeed

Wow, I want one of those really badly now.

unworthy1

People, at the risk of a thread hi-jack, I need to point out that ^this^ marks the return of T-Mar!
A round of applause, ladies and gents.
Welcome back, we need your expertise on this and so much else.

rat fink

:standing ovation:

RobbieTunes

Doesn't matter whether stock or not, nice bike with nice stuff bolted to it. Very nice.

embankmentlb

Where those only sold as frames? I think so. I love that bike!!

norskagent

I have a set of those levers in my parts box, never used them, didn't know they were special. Mine have black hoods.

Epicus07

More pics and a year would be great. I bought an old specialized frame for my dad and so far every attribute of the frame looks the same. it got repainted so all i have to go off of is the frame build design.

embankmentlb

I have some mags from 82-83 with adds for the Then new allez. Will look later.

nwbikeman

The original specs for the wheels were Specialized sealed bearing hubs with Saturn HC 19 rims (french hard anodized). Stem and bars were Specialized, model of bike was Allez SE sold for about $750.00 new. There was a blue frame Allez with Shimano 105 or 600 sorry can't remember and the top line model Allez with full campy or Dura ace. I have the Dura ace bike myself.

YoKev

I've got a 40cm bar (fair condition) with Specialized engraved on it that I would part with if interested....I also have the equally fair condition Specialized stem that I could be talked into parting with if interested, but I'd have to unwrap my bars seeing as how I'm using it....

frpax

Not sure about the year, but early '80s looks right.

And definitely not stock components.

JML

It's not one of the 3Rensho-built frames. Not even close. The fork crown on the 3Rensho-built frames is offset. The seat stay caps, , dropouts, lugs, and bridges are different, too.

That's a Specialized crankset from the same era, but it's likely that nothing else was original. Made by Sugino for them. Their best was a beautifully finished, hot-forged crankset; I think they had two other versions.

Nothing else on the bike, with the possible exception of the brakes/levers, as noted, were on some complete bikes from Specialized. I could be wrong, but I don't think they ever sold bikes with Mavic rins at that time; their own Saturae rims were on their bikes.

NukeouT

Can anyone clarify what the 1984 Allez grouppo was: Dura-Ace or Campagnolo something? I found another thread where there was agreement on the '84 Allez SE being full SunTour Superbe Pro.

plonz 

Just wanted to pile on that Allez is a great bike even to this day with the aluminum smartweld frames. I'm hoping to add one of these steel dragons to the stable some day. Enjoy the ride!

Chombi

The bike has nice mods from the period.....
The Simplex Retrofriction shifters are usually a good first sign of that.....

leaping_gnome

Nice that this old thread got resurrected!


The original Tim Neenan-designed Allez, built by 3Rensho and others, existed in that form through around 1984. It was supplied first as a bare frame or later as a full bike outfitted with Campagnolo Nuovo Record or Super Record. In 1984 Specialized designer Jim Merz produced the next model, the SE, and it was supplied with Suntour Superbe. I think the 3 Rensho Allez were produced through sometime in 1984 based on the evolution of the graphics I have seen on many examples. The SE model Japanese production continued through 1987 and then was produced in Taiwan. Through the Japanese production of the SE it came with several different component groups including Shimano 600 and Suntour GPX, which included the Royal Gran Compe II brakes. Here's a couple of catalog scans from 1983 and 1984 editions:
1983_Specialized_Catalog_6 by Jim Harris, on Flickr

1984_Specialized_Catalog_6 by Jim Harris, on Flickr

Also in 1985 the top-of-the-line Allez was produced with Tange Prestige tubing and Campagnolo Super Record components. In 1986 the group was switched to "New Dura-Ace" which became known as Dura Ace 7400.

Hth - Jim

unworthy1

Jim Merz is a fairly active poster to the CR List and just today he added some to a discussion about Yoshi Konno and what lead to Konno's death (car accident). In that post he says Konno was the builder/supplier for "most of" the Allez frames "up to 1985"...