Used 2012 Specialized Allez Sport: Good Deal For First Road Bike?

[hom.tanks]

Hi

I have an offer for the above Bike + shoes that fit me+ helmet + mileage computer for $500. The bike has been hardly used, there are still nubs on the tires. I have never owned a road bike, though I've had a few mountain bikes. I rode it and it seemed to fit me reasonably. But I didn't like the shifters (Shimano Sura) that much.


I went to a bike shop and rode another manufacturer model with Shimano 105 group set (similar to Allex comp) and loved it, esp the shifters felt more natural but the price is more than three times this.


I'm buying this for a charity event ride for my workplace, but with the thought that I will get into road biking and hence it will be as frequently used as my mountain bike (25-30 times a year). One one hand, my heart says that I should just splurge and get a bike that I will love riding. But on the other hand, the logical part of my brain says that with my "I'm not sure of road biking yet" situation and the fact that this is probably a good deal and a reasonable compromise, I should just get the Allez Sport and should I expand my road bike interest, upgrade to a better bike later.


Any feedback one way or another about your experience with either bikes ? Is it true you get used to the way the shifters are after sometime anyways?

Thoughts appreciated.

HT

 

[ABNPFDR]

Yes and no,

While you may not be an experienced road cyclist, if you ride a MTB then you understand the difference performance can make. Sure, you can ride that section of techy single track with SRAM x7, but yes, hanving XT on there could make the difference between making it clean, and having to push the bike through the section.

In road cycling performance rarely if ever makes a difference except in racing. However not having that same performance level that you are accustomed to may limit the enjoyment factor. I have a feeling if you get the sora, half way through that charity ride you're going to be wishing you had gotten the bike with 105

For what it's worth, 105 is probably the best compromise between performance and value. It performs smoothly, is reasonably priced and has good resale value.

 

[mpre53]

The newer Sora shifters now operate the same way as 105 shifters, and it would probably cost you less than $200 to replace the old ones.

 

[ABNPFDR]

Upgrading from 2012 Sora to 2015 Sora is probably not worth the money and time. They do work better, but you are talking $120 to $180 for the levers (3x9 can be had cheap, the 2x9 is the upper end of that scale), and unless you are going to install them yourself then by the time you are done you are looking at $200 - $350. You are going to need at least two cables...

So that upgrade is getting you real close to just buying that new bike.

Buy the bike you want to ride.
Don't buy the bike you want to upgrade.

 

[Volnix]

Interesting thing that happened lately.

I went for complete overhaul of the drivetrain (new cables etc) on a Shimano 2300 group.

It now works -flawlessly-... I mean f@ck Ultegra accuracy.

Every click shifts a gear, every f@ckin time...

I dont think I need anything more accurate then this... The only thing that gets to me are the 8speed cassetes instead of 10 speed ones.

But then again they are probably 200 grams lighter for a 32T cassette or something.

 

[hom.tanks]

Hi everyone

Thanks for your helpful feedback ...

I am also now eyeing a 2008 Specialized Allez Elite Compact which might cost me in the same vicinity. I will check it out today to see how it feels.

HT

 

[mpre53]

Interesting thing that happened lately.

I went for complete overhaul of the drivetrain (new cables etc) on a Shimano 2300 group.

It now works -flawlessly-... I mean f@ck Ultegra accuracy.

Every click shifts a gear, every f@ckin time...

I dont think I need anything more accurate then this... The only thing that gets to me are the 8speed cassetes instead of 10 speed ones.

But then again they are probably 200 grams lighter for a 32T cassette or something.

I had a bike that had a 2300 RD and Microshift shifters. Once adjusted properly, it shifted fine. I hated the gaps in the cassette, though, and it was only a 12-25. I couldn't imagine using an 8 speed 12-32.

 

[Volnix]

I had a bike that had a 2300 RD and Microshift shifters. Once adjusted properly, it shifted fine. I hated the gaps in the cassette, though, and it was only a 12-25. I couldn't imagine using an 8 speed 12-32.

12-32??? Nooo, not 12, 11!!! I use it with a Claris rear mech. (The long one of course )

At least now I can climb a bit with it. The bike had a 12-25 on it but it just wasn't enough some times.

Btw, I will be doing a double century in May and there are 2000m of climbing there... Seriously thinking of getting a triple crankset too.

It's that one: