Specialized present the Allez Sprint road bike – An aluminum clone of the Tarmac SL7?
The history of the Specialized Allez is long. As early as 1981, the Americans presented the Steel Allez and thus heralded an era. What followed were many other Allez road bikes made of different materials. Until today’s Allez Sprint, that is, where Specialized again turned to aluminium. For the development, the brightest minds of the company sat down together and analyzed the Tarmac SL7 (click for review) – one of the fastest carbon road bikes of the current day – to the smallest detail.
The making of the Specialized Allez Sprint frame
The result: an aluminum clone of the carbon racer, welded using D’Aluisio Smartwelding technology, which is seeking to become the fastest aluminum road bike ever. In return, the manufacturer promises improvements in aerodynamics, efficiency, comfort and power transmission. The one-piece bottom bracket shell and down tube are cold forged from a single piece of aluminum, a total of only three welds are found from the bottom bracket shell to the seat tube and chainstays, which should lead to an extremely rigid and high-performance connection. We can easily believe that! Tire clearance is 32 mm, which makes perfect sense for a road bike designed for maximum speed. The derailleur mount is completely removable to be on the road in a 1-speed setup as in the case of the Allez Sprint LTD. In terms of geometry, Specialized take no risks and rely on the identical geo as that of the Tarmac SL7, even if the pure numbers in the table differ due to a different measurement method.
Equipment and geometry of the Specialized Allez Sprint
The Specialized Allez Sprint is available in two versions and as a frameset. The high-end version comes with SRAM Force eTap AXS 12-speed groupset and Roval Rapide CL wheels, weighs 7.9 kg in size 56 according to the manufacturer, and costs € 7,500. The cheaper version, the Specialized Allez Sprint Comp, comes in a 2-speed setup with Shimano 105 groupset and DT Swiss R470 wheels at a price of € 3,330. Those who want to build their own Specialized Allez Sprint dream bike can purchase a frameset in a total of six different paint schemes for € 1,800. The Allez Sprint in the 2022 version has thus certainly lost its status as an entry-level bike that is supposed to be an affordable ticket to amateur and professional sport alike.
Our opinion of the new Specialized Allez Sprint
At first sight of the bike, we also thought that it must be a new version of the Tarmac SL7. But far from it. Instead of an all-carbon purebred racing machine, Specialized rely on aluminum. It’s definitely an interesting approach. We’re also inclined to believe that the marketing claim they have developed the fastest aluminum road bike in history is perhaps not so far-fetched. Even if the prices are likely to scare off many beginners, we are definitely excited to give this bike a good whipping over the asphalt!
More information on the Specialized Allez Sprint at specialized.com
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Words: Photos: Specialized
