Disc brakes continue to sweep through the Specialized road bike range and the latest model to get them is the Allez Sprint, the company’s flagship aluminium bike. Meanwhile, the rim brake model gets some new paint jobs.
The Allez Sprint was launched a few years ago and showcased the D’Alusio Smartweld Technology, a construction process used at the head tube and bottom bracket that is claimed to improve the stiffness and strength of the frame. It involves hydroformed tubes with a curved edge that creates a seamless valley that is filled with weld material. The Allez Sprint also differs from the regular Allez models by featuring an aero shaped frame.
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It’s now available with disc brakes, the first time the Allez has been offered with disc brakes. It uses the now standard 12mm thru-axle and flat mount interface, just like the Tarmac SL6 Disc.
The single model Allez Sprint Comp Disc bike costs £1,800 and is specced with a Shimano 105 groupset with hydraulic disc brakes, a Praxis Zayante chainset with KMC chain, DT R470 wheels with Specialized Turbo Pro 26mm tyres.
If you prefer rim brakes, the Allez Sprint Comp is £1,600 and equipped with a Shimano 105 groupset with the same wheels, tyres and finishing kit as the disc brake model.
The Sprint Disc frameset costs £1,300 and comes in various colours, including a limited edition Red Hook version.
Specialized has been making a concerted effort to produce some really sharp paint jobs and graphics, and the new Allez Sprint is no exception. “The Allez Sprint bikes and framesets again showcase the creativity of our young design team,” says Specialized.
We like a good aluminium frame here at road.cc so it's nice to see Specialized finally offering its best aluminium racer with disc brakes. It's a bit behind the curve; Cannondale has enjoyed a lot of success with its CAAD 10 and CAAD 12 disc brake models for the past few years, and other brands like Kinesis, Bowman and Mason have also been serving those customers who want disc brakes on their aluminium bikes for a while.
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More at www.specialized.com
David has worked on the road.cc tech team since July 2012. Previously he was editor of Bikemagic.com and before that staff writer at RCUK. He's a seasoned cyclist of all disciplines, from road to mountain biking, touring to cyclo-cross, he only wishes he had time to ride them all. He's mildly competitive, though he'll never admit it, and is a frequent road racer but is too lazy to do really well. He currently resides in the Cotswolds.