garysol1 

There a few changes to the Allez line for 2011. The "new" Allez Comp is a bit cheaper and use the new SRAM Apex group instead of last years 105. Other than that not much has changed besides graphics for 2011. We have a few 2011 Allez and Secteurs on our floor and they do look really nice.

mccornwall

I just picked up a 2011 Secteur with the SRAM Apex gruppo. I like it a lot. I rode an Allez and found I was a wee bit more comfortable on the Secteur. And the Apex group has been great so far.

PistolPeteMMA

I can pick up a new 2010 Allez Sport for $770 or a new 2011 Allez sport for $889. Is the extra money for the 2011 worth it or would I just be better off with the 2010? Also, what is a fair price for a 2011 Allez Sport?

robertc3

I would expect the 2010 is the better value, but I would ask the bike shop to explain the upgrades to justify the $119. If the two bikes are side by side you should be able to tell if there have been significant improvements.

garysol1 

I would go for the 2010. The 2011 is the same bike except for the graphics. Both of the prices you quoted are below normal retail so you cant go wrong either way.

PaulRivers

I believe the 2011 model is a completely redesigned frame, though how large the changes are (vs the marketing hype) is open for interpretation.

From:
https://www.bikeradar.com/news/articl...and-crux-26769

Allez gets extreme makeover

One of the most exciting bikes shown at Keystone was the well-known Allez. which has been completely redesigned for 2011.
Like the Secteur aligns to the Roubaix, the aluminium Allez now aligns to the Tarmac. The geometry is identical to the Tarmac, which makes it an ideal entry level race bike...(more in the article)

PaulRivers

At this point, seriously, no one one the forum can tell you which is better. There's no major advances or changes that we know of between the different model years. You gotta go ride the bikes and go with what you like best at the end of the ride(s). If you ride all 3 and still can't decide, go with the one that you like the paint job on the best, or is the cheapest, or flip a coin or something - there's not a huge amount of difference. Between the Sectuer, the 2010 Allez and the 2011 Allez, they'll all be just as fast as each other for you. No choice is going to make a difference in how fast your ride.

The only thing you DON'T want to do is buy a bike that's "a good deal" if it isn't your size (bike sizing can be complicated, but if the top tube is getting uncomfortable while standing on the ground over the bike it's almost certainly to big, for example).

garysol1 

I just called my man at Specialized for clarification. Allez has a slightly beefier down tube for 2011 but Geo's are identical to 2010. Thats from the horses mouth.....

PaulRivers

Lol, I don't entirely trust EITHER source. Marketing has a habit of making subtle changes sound like they're huge (it's a big change - now the Allez's geometry matches the Tarmac *exactly*! Major update! - ps, actually, we just changed something minor to accomplish that). But I've had my local shop get some..."interesting" "information" directly from Specialized as well. They told them they were out of the top end Tarmac frame, even though a customer was willing to pay for it and buy it right there - Specialized guy said you couldn't even order one, they just weren't going to have any more until the next model year. A month later - they were able to order more after all...

I don't know that it changes much for the OP - he should still go test ride all 3 and go with whatever he likes best.

umd

Not all Tarmacs have the same geometry, so I'm not sure what exactly like the Tarmac would mean anyway...

garysol1 

I wouldmassume he meant size for size they were the same

umd

There exists models with different geometry in the same size

Markbanshee

I have been looking for a couple of weeks at bikes similar to the secteur (trek 2.1, caad 9, giant defy 1, etc.) and I came across the secteur yesterday, rode it and felt really comfortable, much more so than any of the others I mentioned. The shop did not have the 2011's yet, but he believed they would have SRAM Apex on it. I wanted to 100% confirm this and ask if you had the choice would you take Secteur 2010 with Shimano or the 2011 with SRAM? (Never had either, but in my tests rides I really liked the SRAM Rival better than the Shimano 105, so I am assuming Apex is similar to Rival in feel). FYI, not racing or anything like that, looking for comfort over longer rides.

vw addict

I hate how twitchy my Tarmac is at the end of a century, should have just bought a dump truck.

mccornwall

I just picked up a 2011 Secteur Elite with the SRAM Apex stuff. No regrets so far. Of course, it's so far ahead of what it replaced ( a mid-80's Cannondale touring bike) that I don't even know where to start. I'm really enjoying it though.

fordmanvt

I have a 2008 Sequoia which seems most comparable to a 2010+ Secteur Sport Triple. For someone just getting back into biking after 10 years off, it's a great way to ease in without getting "race geometry" but have plenty of room to lower the bars when wanted.

Only thing I didn't like was the Sora thumb shifters. Got rid of those FAST.