pcb 

Yeah, that info came directly from Bryant Bainbridge, who was the Product Mgr on the project.

tricky 

Wow, cool history. It was an SLX bike instead of Tange or Direct Drive so the special project explanation makes even more sense. Image dump of the OfferUp ad for posterity:









https://offerup.com/item/detail/9572...68605441789693

jonny7

It wasn't through Ebay and the seller has now disappeared. My mistake. With all those dents in the rear triangle I feel like it's safer not to ride the bike, but perhaps I'm overly cautious? In any case, I've decided to part it out.

pcb 

I'm guessing you also have no recourse through whatever payment method you used? If you paid with paypal goods/services you should be able to file a claim. Don't know how venmo and any other virtual payment thingies work.

I'm always very cautious about advising about this stuff, since I have no formal engineering training and I'm not a builder. Definitely safer not to ride it, it's always safer not to ride something that's suspect.

FWIW steel in general doesn't fail catastrophically, but....but....but....yeah, if it was mine, I wouldn't ride it. I don't want to be guessing about what the loads are like in those dented areas, how much of a difference those closely-located, parallel-ish dents make, yadda yadda yadda.

Sorry you got stuck with it, good that you're able to take it as a lesson learned and not beat yourself up over it. Or send your blood pressure sky-high.

This isn't nearly in your same territory, but I bought a really nice Kellogg Spectrum at a Trexlertown Swap one year, looked absolutely pristine. Seller had a very classy, tiny little round price sticker on the top tube, which I paid without haggling, 'cause I don't like to haggle. Got it home and, you betcha, I discovered after the 2hr+ trip home, having no idea who the seller was or how to reach him, that there was a tiny dent under that tiny price sticker.

Fortunately for me the dent was only a minor cosmetic problem, but I learned that lesson. Look harder, peel off the stickers, and learn to haggle.

ryansu

jonny7 If it make you feel any better I have a recent CL purchase that I got home and discovered more issues than I had bargained for and I too decided on the part out path and I am close to recouping my initial costs so that can work. Too bad about the frame those Allez are fun, I really like my 89 Allez and think I am just a few tweaks away from having it all dialed in.

momoman

I just picked up an 85 Allez SE from OfferUp 2 hours after the post went up 2 days ago on Sunday. I prefer a 58cm but I have some 60cm’s that I ride.

5 of my buddies owned an 85 Specialized Allez SE back in the 80’s. 2 of them still own them. I remember the bike was the best bang for the buck back then. I started looking for one lately for nostalgic reasons. I still have my 1983 Trek 760 that I rode with them, and my other friends still have their 80’s Gios Torino and 80’s Rauler Strada. Remarkably, all my buddies are still riding today (mostly carbon bikes) except for 2, but we’re working on them.

Everything on mine looks original except the pedals, Shimano 600 GTX long cage RD, and 13-28 Suntour 6-sp freewheel. I’m actually glad the bike came with the long cage RD. I may put a 32 or 34 large cog on the bike. I’ve gotten use to compact gearing.

Here are the pictures from the ad. I’ve already ordered Rustines replacement gum hoods for the brakes and look forward to riding it. I’m going to repack the headset and check the BB before riding it.

habes78023 

You and I both, I think about that one from time to time, I was apparently second in line. I even set a search for it on all the local sites to see if it would pop up from a quick flipper, but it appears someone who knows what it is got it.

Darn!

Sorry for the late thread bump but I couldn't resist sharing in the misery, haha.

tricky 

Haha, misery loves company. Well, maybe one of us will get a shot if it ever comes back on the market.

900ss

Sweet, is that a 56?

tricky 

It was a 57.

GMS 

FYI from the Yellowjersey site

In 1980s Holdsworth added their own label equipment under the "Allez" brand made by SR-Sakae (the Allez name was shamelessly stolen by Specialized as Holdsworth had trademarked in the UK but forgot to list it in USA).

Classtime 

My Allez can beat your Holdsworth.


1986 Jim Merz

merziac

SOP for Sinyard by then as well as doing exactly the inverse by threatening and or suing anybody that even already had been

using any name, brand or trademark that he was using, Roubaix (Fuji and small LBS in Canada) and Stumptown here in PDX.

Happy Feet

Just picked up what is supposed to be a mid to late 90's Allez Comp. Full 105 groupset.
I'm looking on line trying to narrow down the date but it appears there's no reason to the SN's.
How do people date them ( and don't say dinner and a movie )

Other than replacing some old tires and needs a deep cleaning and some bar tape it's in nice condition. Beautiful frame. I'll post pics tomorrow.

jonny7

pictures help a lot ! But also there are many Specialized catalogs out there

Happy Feet

Sorry for the delay.

Sold as a mid to late 90's model. Full 105. Silver with purplish graphics These are pics before cleaning. Since then I've cleaned it, swapped out the pedals for a different clip system, swapped the turbo seat for my Brooks C17. And, took it for a nice ride on my usual weekend roadie route. Light, fast and a decent climber , even with the higher gearing and new but brickish Schwalbe Lugano's. I do miss my flaired bars though - these are a bit narrow for my taste.

A couple of questions:

1. Clues to a date?
2. What type of pump would go with the frame pump peg?
3.

Korina

My husband picked up a late '80s Allez, and we're having trouble finding a serial #. We checked the bottom bracket, chain stays, dropouts, the works. Any suggestions where else to look?

jonny7

Ask you ask for clues, and not a definite answer, my guess would be 1992. See the catalog on Retrobike. It matches you Allez graphic wise and the catalog does say the Allez Comp was also offered in "Silber".

Happy Feet

Thanks, I did not know about the retrobike site - wow, lots of info there

As you say, it looks to be 92.. maybe 93, but the 92 came with a Turbo saddle and Modolo bars. Still has the Express clip seat bag too.

Andy_K 

As seen in my separate build thread, I think this is a 1983 3Rensho-built Allez.

Edward1066

Here's mine, nothing special...

Korina

That’s a nice bike; I’m sure it’s special to you.

ThatsOK Cyril

Hi Gnome/Jim. Please tell me more about your Allez above. I just bought ***THIS*** model from a buddy a few hours ago but have not picked it up. I saw it a year and a half ago and have been salivating over it. Called my buddy today and in conversation asked him if he "...still had that old Allez?" When he said yeah, I asked "How much is it gonna cost me?" (it's too small for him and I knew he wanted to sell it). His price sounded more than fair so I told him "I don't think I can live without that bike. I'll take it. I'll call you over the weekend and bring you money."

I am perplexed by the year. Graphics seem so different especially starting with the "Specialized cycles" head tube decal rather than the slash "S". It's different that it has the large "SPECIALIZED" on the down tube when everything else seems to have the Allez on the downtube. Also it is a simple fluted seatstay cap without any slash "S" and the shift cables go UNDER the BB rather than over. It has only one pair of bottle bosses on DT none on ST, and no pump peg. Dropouts are forged Shimano with chrome faces and chrome up under the stays (I can tell from paint dings and chips). The lugs look very thin, more reminisce of the Konno 3Rensho lugs rather than mainstream Japanese manufacturer's lugs like Panasonic or Miyata or... Built with full Super Record with tubulars. ANDDDD...... here is the hilight for me, it has generation one Campy ***AERO*** levers. I remember Campy being late to the aero lever game and in the mid-1980's we were using Aero Gran Compe levers with our Campy gruppos.

I worked for Specialized 88,89,90, & 91 as Chicago area sales rep. Tim Neenan was gone but Jim Merz, Mark DiNucci, and Bryant Bainbridge were there in those years. Funny thing happened a month or so back I was selling some Specialized touring platform pedals on eBay and I wrote up a detailed attribution of Jim Merz's design in my auction listing and Jim messaged me through eBay saying "Hey, thanks!". Guess I'll be contacting him about this ride.

P.S. I also lived in St Louis in 1984 when they filmed a major portion of American Flyers there. I tried out for an extra spot but never got called. I have friends and former teammates in the movie, even in the credits.
-Cyril

Insidious C. 

Cyril- The graphic you describe are attributes of the 1981 model year.

leaping_gnome

Yes, Jim Merz seems to be very internet aware, I used to communicate with him back in the Google Plus days! About the bike, congratulations! I'd like to know more about it when you get it. The graphics on mine are very similar to the 3Rensho-built model. Differences are the fluted seat stays and of course the lug filing. But the lugs are still quite nicely filed, just not needle point. It's a Haden crown on the fork and the dropouts are Shimano EF and are chromed with all the chrome painted over except the faces where the skewers clamp. And, of course, it has Tange "Special Series" Cro-Mo decals. And this series of frames have serial numbers, where the 3Rensho frames only have the size stamped.


I have one of each to compare side-by side but I have to admit that I find the non-3Rensho frame more intriguing simply because the builder is still a mystery. Even B.B. doesn't know.


Photos please when you get your Allez! I'd love to hear all about it.


Jim