jedrek

I ride a too-small 26" MTB, suspension fork, big apples, etc. It's my first bike in 20 years, and I had it prepped when I weighed 400lb. It's treated me great over the 2500km I've ridden on it. But now I'm down to 330 and want to go... FASTER. I picked up a 29er the other day with a 14 day no-questions-asked return policy and after today... I want to return it. It just didn't have that... something.

A local shop has the 2010 Specialized Allez Double for sale though, for not much more than that 29er ran me. And so my question is... will it hold me. Meaning, if I get a bike like that, give it to a good wheel guy to tune the wheels up, can I expect to do another 2500km without it falling to pieces? My current MTB is built like a tank, and those Allezes look so... dainty, like I might just squash one of them.

I can always wait til next year, when I'm hoping to be down to 250, but let's be honest: I didn't get to almost 450lb because I'm a patient man.

Any input or anecdotes are more than welcome, thanks.

fietsbob

I don't know specifics on So, generically,
Up grade any fashion driven low spoke count wheels
with a conventionally spoked hand built 36 spoke wheel set,

and It would be adequate. i'd make sure you went back to the shop occasionally
to have the bike and wheels tuned up.. loose spokes break.

heavy use needs things replaced preemptively , to avoid surprise failures.

bautieri

The bike will not fall to pieces. You'll be fine on it providing it's not a full carbon (I think all Allezs are aluminum w/carbon forks). BUT, and there is always a but, you've already identified the weak spot on the Allez. What I would do is negotiate for a better, stronger set of wheels than the stockers. Sometimes a shop will give you a credit, sometimes they wont. If they don't, resell the stock wheelset to help offset the price of your new ones. A good wheel builder should have no trouble lacing something up to the task.

Get the bike and ride the tar out of it. You've got a case of bike lust, that 29er will never be the road bike you want it to be, so don't even bother with it. You're just going to buy the road bike in a few months anyways so might as well get it now and put a few hundred into the wheels.

txvintage

What bau said.

IAmCosmo

Specialized doesn't put weight limits on any of their frames/forks. I did quite a bit of research on them before buying my Tarmac and my Allez. According to Specialized the only potential issue would be the components. The guy I talked to said he would not use the seatpost with the zertz insert if the rider was over 275, and he said the wheels may become an issue as well.

That said, I rode my Allez for over 1500 miles on the stock no-name wheelset at 270# and never had an issue.

sstorkel

Perhaps, but the following section of their warranty seems to allow quite a bit of wiggle-room for denying warranty claims based on rider weight:

It specifically lists carbon fiber seat posts, stems, and handlebars... but doesn't seem to rule out the possibility of denying warranty claims for other failures (ex: frame).

IAmCosmo

Well, the guy did tell me about the carbon seat posts, like I said earlier. None of my bikes have carbon stems or bars, so I never really looked into that.

He did tell me in an e-mail that they would replace a frame for the life of the bike no questions asked, so that was all I needed to hear.

I've never had to have anything replaced, by the way...

tortugaflats

thought the seat post was wrapped to look like carbon. guess i was wrong. anyway one thing you may want to discuss with the lbs is the wheels. see if they will give you credit for the stock ones and something built with more spokes.

fast89fox

If you are riding on the road you will never be happy with a MB. I say go for it

Drew Eckhardt 

Skip the bike if you plan on riding up-hill.

While the lowest possible gear (39x26 as delivered, probably 39x28 with a different cassette when you retain the short cage rear derailleur) is more than enough to get a fit 160 pound cyclist up mountains double that weight and less power call for lower gears.

Although you could theoretically put a triple crank and long cage rear derailleur on there (allowing for a 24x34 low gear which is about half of 39/28) it'll be simpler and less expensive to just buy a bike made that way.

dman2000

There are weight limits.... this is their guide https://service.specialized.com/colla...l-Appendix.pdf

roadandmountain

Ah, precisely the info OP needs. According to the chart, the structural weight limit for the allez series is 275 lbs., rider + cargo. You could buy and ride the bike if you wanted, but would not be covered for a warranty claim.

TrojanHorse

Although the warranty may not cover you, the frame is HIGHLY unlikely to be incapable of supporting you, and yes, Specialized definitely has published limits. As fietsbob already mentioned, the wheels are generally the weak link. Either ride the stockers till they fail or proactively upgrade your wheels to something sturdy (not terribly expensive either) and ride your heart out.

I've ridden with more than a few 300 lb+ dudes on this very forum who have road bikes and they're doing just fine. They even ride those flimsy road bikes up mountains, so don't limit yourself.

Jimbosays

Picked up a Specialized Secteur Elite earlier this year . . . Love riding it, fully stock with the only exception of a new saddle upgrade, at 300 lbs. with nary a problem (about 500 mi.) thus far!

jc650

I rode my Specialized Secteur which is the aluminum version of the Roubaix at 300 lbs for a long time on bad roads and it was fine. I had the stock wheels trued once and that was it. I bought the Vuelta Corsa HD wheels from Nashbar which are rated for 300 lbs and was fine for years.

roadandmountain

I don't think I or anyone else suggested the bike would simply crumble once he sat on it. Kind of a strawman.

It is likely that components will wear much faster and that the useful life of the frame will be significantly shorter as well.

MRT2

I have to agree. 39 x 26 lowest gear seems really high for someone weighing more than 300 lbs. You should consider either switching to a compact double with a wider range cassette (34 tooth?), or a triple. I am around 250 lbs, started in the 280s a couple of years ago, and my small chainring saved me from having to walk up quite a few hills.