tblendell

i'm off to france for a tour and i was thinking of bringing my old road bike, a 2001 specialized allez A1.
anyone have experience with that or similair year frame with panniers? wondering about heal strike, sturdiness etc. (2002 started the compact geometry). i know its probably more of a touring question but i thought i'd try it out here, too, just in case...thanks!

DrWJODonnell

I had done that for my work commute. I never found a rack which would sit level due to the small frame size. I did however try several racks which did work for paniers. I also used a cargo net and never had a problem. No difficulty with pedal clearance, just that the rack was always angled a bit towards the back. Hope that helps.

bccycleguy

I don't know about the Specialized Allez A1, but I have a rack that I have put on a Lemond Sarthe for long rides where I have to carry rain gear, etc. It's the Tubus Fly with some adapters that mount it on the axel and a single brace that mounts on the rear brake mount (on the front of the recessed pivot bolt). This mounting adapter moves the rack to the rear so I have lots of foot clearance, although I only carry a stuff sack on top. Its very light weight, about 350 grams, sleek looking and strong (it's Cr-mo steel and rated at 40lbs). They are available from Wayne at thetouringstore.com

cycleway

Yesterday I put a rack on Specialized Allez triple model 2009.
You have to be carefull with that, as you may damage the frame.
You can see the pictures on this link: Specialized Allez με σχάρα

knobster

While this may work great for a commute or just carrying small loads, you wouldn't want to do this on a tour where you're carrying a lot of stuff and are depending on your bike to make it from place to place. I think you're going to be quite disappointed. You're best bet is to go pick up a touring bike like the Trek 520, Surly Long Haul Trucker, Fuji Touring, etc. These have the mounts and are designed to ride with a load. The Allez is going to ride much more twitchy with a load and will be dangerous at speed. Do yourself a favor and get the right tool for the job. It'll make your trip MUCH more enjoyable.

cycleway

thanks knobster for the info.
I made this bicycle as a light - weight solution for trips up to 30 days.
I am on trip in Albania now, for more info check my blog.

--edit--
I also want to make it clear (as I got a message for that), that specialized allez triple 2009 (and 2008) has mount points for putting a rack.