looking for first road bike
 

Hey guys new member here looking to get his first road bike. The local shop is a big specialized dealer and only has a few bikes left in stock in my size but i cant decide whether to wait for all the 09s to come out or just pick up an 08 now.

in my size they have an 09 allez .. an 08 allez elite .. or an 08 tarmac elite ..
they said the allez elite is a great starter bike but i also could go for the tarmac and have an all
around better bike and its carbon ..

any of you guys have any experience with these bikes ?? how is the tarmac ? is it worth the money ?
the guy at the shop said i could just get a nicer set of wheels and it would be great

thanks

Get an 08' Roubaix on sale.
That's the one.
Good luck.
Go Specialized.

Slackerprince

Not enough information. How much do you ride? What kind of riding? Budget? What components are on these bikes?, etc., etc.

well since im just getting into the sport .. prolly like 10-15 miles to start until my legs get stronger .. the lbs by me does weekly rides that are 40-60 miles and also century rides .. which eventually i would like to do if im in shape enough ..

here are the links to the bikes

http://www.specialized.com/bc/SBCBkM...sp?sid=08Allez


here is the tarmac

http://www.specialized.com/bc/SBCBkModel.jsp?spid=34010


i wouldnt wanna spend more than the tarmac which is like 1800 something .. i want something that is good base that i can upgrade components if i start
really getting into the sport ... i mean i have been riding this old mtn bike for like 4 miles until i get a new bike .. and its a pita

or is it better just to pick up an 09 allez double/triple .. ride it then if i need to just upgrade some parts ?

What's the price difference, are you getting some type of deal on the '08? I'm guessing the Tarmac uses a carbon frame while the Allez models are Aluminum. Pricing for all three would help. Also, I don't think the Allez Elite still uses the higher end aluminum frame (similar to S-Works I think) as it did in the previous years (used ot have a bulge on the seat tube).

From MSRPs on specialized's site, it looks like the Allez is $800, the Elite is $1200 and the Tarmac around $1900. That's a big price spread. For a starter bike, i'd say to avoid Sora shifters (just because the different design of the shifter can be difficult for some to use), and get Tiagra.

I've also read that the '09 Allez uses 9-speed Sora (last year it was 8-speeds) i'm not sure if the shifter has changed or not. I'd push for a deal on the '08 Allez Elite, but as a beginner I think the Allez shoudl be fine. It's probably easier to sell the Allez and upgrade to something better when you're ready instead of upgrading parts (it's more expensive to go part by part, and you'll still have a lower end frame).

I'd say ride them all. If you like the Allez, go for it, and when you're ready upgrade to something better. The Tarmac is more than double the price of the Allez.

As a beginner, you'll see the largest benefits from getting stronger rather than getting a better bike. Just make sure the bike fits well and you're comfortable on it :)

What is your budget? Are you set on Specialized?

I just bought a 2009 Motobecane Grand Record - $600.

This is one of the few road bikes for $600 that features:

- Tiagra or better shifters (you know, the kind of integrated brake lever shifter found on the 105, Ultegra, and Dura Ace).

- 105 Rear Derailleur

- Kinesis 7005 AL Frame

- Kinesis Carbon Front Fork

- Tektro R530 Breaks

- Truvativ Crank and Truvativ Bottom Bracket

- SKYE Handlebars, Stem, Hubs, and Saddle

- ALEX DA22 Rims

- KENDA Kontender Tires

- Wellgo Clipless Pedals

- Weight: 22lbs

What was important for me was to find a road bike for around the $600 - $700 range that offered Tiagra or better shifters, a light aluminum frame (either a 7005 or a 6061), a Shimano 105 or better Rear Derailleur, and a reliable Crank.

hmm maybe ill just pick up the 09 matte black allez that some people posted on this forum .. i guess its smarter not to blow a ton of money on a beginner bike right from the start .. im just wondering if the base model allez are decent bikes and not crap ..

i guess up to 1800 at the most ..
the reason for going with specialized is that my local bike shop is a big specialized dealer .. has the bg fit system thing or whatever it is called

I bought an Allez. Why? Well i wanted to make dang sure i was going to stick with cycling BEFORE dropping 3000 on a bike. Dont forget about pedals, clothing, shoes, helmet...ect. I have been pleased with my Allez (except for the ****ty wheels...but i upgraded already so..).

I now know that i really love cycling so next year i will be buying a higher quality bike (Felt F2 or F3, maybe a Tarmac)

BTW get the Tarmac.

Budget $1000(bike + accessories), check out other bike shops and try out the other brands. You might come across a closeout or previous year model. Don't just ride the specialized and buy it. Try out trek, giant, scott, etc. They all have entry level roadbikes in that 550-700 price range.

Just make sure you are getting PERFORMANCE and VALUE.

You have to spend at least $10,000 for an entry-level road bike that you will be satisfied with.

Of course $9,500 of that is spent tweaking it to your satisfaction as you learn how to ride.

i have tested out a trek 2.1 .. allez elite 08 .. they both road fine too me with my limited experience .. i called almost every felt dealer in nj and no one has the f75 in stock .. basically have to wait till 09s

doesnt seem any shops by me and really discounting on any of the bikes .. the tarmac elite is like 1899 and msrp is like 1950 .. and the allez elite 08 is 1140 i think .. they did tell me they had 09 allezs non elite in stock in my size but i didnt see any there .. im gonna go back tomorrow and see if i can ride the tarmac .. main plus to getting the tarmac is its carbon .. the guy at the shop did tell me he would just upgrade the wheels ... and said the frame is good enough if i wanted to upgrade components down the road

Also look into Roubaix if you are thinking about Tarmac. It is more comfortable frame geometry then the tarmac and everything else is pretty much the same. I bought a Roubaix Comp Specializezd and I love it. Good luck

how much do the Roubaix go for ?

just called my lbs and they have both the red and the black prerelease 09 allezs in my size but they arent built yet .. they are gonna give me a call when its built ..

should i just go for the 09 ? i dont wanna buy a low model bike and then regret it .. or am i just being stupid

Here are a few user reviews on the Roubaix Specialized ...

http://www.roadbikereview.com/cat/la...4_5668crx.aspx

Seems that the avg price is over $2000. From what I read in your posts and the type of riding you seem to be getting into, I'd consider a Tiagra / 105 mix to lower the price a bit, rather than going with a 105 / Ultegra mix found in the Roubaix.

BTW, did you see this Bikeforums.net link:
http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=438257

yea i saw that thread .. the bike looks very nice

my concern is .. if i pick up the sport and really get into riding .. will i be stuck with a frame and bike that isnt worth upgrading parts ?

I like the frame, and the look of the bike but the deal breaker for me are the Sora shifters. I think there's a big difference between Sora's top of the lever thumb shifter and the next step up Tiagra break lever shifter that is accessible from the lower hand position, which can come in handy when your are cruising downhill in the lower hand position. Remember, the Tiagra uses the same type of shifter found in the 105, Ultegra, and Dura Ace, so if you ever upgrade to a more advanced bike you'll already be used to the more advanced style of shifter (not that it's hard to learn, but the advantage is definitely an issue for me).

[EDIT] Just noticed you are looking at the Elite (which has the better shifters).

ok that might be the deal breaker for me ... ive never seen the sora shifters .. the only road bikes i road were the elite and the trek which both had the tiagra shifters .. the shifters that were by the brakes
i guess im gonna have check the 09 allez out and see about the shifters


edit .. thanks for pointing out the different shifters .. because that is definitely gonna be the deal breaker for me

Yeah, like I said, I've ridden my bike over 100 miles so far (about five outtings) and I love the bike I got and as you know, and it has the Tiagra shifters with the 105RD on a light frame for relatively little investment.

You'll be fine. Even if you get a new bike in a year, or two you can always use the old bike for a rain bike/commuter.