FIRST LOOK: Specialized Races in with New Aluminum Allez DSW X1 Expert

Written by Trey Richardson Aug 20, 2015 8:22 p.m. ET

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As the price of carbon bikes continues to fall fewer and fewer riders seem to be looking for aluminum rides. However, Specialized found that racers many times wanted a sturdy bike that they could beat on without feeling like they are risking some potentially costly damages to a bike that might cost more than their car. To translate: This is a Crit bike.

Check out how Specialized developed the new Allez’s frame and, if you haven’t noticed, what it’s missing next…

Using their D’Aluisio Smart Weld (DSW) Technology and hydroforming the tubes to control the wall’s thickness in key areas, Specialized creates seamless uniform welds to make a frame that is as stiff as aluminum should be, but with compliance similar to that of their Tarmac and Venge. The ability to do more with aluminum than ever thought possible results in a bike with modern performance as well as naturally bringing the price down as an added bonus.

To compliment the Allez’s stiff frame, the front end runs an S-Works FACT carbon fiber fork up front to ensure precision handling. And when you own your own wind tunnel, you better use it for everything possible – the New Allez was no exception. The down tube, seat tube, and seatstays have all been aerodynamically optimized to reduce drag, without sacrificing any of the explosiveness that crit racing and sprinting requires. The result is a bike that saves a claimed 1.3 meters in a sprint compared to a traditional Allez according to Specialized.

In case you hadn’t noticed, the bike has no front derailleur. Are you still with me? Specialized did not design this bike to be someone’s goto road bike they can ride anywhere. This bike is designed to rip your best friends’ or foes’ legs off coming out of a hard fast turn 200 m from the finish line…. county line, city limit, overpass, the over-sized rusty mail box on Thomkins Rd….. or just out sprinting Eddie. When putting the hammer down, at no time should you ever be in the little ring. Reach for it all you want….. it’s just not there.

The Allez Sprint X1 will be available in limited quantities mid September.

Allez Sprint Expert X1 — MSRP $2,600usd
Allez Sprint Comp X1 — MSRP $2,000usd
Allez Sprint X1 Frameset — MSRP $1,350usd

Specialized.com

Trey Richardson

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49 Comments

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Birdman

8 years ago

I was really excited about this frameset until I saw the price…

Zach

8 years ago

Love it.

shirley kroscyk

8 years ago

@birdman if you are fast enough, you wont have to pay for one.

Turbo Jenkins

8 years ago

@Birdman

How much should it cost? Rather, how much are you willing to pay? Because Specialized should ask all their consumers how much money they have before deciding on an MSRP.

I could understand other companies in other industries charging a lot for their products, trying to make a corporate profit. But bikes are built and ridden by kumbaya circle-loving, granola-eating, egalitarian hippy yoga teachers who are in it for the love of bikes, not the money. Thus, they should just give these away.

(Also: I’m a broke-ass cheapskate always looking for a deal JensonUSA.com. Heck, I’ll buy a 5-speed Alivio derailleur for $9.99 if it means I can put more gas into my Porsche.)

Frank

8 years ago

I love how giving you less (ie, no front derailleur) costs more.

Also, if you crash so hard in a crit that your frame is a write-off and can’t be salvaged or repaired, chances are you’ll have enough time to save for a new one while you’re recovering.

DISC MY BREAKS !!!

8 years ago

Anyone else wondering where the heck is the Disc Break Version !!!!

I’d throw down some cash on this DSW if it came with disc breaks and a thru axle!

Oh Well…

pablo escobar

8 years ago

@Turbo Jenkins This is the best comment ever! Stoked to hear someone lay it on the moaners about price! Sh$$ will never be cheap enough for cheapskates. I personally enjoy my hobby *(and Granola, but not Yoga as I cannot cross my legs) and don’t think to heavily about its price. Glad you spoke out!

Eric Hansen

8 years ago

2x version in Q1 2016.

John

8 years ago

Oh, look, yet another 1x transmission, from the company that couldn’t design a properly shifting front derailleur to save their lives. BTW that heavy clutch rear derailleur offsets any possible weight savings.

rodegeek

8 years ago

Trey, thanks for the link to that American Flyers scene. That was some retro fun.

Charlie Parkour

8 years ago

Turbo, what does the world smell like to you? I think it’s fair to call out the $2600 price for a basic aluminum frame with no FD hanger. It’s not that some people can’t afford it, it’s that those who can do so willingly. They can stick their aero seat post as high as they want, but ain’t nothing “sprint” about a wide range cassette, clutched RD, and small chainring on the road.

CXisfun

8 years ago

@Charlie: you do know that $2600 is for a complete bike, right? $1350 for a “basic aluminum frame.”

Good God, I can’t believe I am defending Specialized, but c’mon man.

Dex

8 years ago

Its a great concept if you only like doing the hi speed lunch ride and racing crits. If you ever want to use it to climb you could put a 46 tooth chainring on and drop a few lbs. Im sure you’ll see a dozen of these at the silicone valley hammer fests on Canada rd. If I see one going up OLH I’ll give you major props. Hell I want one just because it’s shiny and looks like the bumper of a 57 Chevy. For now my Pegoretti Love #3 is just fine with me.

Chris L.

8 years ago

To all the 1×11 whiners: Eddy won the Tour 5 times as well as another 500+ victories. He had one LESS gear than a 1×11 drivetrain. He also did it on a steel bike that most of you babies would dismiss as being too heavy and not having good enough brakes. Still, there he is – the greatest cyclist of all time…while you’re a complete unknown who hasn’t won anything worth noting. Quit making up excuses and blaming the equipment.

To the “it’s too much money for an aluminum frame” crowd: (deleted). There’s no reason a well made alloy frame shouldn’t cost more than a poorly made carbon frame. The fact that you can’t recognize the difficulty in welding extremely thin walled tubing just shows how little (as is none) experience you have in making frames. Frame material is only one fairly small factor that goes into how a frame performs. To automatically say a frame made from X is better than a frame made from Y is absolutely asinine and shows a really poor understanding of frame design. Calling this a “basic aluminum” frame proves you don’t know (deleted) about frames! I say this as someone who has no love for Specialized but has actually held a torch.

MGK

8 years ago

(deleted)

hjb

8 years ago

Not a Spec fan at all, but the Smartweld BB idea is pretty sweet. Perhaps one of the best looking alloy frames they have made to date.
It has a similar look and feel to the Cervelo Soloist Alloy.

Veganpotter

8 years ago

Chris L.
Eddy was also racing people that were equally/poorly equipped. That said, total gears and gear range are completely different. This bike has plenty for a mildly rolling crit for a modestly strong rider, maybe not enough on a course with some super steep stuff or a rider that just can’t climb at all

Scotty

8 years ago

If it is suppose to be a crit bike, what’s it doing with a compact chainring and a wide range cassette? Stick a 53 on the front and a corn cob on the back.

drider

8 years ago

Show me an alloy frame that can be easily repaired. Race alloy has paper thin walls, the frame costs almost as much as a middle grade carbon frame and can be just as easily damaged, often times beyond the point of being repaired.

Bunch of marketing mumbo jumbo to sell to people who don’t really race, but have dreams.

nico

8 years ago

hints of a non hydraulic force 1x system?

Bazz

8 years ago

Cyclingnews.com says the frame is $900usd That’s a lot less than you have here. Which is correct?

Bazz

8 years ago

Question to the alloy experts: Why not just stamp the entire frame in two halves (main triangle) and weld it down the middle? OK the form would be expensive – about the same a carbon maybe but after that…

Pillz

8 years ago

This is kinda neat. Caad killer, nah. The new Giant alu propel is cool too and the canyon… There are lots of nice alu frames. Single front ring is the unique thing on this bike i guess, I want to try!

Birdman

8 years ago

Yup, that’s true, cycling IS expensive. I’m just used to seeing the prior Allez and CAAD10 frameset under $1000 and assumed this would be priced at the same range. Not saying this frame isn’t worth the money though because it is beautiful.

Also, not shown on this post, but on another website I saw a build with the silver frame with full length rear brake housing zip tie to the top tube. I wonder if is really officially routed that way by design.

haromania

8 years ago

Great looking bike that’s priced right. I love what bike companies are doing with aluminum these days. Makes bikes more affordable for us mere mortals. To those complaining about the single ring up front, I doubt anyone is trying to convince you this is the only bike you need. If you need the front der that bad, don’t buy this bike, or plan on (gasp) maybe keeping one of your other bikes, which you can do now because you won’t need to sell anything to afford this one. Sahweet!

AbelF

8 years ago

No front derailleur and wide spaced cassette!!! It amazing how easily people are herded. Wont touch this with a 10 foot pole. I bet it has a pressfit bb also.

brattercakes

8 years ago

The honeymoon with carbon is over. Smart move, Specialized.

I think not having a front derailleur is a bad move though.

'Merika

8 years ago

@brattercakes

From Bikeradar.com: “Front derailleur-compatible Allez Smartweld frames (that are otherwise identical save for the multiple chainring capability) will be released in December, just three months after the release of the 1x-specific ‘X1’ models in September.”

ERubin

8 years ago

@disc my breaks………BRAKES…..disc brakes 🙂

James

8 years ago

I think it is pretty cool. I’d be happy w/ a 44t front ring and 11-36 cassette. I don’t care about racing and that range gives approximately the same spread as a 50-34 with a 12-25.
The price seems reasonable, especially compared to the S-works bikes.
I know a Specialized dealer and he prefers the aluminum Allez models for his personal bike over the carbon models.

JBikes

8 years ago

Bazz,
The most expensive thing that happens on a mass produced frame by a big manufacturer is likely welding. Expensive in time, and expensive in QA/QC/failures. Not to belittle your idea, but it seems to combine extremely expensive metal forming techniques (large forms pressing complex shapes) and a ton of welding (literally the inside and outside perimeter of the front triangle). not to mention all that welding will be heavy.

SmartWeld and the like were an improvement in how tubes could be formed to make welding easier, cheaper, stronger and hence lighter. The welds were moved form the normal local to allow for the tube to be manipulated into a shape conducive to welding. Its actually a neat improvement. People hate on Spesh and other big manufacturers, but they can front the R&D for these type of neat advances.

JBikes

8 years ago

Also not sure the big deal on the lack of FD. One can buy a very nice Allez DSW SL frameset that is basically the non-aero road bike version of this that accepts a FD for $900. And an almost full Ultegra bike, sans crankset, for $2K.
Would I buy the X1. No way. Nobody is beating anyone on an X1 vs an SL due to the aero back-end and lack of FD. But I can’t complain as long as Spec doesn’t eliminate the SL.

anonymous

8 years ago

@Chris L.
He also constantly changed the freewheel and chainrings to suit the stage. Also Eddy was facing people just as poorly equipped. Ask the man today, who is still alive and well whether he’d rather ride carbon with 22 speeds or a steel 10 speed, and the fact that he operates a company that makes primarily those carbon bikes says a lot.

John

8 years ago

@JBikes: Spesh will fill the retail channel initially with 1x models, and the typical LBS won’t be able to stock sizes of both models Not to mention, anyone who is actually going to use this as a “Crit bike” is going to need a larger chainring and smaller cassette.

@James: Enjoy those 14% – 16% jumps between cogs.

Bazz

8 years ago

@JBikes Thanks for the info and I get what you are saying. I guess thats why this frame is more expensive than a standard alloy frame.

Did a bit of digging for kicks and found one that was done quite a while ago. Do a search for Technique Sports Superbike Mark One.

JBikes

8 years ago

Bazz,
That is pretty wild. I never knew someone made something like that in Al. Thanks for that!!

Seraph

8 years ago

Talk to me when you’ve brought back the Allez Cro-Mo.

Sickboy

8 years ago

There has to be at least $500-600 tied up in just the carbon fork & seatpost, headset and bottom bracket. Considering that, and the technology that went into it, its actually not that bad for $1350. Don’t get the 50 tooth ring though.

Ventruck

8 years ago

Great looking frame, but I really don’t understand the 1X drivetrain. I get that there is such a thing as riders who only do crits/flats, but did this really need a new groupset line and dedicated frame?

Who really makes use of the aero benefits of this vs. removing the FD+cable and inner ring on a regular version of the frame? I could understand this on a TT bike, but not a road bike. Of course you can save X seconds over 40km but everyone else is drafting you anyway.

JBikes

8 years ago

Ventruck – that answer is nobody. More to the point, one can always remove a FD for whatever perceived benefit. But its hard to install one when when no provision is provided on a non-round seat tube.

Eric Hansen

8 years ago

This is my opinion, but SRAM is pushing 1x drivetrains because they can’t make a functional front derailer. I hear Yaw derailers don’t suck, but i’ve never seen any. The bikes we sell stopped being specced in SRAM after 2012ish. The few that do come in, be it Apex or Red, always ALWAYS have FD issues.

jose

8 years ago

@bazz

Look to the past. Norco had monocoque stamped and welded VPS DH frames for years. So were Intenses for ages.

This bike is too (deleted) sick. I’m stoked. People have no idea on this website.

FD’s are neat, 8/10 cyclists don’t know how to shift one of them. Bigger gaps between teeth is a perceived problem, not a real problem. I wish every bike on my floor was 1x. Would make my job so much easier. Yes, more difficult at first to convince people of gear range. But once they rode it would be an instant seller, people get easily confused by a second ring or god forbid a third ring. Especially them being operated opposite of each other.

My Awol is setup 1x with an expander cog and a directmount chainring. Its great for climbing out here in the Rockies both on and off road. (deleted).

(deleted).

JBikes

8 years ago

yeah, fd preferences are the same those opposing ones basic rights and desire for equal protection…

Robius

8 years ago

Not a CAAD12. Obviously.

jawn doe

8 years ago

so I guess this is a sram specific frame set eh?

PRocha

8 years ago

Take a look in the portuguese web site, they have the Allez with front derraileur!

http://www.specialized.com/pt/pt/bikes/road/allez/allez-sl-x1-comp

Kevin L

8 years ago

1×11 roadie is where it’s at. I am running a 11-36t / 52t on my Venge and it climbs very well and can hammer at high speeds. Eliminate all the useless overlap gears!

jake

8 years ago

It’s a nice bike. If you like it you should buy it, if you don’t then know you’re roll and buy something else.
(deleted)
Specialized is awesome, Love the new Allez look.