Specialized Allez Sport - £1,159 | 9.3kg

Rachel Sokal tests the latest version of an entry-level road bike classic

The Specialized Allez has been one of the most popular entry-level road bikes for many years. It’s versatile, offers value for money and benefits from a whole lot of trickle-down R&D from the higher end of Specialized’s range. But having a reputation to live up to isn’t easy, especially now the big brands are struggling to offer quite the same value that they once did.

There are three Allez models available, with the Sport being the mid-range offering. Central to the concept of the Allez is its balanced geometry, which lends it to a range of riding and riders. Essentially, it’s designed as a bike that will do a bit of everything without any major sacrifices to position and comfort. This makes it well-suited to both an experienced rider who wants one do-it-all bike or someone who’s just starting out.

The spec

The first thing that strikes you is what a neat and tidy bike the Allez is; straight lines, simple tubes, neat welds, semi-internal cables and smart finishing kit. The British racing green paint job adds another level of class, while rack and mudguard mounts give the bike great flexibility to double up as both a commuter and winter bike.

As for the aforementioned geometry, the 52cm frame has a stack of 552mm and reach of 376mm with a head angle of 73°. For a point of comparison, the Allez Sprint, which is based on the geometry of Specialized’s Tarmac race bike, is both longer – a 383mm reach – and lower, thanks to a 520mm stack height.