Went looking for a new bike

I stopped at the local Specialized shop. The salesman was very knowledgeable, he was also one of the owners. The three bikes he suggested were the Dolce, Allez and Secteur - I don't want to spend more than $1500 - I know this is pretty cheap compared to some of the bikes you gals own. In the Allez line I like the Sport or Elite, the Dolce Elite and the Secteur not sure, they had a Comp hanging up. I took a brochure and plan to return on Sunday. Any suggestions on these bikes? Compact or Triple? I plan on riding for fitness and try to rehab my ankle. Thank you

I have a Dolce Elite Comp and I really like it. It was my first road bike and we've been on lots of adventures together. The only reason I am upgrading to a Cannondale Synapse is because the frame is too small for me (and I figured while upgrading, why not go whole hog?). Even with just Tiagra components it's been more than adequate to cycle >40 miles at a time in heavy winds and keeping up with other cyclists on fancier bikes. I think it's a well made bike and I've enjoyed riding it.

Just my two cents.

All I can add is that my brother in law has an Allez and he loves it. He's put a lot of miles on it and when we were riding this weekend he was saying how he has no interest in another bike. He knows he'll have to replace a few things, but he likes it too much to think about another bike.

For starter road bike, that's good. Just try to make sure it fits. Very important. Hopefully if the shop is good as you say you will have a correct size bike and they will fit you to it.

My first road bike did not. $1100+ waste money I just sold for a bargain to new owner that fits it.

Eventually, if you decide you road ride enough / love it, you might upgrade to carbon. The carbon helps suck up the road, versus your body sucking it up. Aluminum is light, but it's rough to ride, particularly as distance increases. Carbon is quite a bit more unfortunately.

Not sure what you are riding now, but I think any of your choices would be ok.:)

Does it really matter if its a women's specific bike? Someone here on the forum that Specialized had/has problems with their 'triples', is this true?

Enjoy the bike hunting! I did not try the Dolce but just bought a Specialized Ruby and couldn't be happier with it! My husband has 2 older model (90's) steel Specialized bikes- one is an Allez, and the other has no markings to indicate the model- and he is happy with them as well.

As for the WSD model, personally, I am very short, with a short torso and that limited my choices to the women's specific design. But if you are not so petite and have a longer torso, the other models might work for you.

If all of them fit "on paper"- try them all and see if one feels better or fits better.

How does the Secteur differ from the Allez?

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Originally Posted by surgtech1956

Does it really matter if its a women's specific bike? Someone here on the forum that Specialized had/has problems with their 'triples', is this true?

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It depends on your proportions and the company. Some women benefit, some do not. Some bike companies idea of "women specific" is to shave a centimeter off the top tube and paint it pink. Others do a good job with it.

If I understand your question about triples, I think that refers to some of us who have problem with our "q-factor" - which has to do with how far from the bike the crank has our feet - that is a bad way to explain it but it is my understanding. There are a few of us here that have problems with this but not everyone does. There are a couple here who cannot ride a triple - regardless of manufacturer.

It all boils down to what fits YOU. I wasted $1,100 on my first bike that was just too large for me and wound up selling it for $600. I do have fitting needs though that go beyond just my inseam and reach that I did not understand at the time.

I am not familiar with the bikes you are looking at, just wanted to emphasize how important fit is.

Thanks everyone. Not sure about the Secteur. The Allez I think is the male version of the Dolce??? As far as a triple, the bike I have now has a triple - Giant OCR3-W. I wanted to step up in bikes, but sounds like these bikes I'm looking at are 'entry-level' bikes as well? Dont know what it is about my Giant but I just don't like it, I think its the fit - its a small. I'm 5'6" with 29" inseam. I'll check the bikes out tomorrow. Thanks again, I appreciate your input.

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Originally Posted by surgtech1956

Thanks everyone. Not sure about the Secteur. The Allez I think is the male version of the Dolce??? As far as a triple, the bike I have now has a triple - Giant OCR3-W. I wanted to step up in bikes, but sounds like these bikes I'm looking at are 'entry-level' bikes as well? Dont know what it is about my Giant but I just don't like it, I think its the fit - its a small. I'm 5'6" with 29" inseam. I'll check the bikes out tomorrow. Thanks again, I appreciate your input.

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If you're 5'6 with a 29" inseam, then you have a very long torso and really short legs. I'm 5'4 with the same inseam and my legs are relatively short even at my height. My guess is that your standover is going to limit you, but you will likely benefit from a bike with a long top tube. I would look at unisex bikes as a start.

I'm not familar with any issue specific to Specialized triples. Triples can be finicky to set up and keep tuned, but a good mechanic should be able to tackle it. I'm one of the people who has IT band issues with most triples. Cranks with external bottom brackets are wider than their predecessors and they give my right knee fits. If I could run them, I would as I prefer the gear range I had with them. Really, though, you should base your decision on your terrain and fitness level. Compacts are nice from a shifting and weight standpoint. If he need more climbing gears, just use a cassette with a bigger spread.

I would add that with a 29 inch inseam, you might have trouble fitting over anything bigger than a 48 or 50 cm bike, at least from own experience. My WSD Bianchi is a 50; my unisex Jamis Aurora is a 47.

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Originally Posted by indysteel

If you're 5'6 with a 29" inseam, then you have a very long torso and really short legs. I'm 5'4 with the same inseam and my legs are relatively short even at my height. My guess is that your standover is going to limit you, but you will likely benefit from a bike with a long top tube. I would look at unisex bikes as a start.

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I agree. I'm 5'2" with a 28.5" inseam, and WSD bikes are a MUST for me. I need a short top tube compared to the seat tube height. You are built the opposite so should not even begin to try WSD bikes. I'm sure some of the smart gals here can direct you to some brands with long top tubes for their size, but definitely men's/unisex is what you want. You also might want a sloping top tube to give you more standover.

Thanks Indy, I'm heading to the bike shop tomorrow and ride some bikes. BTW - I'm got my bike rack on my truck. ;)

Based on your height and inseam, I'd hazard a guess that the most comfortable of the bikes that you've listed is going to be the Secteur. The Secteur is the aluminum version of the Roubaix, so its geometry was built with long-ride comfort in mind. The Allez is similar in most of its dimensions, but has a shorter headtube and is a little more "race" oriented.

If you're looking to upgrade, you can go for more expensive component groups within any of the lines, and I think the top end of the Secteur comes with carbon seat stays. Alternatively, for a big jump in price, you can get into the carbon frame equivalents.

I'd spend some time looking at the geometry charts of the various major manufacturers (they're available on the web) to get a sense of which among them offers a long TT relative to standover. Your ideal TT is also a function of how flexible you are, your arm length and how upright you prefer to sit, so keep that in mind.

Good luck with your search!

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Originally Posted by surgtech1956

Thanks everyone. Not sure about the Secteur. The Allez I think is the male version of the Dolce??? As far as a triple, the bike I have now has a triple - Giant OCR3-W. I wanted to step up in bikes, but sounds like these bikes I'm looking at are 'entry-level' bikes as well? Dont know what it is about my Giant but I just don't like it, I think its the fit - its a small. I'm 5'6" with 29" inseam. I'll check the bikes out tomorrow. Thanks again, I appreciate your input.

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Nancy, I'm your height-with the same proportions. My WSD Dolce Elite is a 54 cm, but my "men's" Jamis Aurora is a 50. Both are very comfortable. Just keep trying bikes until one feels as though it was just waiting for you. You might do better with a men's model, but I've been happy with the Dolce-even though with my backward proportions-it "shouldn't" fit.

Double vs triple, that's a no brainer. Triples are heavy. Triples are not as easy to keep properly shifting, and have a greater chance of having the chain derail from the chainring due to the slacker chain when on the small chainring. I don't even use them on my mountain bikes any more. If you need the extra low gears (very hilly area, fitness concerns) you can get a bike with a medium cage rear derailleur and rear cogset that goes to as much as 32 and pair it with a double. At that point, you have a lower gear than the standard triple, without the triple's shifting issues, weight and duplicated gears.

With your longish torso and relatively short inseam, you might fit a mens bike better. Don't let the marked size fool you; mens or unisex bikes will have a longer top tube and feel less cramped. You could also try a longer stem on your current bike to stretch out your torso a bit and open up the cockpit.

I bought a Specialized Secteur Elite Compact in Silver/Black. They had to order a 54cm for me, which I can pick up Tuesday evening. I rode a Roubaix and an Allez. This Secteur has similar components to the Roubaix. Thanks for all your input. I'll post some pics when I get her. :D:D:D:D:D

Congrats on your new bike!!! You must have a longer inseam than you think you do, as the 54's standover is almost 31 inches.

Congratulations! New bikes are so exciting...