So many "Shineys"

[Royce]

Last year I brought a Specialized Allez 2013.
I think its a great bike and it served me well cycling from Cardiff to London last year.
But would like to slowly upgrade bits. I would probably look at doing something every few months.

My question is what upgrades would give me the biggest/most noticable difference in preformance?

And then what would you upgrade next?

Many thanks Roy

 

[vickster]

Wheels and tyres
Brakes & pads
Bartape
Groupset

Chain & cassette changed as required

What's the spec of the bike in terms of groupset

 

[Royce]

I think this is the one.
I've got the 2013 model not sure if it's the same tbh
http://www.specialized.com/gb/gb/bikes/road/allez/allez-sport-int#specs
I'll be honest I don't know much about bikes etc, this is my first road bike.

 

[vickster]

Does it have the Sora groupset with thumb button on shift up and down from the brake levers

Wheels and tyres are always said to be the best upgrade in terms of bang for buck. £200 will get you a big upgrade over the stock

 

[Royce]

It has Shimano gears use the brake lever to shift up and a thumb button to shift down

 

[phil_hg_uk]

When I bought my Specialized Secteur Elite in 2010 it was advertised as having 105 group set but of course it had non 105 brakes and chain ring so they where the first to be upgraded to 105, it made a HUGE difference upgrading the brakes as the brakes that came with it were pants. Upgrading the chain ring was more me wanting to have it all 105 so I waited until ribble were selling off the previous years stuff and got it for under £70 instead of the over £200 proper price.

Then I just left it as it was ( apart from replacing worn out parts like cassettes, cables and bearings ) until it needed new wheels, in 2012 I put some cheap wheels on it which only lasted 12 months before they failed so last year I got some hand built wheels from DCR Wheels and they are great.

For a bike that is 4 years old it still rides really nice, I have thought about replacing it but it fits me like a glove and I like it

 

[young Ed]

wheels are a great upgrade as a pair of 50 grams lighter wheels will have more of an affect than a 100g lighter frame as they are spinning/rolling and it affects it i'm not quite sure how even though i am A* physics

carbon forks can be had for starting £100 and they are a decent upgrade
Cheers Ed

 

[vickster]

carbon forks can be had for starting £100 and they are a decent upgrade
Cheers Ed

According to the linked spec, it already has them

 

[young Ed]

According to the linked spec, it already has them

oh well still nowt wrong with new forks
Cheers Ed

 

[Royce]

Must've linked the wrong one then def not got carbon forks

According to the linked spec, it already has them

 

[Royce]

http://www.specialized.com/gb/gb/bikes/road/allez/allez#specs

yep think this is it

 

[vickster]

Wheels
Forks
Brakes

Actually, it's black, I'd get a new bike

 

[Royce]

Actually, it's black, I'd get a new bike

Lol lucky I got it in red.
Although a new bike............

 

[young Ed]

nothing wrong with s works or durace!

Cheers Ed

 

[vickster]

I think that might be ugliest bike I have ever seen!