specialized: secteur (basic) vs sirrus sport

[thanos]

I have mulled over this decision for months, based on discount incentives (no cycle scheme for my company) I am motivated to make a buy:

I have tried these bikes out in store - sirrus feels good, but the secteur is also very comfortable in a road bike sort of way.
My commute is rather short (3miles one way), but is quite hilly..
So far (with my current mtb/hybrid) i used shared bike paths - would like to use roads more.

So can you guys help sway me one way or another. Im a bit conserned that if I stick with a hybrid, ill stick to the bike paths, which isnt necessary bad, but.. then again the basic secteur model is not outfitted with great gearing (although I feel it should be sufficient for my needs, unless i hear otherwise from you).

thanks in advance..

 

[Norm]

2 good bikes there, either will be great for your commute.

Will you be keeping the current scoot? If so, you want something different rather than 2 bikes the same, which would be a vote for the Secteur.

What other riding are you thinking of doing, though?

 

[thanos]

hey there Norm,

well been doing the occasional run to the town shops. This upgrade is mostly my forray to road commuting - as opposed to a straight up substitution (i eyed a trek 7.2fx 2009 as a sub bike, but didnt 'fancy' it i guess).

Your point is valid on not wanting to hold on to two similar ones. The current bike is in pretty bad shape (back wheel, brakes etc), also space is in shortage (no garage / shed space), but if i was to have a pretty bike i might consider keeping my current one for a couple of months at least, as i feel comfortable leaving it locked in the train lot and late at night for a few hours.

the sirrus sport is definitely more versatile, but a couple of the hills (if i was to use the road system) are pretty aggressive, so i thought the secteur would do a better job, meaning itd be easier on me I get the feeling that either way i cant go terribly wrong..

I wonder if people buy the basic version of the secteur; maybe having subsidized purchase schemes, or non commuting appetites, leads them to fancier versions.

 

[Norm]

Firstly, I should come clean and confess I did the toss-up between these two and there's a Secteur in my garage. I'll try not to be biased here (everyone thinks their own bikes are the best... or we would have chosen something different )

If it was me (be grateful you aren't me ) I'd get a road bike (Secteur) and then fix up the current bike if it's just worn out stuff, like bearings and brakes.

Maybe use it to learn (sorry if this sounds condescending, you might already know this stuff) about how to sort out your own bike without the pressure of needing to get it ready to commute the following morning.

One thing to bear in mind is that the Secteur is designed to be more comfortable for longer periods than many road bikes - compared to the Specialized Allez, for instance. If you are just thinking of (relatively) shorter rides, the Allez could be better.

 

[potsy]

Come on norm,surely the only answer is to buy both
I'm already looking into what to buy next,quite fancy a tricross or a sirrus to go alongside the secteur.

 

[Norm]

Come on norm,surely the only answer is to buy both
I'm already looking into what to buy next,quite fancy a tricross or a sirrus to go alongside the secteur.

Have you been peeking in my garage again, potsy?

TBH, I have few N+1 thoughts at the moment. Then again, I have most bases covered but the Sirrus did / does appeal greatly. I just can't figure out a gap that it would fit into.

I'd recommend a Tricross as well... but I think I've already written that about 30 times today.

 

[thanos]

interesting.. i considered the allez at first (because of its price), but read about the comfort aspect of the secteur and it sort of happened to be the one i tried on, in the shop.. seemed pretty darn comfortable to me (54cm, the reach was good - always a concern as im 5'8, bike looked better than the base allez as well)

the price difference between the sirrus sport and the secteur is close to negligible, after discount, and for under 500, im hiiighly tempted to go with a road bike, and at the same time feeling guilty to spend that much on a road capable hybrid (which in all fairness is worth it based on its frame and ratings).

 

[potsy]

Very nearly bought the tricross when I got the secteur,was going along the lines of 1 bike for all occasions idea,now I'm thinking summer/winter bike.
Secteur for summer-Tricross/sirrus for winter.But would then still have to keep the Trek for shop/library runs

 

[Norm]

Giant Talon for off road runs, Secteur for road runs and Tricross for, well, who knows where I'm going to end up runs.

Oh, and a shopping bike with panniers also.

The Sirrus is a seriously (Sirriusly?) capable road bike and, tbh, no better suited to off-road use than the Secteur. It's kinda like an Allez with flat bars rather than anything which can be used away from the tarmac. The Secteur's comfort will only tell after, well, it depends on personal size, shape etc but you probably wouldn't notice it until something like 90 minutes in the saddle.

One thing which you need to do, though, Thanos, is ride the thing on roads, not just on carpet. If your LBS won't allow that, then find one that will. I can recommend a good one which allows test rides in Windsor if that helps.

 

[thanos]

hmm, local shops dont stock specialized (i reside a bit north of london, i tried on the boardmans and the marins / treks); visited west end evans this past saturday, and in all honesty they did offer a test ride, but i was a bit squeamish - as not much of a road cyclist, plus i really felt comfortable on the bike.

all in all your input on the sirrus has helped quite a bit; I guess i short changed it a bit.. maybe my current usage profile is more suited for that bike vs a road bike (doest mean i want the secteur any less, heh). I definitely dont want to be the guy with a trek 1.2 on paths (no punt on the guy i spotted today, on my way back from a ride), but i definitely want to put a bike where it belongs the most, especially a road bike that costs over 600.

 

[Norm]

Don't be squeamish about test rides. As you say, you will be spending a lot of money. I'd take one out for at least an hour.

Also, whilst your current use might lean you towards a flat-barred bike, is your planned use going to be the same? I'm probably not helping much here, am I.

My biased opinion is that the Sirrus is road-focused enough that the difference is in the bars. It will be little better (or worse) off road than a Secteur. In favour of the road bike, though, the drops will give you somewhere else to go which you don't have as an option on the Sirrus. Two of my bikes have flat bars, three have drops. Even though I seldom use the drops, I still prefer having them fitted.

If you can keep two bikes, I'd recommend it as it makes life a lot easier not having to worry about leaving a shiny one somewhere for the neds. If you do that, though, it would push the road bike (Secteur / Allez) to the fore.

Tough choices, as you have spotted. Really, though, ride both for a good length of time (put a morning aside, at least, it's worth it for £600!) and see which one calls to you the most.

 

[thanos]

not 600 (that was the trek 1.2), more like 450 but still worth some recollection (at 600 I would be looking for sora at the v.least). Yes I agree drops do offer an advantage. I encounter wind quite often during winter months, and with flats (no side bars even) it is difficult to posture down and keep pedalling. Yesterday I sort of tried to simulate how it would've been with a more tucked posture and it seemed to remove a lot of the surface area the wind was attacking, and thus made it easier to move. The only negative with drops (that i imagined) is that in some cases (hopping 'items') you cant control the bike as you would with flats in some but then again you shouldn't have to in a road environment.

it'll be difficult to arrange the ride, as the discount expires probably by saturday, and with work i probably wont have the time to arrange it (travel into london and all that).

Ill ponder over the feedback a bit more today and see if it leads anywhere. I use various quick rides to put things in perspective - hasnt helped much so far, so i think a jump in faith will have to be made at some point.

Have a great work week (it starts with a beautiful sunny day)..

 

[thanos]

Got tired of mulling it over, even considered going back to the trek 7.2fx as it is a sensible choice (as a sub 300).

not that anyone cares (i guess i do), but quite often i dont see resolutions placed in these "what bike to choose" threads.. I just placed the order for the specteur!!!!! Its the basic version, and its going to be my bike for everything (going to work, going to town, and exploring near by stuff).

im done settling for hybrids, had to try this out!

 

[ianrauk]

You have made a good choice.

Got tired of mulling it over, even considered going back to the trek 7.2fx as it is a sensible choice (as a sub 300).

not that anyone cares (i guess i do), but quite often i dont see resolutions placed in these "what bike to choose" threads.. I just placed the order for the specteur!!!!! Its the basic version, and its going to be my bike for everything (going to work, going to town, and exploring near by stuff).

im done settling for hybrids, had to try this out!

 

[chfp77]

Is there any negatives with the Secteur? I've heard nothing but glowing reports. Not sure if im right,but can you only get the Secteur with a triple?