Specialized Secteur

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PaulBowden

Senior Member
I'm 55 and just beginning cycling for fitness and (I'm rapidly finding) pleasure.
I want something that I can ride on my own (no thoughts of competition and would be too embarrassed to join a club, as yet!) for distance and, eventually, increasing speed, with a degree of comfort to ease me into things.
When I took my owned-from-new 1982 Raleigh Royale into a local shop for 'upgrading', they convinced me (when they'd stopped falling about laughing) that I need a new one.
Regrettably, they were only offering the Forme Rapide for my budget (up to £600 max) - in fact, Forme is the only brand they do, as yet - and I didn't like it.
Since, narrowed choice down to Specialized Allez and Secteur, at £499 and £549 respectively; guy in the (different) store is recommending the Secteur for reasons which seem appropriate. But I just wondered whether anyone has any comments, either on these two bikes or generally.
(Apologies for posting a second thread on much the same subject and many thanks to those who responded to the first.)
 

ianrauk

Tattooed Beat Messiah
Location
Rides Ti2
There are a good few happy Secteur owners on here. We even have our own club here

I myself has a Secteur Elite. It's my commute bike and I absolutely love it. It has relaxed geometry so has less of the heads down racer look that the Allez has
 

phil_hg_uk

I am not a member, I am a free man !!!!!!
+ 1 for the Secteur Elite.

Had mine now for a couple of weeks and done a coupe of hundred miles on it and I love it and compared to my Ultra Galaxy it is quick. I am finding I am riding much quicker overall and tackling hills that I wouldnt even have thought about on the Galaxy.
 
Don't think they'll be selling the Secteur Elite at £600 even in the Septemberish sales.
I ended up with the Sport (the ugly one though I'm not taking gip from folks who wear pink bib shorts personally ;) ) but it's my first road bike and only had it for 4 months so cannot speak authoritatively on the matter.
 

Norm

Guest
Secteur sport, love it, comfortable, reliable other than a few punctures, I would definitely get another if it was stolen so I guess that's the measure. ;)
 
Go for it Paul. You're the same age as me, and it'll only be a matter of time before you sell the heirlooms to get, like Ian, a Roubaix, then a nice little tourer, then perhaps a nice relaxed Planet X sportive - just to feel the difference that materials can make to a ride...oh, and it isn't far to London (and back :laugh:)
You're hooked!
Have fun.
:blush:
 

shippers

Senior Member
Location
Sunny Wakefield
I've a secteur sport and it's fantastic. Friend has the Allez sport, and he loves it- though the tyres are totally slick and he didn't get the triple.

Just to confuse you, had a Giant Defy 4 before- worth a look. (£475)

All you can do is go along and try a couple out.
 

HaloJ

Rabid cycle nut
Location
Watford
Right, back, quick post earlier due to dinner being ready.

I went for the Sport over the Elite for the colour. I loved the look of the white model. Equipment wise all 3 are quite good and I'm of a mind to upgrade the mech on mine to this years new 105 or last years Ultegra. A word of note, no matter what you see in the blurb the Secteurs do not have mudguard eyes.
 

potsy

Rambler
Location
My Armchair
HaloJ said:
Right, back, quick post earlier due to dinner being ready.

I went for the Sport over the Elite for the colour. I loved the look of the white model. Equipment wise all 3 are quite good and I'm of a mind to upgrade the mech on mine to this years new 105 or last years Ultegra. A word of note, no matter what you see in the blurb the Secteurs do not have mudguard eyes.
:laugh::rolleyes: Women!! :blush:
 

accountantpete

Brexiteer
Just to mess with your brain Paul, I'd point out that the two bikes you have chosen have the Shimano 8spd system - which is why they are cheaper.

I'd be inclined to go towards the 9spd Sora set up which is a bit more "modern" and probably a bit better made (guesswork as I'm a Campag man).
 

shippers

Senior Member
Location
Sunny Wakefield
HaloJ said:
Right, back, quick post earlier due to dinner being ready.

I went for the Sport over the Elite for the colour. I loved the look of the white model. Equipment wise all 3 are quite good and I'm of a mind to upgrade the mech on mine to this years new 105 or last years Ultegra. A word of note, no matter what you see in the blurb the Secteurs do not have mudguard eyes.

I also went for the sport over the elite. However it was the massive saving of money for me. Prefered the Elite colour. It's a swine keeping the white Sport clean. Ish.
 
Hi i have the specialized allez mainly because it was within my budget, i can tell you that im well pleased the wee bike is a flyer hills what hill's lol,it is the 8 spd but thats suits me as im getting into biking after 20yrs and being from northern ireland i have loads of fairly quite roads to choose from some with hill's that would test the best of riders, one of which is the glenshane pass with an elevation of 1000ft, might try that in a year or two when im fit lol,anyhow whatever bike you choose i wish you the best of luck and happy safe riding.
 
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PaulBowden

Senior Member
What a pleasant and supportive lot you all are!
Thank you very much for taking the time to respond - and all with interesting suggestions. In the end, the budgetary constraints are a bit tight: this has all mushroomed from a few weeks ago, when I told my partner that I was going to get my old bike properly serviced and it would cost about £50 -going above £600 would mean my having to promise to do the ironing for a year, mortgage the dog and sell my body on the streets.
The entry-level Secteur looks and feels a bit less aggressive than the Allez, which I loved, and that's probably a good thing for someone really just starting out.
Looking forward to the long school summer holidays, when I shall try out whatever I buy on the lanes of Lincolnshire and chez my French inlaws who live in and around.....Roubaix!
I will post back with my final decision and take the opportunity to ask loads of questions on this forum, as I get into things.
 
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