Spesh Allez or Tricross??

[speccy1]

I`ve narrowed down my search for my new workhorse/commuting bike to these two but can`t decide which would be best. It will be doing 150 miles/week by just going to work, in all conditions. The Allez would be a lot faster, but the Tricross more indestructable. Going to the LBS tomorrow but can anybody here give me any pointers please?

Many thanks from a confused member

 

[PK99]

"a lot faster" ? Are you sure?

 

[gary in derby]

nothing slow about my tricross, well only me that is.

 

[PaulSecteur]

If all conditions really means ALL conditions then only the tricross will have clearence for spikes snow and ice tyres, also, it will take proper mudguards like SKS chromoplastics, blumells, or tortecs. Also, if you want do do anything unsurfaced or worse with any regularity then it has to be a tricross.

However, if you plan on only using the roads and when its gets snowy and icey you can use an alternative I would go for the allez. If will take crud road racers (but you may have to change the tyres to 23mm ones to get them rub free) and like the tricross it will take a rack. Much nice to get the weight off your back and have a tail pack.

I have a tricross and a Secteur (the secteur being similar to the allez, but not such a racy riding position). The tricross is a great do everything bike, but if you are sticking to the roads then a dedicated road bike will be better.

Its your call on what you want from your bike.

 

[ACS]

Cannot comment on the Allez but I do have 2xTricross. My commuter has done 23 miles a day, 4 days a week, for about 46 weeks a year since April 2009 in all kinds of weather and road conditions. Apart from a broken rear hanger it has been totally reliable.
I agree its not the lightest or the fastest bike on the road but I'm not racing I'm commuting.

My only negative is the brakes they are not as sharp as they could be.

Test ride them both. You will know.

 

[Norm]

Sorry for those who have seen me write this (a lot!) before but my Secteur and Tricross cover a 10-mile commute in exactly the same time. The Secteur is lighter and, on good surfaces, would be faster but I don't appear to have any good surfaces to ride and, across broken tarmac, the Tricross wins out as I don't have to change speed & direction to dodge the larger chasms.

 

[marshmella]

Sorry for those who have seen me write this (a lot!) before but my Secteur and Tricross cover a 10-mile commute in exactly the same time. The Secteur is lighter and, on good surfaces, would be faster but I don't appear to have any good surfaces to ride and, across broken tarmac, the Tricross wins out as I don't have to change speed & direction to dodge the larger chasms.

Norm you are Mr Tricross, always willing to share your knowledge of this bike, and like you said many, many posts ago if you had to choose only one bike it would be the Tricross.

 

[potsy]

Norm you are Mr Tricross, always willing to share your knowledge of this bike, and like you said many, many posts ago if you had to choose only one bike it would be the Tricross.

Has norm got a Tricross? Hadn't noticed

Speccy, best get one of each just to cover all the bases

 

[Norm]

Has norm got a Tricross? Hadn't noticed

 

[marshmella]

Perhaps Speccy 1 should get a Boardman CX as well cos they.re well respected on here also

 

[MrJamie]

What makes the Tricross inferior on roads vs a road bike, is it just the ride position and tyre width? How much difference does this make in real terms, say journey time or average speed?

Ive also been thinking about a Tricross as my next purchase (probably next year), i like the idea of the drops and utility but wonder how much faster a road bike would be - not that i ever intend to race.

 

[cyberknight]

You can always put 23`s on the tricross i believe for faster riding then go back to wider /grippier tyres for winter .
unless your absoluty hammering it then your not going to notice much difference.
In winter i use a 90`s rigid MTB with semi slick tyres , it weighs more than my virtuoso, has greater rolling resistance and the gearing is lower so i have to spin more .... the difference over a 10 mile commute is under 5 minutes.

 

[Norm]

What makes the Tricross inferior on roads vs a road bike

Nothing, because it isn't inferior for non-competitive purposes.

 

[potsy]

I reckon there's 1mph difference between mine and the Secteur on the average commute, most of that is the etra weight of the bike (rack/panier/guards) and the difference in tyre widths 35's compared with 25's on the Secteur.

 

[musa]

A bike is only as fast as person riding it.