Specialized Allez Elite

There's no denying it, Specialized is still in love with aluminum road bikes, and when it comes to transforming this passion into a labor of love, they make a bike like the Allez Elite. If you're just finding your cycling legs, this is the best place to start.

Not only does a light bike feel better when you're climbing up a hill, but it's also essential when you're carrying your bike up to the 5th floor, and this was at the forefront of the frame design. With a redesigned E5 Alloy frame, the Allez features a class-leading weight. Aggressively thin-walled, yet tough, tubes have been implemented to save weight.

Speaking of the fork, entry-level road bikes often times feature either alloy or cheap carbon fiber forks that greatly detract from the overall ride quality. But with a full FACT carbon fiber fork, the Allez is better handling, smoother riding, and lower in weight—floating over rough chip-seal and carving through corners like a slalom skier. For the geometry, Specialized developed the Allez by utilizing the vast Retül fit database. This meant creating a geometry that's sure to cover a broad range of positions, while still providing the performance-minded handling you'd expect from your first bike.

This Allez also features integrated rack and fender mounts, allowing you to get weight out of your backpack and on to a lightweight rack when you need it. This not only makes for a good road bike, but it also enables you to transform it into a fast commuter. Along these lines, you'll find plenty of clearance for 28mm tires, so longer rides become far more bearable and city streets much smoother.

- E5 Premium Aluminum frame features fully manipulated tubing with smooth welds that increase stiffness and efficiency, while looking just as good as it performs.

- Specialized FACT carbon, full monocoque fork designed for high-speed handling.

- Shimano 105 STI shifters provide crisp, reliable shifting.