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review

Specialized Allez E5 Sport 2017

9
£750.00

VERDICT:

9
10
Awesome speed machine for the racer on a budget and anyone else who likes to go fast
Weight: 
9,440g

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Forget 'entry level' or 'beginner's bike' tags, regardless of its price the Specialized Allez E5 Sport is an absolutely cracking race bike offering speed, composed handling and massive amounts of comfort for those rides when you want to go fast and long.

Specialized Allez E5.jpg

Ride

After 215km of Barry's Ball Buster audax I stepped off the Allez with the contented feeling of a good day's training in the legs but with no pain or discomfort anywhere else. Not bad from a bike with a full racing geometry and a body that's not used to spending eight hours saddle bound.

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I'd only taken the Allez out for a two hour spin about five days before but everything just felt right. The position, the way it handled; everything about the bike felt like I'd been riding it for thousands and thousands of miles.

I must admit I did change the saddle to an old fave and put some lighter wheels on just to knock the weight down a touch (the Superstar Components Pave 28's I tested back in 2015) but the Allez performed brilliantly throughout the day once again quashing that old fashioned idea of an aluminium alloy frame giving a harsh ride.

Specialized Allez E5 - riding 2.jpg

The handling is great, very controlled and neutral for those who maybe aren't maybe the most confident descenders but thanks to the amount of feedback through the frame and fork from where tyres meet tarmac you'll soon grow in confidence and ability.

That's the great thing about this bike, it kind of works with you. You can grow with it in terms of skill and confidence but even if you are a very experienced rider you can still climb aboard and be excited thanks to how responsive the Allez is. Okay the front end isn't as razor sharp in the really high speed, technical bends as some carbon fibre, mega money speed machines but unless you're riding them side by side you'll be hard pushed to notice.

The stack to reach ratio of this 54cm Allez is 1.41, that is race bike territory (endurance bikes normally come in around the 1.55 mark) and really allows you to get long and low into the drops for when you really want to get a move on.

Specialized Allez E5 - riding 1.jpg

Your centre of gravity just feels right and the Allez E5 Sport is a very flickable machine whether that is on a descent or at slower speeds through a town centre negotiating traffic and filtering.

The Allez is a stiff little thing too with hard acceleration or climbing not highlighting any major flex issues around the bottom bracket or headtube areas. At 9.44kg (20.8lb) the Allez is no lightweight but its ride quality belies its numbers on the scales.

Read more: 17 of the best 2017 road bikes under £1,000 — top choices for Cycle To Work scheme buyers

Frame and Fork

Specialized Allez E5 - down tube.jpg

Specialized have always had their own branding for their different aluminium tubing and it's no different here. The E5 Premium is likely to be a common aluminium alloy like 6061or 7005 as found on most bikes at this price range. Specialized says it's been 'fully manipulated' which judging by the various curves and kinks means it's been hydroformed to create the shapes.

Specialized Allez E5 - bottom bracket.jpg

Specialized have kept things pretty traditional and simple too with a straight 1 1/8-inch steerer on the alloy/carbon fork and a threaded bottom bracket. That might compromise a little on overall stiffness but it does little to detract from the work the rest of the frame is doing.

Specialized Allez E5 - fork detail.jpg

The overall finish is very high though with smooth welds and pretty impressive paintjob. The red and black colour scheme makes the E5 Sport look much more expensive than its price tag.

Finishing Kit

Specialized Allez E5 - drivetrain.jpg

At this price Shimano Sora might not look that great a deal, the Raleigh Criterium Sport has Tiagra for an extra £50, and B'Twin's Ultra 900 AF has a full 105 groupset and Askium wheels for £800.

Saying all of that though the latest Sora R3000 is absolutely brilliant with shifting as crisp and precise as the current Tiagra and barely distinguishable from that of 105.

Specialized Allez E5 - bars 2.jpg

The only downside is its nine speed range especially when pairing this bike's compact 50/34 chainset with a 11-32 cassette. The jumps between sprockets are pretty big and for me as a downhill speed freak and reluctant climber with a narrow cadence preference I want both of those extremities at either end of the cassette.

Hear are the gear ratios, for those who get excited about such things.

  11 12 14 16 18 21 24 28 32
50 122.7 112.5 96.4 84.4 75.0 64.3 56.3 48.2 42.2
34 83.5 76.5 65.6 57.4 51.0 43.7 38.3 32.8 28.7

 

Other than that though the Sora stuff looks good and is hugely reliable, changing gear easily when under load.

Specialized Allez E5 - rear brake.jpg

The rest of the stuff is Specialized's own brand. Bar and stem wise you get an all alloy set up which works well, the bars have a compact drop for various hand positions plus the stem length felt spot on for the size of frame.

Out back you get an alloy seatpost with easy to tweak saddle position and a Toupe steel-railed seat. I admit I didn't really get on with its shape and firmness but after all saddles are a very personal thing.

The wheels and tyres are also from Specialized and offer good performance when you consider the budget.

Specialized Allez E5 - tyre.jpg

Starting with the rubber I found the Espoir Sport tyres a little on the sluggish side. They only have a 60tpi (threads per inch) construction which means they aren't that supple especially over rougher road surfaces where they just couldn't react to the bumps making for a jarring and muted ride.

With a wire bead they are also quite heavy too which takes its toll on acceleration. Puncture performance was good though and they'd be solid performers through the winter.

Specialized Allez E5 - sdaddle.jpg

Wheels wise, again things are more about reliability than performance with the Axis Sport wheels but they rolled well and didn't feel massively heavy. Changing to some lighter wheels like I did with the Pave 28's made a massive difference to how the Allez responded to your efforts so I'd say if you want for a little more speed this is the first place you should look.

Axis also provide the dual pivot brake calipers and although still not brilliant they are among the best own brand stoppers I've used. They just lack the bite of, say, Shimano's 105 calipers to really make you feel confident flying into that next bend.

Value

Well, I've already touched on this above with regards to the Raleigh Criterium Sport and B'Twin Ultra in terms of spec list but the more bikes you ride you soon realise that components are such a small part of the equation. They are the icing on the cake if you like; a mediocre frame won't be made better by chucking lighter and more expensive parts at it though a good frame just works with whatever is bolted on.

The Specialized Allez is the latter, it's a brilliant package as it is but by upgrading things over time you will end up with an awesome bike. A machine that'll grow with you as your ability and fitness increase you can justify those little treats to turn this thing into a bike that will really challenge those with a tag twice the price.

Verdict

Awesome speed machine for the racer on a budget and anyone else who likes to go fast

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road.cc test report

Make and model: Specialized Allez E5 Sport

Size tested: 54cm

About the bike

State the frame and fork material and method of construction. List the components used to build up the bike.

FRAME: Specialized E5 Premium Aluminum, fully-manipulated tubing w/smooth welds, 1-1/8" lower bearing

FORK: FACT carbon fiber

FRONT WHEEL: Axis Sport

REAR WHEEL: Axis Sport

INNER TUBES: 700x20/28mm, 40mm Presta valve

FRONT TYRE: Espoir Sport, 700x25mm, 60TPI, wire bead, double BlackBelt protection

REAR TYRE: Espoir Sport, 700x25mm, 60TPI, wire bead, double BlackBelt protection

CRANKSET: Shimano Sora Compact

CHAINRINGS: 50/34T

BOTTOM BRACKET: Shimano

SHIFT LEVERS: Shimano Sora STI

FRONT DERAILLEUR: Shimano Sora, clamp-on

REAR DERAILLEUR: Shimano Sora, 9-speed

CASSETTE: Sunrace, 9-speed, 11-32t

CHAIN: KMC X9, 9-speed w/reusable MissingLink

FRONT BRAKE: AXIS 1.0

REAR BRAKE: AXIS 1.0

HANDLEBARS: Specialized Shallow Drop, alloy, 125mm drop, 70mm short-reach

TAPE: Specialized S-Wrap

STEM: Specialized, 3D forged alloy, 4-bolt, 7-degree rise

SADDLE: Body Geometry Toupé Sport, steel rails, 143mm

SEATPOST: Alloy, 12.5mm offset, 2-bolt clamp, 27.2mm

Tell us what the bike is for, and who it's aimed at. What do the manufacturers say about it? How does that compare to your own feelings about the bike?

"The Allez E5 Sport is versatile and value-packed. That's because its stiff alloy construction, carbon fork, and Shimano Sora shifting make sure that it's ready to take on all of your weekend rides with complete confidence. Go out and get after it. It's constructed from our lightweight and ultra-stiff E5 Premium aluminium to ensure that you get those most out of every watt that your legs can produce. More so, this construction makes for a bike that's equally capable for the road ahead, so you'll find it performing exceptionally on climbs, descents, and all-out sprints. Even better, these characteristics are all amplified by the Elite's exquisite & confident geometry and FACT carbon fibre fork. For the build, we went with a no-nonsense approach, opting for Shimano Sora shifting, durable Axis sport alloy wheels, and brilliant Espoir Sport tyres."

Specialized have played a bit of a blinder when it comes to the Allez E5 Sport as it performs brilliantly for the beginner and experienced rider alike.

Frame and fork

Overall rating for frame and fork
 
9/10

Tell us about the build quality and finish of the frame and fork?

The frame and fork are very responsive and the red/black paintjob means the E5 looks way more expensive than it actually is.

Tell us about the materials used in the frame and fork?

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

A FACT carbon fiber fork provides incredible stiffness and front end steering response, while also efficiently absorbing road chatter."

Tell us about the geometry of the frame and fork?

Looking through the numbers you can see that the Allez E5 Sport lives up to its racy name, steep angles and a short wheelbase make for nippy handling machine.

How was the bike in terms of height and reach? How did it compare to other bikes of the same stated size?

The 54cm has a stack to reach ratio of 1.41 which is very much in the racer category.

Riding the bike

Was the bike comfortable to ride? Tell us how you felt about the ride quality.

Yes, not quite as refined as some more expensive alloy frames but in no ways harsh or comfortable.

Did the bike feel stiff in the right places? Did any part of the bike feel too stiff or too flexible?

Yes, it responded well to hard efforts.

How did the bike transfer power? Did it feel efficient?

Well, it is a spirited climber and fun to accelerate.

Was there any toe-clip overlap with the front wheel? If so, was it a problem?

Yes, you have to remember it in traffic.

How would you describe the steering? Was it lively, neutral or unresponsive? Neutral yet engaging.

Tell us some more about the handling. How did the bike feel overall? Did it do particular things well or badly?

The handling felt nicely weighted in the bends and although the E5 hasn't got the tightest front end it performs way better than expected on a bike of this price.

Which components had the most effect (good or bad) on the bike's comfort? would you recommend any changes?

I didn't really get on with the Specialized Toupe saddle.

Which components had the most effect (good or bad) on the bike's stiffness? would you recommend any changes?

Specialized's own brand bar and stem combo is very stiff for when you are really hammering it out of the saddle.

Which components had the most effect (good or bad) on the bike's efficiency? would you recommend any changes?

The tyres are a bit on the sluggish side so I'd recommend an upgrade here.

Rate the bike for efficiency of power transfer:
 
8/10
Rate the bike for acceleration:
 
8/10
Rate the bike for sprinting:
 
8/10
Rate the bike for high speed stability:
 
9/10
Rate the bike for cruising speed stability:
 
9/10
Rate the bike for low speed stability:
 
8/10
Rate the bike for flat cornering:
 
8/10
Rate the bike for cornering on descents:
 
8/10
Rate the bike for climbing:
 
8/10

The drivetrain

Rate the drivetrain for performance:
 
8/10
Rate the drivetrain for durability:
 
8/10
Rate the drivetrain for weight:
 
8/10
Rate the drivetrain for value:
 
8/10

Tell us some more about the drivetrain. Anything you particularly did or didn't like? Any components which didn't work well together?

The latest Sora groupset, R3000 is stunning offering shifting virtually identical to Tiagra and 105. Being 9 speed the jumps between sprockets on this 11-32 cassette could be a bit large.

Wheels and tyres

Rate the wheels for performance:
 
7/10
Rate the wheels for durability:
 
8/10
Rate the wheels for weight:
 
7/10
Rate the wheels for comfort:
 
8/10
Rate the wheels for value:
 
7/10

Tell us some more about the wheels.Did they work well in the conditions you encountered? Would you change the wheels? If so, what for?

The Axis wheels feel pretty solid and even though they are a bit on the weighty side they are decent performers on a bike of this price.

Rate the tyres for performance:
 
6/10
Rate the tyres for durability:
 
8/10
Rate the tyres for weight:
 
7/10
Rate the tyres for comfort:
 
7/10
Rate the tyres for value:
 
7/10

Tell us some more about the tyres. Did they work well in the conditions you encountered? Would you change the tyres? If so, what for?

The tyres feel a little stodgy '' probably becaiuse of the very low tpi (threads per inch) count, so this is definitely one of the things to upgrade.

Controls

Rate the controls for performance:
 
8/10
Rate the controls for durability:
 
8/10
Rate the controls for weight:
 
7/10
Rate the controls for comfort:
 
7/10
Rate the controls for value:
 
7/10

Tell us some more about the controls. Any particularly good or bad components? How would the controls work for larger or smaller riders?

Specialized's own brand kit looks good and is of decent quality although personally I didn't get on with the saddle.

Your summary

Did you enjoy riding the bike? Yes

Would you consider buying the bike? Yes

Would you recommend the bike to a friend? Yes

Rate the bike overall for performance:
 
9/10
Rate the bike overall for value:
 
8/10

Use this box to explain your score

The Allez E5 Sport is an absolute joy to ride whether you are new to the sport or a seasoned racer thanks to confident handling and a great frameset. You may be able to get other bikes for the same money with higher spec lists but if you can cope with only 18 gears I'd say the sacrifice is definitely worth it.

Overall rating: 9/10

About the tester

Age: 38 Height: 180cm Weight: 76kg

I usually ride: This month's test bike My best bike is: Kinesis Aithien

I've been riding for: 10-20 years I ride: Every day I would class myself as: Expert

I regularly do the following types of riding: time trialling, commuting, club rides, sportives, fixed/singlespeed,

As part of the tech team here at F-At Digital, senior product reviewer Stu spends the majority of his time writing in-depth reviews for road.cc, off-road.cc and ebiketips using the knowledge gained from testing over 1,500 pieces of kit (plus 100's of bikes) since starting out as a freelancer back in 2009. After first throwing his leg over a race bike back in 2000, Stu's ridden more than 170,000 miles on road, time-trial, track, and gravel bikes, and while he's put his racing days behind him, he still likes to smash the pedals rather than take things easy. With a background in design and engineering, he has an obsession with how things are developed and manufactured, has a borderline fetish for handbuilt metal frames and finds a rim braked road bike very aesthetically pleasing!

Add new comment

6 comments

Avatar
fred-paris | 5 years ago
0 likes

I purchased the 2018 model (size 58cm )a few months ago. That bike is really excellent for the price. Yes there are better equipped bikes in the same price range but would they be that good? 

The Sora groupset does a really good job: very fluid and accurate shifting. Do I miss the 105 groupset and 11 speed cassette of my ime trial Kuota K Factor? Nope, not for the roads that I ride. If I was riding in the mountains, maybe more sprockets would be useful but so far I am happy with the 9 speed 11/32 cassette. I have made quite a few emergency stops with the bike and I have nothing to say against the Tektro Axis calipers: they have enough bite to stop my 80kg.

Here are the components I have changed on my Allez at the time of purchase:

- I replaced the saddle by a higher grade leather Toupé (I love Toupé saddles and deserve leather)

- I replaced the original tyres with Specialized Roubaix 28mm (I wanted to try larger tyres with better puncture resistance). The 28mm fit the frame but you need to deflate tyres to remove the wheels.

I will probably invest in a better pair of wheels in the future (I dig the Mavic Cosmic Pro Carbon clincher wheels) but other than that, it's a great bike. 

The only concern I have had so far with that bike is the bottom bracket or should I say the bolts of the front derraileur cable guide that sit underneath the bottom bracket. During a ride, those bolts would heat up after 30km and expand until they scrape the bottom bracket axle. As the axle has a couple of holes in it, this created a "clac clac" rattle noise that vibrated the whole frameset (and damaged the axle...). Once back home and the bike cooled down, the noise would stop.

I brought the bike back to my local store who confirmed the axle was scraped off. They trimmed the bolts which extended my ride range up to 70km... After a second trim of the bolts, I am now able to ride the bike for 90km without bottom bracket noise. I have asked the shop to contact Specialized and try to get a new bottom bracket axle as a warranty replacement because that is not acceptable at that price range.

I have so far put 800km on that bike and intend to ride on a regular basis with it. If you're looking for a decent road bike with racing capabilities without breaking the bank then you should consider that model.

Avatar
Vejnemojnen | 6 years ago
0 likes

and how often do you need 11-12t?  1

Avatar
Simontuck | 6 years ago
0 likes

It's got a compact cranksetset already, what's wrong with 11-28? That's what I have on my Allez.

Avatar
Vejnemojnen | 6 years ago
0 likes

I still don't see, why it is not equipped with a cassette with finer increments. 13-30 would be totally fine, or anything with llesser jumps.

 

just how often does one need 50-11 or 50-12 when doing only mild leisure riding?  1

Avatar
javi_polo | 6 years ago
0 likes

Last years Sora looked a bit aged, but with all the tricked-down technology that R3000 has received I'm thinking that it might be "just enough" (at least for me): cheap, dependable and with a good (if not 105-good) performance.

I think my question is... would you pay the extra 150GBP for the Allez E5 Elite, which looks like esentially the same bike with Tiagra?

Avatar
thelighterthief | 6 years ago
0 likes

"Hear are the gear ratios, for those who get excited about such things."

surely that's "Here is the gearing range expressed as gear inches"

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