Old Road Bikes Were Scary! 1988 Specialized Allez Epic Retro Special
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- Опубліковано 22 бер 2022
- On the launch of the brand new Specialized Allez Sprint here's a look back at the Allez Epic from 1988 when it was a cutting-edge carbon tubed and alloy lugged frame, well before the model became the alloy road bike we're all familiar with today
Allez Sprint review • 2022 Specialized Allez...
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I raced in 80s and, yes, the bikes had high gears. But after a week or 2 you would get used to them, and your muscles would grow accordingly. Tubular tires (also called sew-ups) were easy to change, but difficult to repair if you had a flat. I'll always love these old bikes....their craftsmanship, simplicity, and beauty stand compared to today's bikes.
Am I mad/crazy for loving vintage road bikes more than the modern ones?😂
I still enjoy riding my 93 Epuc Pro Tour bike with Dura Ace, more than my modern Di2 Tarmac . Could comfortably do weekly 8 hour training rides on the Allez Epic Pro. And ya, Sagan is back on 53/39. (10-30)
You know what a real bike is. I had my first bike in early 70s and you had to build the muscular strength to call yourself a cyclist unlike these mosquitoes from GCN, they think body and bike weight makes Champions.... I guess it explains why they are UA-cam sensations in their own minds.
@@mervincortes2139 certainly not. I ve granted never owned or even rode a high end bike. Though I ve had lotus cyclone, centurion, old trek road bike, old Raleigh road bike, Fuji ace road bike, as well as a recently obtained Kabuki submariner ss and aluminum lugs.
I'm always surprised at how incredulous people are that road bikes didn't always have mountain bike ratios on them. Is every one soft now or is it just a vocal minority?
I think that looks miles better than the current models !
miles and miles, oceans between the two when aesthetically compared, actually. i hate new bikes they look awful, the fat tires are ghastly, the colour-combos are boring (there barely is colour-combinations!!! almost all are matte black from front to back, top to bottom), disc brakes for what?..... better braking in the rain.... yeah, like who the f rides their bike in the rain anyway to begin with??!! and when you do, it's cuz you got stuck, and you're getting the f home (to get out of the rain) and you're definitely riding slower to accommodate. disc brakes on a racing bike, sheesh, how stupid, they make the bike look like a clown. even though i still use downtime shifters (i'm 48 yrs old) i'd say the ONLY true advancement that has bettered road/racing bikes since the 80's is the shifters being relocated underneath the brake levers
How far has the technology evolved! Bigger cogs, smaller chainrings, fatter tires! They couldn't have possibly made them in these sizes back then! Amazing tech!
My first racing bike was Miyata 512 with first gen 105. I traded up the frame to a Colnago the next year I was hit by a car and in the insurance settlement got the Allez epic with first gen Dura-Ace STI and I rode that bike from 1990-2006.
What's the story on Allez Specialized in cr moly? It looks pretty with such skinny tubes, was it 3rd tier, carbon fiber, then aluminum, then steel?
@@aaronmoore3050 The Allez was actually carbon tubed, joined to aluminum lugs.
Can tell you my 1990 version was my go to bike for about 25 years....love that bike...still have it and take it out occasionally...racing those extreme light weight tubulars was amazing...SIS shifting...frame pump pegs...the frame lugs bring that Italian flair to the frame...what an amazing bike...so glad I still have it
Hi Dave - the Specialized Allez Epic was our team bike back in the late 1980s. Mine had Campy Chorus components with Mavic GP4/Record hubs and tubular tires pumped to 145psi! Super light for it’s day and very comfortable on long rides. Frame had issues with bonds failing and galvanic corrosion. I still have mine but would be afraid to take it out in the road. Had a team mate abort a sprint to find two joints at the bottom bracket had failed! I was a 145lbs climber, so no similar issues for me.
^^ What he said.....
Agreed. Several bike companies tried using straight carbon tubes bonded into some kind of lug arrangement (it wasn't just Specialized). You often hear bad things about these bikes (specifically their longevity or lack thereof). I still see them pop up on Facebook marketplace from time to time. Best avoided imo.
you had to use GP4's to race with? We were lucky enough to use GEL280's or Campy rims. I can't imagine racing on training rims.
I love my 88 Specialized Allez Sprint, I did carbon fiber & titanium upgrades to lighten it; it's so comfortable & fast. It always gets compliments from other cyclists. Unfortunately I became disabled and it just sits in the bedroom still like a brand new race bike.
I remember a rich kid in my neighborhood for his 16th birthday got one of those. I remember thinking why would anyone spend so much on an American bicycle, only Italian or French bikes were allowed for serious cyclists hahaha, and why would they ride anything but steel? We were silly kids. Crazy how things have changed. David those bikes weren't scary for us, it's all we knew. As far as the gears, if 16-year-old high school kids could push them, I'm sure you could too now.
Actually 52-42 11-23 is still the best gearing in the flat parts of the Netherlands. I still change out my inner rings to a 39 or 40, and back to a 36 if I go climbing abroad. Shimano is again offering 54-42 to pros. Regardless of what marketing says this gearing has its place. It actually gives you a good set of close gears in a headwind on the 42. Any hills or bridge ramps are short anyways. These tubs seem a little old to ride on, but if you have a nice set of fresh supple tubs on those box section rims the ride isnt nearly as bad as you imagine it to be. The box section rims are balanced and more forgiving, giving some stability. Yes modern bikes are better, but you can still use this old stuff if you want to. It wont be as fast, but its still enjoyable.
Yeah it has its place, and evident from the fact Shimano still produces 11-25T on Sora for example to this day. I feel the best improvement in the last 30 (probably way longer but I can’t speak for those olden days) is not good things are now better, but way more diverse needs are now satisfied.
@@uranusjr call it 20 years and id agree but there was a world of difference between bikes at either end of the 90's
The oktalink era exceeded all expectations and every amazing leap forwards promised since has been a bit of a let down.
Now please excuse me while I find a quiet room and an ultegra 6500 group set.
My gearing was 53/42 front with 12/18 cassette. Some sprinters used 11/17. Had a 13/21 for hilly courses!
Actually, I recently renovated my old mid-80s Peugeot. I tried to put a 25 tooth cog on the back and the Sachs-Huret derailleur wasn't having it!
I have this carbon allez and still take it out for Sunday rides. Really fun to ride older bikes sometimes.
I did used to ride with gearing like that, 5 speed cassette and a steel frame. Hills were a challenge back then! I was bloody fit though!
I've just been given a 1994 Allez with full Campagnolo groupset. It looked to be in a right state but has just needed a good clean, new cables, brake pads and saddle. Now, a week later, it's running like new for a grand total cost of about £20....
I loved the elegant look of the chainrings from that time period. My 1980 Trek, my 1985 Rossin and my 2000 Allez all had beautiful 600/Ultegra. So much nicer looking than the Shimano chainrings of today.
Still have my raspberry blend color Rossin from that era :)
I had two of those bikes; the second being the warranty replacement for the first. The problem was the aluminum lugs, coupled with the carbon tubes makes the bike frame into a battery. Thus, galvanic corrosion slowly and silently degrades the joints until the tubes pulled out of the lugs.
I had the exact same problem. Frame was replaced after the chainstay came out of the bottom bracket lug.
My aluminum Allez was 53/39 and 12/21 with a 105 group. I had no problem in the hills either. I was in my 20's at that time so I was pretty much invincible. I snapped two of the frames, one at the rear wheel stay and the other at the bottom bracket. Both replaced under warranty. I sold the third one. Those were some fun times.
Back in the day that bicycle was the state of the art. As a senior cyclist, I remember going up mountains in such high gearing when I was a young man doing road races and criteriums, but then I was much stronger then. When the 39t chainring came out, we thought only pussies had such gearing, but that was the mindset then, you weren't a man unless you suffered. LOL
I rode 19-20 mm tubular tires back in the day and loved them. Fast and nimble and never gave me the issues these new tires do. I’m sticking with my 23mm tires on my Felt F2 these days (that’s the only size that will fit) and rarely have if any issues arise from their use. It’s fast and reliable and no pinch flats or rim damage due to the lower psi required on the 28mm tires they use these days.
You didn't need a helmet in 1988 because the bikes were properly fit with the rider's ear over the steering axis.
These bikes are so smooth it is like riding on a cloud. I quit riding mine seriously around 1999, but take it out occasionally. Still love it!
What a great looking bike.. love the carbon tubes into the metal junctions looked awesome :)
i have this bike and its for sale !
This frame had aluminum lugs. I had the red frame which Specialized had painted lugs to match the frame but I stripped the lugs and polished them myself.
Yep, I lol’ed when he said they were steel. 😂
These are not as expensive as you might think. I just looked online and see 2 pretty good ones on sale for $300 usd in california, Is it worth picking up?
I can’t comment on the ride quality of this version of Allez, but I still ride a 1992 Allez Comp that’s been updated with modern group. Definitely worth the price if you can get it for less than $500.
I bought an Allen Epic. I was 6’3” and 200 lbs. at the time. The bottom bracket soon started to creak, and so I sold the bike to a smaller person! Didn’t want it to come unglued. The Ike was actually built for Specializedby Giant.
I had the same issue. My chainstay came unglued from the bottom bracket. Thankfully I found that out at a slow speed.
I owned this frame; sold it in 1998. I had dura-ace 8 speed on it; my first bike with STI levers. Thanks for the nostalgia.
30 years from now: "Look at these tubless hookless tires. Must have been so dangerous with the risk of a blow out any time.. and how did they live with these noisy disc brakes! Bikes have a come a long way since the 2022"
Yes. My '86 Battagglin had the 600 Ultegra and I rode the straight block 12-23 with 18c tires. Felt amazing compared to a department store 27" raleigh
Im riding that frame and im not changing it for new one. That frame is amazing its soooooo durable. I even modified with carbon fork.
I am still riding mine and about to redo the groupset again, but a carbon fork upgrade sounds like a winner. Which one did you go with?
I have the 1993 Epic that I still have and ride to this day. Mine is essentially that same frame, but mine is the first gen 105 STI groupo, Also my epic is fully painted Ruby metalic red, and was the first Ruby Epic on the east coast of the U.S. I love the bike and will likely never get rid of it. I also have set of Spinergy wheels from 1994 that I throw on for the total 90s retro bike experience.
I climbed quite a few alpine passes on "late-80's gearing". The thing was, the notion of an "emergency gear". Never ever change onto the bottom sprocket, unless you are about to drop off the bike. That bottom sprocket had 25 teeth iirc. The next one up was a 23. I may have been a softie with a 40 tooth inner chain ring. Or maybe not. It could equally have still been a 42. The bike was a Reynolds 653 Ribble, with a mix of Campagnolo and Ultegra.
These framesets are still going for a decent amount on ebay and the like. Hold on to yours if you have one. Thanks for the video!
I have always loved this Allez Epic frameset. Such a classy looking bike, even with the signature 80's paint swash graphics 😄. Specialized should re-issue this frameset!
Scary frame and forks, at high speeds and especially turns, the whole thing would wobble, didnt feel structurally strong, I had one.
They did a reissue for the steel allez but it had a sloping top tube and threadless fork a few years back. Specialized really missed on that opportunity to really honor the Allez with a classic square frame.
Really interesting, agree with the comments about gearing, however we used to race up a I in 4 hill in Wales on a 42 * 20, I can't remember anyone walking! Think I was a young fit lad of 18 back in 1974! Thank you for a very informative article
Hi David,
I am still riding this very same frame with same shimano 105 single pivot brake calipers (albeit with a slightly youger Campagnolo Chorus 9 ergopower transmission) when I visit my parents (being an expat, it stays there as a holiday's bike). To be honest I don't know what is scary about them. I was still winning races with it in the early 2000's. I ride it maybe 3-4 times every 6 to 10 months. Granted it usually feels a bit different from my more modern road bike road bike I have at home, mostly because of the handlebar shape and width, the narrower 23mm tires and a little bit because of gearing and crankset stiffness. But after 5-10 minutes of riding you just get used to it and you forget about the differences really. I've been doing group rides alongside people with modern high end road bikes and I haven't really felt limited by the bike. I just keep in mind that my brakes aren't as efficient (but much more quiet!) as the modern hydro disc brakes most people are using these days.
Beautiful bike. I remember those. We rode bikes like that Alez in high school. Great memories.
That is a later version of the bike I raced on, but pretty much the same. My son commutes and runs errands with it now in Crested Butte CO USA. I really have no comparison to todays bikes. Served me well at the time and what we had to work with - I was in the ballpark. STI? Downtube shifters were the norm. Small gear clusters on the rear, because you always had that small chainring on the front. That manufactures started to experiment with Carbon Fiber was how we got where we are today. I did roll off a tubular/sew-up on time in a race I was almost a lap ahead with one lap to go. Don't let your tires heat in 95 F / 35 C weather in the back of your car, the glue will melt! This Specialized bike, and similar Trek bikes at the time are classics. Just bought one today for $50, will serve me well!
Still riding 86 motioncraft 105 groupset 52/40 biopace, no plans to change, just love it
I love the decals on the late 80's specialized bikes luckily I was able to buy a 1989 hardrock for only 40 euros. Over the winter I overhauled it into a gravelbike and I am really proud of my first bike build project
58yr old used to own a bike shop back in the 80s :) and was specialized dealer remember these well :)
Still have my Rossin with a mix of dura ace and 600 on it from that era
Old school frames with carbon tubes and alloy lugs pop up on eBay from time to time. Looked at buying one once but the horror stories of them coming apart put me off! Great video.
I'm a kid who's 13 and I'm looking for an 80s road bike, my mtb isn't good for the road and I'm aware at how sketchy things from the 80s were
@@Aderin.most bikes from that era are great. It’s specifically the carbon aluminum bond along w age that is a possible problem
I had a touring bicycle made for me in 1986. It was difficult to find a decent ladies touring bicycle in those days. It is very lightweight, has 531 tubing and I made sure it was all top spec of the day. I see no reason to upgrade, I love my 80's bicycle. I am now 66 years old and my bicycle looks brand new and rides beautifully. I have cycled- toured in the USA, France and for the last 8 years been cycle-touring in Japan, where we keep our Panasonic power assisted bikes, which we always use on low assist.
"back in the day" 1974, I rode a Cinelli framed bike across the Moroccan Sahara. It tracked so well that I could roll a cigarette while riding. Then I bought a bike from Performance and rode the bitch from Miami to Seattle - also tacked well. That bike got stolen and I bought a Serotta frame in 1983 - still own it. Agree that the early marriage of carbon tubes and aluminum lugs were sketchy, at best. We rode a 52/36 and wouldn't be seen riding anything above 22 teeth in the cluster.
What a load of drivell.. I spent my best teenage years on pretty much identical bike (minus the premium materials and components). It was a steel frame, 39/53 at front, 13-23 at the back, shimano Exage 300 everything, 19mm wide Vittoria tyres. I remember a lot from those days, one thing I defo don't remember is being scared..
It was just "normal" wasn't it? I often topped 50 mph on descents on typical British roads (20% gradients). Never thought much of it.
Looks better than any modern bike
Currently riding a 1989 here in SoCal. All original
I had the all steel version of that bike Loved it! Downtube shifters always make me feel more connected to the bike. And you gotta love steel lugs.
Wish I would have kept my ‘83 Fuji Team, wonderful riding bike.
I really feel old now. I still have my Allez Comp with thin wall steel tubes and Direct Drive alloy fork. 52/42 and 23c tires on Mavic Open 4 CD rims. Loved the bike then for its indexed 8 speed cassette and lovely ride. The rear rim didn't last long succumbing to a pot hole. Replaced it with a Mavic MA40 box section rim and 28c tire that still is true today. It still looks great in red and the 105 group set works flawlessly. I may even put the down tube shifters back . It was a great all rounder when I was more flexible.
My first road bike was a steel Specialized Sirrus from that time period. Rode amazingly, smooth and fast. But yeah, that gearing. Mine had the same, and I can't believe today that i rode my first hill climb event on that, 21 miles with the last five at roughly 7-9%, with that 42/23 gearing. I cramped up big time about a mile from the top.
I ran one of these bikes when I was doing bike Courier they're a joy to ride and they're not as scary as they look
They are at high speeds, them suckers got pretty much speed wobble
Vintage bikes rule !_!
I’m pretty sure that the lugs and fork on that bike are aluminum, not steel.
I still have my 1981 Vitus 979. On the rare occasions I ride it, it gets a lot more attention than any of the fancy new carbon bikes in the group.
I raced it back in the day. Loved the bike...but really did not know any better. In criteriums you could feel the frame load up/flex in fast corners. Went through a few years of technology on this frame...peddles, shifting, wheels...until i got a Litespeed to replace it. Those were the days.
I raced and rode in 80s/90s on tires as small as 18mm (150PSI). We sold this bike in our shop, as well as the original carbon bikes like the Pegoet carbon, the Eclipse and the Kestrel 4000 which was really the bike that set the precedence for the carbon bikes that we see today. BTW, you mentioned steel lugs but I believe the Allez/Epic had aluminum lugs, not steel; you could probably check that with a magnet. My first 80s race bike was a 12spd Raleigh steel with friction shifters, and with time, you could surprisingly make fast and efficient shifts by "feel" without excessive noise. I'd love to see a Kestrel reviewed and its place in history explained on a future video.
This is still my daily-driver road bike! I love it. Fast, comfortable, efficient. I don't understand your comment on skinny tires -- they are standard 700x25.
I rode this bike as a wide eyed teenager. Many months of pot washing and newspaper deliveries went into the purchase. I bought it from Colin Lewis Cycles (RIP) in Paignton. As I rode away the legendary Colin said “if you are not fast on this there is something wrong with YOU”. At which point I immediately fell over sideways having forgotten to release my toe straps.
Paper round money was hard earned stuff and boy did it make you appreciate what you had saved up for
Hi, I really enjoy your films and there content.
Just wondering have you thought about doing a feature on the best brake pads for a gravel bike. Not quite as glamour's as cool set of rims or tyres, but very important .
So lets dive in! What the different compounds are. What compounds suit your style of riding and conditions. Is it worth paying for genuine brake pads, as they are three time the price of non Gen pads. and what came out best in your test.
Regards, Tim
I'm still riding a pair of Reynolds 531c framed, Campagnolo equipped road bikes I had built for me back in 1982; so 40 years old.
Modern bikes are slightly faster, and gearing is better, but a custom built steel framed bike still feels amazing to ride, and has a significantly lower carbon footprint when compared to a modern carbon framed bike, that might end up in landfill within a decade or so.
I'd say the issue over those 20mm tyres is a red herring though, because most bikes from that era will have clearances for 25mm, and those built to accommodate mudguards (quite common 40 years ago) can accommodate even wider tyres.
We used to train on 25’s and race on 23’s in the late 80’s - early 90’s…
I am quite proud of myself though that I foresaw the wider tires of the future. I did a lot of riding on rough country roads and decided to try 28’s for training. I went to a crit once and forgot to take my other wheel set, so I had to race on the 28’s. I loved it, could throw the bike into corners with no concerns, slam over sewer grates, etc, so from that time on, I rode crits on 28’s…. they just barely cleared the fork on my bianchi…
@@PRH123 I used to race on 700c with 23mm tubs, then switch to mudguards and 26x1 1/4 wheels in the winter. 26 x1 1/4 (which should not be confused with 26 MTB wheels) is extremely rare to see now, but could be accommodated by a standard Campag Record calliper if a frame had close enough clearances for 700c. The system worked very well.
That was how race bikes were geared during that era. My knees ache thinking about it.
Wow! Thanks so much for posting this!
I still have mine, with Shimano 105. Red lettering with green accent colour.
It just sits in my basement. It did a short stint on a turbo trainer.
Moving from a steel bike, the thing I noticed first was how smooth and comfy the ride was.
My steel bike had friction shifters, so moving to SIS was so nice.
Yeah, that rear cassette was a killer even on short hills. Picking it up I can’t get over how heavy it is, especially now compared to my Current Aethos Pro.
I still have mine too! The red/black fade with yellow lettering. I took the 105 off and put it on an older steel bike. Now the Epic has 11 speed microshift. I may do a video on it.
I ride an 87 Panasonic DX 4000 - Tange fork with Tange 2 frame - 12 speed Shimano 105 - I do deliveries with that and my 85 Raleigh marathon - of course they require upkeep but they rock fast, hard, reliable, and I often keep pace with E bikes and superbikes for fun
Was a time i rode as narrow as 700x19. It was what we knew back then. I still have a 87 Bianchi with old school Super Record with 700x 23. It’s just different now. I mostly ride dirt now with 650b x 55, much better now for this middle aged cyclist 🚴♀️🤙😀
My lad has my old Allez. Its a 1986 Allez (Steel is real) 62 cm in red! now with Centaur triple and flat bars. He wants to go back to drops. Super bikes.
Gearing would have been tough but I suspect it was more comfortable than the 20mm tubs would indicate. With box section rims and quality spoke a good wheelbuilder can engineer in alot of comfort into the wheelset, something not possible with today's rim depths.
I´ve got one sitting in my garage.........good bike........
My first road bike was a Enik (German brand) with 52-42 and I guess it would be 12-23. Today that gearing would be unthinkable, but I managed to ride on a really hilly course with an average speed of over 30km/h. But I really prefer my Canondale Super Six Hi Mod with 50-34 today. But back in the days 39-23 was for Alpine rides.
I was lucky. I had 52/40 chainrings. Yeah, 23 was largest on the back though. It forced you to attack hills. There was no such thing as a leisurely ride.
Love the lugs on the alez. I have an 1984 Cannondale SR 300 with the same drive train setup but, is Sugino glp crank set and suntour 6spd 12-24 freewheel. Thinking of changing to triple crankset and 14-34 freewheel for hilly roads.
Yep, they are aluminum though. This guy has it wrong.
I rode one of those back in the 90's, it was a great riding bike, I would get a flat ever 2 weeks or so riding it in the city. I got ride of it in 2013 and got a cyclocross bike, the only thing available with fatter tires back then. Only one flat in the last ten years, I still have the cross bike with 35mm wide tires, it's a great Urban road bike/ gravel bike.
Will an 8/9/10 speed hub fit between the dropouts? What are the widest tires that will fit?
My first race bike was a Repco Olympic 12 in 1989 for $625. As a 12-13 year old it was a real weapon..
I just turned 14 and I'm looking for An 80s road bike, I'm getting into bikes and those bikes are beautiful for the price. Also my mtb is not suitable for the road
I just saw one of these for sale at my Local Bike Shop for $500. The lugs and the carbon are so distinctive.
This video reminds me to look out for a Raleigh Dyna Tech, I want to de bond the tubes and re build it with carbon tubes to make that style of bike.
I love my resto mods, I have a very rare Carless steel bike specially build for 80s time trial legend Alan Roberts, ( Dave Hind also used to ride them, I believe they were team mates ) fitted with 2 X 10 speed Dura Ace 7800, it's an absolute beauty with chrome lugs, chrome seat and chain stays. I managed to pick up another Carless frame which I'm also building up with the same group set. I have to say my steel bikes are my go to bikes, they are just so beautiful, my modern Eddy Merckx San Remo......well it does a job and it looks cool but I don't drool over it.
Weights
Carless 10.5kg.....500g of that is in the Sel Italia leather saddle
Merckx San Remo 7.95kg
Me 95kg 🤪 so 2.1kg makes bugger all difference .
I got this bike at a thrift store for 80 bucks such a fantastic bike I love it so much!
Got mine from a trash collector for 100 bucks
That's a 12-23 freewheel. Can't remember any 11t sprockets then, Mr Arthur.
I know they were raced, and they were really comfortable on the road. They were not what you'd call "a crit bike", however, as frame flex at the BB was noticeable. At the time, though, the look of the carbon fiber tubes was super cool! And as stated below, galvanic corrosion was an issue that required the owner to stay on the lookout for. Sparks in Daytona
Great bike back in the day, but those frames with the carbon tubes bonded into lugs are considered unsafe now (due to age-related deterioration of the bonds and galvanic corrosion). I'm not surprised the owners don't want it ridden any more. Other manufacturers, like Alan and Peugeot, made bikes like these.
You’re spot on Chris! My older brother still has his Allez Epic Pro hung in his garage! The frame has definitely seen better days! He built his with Campagnolo’s short lived Croce d’Aune groupset & paired it with Ambrosio Durex Montreal tubulars! Accompanied by a 7 speed regina block (12-19) & 54/41 in the front. I’ll never forget the day him & my dad built it up.
I have this bike! I inherited it from my late father who was the first and only owner. The gearing is quite unique and is fun to ride. Please let me know if you have any questions or would like me to make a video about it!
I rode a lot in Vermont in the 1980s and went with a 52/39 chainring and went up to a 26 in the rear. Being around 200 pounds back then I pretty much destroyed my first aluminum frame and even an oversized tube aluminum frame had too much flex for me. I eventually settled on a nice stiff steel frame. I didn't want to waste energy while climbing the App or Lincoln Gap or have the gears shift on their own.
as a teenager in the 80's I grew up riding those gear ratios and skinny wheels, I had a custom Steve Bauer. We did not know the difference with the gear ratios, so it was still a great pleasure riding. In fact, in some ways easier that it is now, when you have so many choices and get confused with figuring out if you want a sprint or a climbing or a comfort bike. I miss my Steve Bauer bike, biggest regret ever was selling it.
Those Steve Bauer bikes were great!
@@Thetoad738 absolutely loved mine. I met Steve Bauer at an athletic banquet after the 84 Olympics, we got to talking, someone had just stolen my Raleigh Royal and he said he would have a bike made for me. Road that bike for over 30 years. As I said, worst mistake ever selling it. It was still in mint condition even with probably over 100,000km on it.
I am 50 this year and I also can not believe that I rode those ratios as a teenager, It was a steal Raleigh with 5 at the back and a 52 43 up front, down tube shifters and a quill stem ohh I wish I had kept that bike. I still ride the same roads and hills as I did back then but now really need that dinner plate at the back!!
@@davidcook7008 Watching Steve Bauer at the 84 Olympics got me into cycling. Wish I could thank Steve for that - my riding has been a godsend for my physical and mental health.
Bought a Columbus frame, full campy group to ride. Still have it. It's art. Ride it occasionally. It's very twitchy relative to my modern gravel bike.
I've got a Steve Bauer in my shed it needs tires and cosmetics. I've also got a vintageSpecialized Crossroads with roadbars and boxers in beautiful condition.
I Had One, merci.
Oh the horror! Imagine being a 65 yo ex-racer and still riding my heavy steel classics with guys 30 + years younger. Get some lube on that neglected chain and ride it till the carbon/ lugs bonding let's loose. You'll love it
Years ago I worked as a mechanic at a shop where we got an alloy lugged carbon bike like this as a trade-in. The shop owner offered to let me buy it for $350 since I collect unusual older bikes but it was far too small for me to ever ride so I passed on it. would have been cool to have though.
Thx David, I'm old enough to have riden this frame with a Suntour Supere Pro groupset, tires has been 23mm wide. Yes, a good looking bike but nothing better than top steel frames of that time eg Columbus SLX. And you had to be skinny otherwise the BB flexed while out of the saddle. Nowaday I enjoy my C'dale Synapse with SRAM Red and its gear ratio.
I’ve got a Marinoni built from classic diameter spx pipes with ultegra 9 spd. I’ve had it since it was new in 2000 and it has 90,000+ miles on it. Not the stiffest but it never seemed to hold me back in sprints.
the epic allez carbon was not steel lugs they were bonded carbon into aluminum lugs.
Do you think it’s possible to mount the 28mm wide tyres?
What a beauty...!
I had those same Wolber rims on my Cannondale 3.0.
My newest road bike is a late 80's Giant Cadex 980c to this. I ride it as my main bike
Hello there
I got a silly question
Do you think if a put a tyre
shaped to fit inside of a MTB and a
inner tube first,
shaped tyre second and a outside tyre
Will work???
I hope its make sense
Thank you
Love you channel by the way
Cheers
nice bike. just like Look KG 96 and TVT 92. skinny bike is better than new generation fat bike. 80`s and 90`s Tour de France bikes are so awesome.
My first bike was a KTM Strada but it got stolen. I still ride my father's bike at events like eroica. It is a Bottecchia around 1988 anniversary Modell.
Yes we were tougher in those days(I'm 59).none of these granny gears and 7 kg weights.still riding a 1978 Carlton competition.Weighs 11.5 kg.52-42 chainwheel.14-28 freewheel.27*1 tyres.😊These modern carbon bikes won't still be going in 45 years.
Beautiful.
Are these older drivetrains inherently more noisy?....6/7 even 8 speed indexed?
I have Chorus 10 speed and when it’s properly lubed, it’s absolutely silent...I don’t think I can compromise on that ....I am upgrading my Cannondale 3.0 to Campy 10 speed....it’s been sidelined since the Rear wheel hub cracked...Black Rolf Pro🤷🏻♂️
What a good bike for a gravel conversion!
Neat bike.. although it’s way lighter than my daily cruiser . Full dress 1947 roadmaster.. lights horn tank fenders bags. I put a few miles a day on it after work.
Different style of riding. That's what I grew up on. Higher gear, more brute force. No high cadence back then. That came along with Lance Armstrong
Mr. Arthur, perhaps you should buy a magnet so that you can figure out the difference between aluminum and steel, because those lugs ain't steel.
I had a Allez almost exactly like this one but I put tri bars on it. I sold it for 1000$ in 2016. How much was it worth?
I still ride a bike from the 80s. lol I have a Fuji Club that Ive been riding for about two years now. It was my first road bike. I try to put around 100 miles a week on it. I dont know any different, but I assume a considerably newer bike would be much easier to ride.
Got the same bike with modern wheels❤