Hot on the heels of Trek's Emonda ALR Disc announcement, Specialized has updated its race-focused aluminium Allez Sprint with discs for 2019, and added some eye-catching paint options too. The brand has also announced its 2019 CruX ‘cross range.
The Allez Sprint Comp Disc gets 105 hydraulic components, Praxis cranks and DT wheels
The Allez Sprint is a super-stiff alloy machine that’s pitched as an affordable alternative to the Tarmac for racers on a budget.
Originally launched back in 2015 as a 1×-only crit special, the Allez Sprint’s aluminium frame is unique in its appearance thanks to the use of what Specialized calls D’Aluisio Smartweld Sprint Technology, which relocates the welds that hold it together away from the usual tube junctions, and hence away from the areas of greatest stress. This is claimed to allow a better balance of strength, rigidity and weight compared to conventional alloy construction.
The current Allez Sprint range all take a front derailleur and the disc version gets thru-axles too. If you’re after a complete bike, the Allez Sprint Comp Disc gets a Shimano 105 R7000 disc groupset with Praxis Zayante cranks and DT R470 Disc wheels. The disc frameset option comes in a stunning green-on-black splash paintjob.
The disc frameset is very handsome too
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Rim brake lovers fear not, the disc-less version of the bike is still available and it’s available both as a frameset in lairy Red Hook Crit colours, and in Comp spec with Shimano 105 and a rather fetching, Bianchi-esque paintjob.
The rim brake Allez Sprint Comp is a handsome thing too, and it also comes specced with 105
Notably, this version of the bike hasn't been updated to take direct mount brakes, unlike one of its major rivals, the Trek Emonda ALR.
This Red Hook Crit paintjob is very, very cool
Dare we say so, the complete Allez Sprint builds look to be better value than the framesets unless you absolutely must have those admittedly very cool paintjobs. The complete rim brake bike is just £300 more than the frameset alone, while the disc version is only £500 more than its frameset counterpart.
It is worth noting that the framesets include the seatpost, bottom bracket and headset however.
2019 Specialized CruX
Specialized has also announced its 2019 CruX ‘cross range which includes one alloy model and three carbon ones.
The CruX E5 Sport has an alloy frame is specced with SRAM Apex 1 components
The CruX Elite is the cheapest carbon model and it's built up with SRAM Rival 1
The CruX Expert features Force 1 shifting and Roval C 38 carbon wheels
All are kitted out with SRAM hydraulic disc groupsets apart from the top-end S-Works, which gets Shimano Dura-Ace components along with an MTB XTR rear derailleur and Specialized’s own carbon cranks.
The bells-and-whistles S-Works is built with Dura-Ace, and XTR derailleur and the same 38mm carbon clinchers
There’s also an S-Works frameset option if you’d prefer to roll your own.
The S-Works CruX is available as a frameset too
Specialized Allez Sprint and CruX 2019 pricing and availability
The bikes are available from now (depending on precise model) with UK and Euro pricing as follows. We'll add pricing for other territories when we have it:
