# New Allez Smartweld has ugly welds. Take it back?



## vertr (Aug 22, 2006)

Here is the link to the gallery: imgur: the simple image sharer

The weld at the head tube is really inconsistent. I'm trying to figure out if I'm crazy and should build up the frame, or if I should take it back and have the shop order me another one that doesn't look like it was welded by a sixth grader. This frame is getting Red parts, so I'm going for the 'premium aluminum' sort of look. 

Thoughts?


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## tlg (May 11, 2011)

How familiar are you with aluminum welding? 

IMO it's a nice looking weld. I wouldn't take it back to the shop. They're not going to do anything for you, other than possibly laugh at you.


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## vertr (Aug 22, 2006)

tlg said:


> How familiar are you with aluminum welding?
> 
> IMO it's a nice looking weld. I wouldn't take it back to the shop. They're not going to do anything for you, other than possibly laugh at you.


I have experience TIG welding steel. But none with aluminum. I have a 2006 Allez that has much better welds than this. The main issue I have with this one is that they couldn't keep it straight. :/ Thanks for your feedback.


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## wrz0170 (Sep 4, 2013)

vertr said:


> Here is the link to the gallery: imgur: the simple image sharer
> 
> The weld at the head tube is really inconsistent. I'm trying to figure out if I'm crazy and should build up the frame, or if I should take it back and have the shop order me another one that doesn't look like it was welded by a sixth grader. This frame is getting Red parts, so I'm going for the 'premium aluminum' sort of look.
> 
> Thoughts?


Hey there. Unfortunately your pic is a bit blurry. Is it possible to get a better pic? I will try to get a pic of mine tomorrow so you can compare. 

Red accents will do this frame justice. Some good stuff out there.


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## Italianrider76 (May 13, 2005)

Hey, the welds do look a bit rough. I've attached head tube welds pics of my of my 2005 alloy Giant TCR and 2006 Cinelli Xperience frame which I no longer own. The Giant welds are very nicely done. The Cinelli welds weren't smooth as you can see and I think they make the frame look cheap . Your Specialized seems in between.


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## choppedsled (Sep 18, 2008)

Aluminum welds are always on the large size. Yours do look a bit wavery, but I doubt it could be considered flawed. The issue to me is the design / fitment of the head tube. It's just fugly, doesn't look very clean as designed.


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## wrz0170 (Sep 4, 2013)

I managed to find some pics of my new Allez


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## Peter P. (Dec 30, 2006)

Some manufacturers finish file or sand their welds purely for cosmetic reasons. Others don't do this to save costs or argue it violates the integrity of the weld.

To me, those welds look different than those of other manufacturrers but that may be due to the Smartweld process. I don't think any of us have the technical expertise or insider's knowledge to know why the welds look as they do but you have to assume there's a valid reason.

If you take the bike back you'll be forever labeled a problem customer. You had the opportunity to view the frame and make a decision before purchase, so to return the frame now would be a black mark on your part. Ride the bike as is and consider the welds a characteristic of Specialized Smartweld frames.


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## nis240sxt (Oct 6, 2004)

What size is that frame? I think the welds are acceptable but could have been better and that really is up to the welder that did your frame. Looks like all smartweld frames have that same thick bulbous type bead which characterizes this new method. I agree the weld could be better blended but it's not really much of an issue to me. From a glance and distance, it really does look well integrated, some have already thought my bike was carbon. I just don't fixate on it too much. What makes it worse is the matte black, the colored smartweld allez's welds look better because they can cover it up somewhat with the paint. If you're really unhappy about it, i would talk to your shop and they shouldn't have a problem getting a replacement for you. Take a look at my pics here on my frame, similar but maybe more masked since it's a smaller frame, 52cm.

http://forums.roadbikereview.com/specialized/2014-allez-expert-e5-premium-smartweld-314587.html


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## dysfunction (Apr 2, 2010)

Wow, so now we get a (potentially) high-deposition butt weld (caused by the hydroforming), vs the old school fillet weld. Wonder if they also went to non-pullsed mig from tig. That'd make the most sense, it'd reduce costs in the long run.


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## Dunbar (Aug 8, 2010)

It looks like a MIG weld to me that has been ground down to look better. Aesthetically it looks fine to me. I wouldn't be surprised if a robot does the welding on those frames. Aluminum is very tricky to TIG weld (I know from personal experience.)


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## wrz0170 (Sep 4, 2013)

FWIW, if you go on Spec's website -->road bikes -->Allez, there is a video tab that explains the Smartweld process. It is interesting. $880 is not small change. Sometimes you can bring an item home and not discover an imperfection right away. Very least, you take the frame back and see what the LBS says in comparison to other frames?


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## dysfunction (Apr 2, 2010)

Dunbar said:


> It looks like a MIG weld to me that has been ground down to look better. Aesthetically it looks fine to me. I wouldn't be surprised if a robot does the welding on those frames. Aluminum is very tricky to TIG weld (I know from personal experience.)


Yea, I agree. I hate welding Al. I also think that going to robot makes production sense, and would rapidly offset the hydro forming cost. Very interesting. 

I also agree that the weld looks fine btw. Of course, I also love the look of an unground, unsanded, stack o dimes bead.


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