# Help Identifying this old Allez?



## johnbike (Feb 8, 2010)

I was looking for year of manufacture and original specifications.
I was thinking of restoring her, would it be possible to get new decals.

Thanks in advance for any help


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## steveandbarb1 (Dec 27, 2009)

Closer picture to the components needed. But probably mid to late 80s. 

How many speed freewheel is it?


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## Don Duende (Sep 13, 2007)

Check out this thread, it maybe of some help.

http://forums.roadbikereview.com/forumdisplay.php?f=49


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## aptivaboy (Nov 21, 2009)

I have that bike!!! Its in my garage right now, very modified component-wise, but its her!

You have a circa 1986/87 Allez SE. The standard Allez was red with Suntour Superbe friction components, as seen in the movie "American Flyers." This blue bike was a slightly lower level bike, but actually the more functional of the two for the early index shifting system. I bought mine at Two Wheel Transit authority in Huntington Beach, CA., a great shop while it lasted, for $499. It was my first racing bike, and got me through tons of criteriums. It has "Special" tubing, which I always took to mean some Ishiwata or Tange tubing, and is Taiwan-made. The original components were mostly Shimano 600 EX, the original indexing group. However, if memory serves the headset and a few other parts were from Specialized; the seatpost, saddle, bar and stem certainly were. The pedals were the old trusty 600 clips and straps platform pedals, still the best pedals I've ever used (I still use clips and straps). The hubs were wimpy - early 600 hubs were like that - and the Saturae rims stunk. That was the bike's one real weakness. I replaced mine with new wheels after about a year, and those replacement MA 40s were bulletproof. 

Geometry-wise, you're looking at a very stable road frame. My 60 c-c cm bike has a 74 degree head tube angle, and a 72.5 degree seat tube angle. For a laid back road bike, its more than capable of handling criteriums; seriously, its probably the best all-around bike I've ever ridden, and I've ridden a Lemond Zurich, a Waterford Paramount OS, a Bianchi SLX/SPX steel bike... Specialized just plain got this one right. Don't look for it to be a stiff sprinting frame, but it will do most everything else really well. Depending upon your riding style, its a very good seated power climbing bike. 

To restore her, I'd check out Cycleart or Joe Bell. if they can't repaint and redecal her, then no one can. I've been thinking of redoing mine, too. Is she worth restoring? Only you can answer that question. If you're thinking of restoring and selling her, well, she wasn't a terribly valuable bike to begin with. However, if you want to restore her and ride her, then yes, she's worth it, in my opinion. I'm planning on re-wheeling and re-componenting mine this summer and riding her again. Your down tube decal doesn't need to say "Colnago" or "Pinarello" for a great ride. Go for it. The old Allez SE won't disappoint. 

Robert
caliburnus at earthlink.net


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## aptivaboy (Nov 21, 2009)

PS. Its a six speed set up, but I've run a seven speed freewheel back there with old style Mavic friction shifters. Can you tell I'm a retro-grouch? 

Robert


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