The marketing hype by specialized is on one. They do it well.
Local allez with ultegra and a nice cockpit for 1600$ limited frame and it’s new. so. close. to. buying. it.
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Not the best photos but here’s my 2018 Fuji Cross 1.7. She’s my commuter/pub/rainy day bike and does a great job of that! I ride a 2014 Scott Addict and a 2019 Thesis OB1 Gravel bike (both carbon) in addition and can say that the ride quality is very different. The aluminum feels very snappy and lively which is great for short to medium length rides. 
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I don’t have any pictures, but my current stable is an aluminum BMC Gran Fondo built up with shimano 105, and a CAAD9 cross built up with a mix of SRAM force and rival. I love an alloy bike and I honestly don’t have any plans to buy a carbon bike any time in the near future. My next bike is likely going to be either a CAAD12 ultegra or dura-ace, or an Allez sprint…I’ve got the mile munching comfort bike that still knows how to race with the BMC and I have the light weight, fast, go anywhere cross bike, what I need now is the pure crit racing machine!
I’m a firm believer that the right alloy bike is much better value for money than a mid range carbon bike. I also really believe that the bad reputation that aluminum has is a product of early frames modeled after steel bikes. With the current level of R&D that companies like Specialized and Canondale are putting into their alloy bikes I think all the old stereotypes no longer apply.
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I just ordered this frameset (Trek Domane ALR Disc) and will be doing a slow build.
Fits up to 32/33mm rubber, so I can use it as dirty road (with Bontrager AW2 32c tires) or light gravel (with Bontrager CX0 33c tires). Planning on a simple Shimano 105 build and not sure on brakes yet. It all depends on the availability of the new 105 group shipping in normal numbers. I might end up with a cable driven setup to Avid BB7 or TRP Hy/Rd to keep it on the affordable side.
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Which ISM saddle is that, and how have you liked it on your road bike? I’m considering putting an ISM on my road bike and am looking for others’ opinions/experience.
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What kind of saddle is that?
Go the Dutch way… Van Tuyl … fork is at the front and at the back carbon, the rest aluminium.
big fun building it my self, bigger riding it …
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Holy crap… that is a lot of reach! Gotta be like a 150mm stem with long reach bars?!
Prologo tgale pas. Short wide nose, good cut out. Perfect for going hard when racing. Was also quite comfortable on a stupid 350km/12hr ride.
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My buddy in Houston built up that same frame, he loves it.
I will go on record right now recommending you DON’T go with cable brakes if you’ve ever ridden good hydros. My cross bike came with TRP cables and I hated them. I would ride my Niner with XT Hydros and just dread going back to the brakes on the cross bike. I broke the bank to buy the RS785s just to get rid of the TRPs. Honestly, every bike I had with rim brakes stopped better than those did. The switch to the 785s with Ice Tech rotors was like going to Porsche Ceramics after old Chevy drums.
NIGHT AND DAY.
As always, YMMV, and I just wanted to tell you good luck, we’re all counting on you.
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Thanks for the tips. I love that old movie too 
I have been on hydro disc MTB for 9 years. My CX/gravel bike (2015 Boone) has BB7s, so I am well used to the lack of bite in comparison. I will likely end up hydro on the Domane, but I’m keeping my options open. Even cable disc will perform better than the rim brakes on my old rain bike (2012 Roubaix) that the D will be replacing. Should be a fun build in any event.
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Yeah after I replied, I saw that it was you that posted it, and I realized you probably knew all that. 
But there’s always room for an “Airplane” reference in any discussion.
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I totally appreciate the thoughts and your time to comment. I am always looking for new and additional info, even if it just reinforces what I think I already know
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Just 140mm… aero and comfort is everything. Tilting the sadle helps a lot
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It has begun!!!
The frame had been in ordered since October and it’s finally here!
Specialized Allez Disc is in the work
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@jackkellam @Chris_O_Hanlon Loving the Bowman Palace builds! I had one for a while as well and love it. Kinda wouldn’t mind getting the Palace R frame and building one up again…
This was mine:
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That’s a great color way. Wish the pink was in the disc.
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I am so tempted to buy this frame and build up a crit machine. Already have 3 bikes and definitely don’t need it but it looks so good!
A little late to the party but in terms of comfort: Its stiff and you can feel the road . Little vertical compliance and when slammed rather agressive.
I have a 56 with slammed stem 11cm long . Drop to the handlebars is 13,5 cm and saddle to bar about 60 cm. I myself am 182 cm
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