Hey everyone,
I’m looking at a 2012 Specialized Allez road bike for €100. It also comes with a lock and a pump.
I’ll be using it mainly as a daily commuter, around 5–7 km each way on city roads — sometimes in wet weather.
Before I buy it, I’d love some advice:
Is a 2012 Specialized Allez a good choice for commuting (especially short daily rides)?
Is €100 worth it considering the age, brand, and extras (lock + pump)?
What specific things should I check on the bike before buying (frame, wheels, brakes, gears, etc.)?
Any recommended upgrades I should plan for (mudguards, lights, saddle, etc.)?
Open to all thoughts — thanks in advance!
by AlarmingTheme3341
5 Comments
Bike wise it looks amazing. Triple check you’re comfy in it and not over reaching with your arms, shoulder, and back because it looks quite long from seat to bars.
Secondly for commuting this will get you to and from where you’re going relatively quick, looks like a very sturdy bike, Aluminum I’m assuming? Realistically for the price id take it even if it needs tune ups
– bike frame, frame is identical of itself on either side; check for any dents especially near the wheels front and back.
– Gears, make sure every ratio works
– Brakes
– Make there isn’t any play in the pedal arms or pedals themselves.
– Seat/Saddle, you will most definitely want to and benefit from investing in a proper seat.
Road bikes are a bit aggressive in their body positioning so you may feel more sore than usual for the first few weeks. A seat shouldn’t punish you and you should definitely look into one that suits your body type.
I mentioned that road bikes are aggressive but it’s just a learning curve for your body and you’ll only get faster and more consistent on it as you ride.
Where I’m from this bike would get stolen pretty quick so I’d invest in a U-Lock which should deter most people from stealing your bike. Keep the small one regardless and hook it on your tire to frame since I assume those are quick releases (detachable from frame without tools).
Fantastic buy, sort of like commuting with a mazda miata though. At that price, buy it just to try it. Maybe check stolen bike registries first if you can get a serial# off of it.
For €100 euro, any bike that rides is fine.
That said, for your use case, this is little more than a bike shaped object. It has no fenders, no lights, no chain guard, it does have a derailleur, which is a pita to maintain. The lock isn’t good for anything other than popping into a shop to grab a coffee while you can keep an eye on the bike at all times.
Sure, you can add all missing parts, but you’ll end up spending more than you have on the bike.
I’d keep looking for something more practical.
I think that road bikes suck for city commuting. You need more upright body position for traffic awareness. And speed is not your friend with intersections, traffic lights, tramways, kids and diverse road conditions.
But for 100 euros I would buy it and try it out nevertheless.
Is it a good buy? Yes, for 100 euro, it is.
Is it good for commuter? It depends on what you want as commuter. For me, only thing I want on a commuter is a rear bike rack. Road bike is not ideal, as it probably doesn’t have mounting points. But you can make it work; there are bike racks that clamp onto the seat post and seat stay.