Trying to figure out the age of this Specialized Allez

[RShea]

It is listed on one of the Marketplaces. The bike is an aluminum frame (like all the Allez I believe) with aluminum front fork (not carbon like some include).

It is a 3x8 speed with Sora 3300 series shifters with the little thumb buttons to go the other direction, and Sora rear derailleur that has the outer cage plate stating it is a 9 speed. But the cassette is only an 8 speed. Searches of Bicycle Blue Book does not seem to come up (but I did not do a search of every single year of Allez back to the mid to late 1990's... So any insight on this year of manufacture?



How easy would it be to make it a 3x9 speed. New cassette of course (new chain probably, but the chain did not look all that great with some rust etc. as it even will clean up or not.)

Would the shifter and rear derailleur (is the Sora brifter a 8 speed and 9 or only 8 on this 3300 or 3303) still need replaced??

[Falcon3]

The derailleur should work as 8-9 use the same shift ratio but the shifter won’t. First; there’s only 7 clicks to move 8 gears. It won’t even know 9th is there. Second, the cable pull will be incorrect so even through your derailleur likely has the range to cover the cassette, it won’t index very well.

Why try to change it? 8speed is bomber and doesn’t change your high or low gear by going to 9 speed. Plus with a triple you’ve got plenty of combinations to get the right pedaling.

[rideit]

I had a carbon tubed Allez in ‘91 or so…(that’s my impression of adding something as useful as an XXXer post)

[Falcon3]

Oh and yours is mid 2000s. From like 2002-2008 is when they used that frame style. Graphics look like that’s probably a 2004.

[RShea]

Oh and yours is mid 2000s. From like 2002-2008 is when they used that frame style. Graphics look like that’s probably a 2004.

I suspected it was late 1990's (Bicycle Blue Book showed Allez only for 1997, 1999, and then 2000 and up or as you stated early 2000's... Still have to visit a few of the other web sites (bikepedia maybe)

I have a Allez already that is 9 speed rear and thinking if I can get this one for cheap enough it would be to pull some of the parts off to swap (front chain rings, and maybe a backup N+1 road bike or a mini project bike...

[RShea]

The derailleur should work as 8-9 use the same shift ratio but the shifter won’t. First; there’s only 7 clicks to move 8 gears. It won’t even know 9th is there. Second, the cable pull will be incorrect so even through your derailleur likely has the range to cover the cassette, it won’t index very well.

Why try to change it? 8speed is bomber and doesn’t change your high or low gear by going to 9 speed. Plus with a triple you’ve got plenty of combinations to get the right pedaling.

9 Speed on this could change the high and low since it appears this rear derailleur is a long arm version. I could go to a bigger inner gear with a long arm. The specifications I finally found are this:

Specialized Allez 24 (2003) with the factory specifications (some items are no longer factory on this for sure- front wheel has been swapped out as one example).... 12x25t rear cassette 8 speed was factory, so I could go up to 11x32 or 11x34 cassette on a 9 speed instead of just a 25...

https://bikeindex.org/bikes/385686?f...ZabpItvYsZCJIw is basically the same bike listing.
I had after a bit of research last night found the Bikepedia listing for this but the frame color was red and white...

https://bicyclebluebook.com/value-guide/product/30086/

So I have some other 9 speed parts in the bin. Rear wheel with a 9 speed cassette on it. A 9 speed chain maybe needed. But not a rear derailleur that is 9 speed but this shows the 9 speed on the arm as I stated. I'd need to get a shifter/brake that would be 9 speed...

Or just use some of the parts on my other Allez that I have.

[Phall]

I started in bike shops in 2005 and that is a familiar looking model. I'd say 04/05 ish

[Falcon3]

Here’s an 8 speed 11-34 for $20. Beats changing out your shifters.

https://www.rei.com/product/202403/m...tore=24&cm_mmc

[rideit]

Would the shifter and rear derailleur (is the Sora brifter a 8 speed and 9 or only 8 on this 3300 or 3303) still need TO BE replaced??

FTFY