From: kim39@scws8.harvard.edu (John Kim)
Newsgroups: rec.bicycles
Subject: Specialized bike stuff; which pros use their bikes?
Date: 21 Aug 92 00:45:47 GMT
Article-I.D.: husc3.1992Aug20.204549.14957
Distribution: world
Organization: Harvard University Science Center


	In the Specialized catalog, they say they sponsor
the MOtorola Team, the former Soviet amateur team, and a few
others.  I know the Motorola team often uses the Specialized
sub-six helmets, but what other Specialized goods does the
team use?  Since Specialized's S-works division doesn't produce
road bikes, and since Specialized's steel road-bikes are
mostly low-end (except for the Transitions with the radically
extreme 78-degree seat-tube angle), do any pro teams (or 
amateur sponsored teams in the US) use Specialized steel or
carbon road bikes?

	I think I saw a picture of a female rider on a 1991 Allez
Epic CF, but it was actulaly a picture in a Cannondale ad, so
the bike which was easiest to see and in sharpest focus was
a 'dale.  And the Allez rider could have been anyone.  Does
Specialized even sponsor any small teams?  (i.e. Bridgestone
sponsored the MITteam in 1991/92.)

	Of course there is Team Stumpjumper, but that's MTBs...

	NOTES on the bikes I am drooling over.  I was disappointed
to find that the Allez Epic will not, from eyeballing it, take
either an AVocet FASGRIP Road width tire (28mm) or a continental
28mm clincher.  It comes with Specialized 23mm tires
(Dura ace version with 20mm tires), and I am confident it will
take a Specialized Transition 26mm tire, as I now have on 
the rear.  Note that the front has enough clearance to take 
a fat 28mm tires, (good fork clearance), but the back doesn't
becasue there is no room in the chainstays.  

	With my fat size 13 Avia shoes and Look pedals, my toes did
not touch the front tire on a 56mm 1992 Allez steel frame, but they
were SOOOO close.  If I slide my cleats back all the way, my toe
might touch.  On the 54cm '91 Allez CF, the medium toe clips do overlap
the 23mm tires by a few mm.  This might be worse if I were to put 26mm 
tires on it.  This bike has a top tube 1.5cm shorter than the one I will 
test tomorrow, so I don't know if the toe cips will overlap on the larger 
56cm frame.  In any case I will put on clipless pedasl to test it.

	The main traingles of the 56cm RB-1 and the Spec. carbon
fiber frames seem to be about the same shape, at least on paper.

	One disadvantage of my new huge Avia shoes is that my
right heel sometimes strikes the right chainstay when I stand
up on hills.  This doesn't happen on my touring bike, which is
made with longer chainstays.  My right foot naturally turns out
more than my left.  This probably will not happen with my
normal cycling shoes, but I can't really walk in those either.

more news on these bikes tomorrow.  I may also test the Paramount
PDG 3, which apparenlty has Tange Prestiege tubing but only RX100
parts.  One employee said the major difference between RX100 and
105 is the epoxy paint on the 105.  he said that Ultegra, besides
offering STI as an option, has better-quality hub races and axles,
among other advantages.  Judging by components, the Paramounts are
a bit pricey, but a '92 3 with RX100 is $50 cheaper than the
'91 Allez with 105, which is $100 cheaper than the RB-1 with Ultegra.
-Case
Newsgroups: rec.bicycles