Viewing 16 posts - 1 through 16 (of 16 total)
  • What would you do (specialised awol content)
  • officerfriendly
    Free Member

    I’m really sorry to ask this, but I really need a few opinions. I’m getting a Specialised AWOL, but the standard one is all gone from Specialised’s stock so it’s between the frameset and the elite. Which one would you get? I’ve actually already ordered the frameset but I’m still confused. The frameset is £600 and the AWOL elite is £950. Thanks guys! (:

    wiggles
    Free Member

    What size do you need? Specialized still have the AWOL in everything but small.

    Rrp is £700 for the frame set and £1200 for the elite so not sure when you are getting those prices.

    officerfriendly
    Free Member

    That’s how much I can get it for, never said anything about RRP. And yes, I need a small! The only size they’re out of!

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    ton
    Full Member

    go for the elite……cos there are not pockets where we all end up… 😀

    stumpy01
    Full Member

    Can you build the frame up to at least the same standard as the full build? If so, go for the frame…if not, then go for the full build.
    That’s what i’d do anyway…

    steezysix
    Free Member

    I’d go for the Elite, I saw one the other week and the white colour is really nice. Also the Elite comes with racks and fenders, the Expert has the swinger dropouts which I’d avoid if I was buying mine again. Don’t forget to budget for a dynamo front hub and something like the cycle2charge headset if you want to go far afield!

    CaptainFlashheart
    Free Member

    Isn’t it a different frame on the frame only option? Dropouts etc?

    officerfriendly
    Free Member

    Thanks for the advice all! You’ve hit the nail on the head there ton, it’s going to cost quite a bit to build it up. £600 for the frame, £120 for brake callipers, £100 for shifters, £120 for derailleur and cranks. All 105 stuff bar the brakes. Was thinking of building up stand grail rims with hope and an SP Dynamo, but that would be another £300 excluding labour and spokes. The stock wheelset comes with unbranded rims though, so probably not on the same level. Can’t seem to find anything on the level of it for sale though.

    Steezy, the colour is (as silly as this sounds) one of the reasons I want to get the elite! I really don’t like the drab black, I want to use it for summer riding! And dynamo is a must, I agree!

    And yes the frame only is a different frame, reynolds tubing, though 720 and 520, 520 which is pretty much cro-mo. It has swinger dropouts and wiring for a dynamo in the fork (I think).

    thomthumb
    Free Member

    most of the kit on the elite is ok.

    but you’d never build it for £350. I’d be tempted to buy the elite, and then upgraded as necessary: probably wheels ASAP.

    officerfriendly
    Free Member

    Are the wheels that bad? Because they’re the only thing separating a custom 105 build from the stock in terms of price. If the wheels aren’t worth keeping then I might as well build it custom?

    steezysix
    Free Member

    I like the stock wheels, the rims are reasonably wide and they seem light enough. If you want to save a bit of money then look at the Shimano dyno hubs as well as the SP – I’ve got the Alfine one (about £75 from rose bikes) and it’s been running great for 3 years and 1000’s of km.

    dknwhy
    Full Member

    There’s a used one for sale on the bearbonesforum. Nothing to do with me but you might be interested.

    amedias
    Free Member

    The stock wheels are actually not bad at all*, butted spokes (would normally expect plain gauge as OEM), the rims are decent, nice and wide and not that heavy, hubs are OK, but come adjusted too tight and with too little grease from the factory, sort that on day 1 and they’re OK for an OEM C+C hub. When they eventually die I’ll actually be tempted to rebuild with the OEM rims as they are better than expected.

    I’d buy complete and ride it for a bit, then work out what/if you need to upgrade anything, that way you get a bike right off the bat to go exploring with!

    Personally I’d avoid the frameset only option unless you absolutely must have the adjustable dropouts, just too much potential for faffage, creaking etc. if not needed. And the difference between 725 and 520/525 is negligible, I’d be surprised if you could ever tell in a blind test…

    * for ref, mine have done > 2,000 miles now mix of road and offroad, unloaded, loaded and towing a trailer while loaded, not even needed to adjust a single nipple yet, checked the bearings the other day as a precaution and they feel as good as the day I adjusted them when new, I’ll check on them again in another 2,000 miles but not expecting any drama.

    thomthumb
    Free Member

    Are the wheels that bad?

    it’s a [relatively] cheap bike, so likely to be quite heavy. i’m only guessing though.

    officerfriendly
    Free Member

    @Steezy, I have two SP Dynamo hubs, really like them! Alpkit have just come out with one that looks very similar to the SP and they’re selling it for £60!

    @Amedias, thanks so much for your input! I think you’re really right about the tubing, I can’t imagine it making much difference. and having a bike to just ride will be great instead of waiting months to save up again and get it all builtt. Going to go in tomorrow and change it, hope they’ll let me do it. They said if I put a deposit down it’s non refundable (£75) so I’m going to be quite annoyed if they say no.

    And I didn’t realise the hubs were C+C, I thought they were sealed! Do sealed hubs have too much drag for road riding, or are they okay?

    amedias
    Free Member

    And I didn’t realise the hubs were C+C

    Well, the 2015 base and mid spec models were the Specialized HiLo C+C hubs, may be different for 2016 but I doubt it. Using C+C was probably done to save money, but there’s part of me that wants to think they were speccing for longevity and user-serviceability when on long tours, either way, they’re not bad hubs if looked afer, the rims and spokes were a surprise though, they’re decent OEM wheels for the intended purpose, there are lighter (more road biased) wheelsets available, but the OEM ones are a decent mix of weight and strength and reliability for the kind of riding the AWOL is pitched at, I had originally budgeted to change the wheels when I bought mine but have left them on and the replacement’s I bought are still in my loft gathering dust at the moment!

    Do sealed hubs have too much drag for road riding, or are they okay?

    They’re fine, plenty of cartridge bearing road hubs out there, seal/bearing friction is a negligible contributor to rolling resistance anyway so don’t over think it 😉

    and having a bike to just ride will be great instead of waiting months to save up again and get it all built

    good plan, a month or two of riding is worth a fair bit in my book 😀

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