We have known that Specialized builds comfortable bikes since the "Roubaix" series. With the "Secteur", road cyclists on a tighter budget should now also be able to enjoy the developments of the US brand. In addition to an emphatically upright riding position, this includes a comfortable carbon seat post, seat stays with a joint-like bend, 25-millimetre tyres and an angle-adjustable stem that covers a surprisingly wide range of different handlebar heights. The triple crankset also matches the design of the bike. The picture is clouded by the very simple equipment, which is responsible for the highest weight by far in the test field. The well and elaborately crafted frame deserves better than no-name brakes, which brake significantly worse than Shimano or SRAM stoppers.
Order/Info: Specialised Europe, phone 0031/314/ 676600, www.specialized.com
Weight frame/fork/ headset bearing*: 1,462/509/76 g
Frame sizes**: 49, 52, 54, 56, 58, 61 cm
Seat/steering angle: 73.5°/73°; seat/top/head tube: 490/558/211 mm
Wheelbase/ caster: 1,003/53 mm
Stack/reach***: 612/377 mm
EQUIPMENT
Fork: Specialised
Steering bearings: Cane Creek, 1-1/8 inch; Brakes: No Name
Gears: Shimano 105; Bottom bracket: Shimano FCR600(50/39/30 t.)
Wheels/tyres: Mavic CXP22 rims, Specialized hubs/Specialized Pro2 25 mm
Handlebar/stem: Specialised Comp
Saddle/post: Specialized Avatar 143/Specialized (27.2 mm)
*weighted weights; **manufacturer's specification; test frame size greased; ***stack/reach: projected vertical or horizontal dimension from centre of bottom bracket to top edge of headset cap
