Agree, I have an old CAAD9 with a Thomson Masterpiece seatpost (machined aluminum) and i’ve never found it jarring. I’ve done 100 mile rides on it many times and never notice the slightest bit of extra fatigue either while I’m riding it or after.
I own a carbon bike too and while the ride feel is different, it’s not necessarily any ‘better’ from what I can tell.
If you find your bike’s ride jarring, let 10psi out of your tires, problem solved…
they very close, but the allez is a very responsive bike to ride… you’ll throw it in on a corner and half way though realise that you will need to widen radius… its also a lot stiffer vertically so you defiantly feel the road.
but the Caad is a little more relaxed, easy to ride.
Im not sure how much comes down to finishing kit.
The Caad has Alloy wheels that are nice and light at 1400g and carbon bars and compact crank set.
where as the Allez is set up with stiff carbon rims and alloy bars and semi compact gearing.
I think I like the Caad for all day and climbing comfort and the allez for smashing mates, looking fast and drinking coffee 
I am planning a few updates to the allez (new wheels, possible Di2 if my kidney sells on eBay)
I also want to spend a little bit of time getting the set up the same between bikes. ie saddles and position. I’ll let you know once a few of the differences have been taken out of the equation.
It’s here! Finally picked it up yesterday!
Still waiting on the final handlebar and stem, hence the long cables…
That’s a great looking ride. Hope you cause some trouble on it 
Soon to be joining the Alluminati! My shop emailed me this frame and said it was in my size, and I pulled the trigger immediately.
I will definitely update with more pics once the build is finished, but I am currently studying abroad in South America so it’ll be a few more weeks till I get back to the States and finish it all up! Super stoked on my Allez Disc!
Ive had this same frame on order since last July! Expecting delivery by end of the week.
Heck yeah dude! I had emailed the shop about a month ago to see if they could get me one of the plaid frames in a 54, but those ones are completely sold out. I had sort of decided that I would have to wait until the next run of frames, and hadn’t thought about it for a while. Got an email from the shop today saying they got this frame in and how they remembered I was looking for one in a 54, and that it was mine if I wanted it. Good bike shops rule!
My 2017 Specialized Allez Sprint built for crit racing. This thing is fast, and there hasnt been a ride where I felt that I needed a lighter bike (even on team training camps where all we do is go up and down hills [yuck]). My only gripe on this bike is the welds are visible. Other companies (TREK, Cannondale, Leader etc.) usually grind away their welds. But i guess if there wasnt visible welds there wouldnt be any initiative to purchase a carbon Specialized frame i guess.
The joining method of the Allez Sprint is much different than other Aluminum frames and is why they can get a stiff frame with light molded tubes. They can’t grind the wields without the weakening the weld.
I’m one of those “only shitty welders grind their welds”
I’m on holiday in Vietnam right now and getting serious TrainerRoad withdrawal symptoms, which has been made so much worse drooling over the above builds!
Desperate times call for desperate measures and I’ve managed to rent this absolute speed demon:
Pretty sure she’s made of pure lead!
I very nearly bough a Trek Émonda ALR 6 last year as an upgrade from my cheap B’Twin Triban. It was a toss up between that and the CAAD12, does anyone know if the ALR 6 will be released for 2019?
Also, did anyone have the same dilemma between the two? Which did you go for in the end and why?
the top tier for 2019 trek will be the alr 5.
Best version of this frame I’ve ever seen 
FAKE NEWS
Weld caps do not provide any structural reinforcement.
That is true, I should have said joint, not weld. The tubes are very thin and grinding/sanding the welds to smooth the finish will likely hit the tubes and weaken them. One could argue that an expert could problably take the time and not hit the tubes, but, it’s not a necessary cost.
They probably don’t grind them back as it would show up any poor alignment between the two halves. On a typical tube to tube joint you can grind it back without needing to make it perfect as it’s an internal fillet at a change of angle.
Mike
You are likely right, but, these asren’t typical tube/tube welds. It’s joining formed pieces to formed tubes. The mythology is that they leave it the way it is because not finishing is stronger than finishing.
Thanks! I agree! 
