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Today Allied launches a ground-up redesign of the Allied Able gravel bike. If you are thinking you were sure it was already out, you aren’t crazy. Allied athlete Payson McElveen is a close partner in the development and you’ve likely caught a glimpse here and there before launch.
McElveen even goes so far as to say “I knew this bike would redefine gravel racing from my first test ride a year ago.” Which, in case you missed it, means there’s been chances to see it as far back as a year ago.
Despite that long wait, this is still the first time we are getting official details. It’s also the first time the updated Allied Able is available for ordering via the Allied website.
What’s new with the Allied Able?
As a consumer the first thing you will likely notice is a redesigned chainstay. The previous Allied Able will forever be “the bike with that weird chainstay above the chain” but that chainstay is gone for this generation. In its place you’ll instead find the kind of dropped chainstay Gerard Vroomen originally popularized with 3T way back in 2016.
Don’t take that as a slight though. Dropping the drive side chainstay was a rather genius way of designing around wider tires while keeping a bike short and fast. Since then it’s shown up on any number of bikes and Allied is using it to not only make room for up to 47mm tires but also a 50-tooth chainring. This is a race bike after all and Allied racers requested room for bigger chainrings.
New geometry and layup
It’s not possible to completely redesign the chainstay without adjusting geometry but Allied is going farther than that. Sticking with the race bike theme the Able targets a “comfortable yet aggressive” rider position and a “weight distribution of approximately 53/47 over the rear and front tires.” To get there the brand uses an updated 70.5 degree head tube angle paired with a new 71-degree trail angle. The changes create increased “confidence on varied terrain while ensuring the bike retains the necessary handling agility for navigating unpredictable situations, such as riding in close packs.”
Then, from there, the Allied layup gets an adjustment to match the geometry. Allied claims a “15% reduction in front-end lateral stiffness aims to improve handling and help the bike feel more planted on rough roads, while a 20% increase in rear-end lateral stiffness enhances pedaling efficiency. The 10% increase in vertical compliance, largely due to the shorter seat tube, contributes to a more comfortable ride.”
Downtube storage, hidden cable stem, and a new seatpost
If you are coming to market in 2025 with a new gravel bike that doesn’t have downtube storage what are you thinking? Thankfully we don’t have to wonder here. The new Able does include downtube storage and the brand does it in a novel way.
One of the biggest challenges with downtube storage is the cover. Each new bike brings with it a new set of restrictions on existing patents that govern how the next bike can manage it. You need a cover that doesn’t rattle and actually works without hassle.
Part of that challenge is, as Allied tells the story, dealing with the leverage of a water bottle on top of the cover. Dodging existing patents and the leverage problem, Allied simply separated the two pieces. Instead of placing the bottle cage over the cover, Allied moves it up and uses a “lighter and simpler magnetic closure for the storage door, eliminating moving parts and the risk of bottle ejection.”
What Allied doesn’t mention is that it also limits space for frame bags. Revisit the race focused branding if there’s confusion on that point.
Sticking with that theme is the ST03 stem that offers internal cable routing. The ST03 does currently exhaust but according to Allied, this one is new. No further details on what that means but the existing ST03 is a solution to easier internal cable routing which routes the cables through the inside of the steerer tube then uses a stem cover to make the bend point accessible. It’s actually quite genius in that it offers clean routing without the hassle and there’s something new in the update. For now all that’s shared is that it’s available from 70mm to 130mm and 0 or -8 degrees angle options.
Not much to go on there but the new SP02 seatpost is offered with even less explanation. It’s new and offers” independent fore and aft saddle adjustments.” That’s it and there’s no images of the saddle adjustment offered either.
No more Bentonville production
The next generation of Allied Able gravel bike is no longer produced in the US. According to Allied, this decision is about delivering bikes to consumers in a timely fashion.
“Each Able frame is finished in Bentonville, Arkansas, where Allied designs, prototypes, and builds race-proven carbon bikes that transcend barriers. We continue to do quality control, custom paint, and assembly that reflects Allied’s dedication to top-tier craftsmanship and performance.”
Bicycle Retailer has spoken to Allied about moving the Able production overseas.
Allied Able pricing and availability
The Allied Able is available for order through the Allied website and select retailers starting today.
If you are looking for a frameset, that includes the ST03 stem/headset, and SP02 seat post at a price of $4,500. Full builds are also being offered with three options but no pricing. Those builds include:
SRAM RED XPLR AXS: Industry Nine SOLIX SL AR40c carbon wheels and featherweight components for a claimed 16.25-lb build.
SRAM FORCE AXS MULLET: 1x drivetrain, wide-range mountain cassette, and Industry Nine 1/1 Ultralite Carbon Gravel wheels.
SRAM RIVAL AXS MULLET: Industry Nine 1/1 Ultralite Carbon wheels.
