Specialized Allez - Shimano Claris vs Liv Avail AR 3
Both are endurance bikes at a similar price. Here is what actually separates them.
The short answer
For a typical all-round rider the Specialized Allez - Shimano Claris comes out ahead (81% against 70%). That is not a universal verdict — change the terrain or the priority and the order can flip.
What actually separates them
- Price
- The Specialized Allez - Shimano Claris is £99 cheaper — £1,000 against £1,099.
- Weight
- The Specialized Allez - Shimano Claris is 1.0kg lighter, which you notice on long climbs more than anywhere else.
- Riding position
- The Specialized Allez - Shimano Claris sits you more upright (1.56 stack-to-reach against 1.52). The Liv Avail AR 3 is the more aggressive of the two — quicker if you can hold it, harder work if you cannot.
- Tyre clearance
- The Liv Avail AR 3 takes 38mm tyres against 35mm — the single most common thing buyers wish they had more of.
- Climbing gear
- The Liv Avail AR 3 has the easier bottom gear (26 gear inches against 29), which matters more than weight on anything genuinely steep.
- Mudguards
- Only the Specialized Allez - Shimano Claris takes mudguards, which decides whether it can be your winter bike.
Side by side
| Spec | Allez - Shimano Claris | Avail AR 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £1,000 | £1,099 |
| Weight | 9.6 kg | 10.6 kg |
| Frame | alloy | alloy |
| Groupset | Shimano Claris 2000 2x8 mechanical | Shimano CUES U3030 2x9 mechanical |
| Stack / reach | 1.56 | 1.52 |
| Tyre clearance | 35 mm | 38 mm |
| Lowest gear | 29 in | 26 in |
| Mudguard mounts | Yes | No |
| Comfort | 63 | 67 |
| Speed | 38 | 26 |
| Climbing | 48 | 42 |
| Value | 88 | 54 |
Neither might be the right answer
This page assumes an average rider. Tell us how you actually ride and we will rank these two against everything else at the price.
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