After several days of teasers on social media, Specialized has pulled the covers off its new Allez Sprint, which it calls "the world's first alloy superbike."

Since its launch in 2015, the Allez Sprint has enjoyed a cult following among racers thanks to its high stiffness and aggressive geometry at a lower price than carbon. As such, it is included in our guide to the best aluminum road bikes, and the target audience for the new version seems very similar. While the updated Allez Sprint's blueprint remains largely unchanged, Specialized has made a number of tweaks.

As a result, Specialized claims the bike is 41 seconds faster at 40 km than the Allez Sprint Disc it replaces, yet is still suitable for the everyday rider.

It is clear from Specialized's marketing that the Allez Sprint is designed to mimic the brand's flagship race bike, the Tarmac SL7, and the bike's aesthetics give exactly the same impression. The seatpost and fork are identical to those of the Tarmac SL7, and perhaps most importantly, the geometry has also been changed to that model's more stable geometry. The former Allez Sprint, with its lowered front geometry, was nimble, agile, and direct, but at the same time lacked comfort, making it specialized for shorter, faster rides such as criterium races. So much so that Specialized marketed it as the "ultimate criterium racing bike," and the tried-and-true geometry changes seen in the Tarmac, Venge, and Aethos will undoubtedly open this bike up to more riders. I'm sure it will.

What further opens up the bike to more riders is that the new Allez Sprint can be fitted with tires up to 32mm wide. This is not uncommon on road bikes these days, even race-specific bikes, but the ability to swap to 32mm rubber will be a welcome addition for new users of this bike who are not chasing apexes or bumping elbows.

The front cockpit features integrated cable routing with cables entering the frame through ports in the headset cover. It is compatible only with hydraulic disc brakes and can be used with either mechanical or electronic group sets. The front derailleur hanger can be removed for those who wish to run 1x groupset.

The 56cm Allez Sprint LTD - the top-of-the-line factory-spec model - is claimed to weigh 7.9 kg.

Using Specialized's proprietary E5 D'Aluisio Smartweld aluminum, the Allez Sprint uses aluminum a little differently than other models. D'Aluisio Smartweld, named after its developer Chris D'Aluisio, uses hydroforming to create a more complex aerodynamic shape and separate the welds from the joints between the tubes, rather than the more common method of welding the ends of round alloy tubes.

According to the brand, the bike's head tube is cut from a single piece of aluminum and then mechanically formed into an aero shape with a constant tube wall thickness. Joints protrude backward from the head tube itself and slide over the downtube and top tube. Welds are placed at the ends of these joints, further away from the head tube itself.

The bottom bracket is similarly considered. However, rather than welding a separate bottom bracket to the downtube, as on a typical bike or the former Allez Sprint, the new model hydroforms both parts from a single piece of aluminum. The result, according to Specialized, is improved power transfer and greater structural integrity in this area.

From launch, the Allez Sprint Comp and Allez Sprint Ltd will be available in two complete models and a frameset-only option.

Groupset: SRAM Force eTap AXS 12 speed

Wheelset: Roval Rapide CL carbon

Cockpit: Shimano 105

Wheelset: DT Swiss R470 alloy

Cockpit: Specialized alloy bar and stem

Tires: Specialized Turbo Pro 26c tires

Price: £2,650 / $3,000 / €3,500 / AUD $4,200

Notes: S-Works tarmac seatpost, Tarmac fork with through axle

Price: £1,599 / $1,700 / €1,500 / AUD$2,400