Allied Able review: The future of gravel race bikes, but it’s a little too reliant on its party trick

The Allied Able has long been a bike I’ve yearned to ride. The original iteration was a wild conception that immediately turned heads, albeit not always for the right reasons, with its raised driveside chainstay.

It boasted a progressive-for-its-time tyre clearance of 43mm, sharp handling, and a focus on racing.

And while most bikes are an evolution of their predecessor – see the recently leaked 2025 Specialized Diverge for proof – the complete redesign of the 2025 Allied Able is a reflection of the step change that has occurred in the gravel riding and racing space since the original launched.

Racing has gotten faster and a whole lot more serious. Most brands have launched a second gravel bike (some even a third) to dial in their offerings for racers and adventurers alike. Big tyre clearance has transitioned from a feature reserved for ‘adventure’ bikes to a non-negotiable for racers, to the point that nowadays, most elite athletes are running cross-country tyres.