When it was originally launched at Unbound in 2019, the USA-made Allied Able made a significant splash with its unconventional design, which combined wide tire fitment (for the time) with dedicated gravel race geometry. It wasn’t a road or ‘cross bike with big tires, but rather part of a new crop of gravel race bikes that, as we now know, would dominate the segment in the years to come.
Fast forward to 2025, and after outsourcing most frame production to Asia, Allied Cycle Works is back with an overhauled Able, catering to the trends of contemporary gravel racing that include massive tire clearance, internal storage, hybrid road/mountain drivetrain compatibility, and fully internal routing. Developed in collaboration with some of the Arkansas-based brand’s leading sponsored elite gravel athletes, like Payson McElveen, Taylor Lideen, and Anna Yamauchi, Allied claims the Able was “built to thrive on the most demanding race courses where speed, durability, and adaptability are paramount.”
But how much of that is marketing hype? And how does a bike designed for the sharp end of the gravel bunch shake out for “normal” riders like myself, who tend to spend more time in spirited group ride scenarios than flat-out racing? Because, let’s face it, most folks considering spending upwards of US$4,500 on a frameset alone probably want to ride it outside of the handful of races they sign up for each year.
I got the opportunity to spend the past few months aboard a new Allied Able and set out across many miles of smooth gravel pathways, chossy singletrack, and rutted dirt roads to answer these questions and more.
Highs: Class-leading tire fitment, stable and responsive ride quality, ST03 stem and angle spacer offer some integrated fit adjustment, clean lines with creative design details, and a multitude of custom build and paint options straight from the factory. Clever details like a magnetic-door frame storage compartment and variable integrated stem angles.
Lows: Frame is quite stiff, stem and fork can present challenges for riders who prefer adjustability over hose integration, no front derailleur or mechanical drivetrain compatibility, and priced similarly to other high-end framesets.
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Frame details
I typically shy away from offering up subjective observations in bike reviews because appearance is in the eye of the beholder. Who am I to influence someone else’s perceptions? With the Able, however, I feel plenty comfortable stating my opinion: it’s a darn fine-looking bicycle.
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