Titanium gives a very smooth ride. It has excellent properties for damping a bumpy ride. This is noticeable over an aluminium frame, which gives a ‘harsher’ feel. If you want to enjoy a wonderfully smooth day in the saddle, titanium is very good. The smoothness of the ride comes at little loss in performance. Titanium is much more rigid and stiff than a steel alternative. If you enjoy descending at speed, the Enigma frame is pretty solid and true at top speeds. There is no flex and will be attractive for the ‘well-built’ kind of riders. This is the attraction of Titanium – the smoothness of steel with the performance of aluminium. People often assume carbon fibre is always the best material. But, a good titanium frame gives carbon a good run for its money.

Enigma Echo

• Compact geometry 9 degree slope
• Double butted EST tubeset
• Integrated head tube
• English threaded BB
• 31.6mm seat post size
• Bright brushed finish as standard
• Frameset weight from 1250 grams – £1269.00

One of the most popular framesets, it is marketed for the audax, road racing and sportive market. If you want to do some light touring you can use some clip on mudguards and even the clip on panniers. It isn’t the lightest at 1.2Kg, but if you choose very lightweight components to go with frame, you could get close to 7Kg for overall bike. but gives a great overall ride.

The Enigma Etape

The Etape is similar to the Enigma Echo. It has a slightly slacker head angle 72 vs 73. This gives a slightly more comfortable ride, but is less powerful when sprinting or getting up to speed. It has longer chain stays which give more room for clearance for a rack and panniers.

• Compact geometry 9 degree slope
• Double butted EST tubeset
• Integrated head tube
• 27.2mm seat post size
• 32mm band on front changer
• Maxed out clearances for short reach brakes
• Fittings for guards and rack
• Bright brushed finish as standard
• Weight from 1330 grams

An older Omega Enigma Bike

Still going strong after several years. Titanium bikes last very well, and don’t rust like steel!

Related

• Titanium Bikes

For commuting this kind of bike is the best all rounder. It offers practicality, good value and reliability. Ridgeback’s Rapide range is a competitive option for a very competitive market. The Meteor is in the sub £400 range and comes equipped with panniers and mudguards for an all year round commuting bike.

At nearly 14Kg, the Ridgeback Meteor is not light. Despite a 6061 Aluminimum frame, the bike collects weight through having thick chunky tyres, panniers and alloy suspension.

This means it isn’t the raciest commuting bike, but what it loses in raw speed it gains in stability and reliability. The thick chunky Continental Sport tyres 37c  absorb potholes and rough road surfaces pretty well. In addition, there is front suspension to make a really quite comfortable ride. In fact many town commutes may not need so much suspension and you may end up turning it off. Good for the canal path, but a bit over the top for most of the commuting I do.

With a heavier weight, the meteor isn’t the most responsive bike, but there are plenty of gear choices. The lowest gear of 28*32 will get you up pretty much anything. There’s no need to fear running out of gears. But, you may find this number of gears much more than you need.

The bike looks smart – matte black with neat touches. There are no colour alternatives, so if you don’t like Matt Black you’ll have to look elsewhere.

Reliability over Time

I haven’t had chance to test over time. But, the components should last reasonably well. A tough aluminium frame with standard Shimano gears and chain. The enclosed bottom bracket and sealed headset will minimise maintenance. Though the triple chainring combination will be a source of maintenance needs.

Like many hybrid bikes of this spec, it comes with Tetkro 836L brakes. These do the job, but they are not overwhelming. I guess the assumption is that with a Ridgeback Meteor, you won’t be racing into corners.

The City Comfort saddle is more impressive. The padding is generous and the size good. It really emphasises the strength of this bike is comfort.

Strengths

• Good value at £400
• Easily Adjustable stem and seat gives range of options.
• Will last well
• Comfortable ride. Good at absorbing uneven surfaces
• Comes with essentials for commuting
• It can also double up as a cheap / introductory touring bike. – You could easily take it on cycle paths around the country to get a feel for cycle rides beyond the usual commute

Weaknesses

• Weight makes it a bit on the slow side.
• Width of tyres makes it quite slow

Who will Bike suit?

This bike is really aimed at the commuter who wishes to have a nice stable, comfortable ride. It would be geared at someone not overly concerned at speed.

Alternatives

• Ridgeback Velocity – Very similar to Meteor without panniers and mudguards, 3lbs lighters
• Trek FX hybrid series – very close to the Ridgeback series
• Best Hybrid Bikes
• Best commuting bikes

Manufacturers Specifications

Color – Matte Black

Sizes- 15, 17, 19, 21, 23 in

Frame – 6061 Heat treated Aluminium

Fork -Cro Moly

Headset- Sealed

Hubs -Shimano RM30 rear

Rims -Alex ACE-18 36h

Spokes – Stainless steel

Tyres – Continental Contact 700 x 37c

Brakes -Tektro 836AL

Brake Levers – Shimano

Handlebar – 6061 Aluminium Lo-rise

Stem – Alloy multi position

Grips -Triple Density Lock-on

Saddle – City Comfort 2

Seatpost -Alloy Suspension 27.2mm

Shifters -Shimano EZFire

Rear Derailleur – Shimano Acera

Chainset – Shimano Altus 48/38/28

Bottom Bracket – Cartridge

Chain – HG31

Freewheel – Shimano Cassette 11-32 8sp

Pedals – Nylon Street

Front Derailleur = Shimano TX51

Weight 30.1 lbs (13.6Kg)

Related

• Ridgeback Meteor 2012 at Evans Cycles – £399
• Ridgeback Hybrid Bikes at Evans Cycles
• Ridgeback Meteor at Ridgeback

The Air time trial frame includes the following features:

Wind tunnel tested to gain maximum benefit from aerodynamics. Boardman bikes say it has undergone Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD)

In words of Chris Boardman:

“FEA, CFD, Pro Team testing and 20 years of experience have all been distilled in this totally performance-focused product. There isn’t a single square centimetre of the AiR/TT that doesn’t have a performance rationale behind it.”

Fairly big chainstays which help to maintain strenth and power transfer.

Wheels are own brand CBOardman Carbon tubulars. Tubs allow weight saving in the wheels of 200grams. Most people want to race on tubulars because of lower weight and better performance. The downside of tubulars is that when you puncture, generally it means buying a new tub – which can be expensive. Though for training rides, there’s no reason you can switch to clincher wheels.

Even seat tube clamp is aero.

Strong chainstay

Rear profile.

Full SRAM Red Groupset

Rear brakes taken out of the air flow. This is great for everyone except the bike mechanic. – Warning brakes are a lot more fiddly in this position.

Carbon Vision Bars with low profile

Front brakes hidden in fork

SRAM rear cassette. Internal routing cables.

Fizik saddle

Review of Chris Boardman Air TT 9.4

The time trial frameset is very good and excellent valu value. It is low weight, aerodynamic and has feeling of rigidity and strength – also important.

With brakes hidden from airflow, it joins a new generation of time trial bikes which have really sought to remove everything possible from wind. The straight lines may look unspectacular, though Boardman says they are straight because that is simply the fastest.

To ride it feels very good, it didn’t feel much difference to my Trek Equinox 9.9 SL.

You might arguably get greater ridigidy from some other framesets like Cervelo P5, but this is a really top level time trial frameset which offers a range of different options from entry level 9.0 to this version, 9.4 and beyond.

The 9.4 is very well equipped with SRAM Red. A discwheel will be quicker in most conditions. So it will be one upgrade to save up for later. But, this is a really high level entry bike level and excellent value. At  £3,999 it’s well kitted out given the SRAM red is top of the range.

At 8.2Kg it is fairly competitive for a time trial bike. It will be good in hilly time trials, though still above UCI legal limit of 6.8Kg.

Bike Specs

Frame: AiR/TT Aerodynamic ultralight UD carbon fibre monocoque, BB30, tapered steerer, internal cable routing

FORK: AiR/TT Aerodynamic ultralight UD full carbon, integrated brake

GEARING: -SRAM Red, R2C shifters

BRAKES: -SRAM Red

CHAINSET: -SRAM Red

WHEELS: – cboardman full Carbon aero tubular 100mm or 50mm front, 100mm rear

FINISHING KIT: – FSA Carbon / cboardman Carbon

Weight* 18.2lbs 8.2Kg.

Video of Chris Boardman Air TT

Related

• Chris Boardman Bikes
• Time trial Bikes

Buying Chris Boardman Air TT Bikes

• Bike Science Boardman bikes
• Boardman bikes at Echelon Cycles
• See C.Boardman Bikes at Halfords (time trial bikes not available in stock)
• Review of AIr TT at Bike Radar

Firstly, it is the only product Orbana has. The energy powder is based upon

• Maltodextrin 61%
• Fructose 24%
• Dextrose 6%
• Amino acids Leucine, Isoleucine, and Valine
• 137mg of sodium and 135mg of potassium – key electrolytes
• Ratio of 10:1 of carbs to protein.
• 2:1 of maltodextrin to fructose

Apart from that it has some amino acids, electrolytes and natural flavourings. It is free from stimulants and is approved by the Informed-Choice programme that tests for banned substances to protect athletes.

This ratio of Maltodextrin and fructose is increasingly favoured by other energy drink providers. It aims to provide a longer lasting energy release and avoid sugar spikes. In theory, maltodextrin is a complex carbohydrate, but it also has a high GI index – which means quick release of sugar. Fructose is a lower GI index.

Also some research indicates that taking 2 energy sources helps maximise carbohydrate intake.

I’ve always found that maltodextrin does raise blood sugar levels, so I start taking when I begin my warm up 20-40 minutes before exercise.

Review of Orbana

The taste is different to many other energy drinks, it is much less sweet and has a sharper citric flavour, though it is relatively muted. You definitely don’t feel like you’re drinking a typical energy drink.

Taste is a very personal thing, and it is OK. I can’t say I would drink it off the bike, but then I could say the same for any energy drink.

I took a bottle of Orbana during 90 mile ride in the chilterns and my energy levels seemed fine. I also did quite well in the 25 mile TT (finished 2nd). However, I couldn’t notice any discernible difference between this energy drink and others that I’ve chosen. It’s good that there are some protein with carbohydrates, for endurance athletes, this small amount of protein helps to maximise energy uptake.

The main thing is taste and use of natural ingredients.

Overall, I would be happy to recommend Orbana. It’s a good product with thoughtful use of trace ingredients. However, at the end of the day all energy drinks are based on similar concept of giving energy in powder form.

• Orbana box of energy sachets at Wiggle
• Orbana energy powder at Wiggle
• Orbana.com
• Best energy drinks

For £500, you can get a pretty decent commuting bike. Personally, I wouldn’t be keen to spend much more than £500 for a commuting bike. If you lock the bike up in town, there is an increased chance of theft, so with just a £500 you get more peace of mind than you would if you had spent over a £1,000

There is a great choice of commuting bikes for under £500. I would separate the choices into:

1. Classic / Retro Style Bikes – Look cool, great joy to have. Slow. heavier. Bit more expensive. Not great quality at less than £500.
2. Hybrid Bikes – best value. Most practical, most widely bought.
3. Mountain Bikes – Good for rough terrain like canal paths. Wider tyres are slower.
4. Road Bikes – Faster, but less stable than hybrid bikes. Useful for longer commutes.
5. Single Speed Bikes – Easy to maintain. Look cool. More expensive (not many under £500). Not good if you have lots of hills!

1. Classic Commuting Bikes

Dawes Diploma

If you are looking for a classic, stylish bike, consider a Dawes Diploma It looks like an old fashioned classic bike. It may not be fastest bike from A to B, but, it does the business and looks pretty cool too. One limitation is the 3 speed Sturmey archer, but, unless you live on a hilly route 3 speed should be sufficient.

For real style, why not have a look at the classic Dutch Gazelle. It has a real continental flavour and stands out with distinctive design and colour. But, difficult to source in the UK, more likely to find on ebay second hand.

• Pros of Classic Bikes – look good, fits in with ‘cycle chic’ appearance. Steady to ride
• Cons of classic bikes – are slower to ride, heavier. not great for long distances or up steep hills. More attractive to thieves than your common MTB.

Hybrid Bike

If you are more practically minded, you might like to buy a hybrid bike. This is a cross between a road bike and mountain bike. It also includes the ‘classic / Dutch style.’. It comes with road size wheels, but a thicker tread than ordinary racing bike wheels. In a sense hybrid bikes are simpler, cheaper versions of mountain bikes. They are fine for commuting, offering good stability and practicality. They can be easily adapted for panniers and mudguards. There is a great choice of hybrid bikes under £500. If you are willing to spend £300 you can bikes such as the Dawes Discovery. Hybrid bikes from under £150 will be made of cheap steel and will typically be quite heavy with more unreliable components.

Giant Escape

The Giant Escape is a popular commuting bike, coming in both men’s and ladies and different models. There are quite a few choices for less than £500. For £499, you can get the very good Giant Escape 1

Giant Escape 1

• Frame: ALUXX Aluminium
• Fork: Carbon composite, aluminium steerer
• Stem and seatpost: Giant Sport aluminium ahead
• Saddle: Giant Pure Sport
• groupset – Shimano acera and Alivio
• Brakes: Tektro linear pull
• Brake Levers: Tektro

• It’s amazing to get this quality aluminium frame, carbon fork and good quality Shimano equipment. A really good value hybrid bike

Pinnacle Neon Two

At £450, the Pinnacle Neon Two offers excellent features for a sub £500 bike. It is made by Evans cycles and so helps to offer low price. Not too flashy but gets you round town with a nice compromise of 24 gears, disc brakes and aluminium frame. See: Review of Pinnacle Neon Two

More hybrid bike recommendations

Cannondale Bad Boy

The Cannondale Bad Boy is a pretty sturdy hybrid bike – closer to the MTB spectrum than the road bike. It comes in a distinctive matt blank finish and has pretty sturdy Schwalbe Kojak Bad Boy Edition 559 x 50 tyres.
Hybrid bikes are mass produced and so give very good value. It depends how far you have to commute. The longer the commute, the more sporty you will want to buy. If you are commuting a couple of miles, a classic Dutch style bike will be great because speed isn’t so important.

Fold Up

In the foldup category, have a look at these foldup bikes. Foldup bikes are great for anyone who has to commute part of the way on the train. Look for bikes which are not too heavy and easy to dismantle and put up. Brompton are the best known type of foldups and they have options for under £500.Dahon are also a very good brand and the Dahon Vitesse is sold for £350 and is said to have a folding time of 15 seconds.

Hybrid Bikes at Evans

Mountain Bikes

Another option is a mountain bike. Under £500 the mountain bikes are more geared towards road use anyway. The Specialised hardrock Disc gives you disc brakes on an MTB for under £400. It is good value commuting bike; the wide wheels will slow you down, but great for snow or difficult conditions.

Single Speed

Increasingly popular is the single speed commuting bike. Single speed offer great simplicity and ease of maintenance. Even on hilly routes, some people just like riding single speed or fixed. The increased simplicity doesn’t mean cheaper. They are not mass produced so there are not the same economies of scale. The Charge Plug range offers cheapest introduction single speed. The Specialized Langster comes in at around £500. The Steel version comes in track frame and track handlebars which I didn’t particularly enjoy for commuting it was too aggressive riding position. However, the aluminium version is based on a more classic road bike.

• Single speed Bikes

Bikes Just Over £500

If you’re looking for a commuting bike with real style and elegance, check out this review of the Viva Urban de Luxe. It’s rrp was £699, but if you’re lucky you may catch it on offer for £499. 7 speed hub geared bike (easy to change, but a little heavier). This is a commuting bike for someone wanting a little style and good looks

Commuting Bikes Under £300 / 200

To get a commuting bike under £200 means you are getting some inferior components. The bike is likely to rust and break down more frequently. The tyres will be thin and more prone to punctures. If you can spend more than £200 do! But, if saving money is a real priority, I’ve reviewed these two cheap bikes.

Ammaco Dresden

£179. Plenty of gears on a cheap aluminium frame. But, tyres are weak and gears prone to becoming unresponsive. Will not last too long without needing to go back to shop. Review: of Ammaco Dresden

Raleigh Oxford

Another popular bike here in Oxford. You see quite a few with substantial amounts of rust. Pretty slow to cycle, not the best experience. Surprised Raleigh put its name to it. Review: Raleigh Oxford

Ridgeback Motion

Frame:6061 Heat treated Aluminium
Fork:Hi Ten SteelGears:
Shifters: Shimano EZFire, Front Mech: Shimano TX51, Rear Mech: Shimano TX55, Chainset: Shimano FC-M2171, Chainrings 48/38/28, Cassette: Shimano 14-28 tooth, 7-speed

At £269, this is a real step up from the Ammaco, the 6061 aluminium frame is always good value, and the lower end Shimano is adequate for light commuting. This is a good entry level commuting bike, without being too flimsy.

Rigdgeback Motion at Evans (both female and male versions)

My Commuting Bike

My commuting bike is a trek road bike. I bought second hand for £300. Brand new it would have cost £450. It is quite a practical commuting bike as it is relatively fast and has pannier rack, mudguards, lights. It’s only limitation is when we get a dusting of snow, the thin wheels are pretty thin for the the weather conditions.
Related Articles

• Tips for commuting by bike
• Hybrid Commuting bikes
• Best puncture proof bikes – one of the best upgrades for a commuting bike

Buying

• City and Commuting Bikes at Wiggle

At this price, there isn’t a huge range of choice with many entry level bikes starting at just over £500. I’ve included some of these bikes costing just above £500 because you can often see them on discount from their RRP bringing them under £500. Of these road bikes mentioned here, the Raleigh Airlite 100, Specialized Allez, Pinnacle One and Trek 1.1 are particularly good value road bikes and can be bought for less than £500. Note, when testing bikes, I tended to find a huge noticeable difference between the very cheapest road bikes, and those costing at £500 – it is worth saving that extra.

I have had two trek 1000s (the first one was stolen) and overall I am quite happy with it.

Trek 1.1

At a RRP of £549, it is just above the target of £500. But, I will include it because it is pretty close; and if you search you might be able to pick up a new model with 10% discount. Some people have complained about the wheels going out of true quite easily, but, I have not experienced this since owning one for a couple of year years. The trek 1.1 comes with an 100 Series Alpha Aluminium fully butted frame and with Seven different H2 sizes and carbon fork. A carbon fork is a very nice upgrade helping to reduce the weight and increase comfort when riding. The Trek 1.1, makes an excellent choice for a good commuting bike (I have fitted both panniers and mudguards) or an entry level racing bike. For just over £500 it offers good value if unexceptional performance.

Specifications for Trek 1.1

• Seven different H2 sizes to choose from there’s a bike for everyone. Equipped with Shimano 8-speed shifting.
• Frame:100 Series Alpha Aluminium
• Fork: AluminiumFront Derailleur:
• Groupset: mainly Shimano 2300, STI
• Gears: 50/34 (compact)
• Brakes : Alloy dual-pivot brakes
• Trek 1.1 at Evans Cycles

Specialized Allez

I bought a Specialized Allez for riding when I’m in New York. It is based on a race ready geometry, and offers excellent value. Compact gearset 50/34 and 16 choices of gear. Similar to the Trek 1.1, it has an aluminium frame and Shimano 2300.

I wrote a more detailed review here of the Specialized Allez (£550) for 2013 model.

Pinnacle Dolomite One Road Bike

Another bike with RRP at just over £500. But, again you may find with 15-20% off.

It looks good with integrated headset and neat clean rides. The 7005 aluminium frame and carbon fork provides a good ride – a good combination for this prive. Perhaps aimed at the sportive market and those looking for an entry level bike. It comes in lighter than some of its competitors at 10Kg. The brand is less well known, and this helps it to be really competitive in terms of components and feature.

• Frame: 7005 Double-butted Aluminium
• Fork: Kinesis carbon blade, steel steerer
• Groupset: Shimano 2300 16 gears
• Kenda Kwick Roller Sport 700 x 26c
• Weight: 10kg
• Pinnacle road bikes at Evans cycles

 Raleigh Airlite 100

Raleigh are making a comeback into the road bike market, they have restarted sponsoring a road team and are promoting a range of road bikes. The Airlite road bike is rrp £499, though you may pick up a discount. The aluminium semi-compact frame gives a solid ride and equipped with Shimano 2300 gives good performance for an introductory road bike.

• Frame: Airlite AL6061 semi-compact frame with Mudguard clearance
• Fork: EVO Alloy blades and steerer. 45MM rake, Mdgd clearance & eyelet
• Bars: RSP semi compact alloy
• Weight 10.7Kg for 55cm model.
• Gears: Shimano 2300
• Tyres” Michelin Dynamic

Cheapest Decent Road Bike

Dawes Giro 200 – £299

Chris Boardman Bikes

The cheapest Chris Boardman road bike is RRP £649 (Boardman Race with Aluminium frame and Sora) so is out of budget for this price range. But, they are very good value bikes, if you can stretch a little. Chris Boardman Bike reviews

Buying Second Hand

To buy a road bike under £500 does limit your choice. One option may be to look into the second hand market. This may enable you to pick up a carbon frame. If you are lucky you could get a £1,000 bike for half price second hand. Make sure it’s not stolen, see tips on buying second hand

Road Bikes Under £500

• Road Bikes at Evans cycles
• Road Bikes around £1,000 at Wiggle

Related

• Complete Listing of Road Bikes at Wiggle
• Advice on buying first road bike
• Focus Road Bikes Review

• Safe – protected from cars
• Allow you to do interval sessions uninterrupted by traffic lights e.t.c.
• Make it easier to measure performance (you can isolate more factors like wind)

What to Look for in a Turbo Trainer

• Matches your existing road bike set up and feel
• Relatively quiet
• Easy to assemble, carry to race and put bike in.
• Reliable
• Variable resistance settings so you can train for high cadence / low cadence.

Some of the Best Turbo Trainers

Lemond Revolution Turbo Trainer

• This is most innovative turbo trainer since it was invented. Rather than putting wheel on a roller, you simply remove your back wheel and put your chain onto a cassette which is hooked up to a turbo resistance and lock in rear dropouts. This enables you to replicate the feel of riding a road bike exactly.
• There is a progressive resistance, the faster you pedal the more resistance comes so there is a natural change, not the jerky feel you get with many turbos
• The frame is very stable and so is best turbo for sprinting and out of the saddle work – useful for warm ups.
• Fits all road bikes, though you need an adapter for Campagnolo.

• Is heavy and bulkier at 32lbs (14KGs) – it doesn’t fold up so small as other turbos
• It is quiet expensive, unless you use it a lot.
• It is noisier than other turbos. There are several places (e.g. early morning warm ups) where you couldn’t use this.
• You can’t use your hub based power meter or speedometer. (You can buy their power meter computer)

Elite Chrono Fluid Turbo Trainer

Cycle Ops Rollers

Rollers offer a slightly different experience to a turbo, you don’t have to make any modifications, just get on bike (and with a little help to retain balance as you get going) start pedalling. These aluminium Cycle Ops Rollers are is £175.

• Rollers help improve bike handling
• Give more realistic feel
• Are relatively quiet

Downside

• bigger and heavier to carry around
• Can be difficult to get started and stop – you may need something to give balance
• At low speed and low cadence harder to maintain balance – not great for low rev power training sessions.
• Cycle Ops Rollers at Wiggle

Cheapest Turbo Trainers

Elite Volare

You don’t have to spend over £100 on a turbo. A basic turbo can do the job for less than £100

This Elite Volare is a basic aluminium frame with mag resistance. I’ve used a similar version to this for quite a few years. It suits my needs and does everything I want to. Personally, I’d rather save my money on turbos and spend on lightweight tubulars. But, then I don’t spend all winter training on one.

Elite Volare £89.99 at Evans Cycles

Conclusion

Make sure you know what you want from a turbo

• Does it need to be quiet? – get a mag flywheel like Elite Chrono
• Does it need to be portable – Elite Volare basic aluminium
• Do you need to spend a lot of money? – not necessarily you can get one for less than £100
• Variable resistance is definitely helpful

Related

• Turbo trainers at Evans Cycles
• Turbo and roller trainers at Wiggle

Articles on turbos

• Tips for using turbo trainers
• Turbos vs Rollers
• Turbo Tyre at Wiggle
• Quietest turbo trainers
• 5 Best Turbo Trainers at Treds

For £1,000 there is a quite a range of good quality bikes to choose from. Though, if you only have £500, you will still be able to get a good aluminium frame based road bike.

Carbon Fibre v Aluminium

A good quality carbon fibre frame is definitely something to aim for. It can give a more comfortable ride and offer greater power transfer. However, carbon fibre isn’t everything. For many years, I rode aluminium frame bikes and they will also give very good performance in sportives.

What to Look for in a Sportive Bike

• Make sure it is comfortable and good fit. This is most important.
• Get the best frame you can, you can always upgrade later. Though some whole bikes offer such good value, it is good to get as much as you can when you first buy.
• Leave enough for necessary accessories, like, clipless pedals, best tyres for road bikes, and computers.

Entry Level Sportif Bikes.

For £400 to £500 you can get a good solid road bike which will be fine for even the longest of cyclo sportive challenges. Typically for £500 you will get a lightweight aluminium frame with basic groupset such as Shimano Tiagra.

• Advice on buying first road bike

Sportif Bikes under £1,000

For £1,000, you will be able to save 1 or 2 Kg off the weight of the bike and get a carbon fibre fork and more efficient groupset. There is a reasonable improvement in performance which will be noted by a keen cyclist. For a £1,000 there is a really good selection of road bikes that will be ideal for cyclo-sportives.

See: best road bikes under £1,000

Best Sportif Bikes

If money is no option, why not get a top of the range road bike, which would not be out of place in the Tour de France. You will be able to enjoy a full carbon fibre frameset with top of the range groupset and a weight pretty close to UCI minimum of 6.5Kg.

Reviews of Sportif Bikes

Chris Boardman Team Carbon – £1,399

This offers a full carbon fibre bike and fork, with Shimano 105. It is really excellent value for what you get, and I enjoyed riding it. It looks good and in a way punches above its weight. I enjoyed the test ride. -

See:  Team CBoardman Carbon Review

C.Boardman Road Bikes at Halfords

Ribble Sportive

Ribble Cycles is a mail order specialist in Preston. They have a habit of being able to put together bikes for exceptional value. The Ribble Sportive Bianco has the highest levels of spec at £1,000 for any sportive bike. The Carbon frame weighs only 960grams. It is made from high quality carbon fibre T700/T800 carbon. The frame and fork look good and give a fast ride.

Despite carbon frame, Ribble also put on a Shimano 105 groupset and ITM wheels. At £1,000 it is really quite an impressive ride. Cycling Weekly gave it 10/10 and nearly won bike of the year in 2010. The whole bike weighs only 7.8 KG which is a similar weight to many higher spec road bikes.

The frame geometry is close to a road race bike, with just a longer head tube to increase comfort on longer rides.

I’ve bought a few Ribble bikes and they have a tradition of being very competitive. Their size enables economies of scale and their carbon fibre sportive frames are really excellent to ride. Another nice feature of Ribble is the bike builder. This means you can choose a frame and then choose all the different components you want to put on it. This means you can really tailor the bike to your specifications and budget (and also get to choose colour).
Ribble Cycles

Trek Road Bikes

Trek offer quite a range of entry level road bikes from the Trek 1.1 to Trek 2.2 These make excellent sportive bikes. The Trek 1.1 and 1.2 come with an aluminium frame and start at £700 for a Trek 1.1 with Shimano Sora groupset.

The Trek 2.2 and 2.3 are also a higher quality aluminium frame.

To get a Trek with Carbon fibre frame you will need to spend more than other makes. The Trek 3.5 comes with 300 Series OCLV Carbon and costs £1,800

Trek Road bikes at Evans Cycles (though not available mailorder, you can pick up from store)

Sportive v Road Bikes

Many riders in cyclo sportives will be riding just road bikes. However, particular sportive bikes have a slightly different frame design to give greater comfort over long distance riding. To give a more comfortable ride the frame geometry tends to have a longer top tube and a shorter head tube. This gives a bit more upright position, it is less aerodynamic but more comfortable and less stressful on the back.

• Best Road Bikes
• Road Bikes at Evans Cycles

More on Cyclo Sportives

• Training for Cyclo Sportives

• Selle Italia CX Zero I bought this a while back because it was advertised at 81 grams. However, when I put on my electronic scales it came in at 111 grams (advertised weight 81 grams) – £325. I sent it back because I wanted to get something lighter.

• Tune Speed Needle Alcantara (87grams claimed) Tune Speed Euro 199

Tune Concorde

I bought this Tune Komm Vor and am very happy. It only weighs 85grams and is surprisingly comfortable. See full review here: Tune saddles

Plus, it is only £200!

Selle Italia SLR C64

AX Lightness Saddle

• AX Lightness – Sprint 69 grams (link)

The Phoenix saddle at 47 grams is lightest I can find

• Road use only
• Weight: From 47 grams depending on rider weight etc.
• Length: 260 mm
• Width: 125 mm
• Height: 61 mm
• Seat: 100% Carbon and Kevlar Pre-preg Rowings
• Rails: 100% Carbon composite
• Adjustment range: 75mm
• Special features: 1 piece composite monocoque.

Price: £300.00

Lightest Comfortable Saddle

• For me an entry level road bike would start at about £350. I would be suspicious of a road bike below £300.
• For under £500, you will be able to get a reasonable quality  basic Aluminium Frame and decent groupset (lower end Shimano). However, this will be sufficient for a reasonable road bike for training, sportives and even some 3/4th category road racing. My first road bike was an old Reynolds 501 Steel frame and 10 speed Shimano gears. It cost £220. I cycle miles and miles on it! It was very heavy! When I got a new Trek 1.2 a few years later (around £500), I was pleased at how much road bikes and improved, the saving in weight made a big difference in climbs.
• If you can spend up to £1,000 on an entry level road bike, you have a big choice of really good road bikes. For £1,000 you will be able to save more weight and benefit from a carbon fork, which will make ride more comfortable, with increased rigidity. The difference between a £1,000 road bike and a £5,000 road bike is not huge. With a £1,000 road bike you can  be reasonably competitive in amateur racing and sportives.
• When buying your first road bike, the most important thing is to get a bike that fits. Don’t worry too much about getting ultra lightweight components and carbon fibre gear. These are nice, but not essential. If possible, buy the best frame, you can, then you can always upgrade at a later stage. However, I found I never upgraded bikes, I just bought a new one, and kept the old bike as a winter training bike!
• You could try to buy a bike second hand, but, it is not without its difficulties; buying from a local shop is recommended for buying an entry level road bike. They are likely to have a good range of choice in this area.
• Where to buy entry level road bike. Mail order tends to be cheaper. However, it is nice to buy from local shop you trust, so you can take it back with any problems. Also, they will be able to advise on best size and other aspects. Some big retailers like Evans combine mail order and local shop, e.g. Trek models are not available to buy directly online. You can order them, but you have to pick up at shop.

Cheapest Entry Level Road Bikes

 Raleigh Airlite 100

Raleigh are making renewed efforts to revitalise their road bike range. They offer some of the cheapest entry level road bikes from an established bike company. The airlite road is a good value road bike for under £500. With an aluminiym semi-compact frame, it gives a solid comfortable ride. The Shimano 2300 groupset  is unexceptional, but it does the job. This would be good for someone interested in trying out a few sportives and general riding. With mudguard clearance, and low price it would also make a good winter training bike. If you are serious about racing, try spend more and choose a more race oriented frame.

• Frame: Airlite AL6061 semi-compact frame with Mudguard clearance
• Fork: EVO Alloy blades and steerer. 45MM rake, Mdgd clearance & eyelet
• Bars: RSP semi compact alloy
• Weight 10.7Kg for 55cm model.
• Gears: Shimano 2300
• Tyres” Michelin Dynamic

Trek 1.1 / 1.2

With a large scale production, Trek have been able to invest in road bike technology and keep prices low. The Trek 1.1. and Trek 1.2 set the standard quite high for entry level road bikes, which don’t break the bank.. The Trek 1.1 also comes with 100 Series Alpha Aluminium  frame and aluminium fork. Also comes in many sizes from 47cm to 62cm. Shimano 2300 shifters give it a reasonable high level spec for an entry level bike. And the RRP is £599.

I have ridden a Trek road bike for several years, though it has ended up as my commuting bike. It is has been reliable. Since I bought my Trek, the new models have raised the bar, and it is really good to ride.

Trek offer quite a few different models which slight variations in price and spec. For example

Trek 2.1 has a higher level aluminium frame, 200 Series and carbon fork.

Instead of basic Shimano 2300, there is mostly Shimano 105 throughout. For the extra £450, this is quite a signficant improvement in quality. You will definitely notice the benefits of the Shimano 105 and carbon fork.

Trek Road Bikes at Evans Cycles (store collect only)

CBoardman Race £649

The entry level road bike is ready for racing and hilly sportives with a carbon fibre fork and compact chainset. It is very good value and Boardman bikes have been built to a high standard. I’m really impressed by the finish to the Boardman bikes. They all have smooth lines and smooth joining. It really looks the part. The paint work and design is quite tasteful.

• Frame: double-butted aluminium frame for faster climbing and improved power transfer
• Fork: carbon fibre fork with carbon steerer for accurate steering and absorption of road vibrations
• Wheels: Mavic CXP 22s rims with sealed bearing hubs for a longer bearing life
• Brakes: Powerful dual pivot Tektro brakes
• Groupset: Shimano Sora 18 speed gearing for reliable shifting performance
• FSA Vero compact chainset provides lower gear ratios for tackling hills with a higher cadence
• C.Boardman Road Bikes at Halfords

C Boardman Team Carbon

At the next level to the Boardman Race, I tested a Boardman Team Carbon (which is excellent value at just over £1,200 for a full carbon fibre bike and Shimano 105). The Boardman Team Carbon is one of best entry level full carbon fibre frame bikes.

GT Series 4 is £699

• New Hydroformed Alloy, Smooth Welded TT & DT, Full Eyelets
• Groupset:  Mixture: Microshift R92 9 Speed shifters, MicroShift R729 Front mech, Shimano R3400 Rear mech, FSA Tempo Compact chainset with 50/34 tooth chainrings, SRAM PG950 9 Speed
• Schwalbe Lugano 700c X 23

GT bikes are good value. They are not so well advertised in the pro-peleton but this helps to make them better value. They have several different models depending on your budget from GT Series 5 at £599 to the GT Elite Carbon at £1,599

GT Bikes at Evans Cycles

Related

• Road Bikes around £1,000 at Wiggle
• Advice on buying first road bike
• Road Bikes under £500
• Best Bikes under £1,000
• Focus Road Bikes - some of the best value entry level road bikes
• Dawes Road Bikes
• Giant SCR 4