Best​ ​Road​ ​Bikes​ ​Under​ ​£1,500

Buying​ ​a​ ​road​ ​bike​ ​is​ ​buying​ ​your​ ​way​ ​into​ ​a​ ​world​ ​of​ ​cycling​ ​variety.​ ​Bicycles​ ​built​ ​for​ ​tarmac​ ​share  certain​ ​traits;​ ​their​ ​light​ ​frames,​ ​skinny​ ​wheels​ ​and​ ​drop​ ​handlebars​ ​make​ ​easier​ ​work​ ​of​ ​many​ ​types​ ​of  riding​ ​–​ ​from​ ​long​ ​distance​ ​hilly​ ​adventures​ ​to​ ​fast,​ ​flat​ ​racing​ ​to​ ​urban​ ​commutes​ ​and​ ​more.​ ​But​ ​what  should​ ​you​ ​look​ ​for​ ​when​ ​buying​ ​a​ ​road​ ​bike​ ​at​ ​around​ ​£1,000​ ​up​ ​to​ ​the​ ​£1,500​ ​mark?​ ​At​ ​Hargroves  Cycles​ ​we​ ​consider​ ​it​ ​our​ ​job​ ​to​ ​help​ ​you​ ​understand​ ​how​ ​to​ ​choose​ ​the​ ​best​ ​bike​ ​for​ ​you​ ​–​ ​and​ ​here’s  our​ ​guide​ ​to​ ​sub-£1.5k​ ​road​ ​bikes.

At​ ​its​ ​heart​ ​is​ ​the​ ​frame,​ ​which​ ​can​ ​be​ ​made​ ​from​ ​a​ ​variety​ ​of​ ​materials.​ ​For​ ​pure​ ​speed,​ ​carbon​ ​fibre​ ​is  high​ ​on​ ​the​ ​wish​ ​list,​ ​while​ ​steel​ ​or​ ​titanium​ ​are​ ​your​ ​allies​ ​for​ ​comfort​ ​and​ ​durability​ ​over​ ​big​ ​distances.  For​ ​a​ ​first​ ​road​ ​bike​ ​on​ ​this​ ​budget,​ ​alloy​ ​will​ ​serve​ ​you​ ​perfectly​ ​as​ ​the​ ​ideal​ ​all-rounder.

Alloy​ ​bikes​ ​are​ ​either​ ​made​ ​from​ ​pure​ ​aluminium​ ​– which​ ​itself​ ​comes​ ​in​ ​different​ ​grades​ ​–​ ​or​ ​from  aluminium​ ​combined​ ​with​ ​other​ ​metals​ ​to​ ​affect​ ​its​ ​overall​ ​properties.​ ​These​ ​nuances​ ​notwithstanding,  aluminum’s​ ​combination​ ​of​ ​lightness,​ ​strength​ ​and​ ​weather​ ​resistance​ ​make​ ​it​ ​quick​ ​enough​ ​for​ ​racing,  comfortable​ ​enough​ ​for​ ​ultra​ ​adventures​ ​and​ ​durable​ ​enough​ ​for​ ​commutes;​ ​a​ ​fantastic​ ​choice​ ​that​ ​is  further​ ​bolstered​ ​by​ ​its​ ​price​ ​accessibility.​ ​Alu​ ​frames​ ​are​ ​sometimes​ ​paired​ ​with​ ​a​ ​carbon​ ​fork​ ​set​ ​for  the​ ​‘best​ ​of​ ​both​ ​worlds’​ ​in​ ​terms​ ​of​ ​materials​ ​but​ ​without​ ​stretching​ ​budgets​ ​to​ ​full​ ​carbon  frame-and-fork.

YOU​ ​GET​ ​A​ ​LOT​ ​FOR​ ​A​ ​GRAND! 

The​ ​Cube​ ​Attain​ ​SL​ £999,​ ​is​ ​a​ ​lightweight,​ ​alloy-framed​ ​road​ ​bike​ ​that’s​ ​built​ ​for speed.

Cube Attain SL

As​ ​with​ ​some​ ​others​ ​in​ ​its​ ​class​ ​this​ ​aluminium​ ​frame​ ​is​ ​matched​ ​to​ ​a​ ​carbon-bladed​ ​fork​ ​for​ ​a​ ​winning  combination​ ​of​ ​comfort,​ ​control​ ​and​ ​weight-saving.​ ​Its​ ​2×11​ ​105​ ​groupset​ ​is​ ​Shimano’s​ ​first​ ​performance  option,​ ​which​ ​works​ ​in​ ​harmony​ ​with​ ​smooth​ ​tube​ ​joints​ ​and​ ​a​ ​tapered​ ​headtube​ ​for​ ​aerodynamics.​ ​Its  fast-rolling​ ​Mavic​ ​Aksium​ ​wheelset​ ​and​ ​vibration-dampening​ ​forks​ ​combine​ ​to​ ​make​ ​this​ ​an​ ​entry-level  option​ ​that’s​ ​quick​ ​enough​ ​to​ ​keep​ ​up​ ​with​ ​the​ ​pack​ ​but​ ​comfortable​ ​enough​ ​for​ ​longer​ ​rides,​ ​be​ ​that  leisure​ ​or​ ​training​ ​sessions.

Remember,​ ​bikes​ ​costing​ ​less​ ​than​ ​£1,000​ ​also​ ​qualify​ ​for​ ​the​ ​government’s​ ​tax-efficient​ ​Cycle​ ​Scheme ​–​ ​a​ ​good-value​ ​way​ ​to​ ​buy​ ​a​ ​bike.

Specialized’s​ ​sub-£1k​ ​contender​ ​–​ ​the​ ​£999​ ​Allez​ ​Elite ​–​ ​is​ ​a​ ​well-loved​ ​model​ ​that’s  stood​ ​the​ ​test​ ​of​ ​time;​ ​in​ ​fact​ ​it’s​ ​seen​ ​almost​ ​40​ ​years​ ​of​ ​evolution​ ​culminating​ ​in​ ​the​ ​current​ ​model.  This​ ​best-seller​ ​has​ ​tweaked​ ​its​ ​geometry​ ​for​ ​2018,​ ​making​ ​it​ ​slightly​ ​less​ ​aggressive​ ​and​ ​more​ ​relaxed  for​ ​anyone​ ​venturing​ ​into​ ​road​ ​cycling.​ ​Another​ ​alu​ ​frame​ ​and​ ​carbon​ ​fork​ ​set-up,​ ​the​ ​comfort​ ​this  serves​ ​up​ ​would​ ​make​ ​this​ ​a​ ​perfect​ ​commuter​ ​bike;​ ​there’s​ ​enough​ ​room​ ​for​ ​wider​ ​28mm​ ​tyres​ ​and  mounts​ ​for​ ​mudguards​ ​to​ ​keep​ ​you,​ ​and​ ​your​ ​fellow​ ​riders​ ​(be​ ​that​ ​club​ ​mates,​ ​family​ ​members​ ​or  fellow​ ​commuters)​ ​clean​ ​all​ ​year​ ​round.

Specialized Allez Elite

For​ ​a​ ​racier​ ​geometry​ ​with​ ​a​ ​longer​ ​top​ ​tube​ ​and​ ​shorter​ ​head​ ​tube,​ ​Cannondale​ ​makes​ ​a​ ​road​ ​bike  that​ ​blends​ ​affordability​ ​with​ ​long​ ​lasting​ ​quality.​ ​Their​ ​CAAD​ ​series​ ​has​ ​earned​ ​the​ ​brand​ ​a​ ​solid  reputation​ ​for​ ​well-crafted​ ​frames​ ​built​ ​with​ ​quality​ ​components.​ ​The​ ​CAAD​ ​12​ ​frame​ ​is​ ​made​ ​of​ ​light,  stiff​ ​and​ ​smooth​ ​alloy​ ​that​ ​incorporates​ ​‘SAVE’​ ​technology,​ ​providing​ ​micro​ ​suspension​ ​to​ ​smooth​ ​out  vibrations​ ​for​ ​comfort​ ​in​ ​the​ ​saddle,​ ​twinned​ ​with​ ​a​ ​lightweight​ ​buzz-absorbing​ ​full​ ​carbon​ ​fork.​ ​Choose  from​ ​the​ ​quality​ ​CAAD​ ​12​ ​Tiagra ​version​ ​for​ ​£1,099​ ​or​ ​step​ ​up​ ​to​ ​the​CAAD​ ​12​ ​105 ​for​ ​£1,399​ ​with​ ​benefits​ ​that​ ​include​ ​the​ ​racier​ ​performance​ ​groupset.

Cannondale CAAD 12 105

MOVING​ ​ON​ ​UP

If​ ​year-round​ ​commutes​ ​or​ ​club​ ​runs​ ​are​ ​in​ ​your​ ​plans,​ ​consider​ ​a​ ​hydraulic​ ​disc​ ​brake​ ​version​ ​for  better​ ​wet​ ​weather​ ​performance,​ ​which​ ​in​ ​turn​ ​helps​ ​with​ ​confidence.​ ​The​ Cube​ ​Alloy​ ​Attain​ ​SL​ ​Disc,  £1,299​ ​is​ ​built​ ​with​ ​all​ ​the​ ​quality​ ​performance​ ​of​ ​its​ ​caliper​ ​counterpart,​ ​while​ ​its  160mm​ ​Shimano​ ​discs​ ​front​ ​and​ ​rear​ ​provide​ ​the​ ​most​ ​powerful​ ​braking​ ​option,​ ​and​ ​are​ ​paired​ ​to​ ​a​ ​105  groupset​ ​and​ ​Mavic​ ​Aksium​ ​wheels.

Cube Attain SL Disc

And​ ​if​ ​you’re​ ​dreaming​ ​of​ ​carbon,​ ​at​ ​Hargroves​ ​we​ ​have​ ​some​ ​great​ ​road​ ​bikes​ ​sneaking​ ​in​ ​under​ ​the  £1,500​ ​mark.​ ​The​ ​Cube​ ​Attain​ ​GTC​ Pro​ ​is​ ​a​ ​fantastic​ ​featherweight​ ​carbon​ ​frame​ ​combined  with​ ​the​ ​performance​ ​quality​ ​of​ ​105​ ​components​ ​and​ ​Aksium​ ​wheels.​ ​While​ ​the​ ​Cube​ ​Attain​ ​is​ ​a​ ​great  all-rounder​ ​for​ ​performance​ ​and​ ​lightness,​ ​carbon​ ​bikes​ ​at​ ​entry​ ​level​ ​prices​ ​sometimes​ ​combine​ ​light  frames​ ​matched​ ​with​ ​more​ ​basic​ ​components.

Cube Attain GTC Pro

And​ ​if​ ​you​ ​do​ ​find​ ​yourself​ ​with​ ​a​ ​bigger​ ​budget,​ ​read​ ​here​ ​​to​ ​discover​ ​what​ ​treats  await​ ​in​ ​the​ ​£2-2.5k​ ​bracket.

Choosing​ ​a​ ​good​ ​carbon​ ​frame​ ​with​ ​heavier​ ​parts​ ​is​ ​a​ ​perfectly​ ​good​ ​investment,​ ​as​ ​you​ ​may​ ​want​ ​to  upgrade​ ​parts​ ​later​ ​to​ ​decrease​ ​the​ ​weight​ ​and​ ​improve​ ​the​ ​speed​ ​of​ ​your​ ​overall​ ​build.​ ​Whichever bike​ ​you​ ​choose,​ ​wheels​​ ​are​ ​a​ ​fantastic​ ​place​ ​to​ ​start​ ​your​ ​upgrade,​ ​as​ ​they​ ​can  dramatically​ ​improve​ ​your​ ​bike’s​ ​overall​ ​weight.

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