The Best Road Bikes You Can Buy for Under £1,000!

[@indiebikes]

I’ve had more than a couple of Allez E5’s in recent years, and the current frameset with those full carbon forks is a delight. Running a full R7000 105 gruppo, Fulcrum Quattro wheels and Fizik finishing kit, weighs just under 8kg. It’s more bike than most people could ever need, and the Rocket/Flo red paint is very autumn/winter friendly- stands out against the grey backdrop of the seasons. Get one before rim brakes are extinct I say!

[@ArnageLM]

Great options! You can also buy 1 Enve carbon wheel, like the one in the background ;).

[@billfrigo7602]

LOL

[@ccadp1219]

Thanks David....looking for this price range video for a long time👍🏻

[@rorygarside8191]

Cannondale CAAD12's are regularly under £1000. I got mine with full 105, in mint condition, upgraded wheels for £950. You don't always need a new bike....you just don't get the value anymore

[@fennec13]

A nice list of bike at a more reasonable price point for those who are just starting out, $1,000 is not a paltry sum, but it is a lot easier for a novice rider, or someone who is not interested in spending a lot on a bike to get a really nice ride. Seeing stuff like Sora or Claris, doesn't surprise and I guess the fact that most of these options are rim brake isn't surprising either. But I'd like to see more disc options, even if they initially come with mech discs, for long- term upgrade to something like tiagra hydro, or another "step up" in quality and shifting. But its a nice group of bikes that might suit.

[@paulcarter2583]

Hi - my sole road bike is a 2007 Focus Cayo - great bike, on my third set of wheels now. Can't get anything comparable now for the price. I imagine its done about 60k miles and still looks good, although probably a bit old fashioned now (exposed cables, rim brakes etc).

[@davidarthur]

Great to hear you’ve got one and it’s still going strong - the price per mile ratio must be amazing

[@andrewegan7011]

If you join British cycling for 20 you can get 20 per cent of at Halfords reducing the Boardman below 1000,

[@normadicn5700]

10% or 20%

[@chrisobyrne5675]

In 2018 I bought an Allez Elite for £1k or maybe even £950, E5 frame and carbon fork so probably as per current model, but it had full 105 bar the Praxis cranks and Tektro brakes. Permanently attached to my trainer nowadays but a great bike, light too.

[@billfrigo7602]

@11:12 - 1,000 GBP in today's money is 1,542 GBP... so this Boardman option having a superior frame and a newer, better Shimano 105 is certainly a massive upgrade, at in fact, a lower price. Aside from this technicality - it's no doubt the bikes in the last few years have skyrocketed in price...

[@parthusa92]

Thanks David. May I request another video like this for $2k price point.

[@nicolasdelva1119]

Same here, very interesting

[@heinzaugust8866]

Hey nice video👌🏼. But I would also take a look at the cube attain race or attain SL, they are great bikes for their price.

[@gislasson]

awesome awesome video mr david cheers from venezuela

[@cycleyyz]

The Allez Sprint has the same geo as the Tarmac. The "standard" Allez is very much endurance-focused now. Of course, the Sprint is the big ticket item...

[@Sr.D]

Very impressive the carbon Boardman price in the actual context, a shame that they don't sell in other countries of Europe

[@JSC131]

The way to go forward is have a look around and build your own bike especially if you still like rim brake bargains around enjoyable video David.

[@xelseartheonlyone1267]

1.000+ for an entry bike like claris or sora. Is crazy!!! Especially if you add all the extra you have to buy, cause factory items are crap. Not to mention bike fitting. Already changed saddle twice 100+ for every saddle and not even 6k kilometers on the bike. I love bikes but these prices are making me shiver! Is just a bike for crying out loud! And is already more expensive than buying a motorcycle!

[@klpinvestments]

I have the Giant Contend. I love it. Great bike for the money.

[@famoterlhh4993]

Tried to google some of them for local pricing, and GOD they are expensive But turning to more local manufacturers like Polygon, offering good specs for the price, like a Shimano Sora road bike for 999 SGD Also praise Decathlon and van rysel for not being greedy 😀

[@DarianWade]

Perfect timing. Been doing loads of research the past few days on bikes and am torn between a trek FX 2, or a road bike. But many road bikes are super expensive 😅

[@user-c4js8dj38d]

Giant contend sl! ("content sl" not "contend" - aluxx sl and aluxx)

[@DarianWade]

@@user-c4js8dj38d I ended up buying a Trek Domane AL 3. It's been the perfect balance of speed and comfort for me, as someone who does not, and likely never will race

[@chriss6971]

Thanks for the research, savesd me some time.

[@lancecrawley9542]

Great review!

[@SPLSE]

Great options in the price range. I would go for Giant or Canyon. And a wildcard not mentioned would be the Rose Pro SL. Way too often comments across youtube act as if there isn't a vast range of prices and components and begging for rim brakes. Are they looking or complaining?

[@luisrosano3510]

Here in Uruguay, the same specialized allez aluminium, cost 2090 american's dolars. Is isane.

[@swimm3r137]

What are your thoughts on Tomossa? I'd love a video on your feedback on them, and their Italian bicycle

[@baltimorejae7397]

I currently ride a Giant TCR. But I had a Tommaso it was a great entry level bike around a $1000 USD

[@belizon]

Can you do reviews of Claris, Sora and Tiagra?

[@davidarthur]

That's a good idea NMA I'll get on to it

[@dandaniel9374]

Can You even buy a Campy Centaur 11spd groupset for $1000? The Van Rysel is crazy!

[@Relevant_Irrelevance]

I love my Van Rysel

[@Gk9311]

Great video.

[@stevenfreeman7798]

Dave specialised are doing the allez elite for about £150 more than the sport with s ram 11 speed on special offer at the moment Dt swiss wheels as well!.

[@davidsips9532]

We should have kept rim brakes. Discs just raised the prices so much and some people dont even need them

[@galenkehler]

Discs didn't raise the prices. Prices went up through inflation coincidentally at the same time that rim brakes were dying. correlation ≠ causation my simple friend

[@TheKitchenTechnician]

Gotta say as a beginner I love the impressive one finger stopping power of hydraulic disc brakes. Like my one finger application on my dirt bikes ( motorcycle).Instantaneous stopping power in all conditions. The safety aspect is worth the price of admission .

[@stevesnailfish]

I'm a fan of Boardman bikes as I've got 3 of 'em (but not a road bike)....Always decent specs for the money but that £1150 looks pretty darn decent even though at 28c width and, if was into road biking more than I am (I still run an old 2010 Allez with Claris), being more MTB and gravel orientated, I'd deffo snap that one up, although the Giant looks pretty decent spec as well...Hmmmm ?

[@asams7255]

Worth noting the brakes on the al2 are crap. If you can get the al4 or 5 with hydraulic

[@ssmidnight9340]

So with cycle to work I can get up to £3000 , do I go all out and get something around that price range or do I get a 1k/1.5k bike and spend £1000 on a nice carbon wheel set , experienced rider just not rode since covid

[@RomanHardin]

No, the Allez doesn’t share the same geometry as the SL7. That’s the Allez Sprint. The 999 quid allez is very relaxed in terms of geometry

[@mrichards55]

Top tip: Bikes at this price point often come with dodgy rim brakes. Do yourself a favour and replace them with Shimano 105s.

[@erlingbrenn9239]

What about Sonder Colibri or Santiago, they start now at 1049 £ and 1149 £, both with mecanical disc brakes

[@markeasey469]

It is a pity that the Boardman bikes appear to be only available in the UK. On paper their specs look better than most at that price point, but as not available in France (unless you know different) I settled on a Cannondale CAAD Optimo with Tiagra. Love it so far....

[@Silidons91]

I thought Boardman went bankrupt.

[@garethjohn6207]

@@Silidons91 Bought out by Halfords group

[@garethjohn6207]

@TheTantalum I'm not sure if they already had links with Halfords before the buy out. You used to be able to buy direct from the Boardman website, also the elite range (the 9 series bikes) were only available from "proper" bike shops and Halfords sold the lower spec'd bikes. I have a 2017 model SLR endurance 9.2, lovely bike, comfy and fast. Dura Ace 9000 shifters and mech's, FSA slk light carbon crankset. Bought it in an end of season sale for £1900, upgraded the wheels to some nice 40mm deep carbon ones, total weight including pedals is 7.2kg. Really happy with it.

[@johnstygall860]

Available in the Republic of Ireland

[@mandyw2926]

Do you think the Giant propel advanced 1 disc 2021 is still worth it in 2022/23

[@manojh2770]

Rim brakes will wear out rim . Would disc be better for long term?

[@EvoX180]

Definitely

[@TerranceThomas-w9b]

I am old school rim brakes got mountain bike set with disc

[@FredDC2]

I have a Trek Domane AL4. Are there any good upgrades I can make for this bike?

[@davidarthur]

What's your budget Hugh and is there anything you're not happy with on it at the moment? I usually say tyres are a good place to start with, then wheels but obviously more expense, than you can look at things like bar tape, handlebar, saddle etc

[@ronitdebnath]

Specialized Allez or Giant Contend. Also allez has endurance and not race geometry.

[@The12345678902121]

Could you make similar video about carbon wheels ?

[@AlbertBuckinghamEllison]

1 year into my 2021 Domane. Bottom spec Claris, rim brake but bought some £250 Fulcrum Racing Quattro wheels. I tried the disk brake version and it felt A LOT heaver, chunkier frame, handling felt slow to respond, but probably better for tourers, the cable disks are dog sh** for anyone riding aggressively, loads of slack in the cable (set up by an expert). The rim brake version was a bit cheaper, lighter, more nimble and still rides like new, awesome winter/summer training bike and entry-level race bike. 10Spd will be a good little upgrade, buy a used mechanical 105 group and you're laughing.

[@comedyman112]

Gone are the times when you could get a decent 105 bike for 1000

[@IvanB2311]

What about Cannondale CAAD Optimo? Any chance to have a review of it?

[@fkrr5]

I have a 2019 Cadd Optimo, great bike. I upgrades to 105 brakes and 11 speed sensah. Great bike

[@IvanB2311]

I used to have Cannondale CAAD Optimo 2019 Tiagra. Now I have Cannondale CAAD Optimo 3 Sora

[@IvanB2311]

Do you know if it will be possible to install a 28 mm tyres Vittoria Zaffiro for a new CAAD optimo frameset

[@markeasey469]

@@IvanB2311 I have a CAAD Optimo 2 to which I have fitted GP5000's in 28mm with no problems

[@nickmetcalfe4536]

First comment! great vid as usual David.

[@mohammadalmustafaabdulbagi3847]

Help! Just saw this video and i went to check the prices they're more than what was said like 500 more(this would be my first road bike so pardon my ignorance)

[@davidarthur]

The video is a year old and sadly the prices are likely to have increased since

[@mtbert9307]

0:40 what about my claris? 😢 it’s too shit to get a mention 😂😂

[@raycousens5057]

If you were buying one of the bikes in this video which would be your personal choice ?

[@davidarthur]

The Giant would be an easy choice really

[@georgesj9536]

'Around' 1000 would be better since half of them are over

[@andrelakis2889]

Sorry to say, but you didn't ride one of these bikes, like the Sp. allez, terrible, as referred a harsh ride. Used as a trendy city statement bike, with little time in the saddle, OK.

[@truthseeker8483]

Are they all made in China?? 😣