1,653 reviews found
Like the Defy, the Sport sits in the top half of Specialized’s long-established Allez intro-competition range. It boasts a decent frame, sound spec, neat cosmetics and practical componentry choices. The Ride The first thing you notice on mounting the Allez is its size: in contrast to the Defy, our ‘large’ Allez came up closer in […]
Merida’s lower-priced alloy bikes have consistently blown us away with their performance per pound. Crank up the price, though, and even with a couple of key bling add-ons, it’s looking less impressive. The Ride There’s nothing lacking about its speed commitment once you’re on board. There’s a whole load of spacers to remove from the […]
Last issue, the Swiss-designed Erox graced our ‘First Look’ pages; this month, we put it straight into the test programme against the Merida. Our bike came with standard forks, unlike the brake-behind BB version shown on the website, but it’s still suitably aero-looking. It also manages to be a surprisingly comfortable, cultured ride. The Ride […]
Focus may not be the most recognisable brand on the market, but its reputation for great builds and amazing value is creeping into the system and undercutting many of the world leaders’ brands. Having just signed Olympic medallist Nicole Cooke, Focus has made a great forward leap into the racing world that could gain the […]
Giant bikes need little introduction. Giant has been making bikes since 1972 and produces many of the other brands’ bikes too. In fact, it’s (probably) the biggest bike manufacturer in the world. Years of professional racing and development have allowed Giant’s designers to produce some of the best bikes on the market. Unquestionably, they’re leaders […]
Japanese manufacturer Ceepo is quite a new player in the triathlon bike game, but has stirred up a lot of interest recently, not least through its partnership with Ironman. The company prides itself on being a dedicated triathlon outfit and does all its own manufacturing; the Viper is the company’s top-of-the-line frameset and new for […]
Felt has a strong pedigree in triathlon. The B2 Pro is almost top of their 2009 range with only the DA ‘dream machine’ above it. It features a carbon frame with top-end Shimano and Zipp components, tri-specific steep angle geometry and comes race-ready from the box, once you’ve strapped on your own pedals. The Ride […]
Tell most people you’re riding a Tiger Frog and their answer will usually be, “A what?” Once you’ve then assured them that it won’t bite their head off, nor go ‘ribbit’, you can explain that Tiger Frog is in fact a UK-based online retailer specialising in tri clothing and a range of bikes. The TF300C […]
b’Twin is the brand name for cycles coming out of the French sports chainstore Decathlon. Its own brand kit combines quality designs and useful features with sensible pricing, and while it’s fair to say they’re not the sexiest or most desirable bikes on the planet, they do impress in the function and value stakes. Much […]
Giant position themselves under athletes of the calibre of current world champion Helen Tucker, with the Trinity the introductory model in Giant’s time-trial range. The ride First impressions aren’t great, as the steering’s twitchy nature becomes apparent. However, once moving in a straight line it’s smooth and, when settled in a good rhythm, it feels […]
Tri-specific bikes are becoming increasingly popular with their purpose-built features and tailored geometry. Quintana Roo are one of the only pure tri bike brands around and for 2009 have unveiled what they say is the bike with the lowest drag coefficient ever. QR even boldly claims that the Cd0.1 can cheat the wind! The Ride […]
Wilier bikes are steeped in history. The Italian outfit have been making frames since 1906 and, at one point shortly after the Second World War, its factory team of 300 were hand producing 200 bikes a day. It currently provides the bikes for the Lampre road cycling team, which includes the 2008 Road Cycling Race […]
Focus bikes became available direct to the UK market in 2006. Through their sole distributor, Wiggle, they have been building their reputation as a manufacturer of quality cycles, ridden by elite athletes such as Stuart Hayes and neo-pro Emma-Kate Lidbury. The Culebro Tria represents the introductory model in the Focus TT range. The ride Things […]
Look has ruled on the road for decades, so it’s about time the company’s influence was felt in the world of tri. Enter the new Look 576 frame. It’s not a TT crossover like many bikes on the market, but a bike designed specifically with tri in mind… The build The Look frame just looks […]
Trek need no introduction whatsoever. Having Lance Armstrong on the books hasn’t just been great for PR, though – it’s also boosted the company’s ability to make quality bikes. And even though Armstrong hung up his tri gear in 1990, all the wind-tunnel testing and development that goes into his own bikes has undoubtedly had […]
Specialized has a gift when it comes to making things look good, and has now applied its magic to this new interpretation of the Roval wheel brand. Specialized has also added its frame-proven E5 Metal Matrix material to the aero-section rims to create a tough hoop that can tackle the worst roads. Hidden-in-the-rim nipples for […]
Designed to take on the cobbled races of northern Europe, these retro-styled rollers are equally ready for your local council’s worst repairs. We’ve heard good reports from big riders who’ve absolutely hammered these wheels and ours remained true even after venturing off-road. The slightly soft spoke tension takes plenty of sting out of rough sections, […]
Forget turning down the Christmas pud – these lightweight Reynolds rollers are a great way to lose weight after Santa’s scarpered. The good news is that there are no ‘special dietary requirements’ for these wheels – just conventional low-calorie menu options right through. The mid-depth aero rims help keep the wheels tight and responsive while […]
These 105 wheels are light and good value, which, coupled with Shimano’s legendary reliability, makes them an ideal winter wheel. The 24mm rims offer a smooth, pliable ride for coping with potholes, and also makes them less prone to gusting than deeper hoops. Placing the nipples of the straight-pull spokes (16 front/24 rear) at the […]
Undoubtedly these Gipimme wheels are very eye-catching, but sadly they wouldn’t be our first choice for winter work. The deep 40mm section, with its widely spaced, paired aero spokes and overall matt-black finish certainly stands out in the crowd, and they hold speed well. However, as the only wheelset here over 2kg, they take some […]
Halo has been making wheels for headcase MTB dirt jumpers and free-ride lunatics for years, so we expected their road wheels to be rugged. The relatively low 25mm rim and symmetrical crossover (therefore longer and springier) spoking all round means they’re also comfortable. The ‘Six Drive’ hubs are straight off their mtb wheels, with an […]
Easton’s second-tier aero set is impressively tough and versatile – if you like particularly stiff set-ups. With a mid-section 29.4mm aero rim, broad-body hubs and tight round spokes in a two-cross driveside/radial offside and front pattern, there’s no sign of deflection or drive loss however hard you kick. They’re impressively light for a low-cost aero […]
Using a mid-depth rim and tight double-butted spokes with Easton’s patented T3 Twin Thread technology makes the Circuit a phenomenally stiff and strong wheelset. They’re made for big riders and bad roads, and our experience doesn’t suggest any different. Despite the strength and stiffness they’re not harsh on rougher sections, and they feel impressively tight […]
The eye-catching orangey/red rims and hubs make these beauties look several times more expensive than they actually are, and may prompt you to check the price several times before believing it. The 24mm deep rims are strong enough to cope with winter roads without feeling as ‘clattery’ stiff as some deeper set-ups, and they still […]
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