Cycling poses many mental and physical health benefits to those who regularly get on their bike and ride, whether it be to work, as a mode of transport, to enjoy the outdoors, or even to go on epic cycling adventures. Whatever you decide to use your road bike for, when it comes to purchasing one there are a couple of things you should consider first. One of our writers, Josiah Skeets is currently on an epic cycling trip from the UK to Australia and has been on the road for almost two years now. When asked what’s the best advice, it’s to get a reliable bike and to have a happy disposition.
View Contents
Road Bike Buying Considerations
While many people tend to shop depending on their budget, it’s important to understand that the price is reflective of the frame materials and component spec. Generally speaking, the difference in build quality between a £600 road bike and a £1,800 one will be huge, so you should look to shop based on your needs above everything else. Ultimately, if you shop on price alone, you may end up purchasing a road bike that will become faulty after 6 months or simply selecting one that you don’t enjoy riding all that much. Either way, with such an investment as a bike, you should look for longevity and quality for a bike that will serve you well for years to come. Deciding how you will be using your bike is an essential part of how to choose which one to get! If you’re using the bike purely for transportation purposes then you might not need one with all the fancy specs.
To give you a better idea of what you can expect at different price points, here are 5 of the best Men’s Road Bikes of 2017.
Price Range Below £1000: Scott Speedster 50 2017
Suitable for:
- Commuting to Work
- Casual Riders
- Entry Level Riders
First up, in the below £1000 category is the Scott Speedster 50 2017. Taking the mantle with its slick look and solid specs, this bike is a great pick in terms of affordability. Perfect for riders who are looking to get into cycling; this entry level bike boasts a Speedster Aero double-butted alloy frameset and a race-proven geometry, where the low-cost racer claims to offer an aerodynamic advantage over other models from rival manufacturers at this price point.
Weighing in at just over 10kg – which many may feel is a little on the heavier side – the Scott Speedster 50 possesses a groupset combination of Shimano Sora and Claris offering smooth gear transmission, with the inclusion of a 32t sprocket making those more difficult, steeper ascents much less of a battle. With Tektro Comp SCBR 312 brakes and Syncros Race 27 Aero wheels with Kenda Kriterium tires making up the rest of the core components on this bike, this is a superb entry level bike that delivers an efficient and enjoyable ride at a low price.
Insider Tip: To take this bike to the next level, upgrade to Shimano brakes and add in some carbon fiber forks for a more comfortable and controlled ride.
Related: Rear Viz Mirror Review
Price Range £1000 – £1999: KTM Revelator 4000
Suitable for:
- Casual Riders
- Recreational Cycling
- Commuting to Work
- Intermediate Riders
The £1000-£1999 category is suitable for riders looking for a reliable, robust and comfortable bike to ride on recreationally or for commuting to work. As such, the KTM Revelator steals the show at this price point, with its combination of KTM’s proprietary TK-Performance carbon fiber frame and Shimano Ultegra 6800 groupset delivering both performance and comfort. With internally routed cabling and eye-catching blue and white livery, it’s one of the most attractive and competitively priced within this price range.
Weighed at only 7.92kg, the KTM Revelator is packed with quality parts that make it a breeze to ride, even on the most imperfect road surfaces. From the Ultegra 6800 groupset through to dependable Mavic Asksium wheels and Selle Italia SL saddle, the KTM Revelator 4000 is perfect for all day rides and hill climbs. At this price point, the Revelator is a great machine that will continue to impress you after every ride.
Insider Tip: Add in a set of lighter and livelier set of wheels to truly complement the lightweight frame.
Psst...Want in on a Secret? 🤫
We've scoured the internet for the best ALL-AROUND travel shoe and Tropicfeel wins by far. We've taken ours through rivers, jungles, and cities and they're still alive and kickin'. Check them out below.
Price Range £2000 – £2999: BMC TeamMachine SLR02 Ultegra
Suitable for:
- Recreational Cycling
- Endurance and Road Cycling Races
- Intermediate Riders
The BMC TeamMachine range of bikes has been lauded for years, owing to their flagship SLR01 model. The SLR02 model, on the other hand, has a number of notable differences to the SLR01 model that can offer riders a balance of light weight, stiffness, and compliance – all at a great price. While it ticks all the boxes from a specification point of view, it also delivers in appeal too with a matt-finished monochromatic paint job.
Weighing a mere 7.8kg, the lightweight premium frame is around 160g heavier than the SLR01 model, but you’d struggle to notice a difference in performance. Couple all of this with its powerful Shimano Dura-Ace 9000 premium groupset for light shifting and smooth gear changes; a 1 ½ inch ACE carbon fork for improved handling and agility; and solid Shimano RS21 wheels with 23mm Continental Ultra Sport tyres for greater traction and compliance; and you have a bike that’s been painstakingly built for aggressive cycling and rapid-fire acceleration. At this price point, the spec is unquestionable and at a very competitive price, making this an easy pick within this budget range. If you upgrade the relatively heavy Shimano RS21 wheels to more lightweight ones to benefit from higher speeds, faster acceleration, and easier ascents.
Related: Beginner’s Guide to Mountain Biking
Price Range £3000 – £3999: Bianchi Intenso Ultegra Di2 Comp
Suitable for:
- Recreational & Professional Cycling
- Endurance and Road Cycling Races
- Long Distance Cycling
- Expert Riders
As the world’s oldest bike manufacturer, Bianchi has been developing world class bikes for over 130 years and don’t seem to be showing many signs of slowing down. The Bianchi Intenso is a supreme endurance machine with a racing slant, due to its geometry and Kevlar layered carbon fiber frame that reduces vibration reaching your hands and hindquarters. Weighing just over 8kg, the Intenso isn’t the most lightweight, but it’s a fast mover and it looks stunning too with its slick black finish.
Although higher models carry Bianchi’s latest range of vibration-nulling Countervail technology, the carbon fiber, Kevlar layered frame still delivers superb ride quality and controlled handling. Even over broken tarmac, the Intenso remains solid and compliant with snappy handling on descents that encourages you to pedal faster. As far as the drivetrain goes, the Intenso is equipped with the ever so trusted Shimano Ultegra groupset, which provides ample stopping power and impeccable gear shifting. To top off this superbly specced bike, the wheels are Fulcrum Racing 5s to offer durability and stiffness and are paired with 25mm Vittoria Zaffiro Pro Slick tires for excellent grip to the road.
Insider Tip: A little on the expensive side, but a very sensible spec. upgrade to lighter wheels and try tubeless tires to complement the sturdy, yet light frame.
Price Range £4000+: Bianchi Specialissima
Suitable for:
- Professional Cycling
- Road Cycling Races and Championships
- Long Distance Cycling
- Expert Riders
In the £4000+ category, it’s super hard to see past the Bianchi Specialissima, as it’s loved by so many and is possibly one of the most elegant and high specced bikes that money can buy. The Specialissima is a race-ready bike that rides even better than it looks and features a super light carbon fiber frame with Bianchi’s unique Countervail vibration dampening technology. As a major feature, the frame weighs just 780g and the all-carbon fork is just 340g, meaning that it’s at the forefront of lightweight frame technology.
However, the frame and forks aren’t the main reason why this Bianchi bike is aptly named ‘Specialissima’, this affectionate term stems from its astounding Campagnolo Super Record groupset, which comes with a 52/36t chainset and an 11-27t cassette that caters for all types of riding. With one of the most efficient and high-performance drivetrains on the market, the Specialissima excels on the hills due to its superb power transfer combined with its low weight. When it comes to buying a superbike, you’ll naturally expect a super spec and this is exactly what the Specialissima delivers.
Insider Tip: Upgrade to lighter, plusher wheels and a little more comfort in the frame would make this bike the perfect bike that you could only dream of owning.
So, that now completes our top 5 list of some of the best men’s road bikes available this year. Hopefully, you’ll now have a better idea of what to expect for your money, as well as a better indication of what qualities to look for. If you’re looking for a race-ready road bike, websites like Aqua Blue Sport or other online bike stores are great places to start looking. What are you waiting for? Gear up and get ready for your next adventure.