RACE READY RIDES

Rather than racing your mates to the coffee stop, why not pin on a number and put all that training to good use?

As with most human inventions, no matter what their original purpose, at some time, someone will try to race them. Often this doesn’t end well, but for inventions as brilliant as the bicycle, it’s the perfect fit and many decades of development driven by competition have brought us to today’s highly specialised, all-carbon fibre, electronic-shifting, 12-speed, hydraulic disc-braked race steeds.

Many of aspire (or used to) to the heights of owning some of the machinery that helps the pros soar. Real-world budgets often dash these aspirations, but due to the wiles of bike companies, bikes with elements of pro-spec magic are available to us cash-strapped riders for less outlay.

If you’ve already tried your hand at racing, whether a time trial, or bunched race, you’re hopefully hooked, and possibly looking for a

faster bike. Maybe you fancy a go, but have no suitable bike at all. Either way, we’ve brought together six of the best current options for the wannabe racer with a budget. Although not the cheapest bikes on the market, these are all raceworthy machines that won’t be disgraced on the start line, and need little or no upgrading.

The bikes on test comprise four rim braked bikes, bookended by disc brakes. One is aluminium, one has electronic shifting and three have carbon rims. The obvious omission here is Canyon, but there wasn’t a suitable bike available for our test period. Still, there’s plenty here to get your cleats in to. All of the bikes were tested at equivalent tyre pressures, over rolling terrain, steep climbs and descents, long drags and technical corners, with extended flat sections. We kept the intensity high and kicked hard regularly to check response and feel how the bike handled on the limit.