AND THE WINNER IS... SPECIALIZED ALLEZ E5 ELITE

The near–perfect all rounder

Ten bikes I’d happily buy, 10 that I’d unhesitatingly recommend. Racier riders can’t go wrong with Cannondale’s Optimo 105 or Van Rysel’s bargain-priced RR 900, which even manages a complete 105 groupset. If you’re looking for a more allround ride on a tighter budget then Carrera’s £800 carbon Virago and the disc-braked Triban are both highly recommended – the latter even allowing you to fit gravel tyres if you want to venture onto track and trail.

Giant’s Contend is as good as ever, a versatile all-rounder, while both the Boardman and Vitus bikes are excellent introductions into the world of carbon, though I’d have preferred a wider gear range on the Boardman.

Our three podium bikes are all familiar visitors at the business end of bike tests. Canyon’s Endurace is the lightest bike here and has the best components, too, its racy endurance-biased frame is decked with Shimano 105 and accompanied with Fulcrum 900 wheels. It’s a quality ride whichever way you slice it.

Ribble’s R872 was revamped a couple of years ago, reducing its weight and increasing its stiffness in all the usual places. The result is a sublime ride that is virtually indistinguishable from that of a much more expensive carbon bike – and it absolutely looks the part too.

If you merely consider the numbers our winner lags a little behind the lighter Canyon and it doesn’t manage a full Shimano 105 groupset. What Specialized’s Allez E5 Elite does deliver is a super-comfortable and highly accomplished ride that will appeal to a wide range of riders. If your riding encompasses long days out, commuting, fitness, training or leisure riding the Allez strikes the ideal balance between comfort and performance, the result of the slight – but seemingly significant – change in the Allez’s Retül-influenced 2018 geometry changes. It’s a pity that it breaks through the £1000 barrier, but I think it’s worth it.