TREK DOMANE ALR 4 DISC £1,400

Trek has transferred its Isospeed tech from its highest-spec Madone and Domane race bikes to its ALR 4, for increased rider comfort over uneven surfaces. Isospeed adds a floating linkage between the seat tube and the top tube, allowing the seat tube to flex more when you hit a bump. It’s been proven with wins in the toughest races, including Paris-roubaix and the Tour of Flanders.

In the Domane ALR 4 Disc, Isospeed is coupled to a lightweight frameset with sophisticated tube shapes, made from Trek’s Alpha aluminium. The frame uses Trek’s invisible weld tech, increasing frame strength without additional weight. Trek adds a slender all-carbon Isospeed fork for additional ride comfort.

Trek augments the comfort package with wide 32mm tyres, allowing you to run lower pressures and also providing extra wet-weather grip. They’re tubeless-ready, so you can add sealant for puncture protection. There’s the option to fit mudguards too, with hidden mudguard mounts built into the frame for a tidy look if you do decide to go mudguard-free through the summer.

Another great innovation is the Blendr stem, which allows easy fitment of mounts for lights and computers.

There’s a wide spread of gears from the Shimano Tiagra groupset, which has inherited the smooth-shifting tech from Shimano’s higher-spec groupsets. It’s coupled with Shimano’s RS505 hydraulic disc brakes with finned rotors and pads for confident stopping power in cold and wet, as well as hot and dry, conditions.

Trek also offers an unusually wide range of frame sizes for the Domane ALR, with nine sizes starting at 44cm and going up to 62cm. There’s a women-specific version available too.

It all adds up to a reliable, performance-focused machine to keep you rolling through the cold and damp of the typical British winter.