There are thousands
upon thousands of bikes out there, with cross bikes, endurance and adventure
bikes all vying for your attention, even before you get to the traditional, all-out
racing bike. But if you’re looking for something at Christmas to make the most
of the new year, there’s sure to be something right for you.
Cyclocross bikes
Giant TCX SLR 2 Cyclo X
What better way to make a flying start to spring 2018 than making sure your feet don’t touch the ground all the way through winter? The versatility of the Giant TCX SLR 2 CycloX means no country road or path is out of bounds for when you want to spice up your normal routes whatever the time of year. Sitting in the same line as top UCI race winning ‘cross bikes, it’ll perform when it counts when you’re mixing it up with the best at the local CX league on the weekend.
Liv Invite 2018 Women’s road bike
In the same way, the Liv Invite 2018 is up for anything and everything, with Giant putting together a Women’s specific bike as ready for the road as it is the muddy country lane or gravel path. The Liv Invite is not picky. Road or CX, it will gladly take the start line if you’re bitten by the urge to race, its carefully selected spec making it one of the most versatile performance bikes out there. Tubeless tyres also mean the chances of being stuck at the side of the road fixing a puncture with cold fingers are a thing of the past.
Endurance bikes
Specialized Ruby Women’s Road
If you’re looking at going just that little bit quicker however, the Specialized Ruby Women’s Road in white and mint is perfect for churning out the miles all day long, whatever the condition of the road you’re on. The Ruby, like its brother the Roubaix, is equipped with the pioneering Future Shock suspension system developed by Specialized. This nifty little unit is installed in the headtube and provides 20mm of suspension, promising to take the worst lumps and bumps out of the road. Complete with a dependable set of mechanical disc brakes, the Ruby is a bike to inspire confidence and keep you riding all day long, whatever the weather.
Trek Domane AL5 Disc
Another bike that’s equally at home pounding out the watts on the club run as quickening the commute is the Trek Domane ALR Disc 5. This alloy framed bike combines the geometry and performance of the bikes ridden all year round by recently retired Fabian Cancellara, with no-nonsense practicality that comes with hidden mudguard and rack mounts. As happy on the rough British roads as cruising in the Pyrenees, the Domane does it all in style.
Race bikes
Giant TCR Advanced 3
When it comes to racing however, there’s not quite so much room for compromise. From smashing it up in the chaingang to smashing it up some more at the midweek crit, before smashing it up again at the hilliest of road races, the Giant TCR Advanced 3 will keep you fast and light all the way through to hill climb season and beyond. With more top level wins than you can shake a stick at over its 20 year history, this TCR is ready for it all, wherever you’re racing.
Specialized Allez Sport
However if you’re just dipping your toe into the world of road racing, you could do much worse than the Specialized Allez Sport. Its aluminium frame is stiff where it matters with an all-new design for 2018, paired with a lightweight carbon fork to take the buzz out of the road. It promises to keep pace with the pack and sprint out of the corners without compromise. And if you’re still struggling to justify that extra bike, it’s got mudguard and rack mounts too, so you can continue riding quick in comfort all the way through the winter.
As you can imagine, we’ve barely scratched the surface with this list. Most bike manufacturers have released their 2018 ranges by now in preparation for the new season. If you’re looking for a new training companion but you’re not sure where to start, don’t hesitate to come in store and talk through your objectives with one of our team. We’ll have you smashing those goals in no time.
