Road Bikes: Reviews

For beginning cyclists, reviewers say it's hard to beat the Trek 1.2. This road bike is comfortable, has a wide range of gears and provides stable handling at a great price. Like most road bikes under $1,000, the Trek 1.2… has an aluminum frame and uses less expensive components like Shimano Sora shifters and derailleurs. As a result, owners say the shifting is not as fluid as it could be, and the brakes take a few hits for lacking power. Still, the Trek 1.2 is widely recognized as a good choice for those new to road biking, and Bicycling magazine picks it as one of the best road bikes under $1,000. Trek doesn't neglect female riders -- they offer a women-specific design, the Trek 1.2 WSD, for the same price.

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The Trek 1.2 offers a comfortable and stable ride for beginners, but new riders with lofty race ambitions may prefer the racy and sporty Felt F95 Team Issue. The aluminum-framed Felt road bike offers a more race-oriented… positioning than the Trek 1.2, and it has a compact crankset instead of a triple chainring. Outside magazine picks the Felt 95 Team Issue as one of the best road bikes of the year, saying it's a "ton of bike for the money." Reviewers say it has great acceleration while sprinting, but they also say the bike is better suited to flat, low-mileage rides than long hauls.

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For cyclists who have some miles under their belt and want to move into racing, reviewers say the Raleigh Supercourse offers great performance without a jaw-dropping price tag. The Raleigh Supercourse has a full-carbon… frame, which is tough to find in this price range, and experts agree on one thing -- this bike is fast. Testers for multiple publications are impressed with the quick acceleration and speedy performance, but they think the components could use an upgrade. The Raleigh Supercourse sports mainly Shimano Tiagra components and a rear derailleur from the 105 group, and it comes in six sizes. If you love the frame but want higher-end components, experts say to upgrade to the Raleigh Competition (MSRP: $2,200).

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For cyclists who want comfort for high-mileage riding, the Schwinn Peloton Comp has a taller head tube for more comfortable positioning. Reviewers praise the comfort and say the Schwinn Peloton Comp (which also sports a… full-carbon frame) has better components than the Raleigh Supercourse. It has a number of Shimano 105 components, including shifters and brake levers, in addition to a Shimano Ultegra rear derailleur. As a result, reviewers say it offers "snappy performance" while providing top-notch comfort, even if the wheels could use an upgrade.

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Don't let the comfort label fool you -- reviewers say the Giant Defy Advanced 1 is a serious road bike that doesn't skimp on performance. It wins a Bicycling magazine Editors' Choice award in the "plush" category, meaning… it has high-performance attributes combined with comfortable upright positioning and easier handling. Experts say the Giant Defy Advanced 1 is a great pick for long training rides, thanks to a vibration-dampening carbon frame and confident handling. It also has an impressive spec sheet, complete with Mavic Ksyrium Elite wheelsheets, Shimano Ultegra shifters and a Dura-Ace rear derailleur. The downsides? One reviewer finds the redesigned seat post hard to adjust. Women can get the same combination of comfort and performance with the Giant Avail Advanced 1 (MSRP: $3,550).

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For serious racers, reviews indicate that it's hard to beat the Specialized Tarmac Expert in this price range. It sports a lightweight carbon frame that is based on the top-end S-Works Tarmac SL2 (MSRP: $8,500) --… although not as light -- and it offers crisp shifting thanks to Shimano Ultegra SL components. The steering gets rave reviews, with multiple experts calling it "stable" and "precise." Overall, reviewers say this road bike is designed for racing, even though the ride can't really compare to the SL2. Still, you'll save thousands of dollars and get plenty of performance.

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