Trek 1.2

The Trek 1.2 is widely hailed as a great road bike for beginners. Thanks to comfortable, upright positioning and stable handling, reviewers say this bike performs well for its intended audience -- new riders. Like most road bikes in this price range, the Trek 1.2 has an aluminum frame and uses components from Shimano's lower-end Sora group, including shifters and derailleurs. It has a triple chainring, which reviewers say is a good choice for beginners, because it gives a wider range of gears and to help with hills. Testers say the Trek 1.2 provides a comfortable ride with good acceleration, but they also note that the brakes are somewhat weak. The most common complaint involves the bike's shifting; multiple reviewers mention that the shifter can hesitate on hills and isn't the smoothest. For women, Trek makes a women-specific model, the Trek 1.2 WSD, for the same price. Beginners seeking a racier road bike may want to take a look at the Felt F95 Team Issue (MSRP: $850). It's priced similarly to the Trek 1.2, but it offers a sportier ride and Team Garmin colors.

We found the best reviews of the Trek 1.2 at Bicycling magazine and the Los Angeles Times. Both publications test the road bike and present balanced reviews that note pros and cons. The Trek 1.2 also gets brief reviews in The Boston Globe and in Fitness magazine, but it appears that these sources haven't actually tested the bike. There are a number of owner-written reviews on sites like Buzzillions.com, but the reviews are somewhat dated. But if you are considering buying a used Trek 1.2, this can be a great resource because the reviews go back several years.