Affordable road bikes for beginners: A review of the best bargains – road bikes under 800 euros put to the test

B’TWIN Triban 520
Price: 599 euros; Weight: 10.2 kilos

This bargain from sports retailer Decathlon already impressed in the individual test in TOUR 11/2017. Even when compared with more expensive rivals from established specialist brands, this bike – priced at just 599 euros – holds its own; it is an excellent all-rounder for a wide range of uses. The frame is very stiff, and the riding position is very upright by road bike standards; the handlebars and saddle are extremely comfortable. Eyelets are integrated into the frame and fork to allow the fitting of mudguards or a luggage rack. The fork and rear triangle also accommodate tyres up to 32 millimetres wide – from a robust everyday bike to a relaxed touring bike, anything is possible. The gear range of the Sora groupset, with a triple crankset and nine sprockets, is vast; with its very low gears, it offers plenty of reserve power, particularly on steep climbs. However, beginners often find operating three chainrings complicated. The somewhat weak brakes do come in for criticism. The relatively high weight is almost always a fact of life in this price range.

GIANT Contend 3
Price: 700 euros; Weight: 9.8 kilos

With the Contend range, Giant aims to appeal to price-conscious and comfort-oriented riders. The stiff frame is surprisingly light; however, due to the heavy aluminium fork, the bike cannot capitalise on this and just scrapes the ten-kilo mark. Even on the cheapest bike in the range, the riding position is quite upright by road bike standards; Shimano’s Claris groupset covers a wide range of gears, and in first gear a 34-tooth sprocket even helps you get over the hills. The gaps between the gears are, however, comparatively large. To keep costs down, the drivetrain is paired with an inexpensive FSA crankset and Tektro rim brakes; neither of these components, however, proved particularly impressive. The crankset, with its outdated square-taper bottom bracket, lacks the smooth shifting action of Shimano chainrings; the brakes feel less direct and also have slightly less bite. We’d also change the tyres, which are rather narrow for a bike of this calibre. Apart from these minor drawbacks, the bike rides well; the wheels and components are unremarkable but serve their purpose. Another point in the Giant’s favour is the lifetime warranty on the frame and fork.

CUBE Attain
Price: 749 euros; Weight: 9.5 kilos

The fact that the Cube, as the most expensive bike, came out on top in the test is, in itself, no great surprise. What is remarkable is just how great the perceived gap is between it and the other bikes. If you didn’t have the components in front of you, you might think you were riding a model twice as expensive – apart from the heavy weight and the lower number of gears, everything works just as well as on an Ultegra bike. Technically, the frame set is particularly impressive: it’s almost a kilo lighter than the heavyweights from Scott or Serious, has a modern design, and looks tidy with internally routed cables. Even in the lowest handlebar position, the riding position remains relatively sporty, and the agile handling delivers an authentic road bike feel. There’s little to fault with the saddle and handlebars, and the Claris gear levers sit just as comfortably in the hand as their more expensive counterparts. Although the drivetrain has only eight sprockets, they’re cleverly arranged: seven relatively closely spaced sprockets are complemented by a proverbial ‘lifeline’ with 32 teeth, which helps on tough climbs.

SCOTT Speedster 50
Price: 649 euros; Weight: 10.6 kilos

The most affordable Scott Speedster 50 is based on a simple, heavy aluminium frame, which is used exclusively on this model; it is fitted with a Tourney 7-speed drivetrain, which is quite rare on the German market. The riding position is very upright, and the handlebars and saddle are quite comfortable. The wide tyres go some way towards compensating for the moderate comfort offered by the frame and fork. The heavy weight of almost eleven kilos makes the bike feel somewhat cumbersome compared to the others. The Tourney levers, with their shift cables running in front of the handlebars, are nowhere near as comfortable to hold as the shift-brake levers of the higher-quality Shimano groupsets; The small, sharp-edged thumb shifter gets in the way when you rest your hands on the grip knobs; it cannot be reached at all from the lower part of the handlebars. The seven sprockets are roughly spaced, which detracts from the riding experience, particularly in the frequently used middle gears. Overall, therefore, the bike fails to impress despite its low price. The better choice is likely to be the Speedster 40, which costs just 50 euros more and features a more modern frame with internally routed cables and a Claris groupset – putting it more in the same league as the test winner.

SERIOUS Valparola Comp
Price: 600 euros; Weight: 10 kilos

The online retailer fahrrad.de’s own brand is launching a speedy little bike priced at 600 euros, which looks genuinely sporty – and not just at first glance. The stretched riding position appeals to serious cyclists, whilst the closely spaced nine-speed cassette also lives up to the bike’s sporty credentials. However, you’ll search in vain for light gears for steep climbs. Nor should you expect too much comfort in terms of ride quality: the seat post, which extends relatively short from the frame, offers little give, and the tyres – a mere 21.5 millimetres wide – reinforce the impression of a hard ride. At least the bike accommodates significantly wider tyres, and the fitted saddle is very comfortable. It’s quite rare for a bike in this price range to have such a distinctly sporty set-up. Most other manufacturers target cyclists who are still relatively inexperienced or who rarely ride, and who therefore prefer a much more upright riding position. However, if you consider yourself an exception to this rule, you can certainly make the Valparola ready for your first racing adventures by fitting better tyres and a different gear ratio.

Giant Contend 3
Price: 700 euros; Weight: 10.4 kilos

The Contend is the only one of the four bikes in the test to weigh more than ten kilos, but at just under 700 euros it is also the second cheapest alongside the Trek. In return, you get a stable, well-finished aluminium frame that is actually relatively light; though the relatively heavy aluminium fork negates this advantage. You sit very comfortably on the narrow, well-shaped saddle; the thick handlebars, wrapped in non-slip tape, feel good in the hands. Both contribute to the impressive riding experience. The brakes and gears operate smoothly and precisely. Shimano’s Claris 2 x 8-speed groupset offers a fast gear for flat terrain and a 1:1 gear ratio for very steep inclines; with only eight sprockets, the gear steps in between are naturally quite large. The brake and gear cables run externally along the frame, making them easy to maintain. The substantial, 28-millimetre-wide tyres provide a comfortable ride. The simple hubs in the wheels turn rather roughly.

Scott Speedster 30
Price: 799 euros; Weight: 10.0 kilos

In the July 2018 issue of TOUR, we tested the Speedster 50, which is available in 2019 for 599 euros; however, with its simple aluminium frame and 2 x 7-speed gearing, it failed to impress. For an extra 200 euros, the Speedster 30 is a far more attractive option. With Shimano’s Sora 2 x 9-speed gear system, the bike offers two more gears than the competition. The silver-painted aluminium frame is extremely stiff, making it a good choice for heavier riders. The Tektro brakes work well with the Shimano levers. The handlebars, which are angled towards the rider and easy to grip, are a real highlight. The riding position is very upright, which makes sense for a bike designed to appeal to beginners in particular. The main difference compared to more expensive models lies in the comparatively heavy wheels with hubs that are a bit stiff to turn. The high-volume clincher tyres from Schwalbe provide a comfortable ride.

Specialized Allez
Price: 799 euros; Weight: 9.6 kilos

With its compact rear end, the Allez is reminiscent at first glance of Specialized’s much more expensive Roubaix models. There are also parallels with the Roubaix when it comes to the riding position: the high-mounted handlebars place the rider in a comparatively upright position. The stiff aluminium frame gives even heavier riders a feeling of confidence; compared with the competition, the bike is relatively manoeuvrable thanks to its short wheelbase. The widely spaced Claris 2 x 8-speed drivetrain impresses with precise, smooth gear changes. The Tektro brakes work well with the Shimano levers and provide reliable stopping power. Weighing 9.6 kilos, the Allez is the lightest bike in the comparison; at 799 euros, however, it is also the most expensive alongside the Scott. There is room for improvement, particularly with the wheels, which are fitted with heavy clincher tyres. When new, the hubs spin noticeably rough, though this is no exception amongst the bikes in this test.

Trek Domane AL 2
Price: 599 euros; Weight: 9.7 kilos

Despite having similar specifications, the Trek is by far the cheapest bike in this comparison. Whilst you wouldn’t expect the innovative integrated frame suspension found on the more expensive Domane models in this price range, Trek does at least offer a custom-designed frame at an affordable price, featuring a slight curve in the down tube and a strikingly shaped head tube. The stable aluminium frame places the rider in a very upright position by road bike standards. The handlebars and saddle feel well-made, and the gears of the widely spaced Claris 2 x 8-speed drivetrain shift smoothly and precisely. Unlike on the three other bikes in the test, the no-name brakes do not match the gear ratio of the Shimano levers properly, meaning that braking power is not as easy to modulate; a minor drawback that ultimately costs Trek the test victory. Nevertheless, at this price, the bike remains an almost unrivalled bargain.

Shimano: An overview of the groupsets

The Japanese manufacturer Shimano is by far the world leader in derailleurs and brakes for road bikes. At the top of the range in terms of price and quality is the Dura-Ace groupset, the first choice for professional bikes; below that come Ultegra and 105, which are the most widely used among amateur cyclists. The Tiagra is fitted to road bikes costing around 1,000 euros. For road bikes that cost significantly less than 1,000 euros, Shimano has three further groupsets in its range – we explain what lies behind the names.

SORA
Nine-speed drivetrain with a compact crankset or, on request, a triple crankset. It performs and feels just like the more expensive groupsets; the main limitation is that there are only nine sprockets on the rear wheel. Solid aluminium crankset to the Hollowtech II standard; the brakes are torsionally rigid and technically up to date, though the brake pads lack a bit of bite. Sprocket sets are available from 12–25 to 11–30 teeth; cassettes that comply with the restrictions for junior races are also available (13–25 or 14–25). Tested on the B’Twin Triban 520 and Serious Valparola Comp

CLARIS
An affordable groupset in a modern Shimano design, featuring eight sprockets and a choice of a double compact or triple crankset. Technically largely comparable to the Sora, but with one fewer sprocket and slightly heavier components. There is a wide selection of cassettes, ranging from closely spaced 12–25-tooth sprockets to widely spaced 11–34-tooth versions; the latter requires the optionally available rear derailleur with a long cage. Tested on the Cube Attain and Giant Contend 3

TOURNEY
Shimano’s most affordable road bike groupset, featuring seven sprockets and a choice of two or three chainrings. The relatively chunky shift levers follow the old Shimano design, with shift cables running freely in front of the handlebars. A small thumb lever – which is difficult to operate – is used to shift to smaller sprockets or chainrings. However, the shifters do feature a simple mechanical gear indicator. The cranksets are only available in the standard square-threaded version, so they are only suitable for frames with BSA threads. There are no road brakes available for this groupset; Shimano brakes not assigned to a specific groupset or models from third-party suppliers such as Tektro are usually used in combination. In the test on the Scott Speedster