Those who have the choice are spoilt for choice, and this is rarely truer than when buying a racing bike. At least 200 suppliers - large and small, globally operating brands and those with a regional distribution area - share the German market. The problem from the buyer's point of view: How are you supposed to find the best offer in this jungle? Comparing equipment lists quickly becomes as complicated a science as finding the best mobile phone tariff - and only partially solves the problem. Suppliers and dealers often only provide approximate or no important information such as weight specifications or technical measurements.
However, the enormous market diversity also has its good side. The German road bike market is a buyer's market, especially in the best-selling price category between €1,500 and €2,000, which we are examining in this test. Nowhere else do suppliers have to be more competitive to win the favour of cyclists. A road bike with a complete Dura-Ace groupset, proven Ritchey WCS components and attractive wheels for €1,800? Impossible, we would have said before this test.
SHORT & SHORT
The best of the 24 racers between 1,500 and 2,000 euros are at an astonishingly high level. Great carbon frames and equipment that would do honour to professional bikes set standards against which the competition has to measure itself. The desire for a lot of racing bike for the money does not automatically lead to the direct distributors. Bikes from specialised dealers also score points with top technology and an attractive price-performance ratio. Provided you have a good dealer, they offer an advantage that can be decisive for many customers: local service.
You can find these models in the PDF download:
Basso Reef
Bianchi 9.2.8 Carbon Veloce
Cannondale CAAD9
Canyon Ultimate AL 9.0
Carver Evolution 300
Centurion Hyperdrive 4000
Cube Agree Pro
Fat Road Project RP SL Dura-Ace
Felt F55
Focus Cayo Expert
Fuji Roubaix
Ghost Race Actinum SLC
Giant TCR Composite 3
Shark Speed
KTM Strada LC Elite
Lapierre S-Lite 300
Poison Speed Xn
Quantec Race SL
Radon R1 Anniversary Edition
Red Bull Carbon Race SL
Simplon Phasic
Steppenwolf Prisma RS
Stevens Ghisallo
Trenga De GLR Force
Downloads:
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