Road bike technology has increased dramatically in recent years, to the effect that our look at £500 bikes revealed you get a lot of bike for not much cash. But add another 500 notes to the pile, and what can you expect?

Perhaps the area most noticeably receiving attention is the drivetrain. Shimano’s 105 groupset adorns most bikes in this price bracket (and will be 10-speed in 2006), but Campag’s Veloce is already 10-speed, and various companies do offer this groupset.

The second area you can expect to be on the receiving end of that extra money is the frame. Most of the frames here still feature full aluminium tubesets, though some, like Giant, can afford carbon seatstays. Those with aluminium frames will be more refined than cheaper models, tube butting and profiling, and higher-grade materials all combine to offer a higher quality ride.

Many moons ago when our beloved editor started cycling, bikes at this level were bought either custom built or an Italian frame with budget parts hanging off it. He calls them the halcyon days… So just to keep him happy, we’ve also added a couple of DIY options too. However, please note that it’s better to get a dealer to advise you on this first as building a bike from scratch is a daunting task – especially if you’ve never done it before. You can make an expensive mistake. Also dealers may charge for doing this in their workshop as it can take several hours to do it properly. Remember to cost this into the option before you buy.

A better wheelset can make the biggest difference to the ride quality of a bike, and you’ll appreciate money spent on better hoops, as reduced rolling weight is the easiest way to a faster bike. Rims, spokes and hubs, with better bearings, will be lighter and more durable. Shimano 550s and Campagnolo Ventos are added to many £1000 bikes and we’ve found them to be a good option.

Finally, expect better stems, handlebars, seatposts and saddles, carbon will be a bonus in these departments. You may also be able to specify more of this yourself at the time of purchase and change stuff around if you have personal favourite ‘contact points’.

Merida 904 – £899.99

At a shade under our thousand pound target, the Merida comes from one of the largest companies now trying to make a name for itself in the UK. Their top aluminium model uses a semi-compact design available in four sizes. Double butted Pro Lite66 tubing with a double radius downtube (imagine two smaller tubes joined side by side with a normal tube capping them both). It’s certainly a novel approach. Up front carbon forks, as you’d expect, with an integrated headset. Shimano’s 105 groupset with a triple ring chainset, with the hubs rotating inside DT spokes and Alex rims. Merida specs their own-brand finishing kit, IKE.

To read what we thought of this bike, read the full bike test.

Condor Fratello – £1049.99

Just edging over a thousand pounds, the Fratello from one of London’s oldest bikeshops, is an interesting package. You see, while nearly every other bike you’ll see in the bikeshops and catalogues will have an aluminium chassis, the Fratello goes with tradition and has a steel frame. Not any old steel frame though, but a highly refined Italian Dedacciai tubeset. ITM’s carbon Spider fork up front with a now un-common 1” steerer. A full Campagnolo Veloce 10 is a viable alternative to Shimano’s offering, and extends to the wheels with a Vento wheelset. Finishing kit is thoughtfully specced, Piega bars, Deda stem and a San Marco saddle.

Read the full review.

Scott Speedster S2 – £1099.99

The Speedster with it’s dashing paintjob and bold graphics makes quite an impact. 7005 aluminium tubing, double butted, and an integrated headset, fronted by Scott’s own carbon fork with a carbon steerer. Shimano supply the full 105 groupset, and also the capable 550 wheelset (read full review). All the finishing kit bears the Scott logo, and completes the package nicely.

Specialized Allez Elite – £999.99

Specialized opt for Columbus aluminium pipes, double butted and welded into a compact design. Specialized employ a rather intriguing approach to eliminating high frequency vibrations – Zertz, chunks of elastomer, is strategically inserted into the carbon forks, and is proven to provide a measurable difference. The Specialized is also the only frame here to have a seat tube that is dramatically shaped to closely hug the rear wheel, flowing into a tear-dropped shape at the top. A full 105 groupset is only broken by an FSA chainset and Alex hubs, rims and non-butted spokes complete the wheelset. Specialized produce a growing range of components, and they re used extensively on the Allez. An oversize (31.8mm) stem and handlebar are a nod towards the shift towards the fatter interface.

For another £500 you could get Spesh’s full carbon Roubaix, which we’ve tested before.

Trek 1400 Double

Sat at the top of Trek’s entry-level range of bikes, the 1400 use their own Alpha SLR double-butted aluminium frame. Bontrager is now a quality range of components, providing the carbon forks (with alloy steerer) the wheels, tyres, stem, handlebar, seatpost and saddle. It’s all good kit, the seatpost is a carbon item and the handlebars and stem are of the oversize variety. The drivetrain is Shimano 105.

Giant TCR Team Hybrid – £1,099

The TCR features carbon seatstays, more often found on bikes costing several hundred pounds more. The stays are bonded to Aluxx SL 6013 aluminium tubes, which are Fluid Formed. This is a process that is becoming a more common sight. Hydroforming is a process involving heated oil to put pressure on the aluminium tubes, basically squashing the metal into a desired complex shape. Matching the carbon stays carbon forks up with an alloy steerer slot into an integrated headset. Shimano 105 all over the place (with a triple chainset) and Shimano’s excellent 550 wheelset.

Ribble Dedacciai SC1.10A/Veloce – £899

Ribble have long been the staple diet for British racers on a budget. It’s been Sydney Olympics proven and is hand-built in Italy with a Dedacciai tubeset and a carbon rear monostay. You can opt for either sloping or horizontal top tube geometry, finished off at the front end with a pair of ITM Millennium all-carbon forks with an integral hidden headset. Added to the chassis is Campagnolo Veloce 10spd groupset and a choice of handbuilt or Campag Vento wheels. Good range of sizes from 44-56cm (even sizes and compact).
A finishing kit comprising of Selle Italia Trimatic 2 Saddle, Vittoria Rubino tyres and an ITM bar and stem. A bargain at this price.

Airborne Valkyrie – £700 (frame only)

Cheap and cheerful it may be but the Airborne Valkyrie is a very popular option. We’re yet to test one, but most people who have rave about them. It’s a step up towards the next price point but we expect bikes like this (and a few carbon ones) to be hitting the magic grand level pretty soon. OK so you may have to compromise on the groupset, but for a little over a grand and a little under £1500 you could build a respectable bike, with 105 10 speed or Veloce and a budget finishing kit that could be up-graded over time. The Airborne Valkyrie is built with aerospace-grade 3Al/2.5V cold-worked and size-specific titanium and features traditional round tube construction and classic road geometry.

Hewitt Poggio – from £1000 upwards

Custom Built Steel? Once upon a time all bikes were built this way… There’s been some chat about this in the Forum and we’re big fans of the custom built route at RCUK – especially if you want a steel bike. For example; £1141 will get you a Paul Hewitt Poggio bike built up with Campagnolo Veloce 10 and handbuilt (by Gethin Butler probably!) wheels into the bargain. Paul will size you up for this too, so it’s a pretty cool deal. If you still fancy a steel bike that is. It won’t be the lightest bike at this price point but it will last for ages and ride nice too.

In the next installment:

We’ll take a leap into the territory of £1500 £2000 bikes, and see what options are available. Expect a lot more carbon at this higher price. And yes we are working on a custom built buyers guide too…