Boardman Pro Carbon SLR

The Pro Carbon SLR – that sub-kilo, Shimano Ultegra-equipped machine announced on the previous page – is the flagship machine in Boardman’s Performance Series.

It’s based around the same mould as Boardman’s existing SLR (that’s Superlight Racing) frameset, which, as part of the outgoing collection, was a member of the Elite Series line-up available through the firm’s independent retailer network. The super-light and super-stiff SLR impressed us when reviewed on RoadCyclingUK last year.

“A lot of the learning from the Elite Series range comes down to the Performance Series,” Chris Boardman, the company’s founder and head of research and development, told RoadCyclingUK.

The Pro Carbon SLR shares the racy, low and long geometry of the existing SLR and also borrows its straight, box-section tube profiles – “a straight line is still the most effecient way to connect two tubes,” said Boardman – which characterise a frame made from T700 unidirectional carbon fibre and with a claimed weight of 980g.

That sees the frame fall under the magic sub-kilo mark and, combined with an very impressive spec, results in a complete bike which weighs a claimed 7.55kg.

The build is centred around a complete mechanical, 11-speed Shimano Ultegra groupset and the speccing of the Japanese firm’s second-from-top group in its entirety on a bike of this price, in addition to a sub-kilo frame, is impressive. The inclusion of a ‘standard’ 53-39t chainset marks this out as a machine for racing.

Shimano also provide the Ultegra wheels, wrapped in Continental Ultra Sport II tyres, while a Fizik Ardea saddle and Boardman own-brand finishing kit completes the build.