Top 5 Tour de France bikes under £1,200
Independent reviews • Best prices • Fast and free delivery
The cost of bikes at the Tour de France might well draw exclamations of “you could buy a car for that!” but thanks to trickle-down technology, you can still grab a slice of pro race action at a fraction of the price.
1. Lapierre Audacio 300 FDJ 2015 - Road Bike
Review
The Lapierre Audacio 300 is the most budget friendly of a series of race bikes that Lapierre has dressed up to imitate its sponsored team’s rides. The plucky Audacio wears its FDJ decals with Gallic pride, despite being squarely the right side of £1,000.
For the money, it’s generously kitted out with Shimano Sora running gear and quality Ritchey finishing kit. It even comes with a Team FDJ imitation water bottle and cage – vive la France.
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| Price | £799.99 |
2. Merida Scultura Alloy 903 2014 - Road Bike
Top Bargain
Review
The Merida Scultura alloy 903 is available with the same spec but with a non-team issue red and white paintjob, but in our opinion this vision in black, pink and green is far nicer. Just check out the beautiful bar tape – black with hot pink dimples. We also love the wheel rims in go-faster green and the multi-hued saddle.
Fabulous looks aside, the Scultura Alloy 903 is excellent value, with a Shimano Tiagra groupset, internal cable routing and even a carbon seatpost. Yes, it’s showy, but it certainly stands out among a sea of black, red and blue bikes at this price point.
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| Price | £616.55 |
| Frameset | 6066 aluminium frame, carbon fork |
| Groupset | Shimano Tiagra |
| Brakes | Merida Road Comp |
| Wheels | Merida MR500 rims, Shimano Tiagra hubs |
| Best for | Colour scheme |
3. Bianchi C2C Via Nirone 7 Alu Xenon 2015 - Road Bike
Review
The Bianchi C2C Via Nirone might only be a distant cousin of Team Belkin’s outrageously costly Oltre XR2s, but it has some distinct advantages. Firstly, this aluminium Italian stallion is built for long distance comfort, so it’s kinder on your body. Secondly, Belkin’s team green clashes horribly with Bianchi’s classic celeste paintwork, so at least by eliminating the former from the equation you get a far better looking beast than the boys at Belkin have ended up with.
There’s a premium to pay for Bianchi’s exquisite Italian construction, but the Via Nirone is a beautifully designed bike. This one is clad with a Campagnolo Xenon groupset, so its nationalistic pride is alive and well.
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| Price | £749.99 |
4. Giant TCR Advanced 3 2015 - Road Bike
Race ready
Review
The Giant TCR Composite 3 has an unusual colour scheme in yellow, black and white, but it’s at once subtle yet evocative of the jersey worn by the victor of the world’s greatest bike race. For full carbon it’s fantastic value, especially as it sports 10-speed Shimano Tiagra gearing.
The lowest price TCR Composite might be giving away a few grams here and there to the featherweight team bikes, but it’s still an amazingly specced, lightweight, entry-level carbon racer.
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| Price | £769.00 |
5. Cannondale Caad8 105 2014 - Road Bike
Review
The Cannondale Caad8 105 has much of the same ethos as the Supersix Evo bikes ridden by Peter Sagan and the rest of the team, but its built from budget friendly aluminium. When the rest of the bike world went mad for carbon, Cannondale stuck to its aluminium guns and invested heavily to evolve some of the greatest aluminium bike frames of all time. The Caad8 is the most cost-effective example and its excellent ride is easily a rival to aluminium equivalents.
This Shimano 5 equipped model is here because it’s just a real looker. The colour scheme is stunning in the flesh and it’s well-equipped and ready to race. The first race bike of a young future tour star, perhaps?
| Quick Look | |
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| Price | £699.99 |
| Frameset | 6061 alloy frame, carbon fork |
| Groupset | Shimano 105, FSA Gossamer chainset |
| Brakes | Tektro R540 |
| Wheels | Maddux RS 3.0 Speed |
| Best for | Aluminium frame design |