Boardman Road Team Carbon Womens Bike

A speedy, racy feeling bike with a carbon frame and decent – but not the best – components.

We reviewed this bike recently and were so impressed with the lively ride quality we couldn’t recommend it enough.

The carbon frame is almost identical to that which Nicole Cooke road to Olympic glory back in 2008 – though ironically this version has been tweaked with a slightly shorter top tube as well as women’s finishing kit to make it more suited to the average woman.

The frame is carbon, and the gears are Tiagra, that’s a step down from the 105 that features on most of the other options on this list. However, Shimano did give the groupset some love last year and the newer 10 speed version isn’t as dramatically different to 105 now, with quicker shifting and a narrower gear ratio. The brakes are Tektro, but we found them perfectly quick and responsive.

Above all else, we loved the ride this frame offered – you could turn up at your local circuit and race this bike pretty comfortably, and the colour scheme is wicked too.

See it here for £999. 

Canyon Endurance AL 6.0 WMN

An aluminum frame with solid spec that leaves you with money left in the wallet for some accessories – but you need to be comfortable buying online.

At £799, this model from Canyon offers you an aluminum frame with a Shimano 105 groupset, and leaves you with £200 spare to spend in riding kit and future upgrades (like, you know, pedals...)

The wheels are Mavic Aksium’s, and they’re shod with 25c Continental Grand Prix 4000S II tyres. These are some of Conti’s best rubber offerings, and the wider width will suit the endurance style frame which will be best suited to long days in the saddle.

The finishing kit is women’s specific, offering narrower handlebars, shorter cranks on smaller sizes, and a women’s saddle. Canyon’s business model means you’re buying online, and can’t try before you buy however.

See it here for £799. 

Liv Brava SLR

An all-surface mile muncher for those who want the option of taking rough and uncertain terrain, more aluminum here but with 105 again and disc brakes.

Now for something a little different…

The Liv Brava SLR is a cyclocross bike, which means it’s great for those who just can’t make up their minds as to whether they wan to ride on or off of the road. It’ll suit gravel roads, trails, could be used to race cyclocross, and will feel pretty alright on the road too. If you wanted to make it a complete roadie at a later date, a tyre swap from the Maxxis Mud Wrestler 33mm rubber to a skinny 23mm option would do the job.

Marketing Spiel Aside, Are Adventure Road Bikes the Perfect ‘Do It All’ Solution?

This bike features an aluminum frame, which is actually quite reassuring if you plan to throw it around the trails a bit – damage to alloy is much easier to spot than damage to carbon. It’s also got a largely Shimano 105 groupset with TRP mechanical disc brakes (not quite as good as hydraulics, but good enough) and a Giant ‘D-Fuse’ seatpost to reduce some of the transfer of lumps and bumps.

See it here for £999.

Planet X Pro Carbon Womens Shimano Ultegra Road Bike

A little over budget, but amazing spec for the money and one to suit the racers. Never fear, though, there is a carbon framed option with slightly lower spec for £999.

Ok, so it’s just over £1,000 at £1,199. However, with this bike you’re getting incredible spec for your money and we simply couldn’t help but include it. With a full carbon frame, Shimano Ultegra shifters, mechs and brakes, and Vision Team 35 aero wheels as well as female specific handlebars and saddle this bike would be perfectly at home at your local crit race and will serve you well on sportives and club rides.

The only drawback is that shopping with Planet X means you’ll be buying online, and there’s no opportunity to test ride your machine before you buy.

You can see it here for just a little over £1k, here. If you’re sticking to your guns with the budget, Planet X do also offer a full carbon frame with SRAM Rival components for £999 here.

Looking for more info? Check out…

The TWC Road Bike Buying Guide 

Tips for Buying Your First Road Bike 

Tips for Getting the Best Road Bike for Your Budget