Cannondale CAAD12 105 (£1,299.99)

The CAAD12 frame is regarded as one of the best-performing alloy rigs available, with Cannondale claiming it’s lighter, stiffer and smoother-riding than many carbon frames out there.

It’s constructed of their SmartForm C1 Premium alloy material, and incorporates Cannondale’s SpeedSave rear triangle spotted on their high-end race machines.

The front end boasts a SpeedSave-equipped Ballistec carbon fork, and it doesn’t cut corners elsewhere either, with a full Shimano 105 groupset teamed with Cannondale’s excellent Si 52-36t crankset around a BB30 bottom bracket.

The wheelset is Mavic’s solid endurance Aksium WTS, while the CAAD12 105 also packs in full internal cable routing, as well as a Selle Royal Seta S1 and Cannondale’s own C3 6061 alloy constructed bars, stem and seatpost.

Website: Cannondale

Canyon Ultimate CF SL 7.0 (£1,349)

Canyon’s Ultimate CF SL frame may be a couple of years old now, but it’s still mightily impressive. Thanks to Canyon’s direct sales model, you also get super-competitive pricing, in a UCI-approved and WorldTour capable ‘Sport Pro’ geometry it shares with the top-of-the-range Ultimate CF SLX Nairo Quintana rides.

The 7.0 is the entry level version of the SL, yet receives the top-tier ‘One One Four’ SLX carbon forks, and features a full Shimano 105 52-36t groupset – no exceptions – allied to a fully internally-routed frame that weighs in at 940g for a medium. As a result, you get crisp and reliable shifting performance in a bike that comes delivered in a total weight of 7.6kg for a medium.

That weight comes about with Mavic Aksium hoops paired with premium Continental Grand Prix 4000S II tyres, a Fizik Antares saddle, and a finishing kit from Canyon themselves, including a compliant VCLS seatpost (which uses basalt in its construction for extra give) with 25mm of setback, and an ergonomic bar and stem.

Website: Canyon

Ribble R872  (£1,500)

As we found out earlier this autumn, Ribble have overhauled great swathes of their range, including the R872. The best-selling bike features reprofiled tubes and chainstays and a PressFit bottom bracket, with a claimed ten per cent improvement in stiffness.

Elsewhere, it’s usual Ribble fare – and that’s to say, excellent. This is one of the only bikes that comes in under £1,500 while still featuring full Shimano Ultegra for race-ready shifting, and lightweight Mavic Ksyrium hoops – a great foil for the racy geometry.

The great thing about Ribble is you can customise the build until you’ve arrived at your perfect machine, so although the price can vary, you know you’ll be getting all the machine you’re paying for.  

Website: Ribble Cycles

Trek Domane S 4 (£1,400)

We waxed lyrical about the super-smooth cobble-floating ride the Trek Domane SLR Disc offers recently, and the S is its baby brother, sitting third-tier below the SLR and SL versions. As a result, you don’t get all the latest innovations here, but you do get a lot of know-how.

The S 4 is priced at £1,400, and for that you get 400-series OCLV carbon layup in the frame, which is designed to give maximum compliance alongside good responsiveness, and an IsoSpeed decoupler at the seatpost junction to save you from the worst a cobbled road can offer. The forks also feature ride-smoothing tech, with an outward sweep and tuned positioning of the dropouts for optimal handling. It’s a go-anywhere endurance machine with a geometry to suit, featuring external cable routing for easy replacement.

Like the Giant Defy, the bike features Shimano Tiagra, with Bontrager flourishes throughout, keeping the finishing kit on-brand. The total build for a 56cm bike comes in at a round 9kg.

Website: Trek Bikes

Ridley Helium SLA (UK pricing TBC)

The Ridley Helium is the Belgian brand’s climbing machine, maximising stiffness-to-weight. The ‘A’ in ‘SLA’ stands for aluminium, but that doesn’t mean you’re not getting a premium frame, because it’s built with a combination of triple-butted hydroformed 6005 and 6061 alloy, used in specific spots for best effect.

That distribution helps maintain a smooth ride despite the light weight, helped along by the unidirectional carbon forks. The bike is built up using Shimano’s bullet-proof 105 groupset, with the exceptions of an FSA Gossamer Pro compact chainset and 4ZA Cirrus brake calipers. The gearing is specifically installed, so you get the wide-ranging 11-32t cassette as well.

Tying off the bike is a quality 4ZA finishing kit, including RC23 SL wheels, Stratos stem, handlebars, seatpost, and saddle. The rolling stock is completed by Continental’s Ultrasport 25c tyres, so rolling resistance is kept low when you’re chasing down those KOMs.

Website: Ridley Bikes

Orro Pyro (£1,350)

Orro specialise in all-day sportive bikes – claiming it’s the best combination of endurance geometry and pinpoint handling most riders will enjoy. The Pyro is the second-tier bike with this focus, and is available in either disc (£1,350) or rim brake (£1,299.99) forms.

You get quality Fulcrum Racing Sport hoops for the rolling stock, teamed with a full Shimano 105 groupset and a premium Prologo Kappa Evo saddle with 3T stem, bar and seatpost finishing off the bike.

Where the bike impresses though, is the frame, with strategic use of different layups of carbon – 20, 40 and 60 Ton carbon fibres – which each have different properties to improve the ride quality of the bike, keeping things as compliant as possible in key areas, while stiffening up the bike in others.

Website: Orro Bikes

Merida Reacto 500 (£1,300)

An aero road bike for under £1,500? Until recently it was a pipe dream, but Merida have built a striking looking bike here. As you might expect, it’s constructed of aluminium to meet this price point, but it’s a high-grade 6066 variety, with tubes crafted using a hydro-forming process which helps retain stiffness and ride quality.

No corners have been cut elsewhere, either, with Shimano Ultegra featuring at the shifters and derailleurs, with Merida’s own Road Pro and Reacto direct calipers used to apply the braking force to the Merida Super Aero rims.

The crankset is an FSA Gossamer Pro with 52-36t, with FSA headset and bars also included, while the seatpost is a Reacto-specific carbon post which matches seamlessly with the seattube. Total weight for the bike is claimed at 9.5kg, for the relatively paltry sum of £1,250.

Website: Merida Bikes

Pinnacle Dolomite 6 (£1,400)

As we mentioned in October, the Pinnacle Dolomite 6 has received a refresh for 2017, with extra clearance allowing up to a 32c tyre to be fitted around its 6061-T6 heat-treated aluminium frame and full carbon fork.

The 6 features a full Shimano 105 groupset, and makes the most of disc-brake technology as part of its overhaul. That means RS805 hydraulic discs with 140mm rotors, and an endurance geometry for long days in the saddle, although Pinnacle pitch the bike as a perfect fast commuter.

The finishing kit is all Pinnacle, with the exception of an FSA Omega compact handlebar and Alex Draw rims. The wheels are wrapped in high-quality 25c Continental Grand Sport race tyres too.

Website: Evans Cycles

BTwin Ultra 700 CF  (£1,400)

The BTwin Ultra 700 CF Ultra Evo Dynamic frame weighs in at 850g for a medium, which is seriously light for a frame at this price point. The total build comes in at 7.85kg, making it a great budget mountain goat option.

The frame features a racy geometry, with internal cable routing throughout and a PressFit bottom bracket for stiffness when the power needs to be laid down by sprinters and climbers alike. You also get an Ultra Evo Dynamic fork, specially selected for use with the frame, and a full Shimano 105 groupset in a 52-36t and 11-28t combination for race-precise shifting.

The finishing kit is supplied by Deda, who provide the Zero 2 bars and stem made of high-level 6061-T6 aluminium, while you’ll spot Mavic Aksium One wheels and a premium Fizik Antares saddle.

Website: Decathlon

Tifosi Scalare Potenza (£1,499.99)

The Tifosi is the only bike in our list that doesn’t feature a Shimano groupset – instead coming fitted with the new Campagnolo Potenza. It’s a smart choice if you’re after the charm of an all-Italian bike, complete with a carbon monocoque frame.

The stiffness of the bike comes from the dynamic tube shaping, which flares at the bottom bracket area to house a stiff Miche PressFit bottom bracket to maximise power transfer, while the frame has been future-proofed to accept electronic groupsets should you want to upgrade in the future.

For now, the £1,499 model features the Potenza groupset, allied to a Miche Race HSP Evo Max chainset, with a Deda Elementi Zero bar, stem and seatpost finishing kit. The Italian flavor spreads to the wheelset as well, with Miche race 707 hoops ringed in Vittoria Zaffiro 25c rubber.

Website: Tifosi Cycles