Gear reviews

Bikes

FOCUS Cayo 105 Ltd Edition 2010, £1200, www.wiggle.co.uk Published: 08:02pm 10 May 2011

 

German company Focus launched its first models in the UK in 2006 and has quickly gained a reputation for making some great bikes at very tempting prices. The Focus Cayo 105 Ltd Edition is no exception. In overall terms, the Cayo’s ...

BOARDMAN Team Carbon 2010, £999.99, www.boardmanbikes.comPublished: 08:01pm 10 May 2011

 

Those of you who follow product development will know that Boardman — owned by Olympic and triple World Champion, and World Record holder, Chris Boardman MBE — teamed up with Halfords a few years ago to launch a range of...

KANSI 3Twenty 2010, £699, www.kansi.co.ukPublished: 07:58pm 10 May 2011

 

One of the first things you notice about the 3Twenty is its light weight; it tips the scales at just over 11kg, a sight less than many folders. Useful when you’re bombing around city streets, it also saves backache if you’re ...

FOFFA Prima, £450, www.foffabikes.co.uk Published: 04:23pm 29 Apr 2011

 

What started out at a small flat in south-east London has turned into a thriving business producing colourful fixed gear, singlespeed and vintage bikes. Its signature singlespeed Prima range comes in a variety of colours, sizes and compo...

RACER ROSA Lombardi, £1000, www.racerrosabicycles.co.uk Published: 04:21pm 29 Apr 2011

 
 

At first glance the Lombardi may apear expensive, however, you have to realise that this is a custom bike, with a frame built precisely to an owner’s dimensions. You also get to choose a specification that suits your pocket...

SPECIALIZED Langster 2011, £569, www.specialized.com Published: 04:20pm 29 Apr 2011

 

The 2011 steel Langster is something of a head-turner, with its chromed frame and forks offering more than a nod to earlier Bianchi Pista models. In fact, it sells itself more as an urban-track bike than the others tested here &mdas...

KONA Honky Inc 2011, £1199, www.konaworlduk.com Published: 04:19pm 29 Apr 2011

 

A long-time member of the Kona stable, the now revised Honky Inc includes trademark touches like compact geometry and sloping top-tube. This makes for a riding position that’s spot on for city commuting and relaxed enough for longe...

MARIN Toscana, £999, www.marinbikes.co.uk Published: 04:17pm 29 Apr 2011

 

With its esteemed mtb heritage, it's no surprise Marin has come up with a versatile two-bike platform squarely aimed at commuting and light trail-riding duties. Unlike the others here, the Toscana's made from aluminium — triple-but...

JAMIS Bosanova, £700, www.jamisbikes.com Published: 04:15pm 29 Apr 2011

 

US brand Jamis has been dormant in the UK for a while, but in its day was known for good-value mountain bikes. The new Bosanova is aimed at urban/touring riders, and it’s a well-judged product that's attracted its share of admiring...

GENESIS Day01 Alfine, £999.99, www.genesisbikes.co.uk Published: 04:14pm 29 Apr 2011

 

In 2010, we tested the Alfine-equipped Genesis i0iD and loved it — and this bike takes it’s all-round rideability credentials from both that and the similarly set-up Croix de Fer on which Vin Cox set his round-the-world ...

KONA Cinder Cone 2010, mountain £750, www.konaworld.comPublished: 04:12pm 29 Apr 2011

 

As testament to the  durability of this famous marque, I’ve still got a 1988 Cindercone (from the first year of Kona production) that runs perfectly. But compared to the steel original this current iteration is a whole differe...

PINNACLE Evolution 1.0, £650, www.pinnaclebikes.co.uk Published: 04:10pm 29 Apr 2011

 

Part of Evans Cycles’ growing in-house range which also includes women’s-specific models like the Aura 2.0 (£549). A compact frameset (which gives the Kona a run for its money) is manufactured from custom-butted alumini...

BOARDMAN Pro 2010, £999, www.boardmanbikes.com Published: 04:07pm 29 Apr 2011

As the identically priced stablemate of last issue’s top-rated road bike, this had a hard act to follow — and it’s done a pretty impressive job. Like the rest of the range, the component spec is astonishing, from the RockS...

GT Zaskar Elite 2010, £999, www.gtbicycles.com Published: 04:06pm 29 Apr 2011

Like the Cindercone, GT's Zaskar is one of mountain biking’s most distinguished names, dating back to the halcyon days of the late 1980s. This entry-level model still features GT’s original ‘triple triangle’ des...

RALEIGH Urban 2, £299, www.raleigh.co.uk Published: 04:04pm 29 Apr 2011

The Urban 2 is something of a mixed bag. Built for comfort not speed, it’s stable and sedate over short distances, but too cumbersome for lengthy commutes. In many ways it crosses into city-cum-cargo bike territory (see next issue).
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