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Aluminium Road Bike Reviews
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Jun 21, 2025
The aluminium bikes available this year are better than they ever have been. After some key models saw reductions in weight, it's meant that what used to be the downside to aluminium is no longer all that bad. We have rounded up the aluminium road bikes which we think are the best options. They span all price points, spec levels, brands and riding styles. We have bikes from Specialized, Cannondale, Van Rysel, Canyon and Giant.
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For the last decade, carbon fiber has dominated road bike innovation
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but there's one material that mains ever popular and solid as a rock, good old aluminum
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As cycling tech continues to evolve, alloy bikes continue to hold their ground
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offering incredible value and, in many cases, a minimal sacrifice to performance
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Competitive weight, enhanced durability and lower costs are just a few of the reasons
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why alloy, for many of us, just makes sense. let's start with the iconic trekker monda alr5 this alloy road bike stands out in a market
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dominated by carbon offering race focused performance at a more accessible price
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treks and monda line has always been the brand's climbing orientated category
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and the alr5 does an admirable job of keeping weight down tipping the scales at just 8.98 kilos
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Thanks to Trek's Invisible World technology, the frame is sleek and smooth
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appearing relatively indistinguishable from its carbon counterparts at a glance. The bike's balanced H2 geometry delivers a blend of comfort and agility
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making it both fun and accessible to riders of all levels. The Shimano 105 groupset ensures crisp, reliable shifting across all gears
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while the Bontrager Paradigm SL wheels offer some reliability. Though its 28mm tyre clearance is narrow by modern standards, and it doesn't feature any
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mug guard mounts, it's still a competent road bike which can mix it with more expensive rivals
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At $2,299, it's not the cheapest option, but you are getting a high quality build that punches well
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above its weight. Whether you're attacking climbs or speeding through descents, the Trekker Monde
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ALR5 delivers a sharp, lively ride that will give you serious race-ready performance at a fraction
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of the cost of carbon competitors. The Canyon Endurance AL7 is absolutely aces, balancing
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performance, comfort and value. The bike weighs in at just 9.25 kilos and is once again fitted
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with Shimano 105 2x12 gearing, all for just £1,699. This bike offers exceptional spec for the money
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At the rear, an 11-36 tooth cassette provides a large gearing range for tackling the steepest
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slopes. What makes the Endurace AL7 shine is its ride quality. Fitted with 32mm Shroud 1 tyres
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the bike is incredibly capable, absorbing rough terrain with ease. The 35mm tyre clearance even
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opens the bike up to some light graveling, should you wish to push the bike's limits
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Despite its comfort-orientated design, the bike still feels surprisingly lively and responsive
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particularly when climbing or accelerating this makes it a great all adept for long rides but not lacking in performance for those who enjoy a more spirited day on the pedals One downside is the lack of
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mudguard mounts which is a drawback in the winter. The frame itself has a polished aesthetic with
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clean welds although the exposed cables around the cockpit may not appeal to everyone. Overall
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the Canyon Endurance AL7 delivers an excellent balance of comfort and performance. With its
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lightweight frame, plush ties and high-end groupset, it's hard to beat for the price
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especially for those looking for an endurance bike that still offers a fun, responsive ride
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The Van Riesel EDR-AF is a bike that thrives on simplicity, with a few unique touches that make
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it stand out in a crowd of modern road bikes. And yes, rim brake lovers rejoice, because this is the
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first alloy road bike on our list that features good old-fashioned calipers. At first glance
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it may seem like a throwback. After all, rim brakes are becoming a rarity these days. However
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Van Riesel's decision to stick with traditional Shimano 105 rim calipers is no mistake. The EDR
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AF proves that rim brakes, when well executed, can still deliver sharp stopping power and
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straightforward maintenance. The rim brakes help keep weight down too, just 8.8 kilos in this case
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which certainly provides good value for money. Its stiff frame and Fulcrum Racing 6 wheels
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deliver snappy acceleration and an engaging ride at higher speeds, while a compact 5034
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chainset up front and 1132 cassette offer versatile gearing. While the EDR AF may not
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offer the plushest ride over rough surfaces, it balances speed and comfort well. The drop
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seat stays combined with a well-padded van risel sport 900 saddle ensure a ride that isn't overly
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harsh it might not be the most flash rim brake bikes on our list but for those looking for a
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great value road bike the van risel edraf offers an excellent fun packed package at a competitive
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price point now no list of the best alloy bikes would be remotely complete without a mention
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of the one that started it all, the Specialized Alley. Specialized has moved away from the Alley's
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previous aggressive race geometry, making it more approachable and rider-friendly. The frame is
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crafted with Specialized E5 Premium Aluminium paired with a fact full carbon fork, which keeps
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the weight down while maintaining an affordable price point. The big news with the latest Alley
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It's now disc brake only allowing for wider 35mm tyres giving you more grip and comfort on rougher roads
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The addition of rack and fender mounts also makes it a solid option for commuting or light touring
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For those looking to invest in a longer term option the Alley Sport model with its 10 Tiagra groupset and hydraulic brakes might be worth considering for smoother shifting and better braking Our pick though is the base model Alley because it impressed across various terrains
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from smooth, fast flats to steep climbs. The 8-speed Shimano Clarus groupset shifts reliably
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though you might find yourself wishing for a few more gears when tackling steeper inclines
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the tetro md 550 mechanical disc brakes aren't as strong as hydraulics but do provide decent
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stopping power and easier maintenance all in all the specialized alley is a versatile
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comfortable and fun ride that offers a great balance of performance and practicality
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back to rim brakes now and back to great value thanks to one of the lesser talked about bikes in
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the giant range the giant contend 2 is the brand's entry level to the road bike market priced at 849
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pounds it packs a whole lot of performance into a fairly small price tag the contend to features
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many of the same technologies as seen on giants 10 000 pound race d's such as drop seat stays and
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a defuse seat post adding some much needed compliance to the alloy frame set the frame
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itself is manufactured from giant's own alloy while the fork is made from full carbon fiber
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to keep weight to a minimum the contend unlike a number of bikes at this price point still features
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internal cable routing which helped to both improve aerodynamics as well as improving the
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overall look of the bike for those looking for a winter steed or even a bike to tackle some light
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gravel on the lower 28 millimeter tire clearance and lack of mudguard mounts might be a slight
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turn off but that doesn't stop the contend from being a fantastic bike for the money
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a partial 105 group set takes care of shifting while stopping duties are handled by tetro calipers
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overall it's a simple traditional bike that provides great value for money and performance to match
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next up is the kinesis r2 a no-nonsense alloy road bike that's built for everyday riding
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especially in uk conditions the r2 features a 6061 aluminium frame paired with a full
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unidirectional carbon fork while it's not the lightest bike around tipping the scales at just
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over 10 kilos it's got a solid build which makes it both reliable and durable for longer rides
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what sets the kinesis r2 apart is its versatility it's got eyelets for full mug guards and a rear
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rack so it's perfect for commuting light touring or just battling through those rainy days
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With tyre clearance for up to 34mm tyres, you get loads of comfort and stability on rougher
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roads especially with the 32mm Continental Grand Sport Race tyres that come fitted as standard If you are looking for a reliable well road bike that can handle a variety of conditions with ease the Kinesis R2
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is a great choice. It's practical, pacey and comfortable, a solid companion for year-round
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adventures. Cannondale has long prided itself on providing best-in-class ride quality for alloy
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road bikes and its latest is no exception the cannondale cab 13 is an aluminium road bike that
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seriously challenges the idea that only carbon bikes can be fast and comfortable
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cannondale has revamped the platform with aero comfort and practicality in mind turning this
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bike into a true all-rounder visually the cab 13 takes cues from cannondale's top tier super 6 evo
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carbon race bike with sleek lines and drop seat stays for improved aerodynamics and comfort the
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drop seat stays not only make the rear triangle stiffer but also allow for greater flex in the
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seat post giving you a smoother ride than the older cad 12 model it's got room for up to 30
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millimeter tires mug guard mounts and semi-internal cable routing keeping things clean and simple
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without being overly complicated despite its impressive spec list the cad 13 isn't the
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lightest but you won't be bogged down when riding the shimano 105 group set shifts smoothly however
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for the spec the 2250 pound price tag is pretty steep when compared to other brands
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the cad 13 makes up for it with performance though it's fast
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fun and ready for anything a truly brilliant aluminium road bike and so we come to our final bike on the list and we're going to go with something a little
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little bit different the specialized LA Sprint comp proves that aluminum road bikes can hang
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with the best of them carbon included with the 2022 version Specialized has taken cues from
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their top tier tarmac race bike incorporating aerodynamic tube shapes and geometry that
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shout race ready performance Specialized the Lucio smart well technology keeps it light and
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stiff putting world points where they don't interfere with the bike's structural integrity
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Specialized claims it's 41 seconds faster over 40 kilometers than its predecessor thanks to the
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improved aerodynamics and though it might carry a little bit more weight compared to carbon
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you'll hardly notice there aren't a whole load of different build options available but Specialized
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does sell the bike as a frame set only and we think that's the best option of course the wheels
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and tires aren't the most thrilling components and at 8.8 kilos it's not the lightest bike you can
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buy for the money either but if you are looking for a bomb proof race bike that stands out from
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the rest the alley sprint is blisteringly fast and pretty unique too
#sports