By Stan Portus

Published: Wednesday, 13 October 2021 at 12:00 am


Aluminium remains a great material for making bicycle frames. At the entry level of the road bike market, aluminium frames are almost ubiquitous. That’s because, generally speaking, aluminium frames combine a desirable stiffness level with low overall weight and relatively cheap production costs.

Bikes such as the Triban RC120 and Vitus Razor Claris prove that a quality road bike can still be had for under £500 while bikes such as the Triban RC520 show that bikes under £1,000 can compete with pricier bikes too.

Spend a little more and you’ll realise mid-range bikes and the prevalence of aluminium thins out in favour of cheaper carbon fibre bikes, but it’s often the aluminium bikes at this price point that still offer considerably better value and sometimes a better ride too.

Fans of the pro peloton may have seen alloy come and go as the material of choice for the world’s fastest racers, but that does not mean alloy frames have plateaued in terms of development.

Spend well into four figures and you’ll get access to the likes of Cannondale’s CAAD13 – a showcase for the latest aluminium frame tech that can fight it out with all but the absolute best carbon-fibre road bikes.

In order to be included in this list, a bike must have scored at least 4 out of 5 stars in our testing.

The best aluminium road bikes, in order of score

  • Triban RC120: £399.99 / €450
  • Bowman Palace 3 Ultegra R8000 Disc: £2,750
  • Cannondale CAAD13 Disc 105: £2,250 / $2,300 / AU$3,499 / €2,299
  • Cannondale CAAD13 Force eTap AXS £4,800 / $5,750
  • Canyon Endurace AL Disc: £1,649
  • Canyon Endurace AL 7.0: £1,349
  • Giant Contend SL1: £1,249
  • Rose Pro SL Disc 105: €1,749
  • Specialized Allez: £725 / $900 / €86
  • Specialized Allez Elite: £1,199 / $1,400 / €1,399
  • Triban RC120 Disc: £429.99 / €500
  • Triban RC520 Disc: £799.99 / €850
  • Boardman SLR 8.6: £500
  • Kinesis 4S Disc: £1,850
  • Kinesis Aithein Disc: £2,680
  • Kinesis R1: £1,500
  • Specialized Allez Sprint Comp Disc: £2,200 / $2,300
  • Triban RC 500 Disc: £599.99
  • Vitus Razor Claris: £549.99

Triban RC120

5.0 out of 5 star rating
"Best
The RC120 is now our go-to recommendation when it comes to entry-level road bikes.
Jack Luke / Immediate Media
  • £399.99 / €450 (£349.99 as tested)
  • Our favourite entry-level road bike
  • Capable as a fast commuter

This is the cheapest bike in this list and yet it is one that is fully deserving of its five-star rating.

The RC120 should be the go-to bike for roadies with a modest budget thanks to its superbly considered kit and impressive ride.

Whether you’re looking for a companion on long days out or an urban commuter that can accept rack and mudguards, the RC120 will do it without difficulty.