Of all the things I’ve been likened to when riding a bike, a steam train probably isn’t the most flattering. But chugging round the Newport banking, blowing hard and trying to think of the black line as a rail, it’s certainly accurate. 500m doesn’t sound like far. But there’s a reason...

If you haven't got yourself autumn ready yet, grab a couple of season specific deals ove at Wiggle should whip your wardrobe and your cockpit into shape before the clocks go back.

That's right, we're only a few short weeks away from the clocks changing. That means darker commutes and cooler rides. The DealCatcher have spotted a couple of deals over at Wiggle that should help you with both of those problems; a set of PDW lights to help you see through the encroaching night time, and a windstopper jacket from Gore that'll help keep you cosy.

Other than that, there are loads of cut-price bikes for you lot to sink your teeth into.

The DealCatcher has found bike bargains right across the online cycling marketplace today: 40% off Colnago at Chain Reaction, 40% and 31% off Felt at Wheelies and Hargroves, 40% off Cannondale at Tredz, and 27% + an extra 10% off a Boardman CX bike before October 4 over at Halfords. 

Happy shopping.

Wiggle

50% off PDW Spaceship Front and Radbot 500 Rear Light Set
WAS £31.76 | NOW £ 15.88

As we mentioned earlier, the clocks go back in 24 short days. So you've got three weeks to get your lighting situation completely sorted before you run the very real risk of being stranded at the office. Nobody wants that.

This set from PDW has seen a 50% discount over at Wiggle. We reviewed the Radbot rear light's 2012 incarnation a couple of years back and it got a pretty favourable review.

50% off Gore Bike Wear Power Windstopper Active Shell Jacket
WAS £127.04 | NOW £63.52

Before the weather drops off that wintery cliff you'll need something to see you through the fresh dry mornings, and those chilly return commutes - especially once the clocks go back.

The Gore Bike Wear Power Windstopper Active Shell Jacket, while being a mouthful, will see you right for those lengthy commutes in chillier conditions.

The windstopper fabric will keep those British breezes from getting to you, while also remaining light enough for you to tuck away if the weather decides to pick up.

Chain Reaction Cycles

40% off Colnago World Cup Bike 2015
WAS £1499.95 | NOW £899.99

Now you're kitted out for the changing weather, let's see if we can find you a new ride for the winter months.

The Colnago World Cup double butted aluminium frame shares the same geometry as the brand's carbon Prestige, so you'll be set for speed on this metal machine which hosts a Shimano 105 groupset that's ready for you to hammer out the miles.

All of this for a touch under £900 is something of a bargain if you ask us. 

Wheelies

40% off Felt Z7 2015 Road Bike
WAS £1099.00 | NOW £659.00

Another bike's seen 40% of its asking price cut over at Wheelies. The Felt Z7 is a 2015 model road bike and is a smashing carbon bike which offers amazing value for money at its asking price.

Getting your mits on a decent carbon road bike for £659 would be a thankless task under normal circumstances, but today the DealCatcher has served you up a rare bargain!

The Z7 runs Shimano Sora, as well as tubeless ready wheels, and electronic gearing compatible cable routing - so it'll be ready for any step-ups that you are.

Tredz

40% off Cannondale Caad10 SRAM Rival 22 Disc 2015 Road Bike
WAS £1799.99 | NOW £1079.00

This incarnation of the Cannondale CAAD10 from Wheelies is carrying SRAM, and a lot of it.

This year Cannondale dropped their Shimano CAAD10 option in preference of a SRAM Rival 22 and SRAM disc brakes.

An aluminium race machines like this don't come peering over the £1000 price mark very ofteen, so snap it up while you can.

Hargroves Cycles

31% off Felt Z4 Disc 2015 Road Bike
WAS £ 2099.00 | NOW £1449.00

The Felt Z4 flies into the endurance bike race, disc equipped and ready to raid your bank account - with the aid of a 31% discount from Hargroves.

This beauty is fully ready to throw you over a mountain or two with its incredibly responsive UHC carbon fibre fram and SRAM Rival 22 gearing and brakes.

At under £1500 it's a steal.

Halfords

27% off Boardman CX Team Bike + an extra 10% off before October 4
WAS £849.99 | NOW £649.99

Finally, Halfords are giving you the chance to try out cyclocross this autumn at a bargain price with the Boardman CX Team Bike for under £650.

You won't find this beauty anywhere else cheaper, or anywhere else in fact, as Boardman bikes are exclusive to Halfords.

Featuring SRAM Apex gearing, a triple butted aluminium frame, Avid BB5 disc brakes, and a carbon fork - Boardman refuse to be beaten on value.

If you're keen to get into road cycling, for the fun of zooming round the lanes, for fitness or as a quick and cheap way to get to work, it is possible to buy a road bike for under £500. In fact, we've found a few bargains starting from just under £200, proving you really don't need to spend a fortune to get a good road bike these days.

It’s quite likely that if you’re reading this you’re looking at buying your first road bike. You’ll probably have a lot of questions. A good place to start is always a well stocked bike shop where you can view the bikes in your budget and get a good idea of what is offered.

Road bikes priced under £500 often feature light and stiff aluminium or steel frames with good quality gears and brakes. Japanese firm Shimano is the predominant component choice at this end of the market, and the good news is that a lot of the technology seen higher up the ladder eventually trickles down to the entry level.

Weight is the main area where entry-level bikes suffer. However, with compact or triple chainsets, and the wider range of gears they offer, getting up steep hills is made easier. As a general rule, the more you spend the lighter the bike will be. Closer to £500 and you can expect a carbon fibre fork which saves weight and offers improved performance over the steel and aluminium forks on cheaper bikes.

There are currently some amazing deals around as retailers clear out 2015 models to make space for 2016 bikes, which means a limited budget goes a long way.

>> Read more: 2015 End of Season Sales Road Bike Bargains

£200 and under

If your budget is this tight looking for a second hand bargain is something you should seriously consider (head over to e-bay our our own classifieds for a look), but if it has to be new if you shop around for discount bargains during the winter you might find something.

Mizani Aero 100 — £187.99

Head to the Argos website and you can get this Mizani Aero 100 for just £188. Unlike some inexpensive road bikes, it's available in several sizes, which is immediately far more appealing, as getting the right size bike is so important to cycling happiness.

£200-£300

Spend just a bit more and you get a whole lot more bike. Lighter, better equipped, and we're willing to bet nicer to ride too. This is a price point where the big specialist retailers are really able to flex their buying muscle for your benefit, and combine it with design knowledge to deliver the maximum bang for your buck.

It's no coincidence that both Decathlon and Halfords in-house brands figure strongly here. This is also a price point at which you can pick up a really good discount bargain at the right time of the year, something we've reflected in our pick of bikes here.

Decathlon B'Twin Triban 500 — £280

French-based international sport store chain Decathlon has a wide range of keenly-priced road bikes of which the Triban 500 stands out for under £300.

You get a good quality aluminium alloy frame and lightweight components. Most significantly you get a really wide range of gears thanks to the triple chainset and eight rear sprockets.

On paper that means you get 24 gears, but in practice there is lots of overlap between ranges from the three chainrings. What matters isn't the number, but that the small ring gives you lower gears for easier hill-climbing.

Carrera Zelos — £299

There are plenty of bikes costing under £500 at Halfords, and pick of the bunch is this Carrera Zelos. It's currently discounted to £299 from £449, so it's a bit of a bargain if you act quickly. It features an aluminium frame built up with a 14-speed Shimano groupset and Tektro dual pivot brakes.

Barracuda Corvus - £279.10

Barracuda's Corvus I is the entry-level in their range and cost £299.95 (but can be found cheaper) It features an alloy frame with a smart paint finish and decals, with a 14-speed groupset comprising a Shimano Tourney chainset and rear mech. It uses Shimano's rarely seen A050 bar-mounted shifters, a 7-speed system, that places the shifting levers within easy reach on top of the handlebars.

£300 to £500

Step up to this price bracket and the choice suddenly increases, with some of the bigger manufacturers now coming into contention, especially the more you approach the £500 mark. Most of the bikes at this price, though not all, will feature an aluminium frame, which makes for a lighter bike. Get closer to £500 and you can expect to see the fork be upgraded to a carbon firbe fork, saving further weight and improving the performance.

B'Twin Triban 500 SE — £299 (usually £330)

Probably one of the best performance and value bikes in this whole price range, the B'TwinTriban 500 SE road bike costs just £330 and for that you get a clean looking aluminium frame, carbon fork and 3 x 8 Microshift drivetrain, for an all up weight of 10.08kg (22.4lb). There are no unwelcome shortcuts in the finishing detail and it rides much like a race-bred bike, making it an ideal first road bike for anyone with sporty intentions. You can read our review to find out how much we rated it.

Pinnacle Dolomite One 2015 Women's Road Bike — £360

Pinnacle is the in-house brand of retailer Evans Cycles, and the Dolomite is their entry-level road bike, starting at £450, though it's currently on offer for £400. You get a 6061 aluminium frame and fork with road race geometry. A Shimano Tourney A070 groupset combines a compact chainset with a 12-28t cassette for a wide spread of gears.

A nice detail of this bike is that is has space for 28mm tyres which provide a bit for comfort and wet-weather grip than the usual 28mm rubber. You can even fit mudguards, though the maximum tyre size then drops to 25mm. That gives it quite a bit more versatility than many of the other bikes on this page, and makes it ideal for regular commuting if you want to stay dry.

Boardman Road Sport — £349.99 (usually £449.99)

It's fair to say the Boardman Road Sport is a bike that impressed us a great deal when we reviewed it. Enough in fact that it was our Budget Bike of the Year 2013-14 and came third in the overall Bike of the Year Awards. You get a 7005 double-butted aluminium frame with a Shimano 2300 groupset and FSA Tempo compact chainset.

The Road Sport comes in a slightly more relaxed, sportive-friendly geometry than a full-on race bike; the top tube is a little shorter and the head tube is a little longer — not massively but enough to add extra comfort without sacrificing too much efficiency. You get mounts for mudguards too so it's very versatile. This is a seriously impressive bike for the money — not just a good bike for £450 but a good bike full stop. And at the current special offer price, it's a total bargain.

Giant Defy 5 — £299.99 (usually £499)

Giant is one of the biggest and most well-known bike brands in the world, and the £499 Defy 5 is the most affordable road bike in the range. Thanks to technology trickling down from Giant's more expensive models, the Defy 5 is packed full of potential. It offers an Aluxx aluminium frame with an aluminium fork, Shimano Claris 16-speed groupset, FSA Tempo compact chainset and 25mm tyres for extra comfort. The Defy range of bikes have higher handlebars for a more comfortable riding position, nice if you're just getting into cycling.

Vitus Bikes Razor VR — £489.99 (usually £649.99)

A great example of the bargains that are currently around, the Razor VR has Shimano Sora components hung on an aluminium frame with a carbon fork. It's pretty good value at its usual price, but for under £500 it's one to snap up before they change their minds.

Features include Sora 18-speed transmission, and plenty of space in the frame for mudguards, pls the necessary eyelets in the frame. You can fit a rack too, making the Razor VR a sharp commuter.

Mango Bikes Point R R240 - £449.99

From a brand that started out with a singlespeed offering comes this brand new Point R aluminium road bike, available at four prices. This, at £449.99 with a Shimano Claris groupset, is the most affordable in the range; there's also a Sora version for £499.99 The frame has a very modern appearance. Smooth welds, curved tubes and internal cable routing. The bike comes fitted with 25mm tyres, and it'll go wider. We reviewed the top-of-the-range Shimano 105 model and were very impressed. 

If you have £1,000 to £1,500 to spend on a road bike, you really do get a lot for you money. A benefit of spending this sort of money is that the bikes start to get much lighter than those costing half as much, which will have a significant impact on the ride quality and performance, and your times up your local hills.

Shimano 105 is the dominant groupset at this price point. While there is a lot of own-brand kit for parts like wheels, handlebars and saddles, which is no bad thing (manufacturers have really raised their game with own label components), there is a lot more branded kit from the likes of Mavic and Fizik.

At the time of writing (October 2015) we're in the transition between 2015 and 2016 models, so our selection reflects that. There are some 2015 bargains here, as well as some of the best 2016 bikes in the category.

Boardman Road Pro — £1,199.99

It’s hard to fault the Boardman range of bikes for their affordability. The Road Pro now features a T700 uni-directional carbon frame with a carbon fork with a tapered steerer tube, with a BB30 bottom bracket and internal cable routing. Shimano 105 provides the gears and brakes at a price where you'd usually find Tiagra. There are also Mavic Aksium wheels and WTS tyres, and a fizik Ardea saddle. Boardman's own E4P SL bar, stem and carbon fibre seatpost complete the fine package.
 

Lapierre Sensium 100 — £1,199

The Sensium 100 is an easy bike to get along with. It’s comfortable to ride for hours on end at the weekend or for an hour’s blast after work. It’s agile and fun when you want to mix it up in a group, and it’s solid and reliable enough to keep maintenance to a minimum. It doesn’t really have a notable weakness. Okay, it could have better wheels, but that is an option higher up the Sensium range.

The Sensium’s carbon-fibre frame is built with a comfortable ‘endurance’ geometry: a lengthened head tube compared to a standard road bike, and a shorter top tube to put you into a more relaxed riding position.

Read our review of the Lapierre Sensium 100
Find a Lapierre dealer
 

Mekk Primo 6.1 — £1,275

The Mekk Poggio 6.1 is a purebred race bike with tons of upgrade potential. It features a full carbon-fibre frame, the same one that Mekk use across the whole of the Primo range, with a tapered head tube and press-fit BB86 bottom bracket to add stiffness. This model is built up with a Shimano 105 groupset, Saturae wheels and Continental Grand Sport Race 23mm tyres with a new Selle Royal saddle.

Read our review of the Mekk Poggio 1.5
Find a Mekk dealer
 

Giant Defy Advanced 2 — £1,299

Giant’s Defy has long been a benchmark for bikes that combine comfort, endurance and value. Over the years the model range has grown from being purely a mid-price aluminium bike to where we are now where the Defy spans price points all the way from £500 up to £8,000.

The Defy Advanced models are the first carbon bikes in the Defy range. There are three models but the Defy Advanced 2 looks the pick of the bunch. It has the extremely highly rated Shimano 105 11-speed transmission, plus TRP’s also highly rated Spyre mechanical disc brakes.

At £1,149 the Defy Advanced 3 is also worth a look, same frame and brakes but with the new Shimano Tiagra groupset.

Find a Giant dealer
 

Fuji Sportif 1.1 — £1,300

If the 2015 version is any guide, this will be an excellent bike that’s reasonably quick, solid and reliable. It offers a comfortable, assured ride that comes from a dependable frame and fork and a well-considered equipment package. You get Shimano's excellent hydraulic discs without any major compromises elsewhere.

The frame is hydroformed and double-butted aluminium while the fork has carbon legs and an alloy crown and steerer. The head tube is tall for a fairly upright ride position. It's a comfortable bike, both because of the position and because the 28mm tyres and decent bar tape and saddle take a lot of sting out of the ride. Overall, this is a really good multi-purpose road disc bike that's well-specced.

Read our review of the 2015 Fuji Sportif 1.1 LE
 

Vitus Venon Disc — £1,349.99

The Vitus Venon Disc is a well-priced carbon build that is fun, stiff and surprisingly comfortable to ride over long distances. It comes with a pretty decent build kit too, and  for 2016 gets TRP Spyre disc brakes.

At the heart of the Venon is a T700 high modulus, unidirectional carbon fibre frameset. It's hung with a complete Shimano 105 11-speed groupset. It's solid, reliable stuff, providing a good compromise of shifting and longevity.

The Venon is a very easy bike to ride, with precise handling. Initial acceleration isn't the sharpest due to heavyish wheels and an all up weight of 8.73kg (19.25lb) but once it's up and rolling it maintains speed well.

Read our review of the 2014 Vitus Venon
 

Focus Cayo 105 Mix — £1,299

The Focus Cayo 105 Mix uses a race-proven carbon fibre frame and fork with a more relaxed fit and geometry than the German company's racier offerings. The frame is fitted with Shimano 105 11-speed gears and RS500 semi-compact crankset, along with Fulcrum WH-CEX 7.0 wheels and Schwalbe Lugano tyres. Focus uses its own-brand Concept for the handlebars, stem, saddle and brake calipers.

Find a Focus dealer
 

Bianchi Vertigo Veloce — £1,500

We bet most people will want a Bianchi on any new bike shortlist. Bianchi classifies the Intrepida as part of its endurance racing line-up which places an emphasis on comfort over long distances. That means a slightly more relaxed geometry and more upright position than a traditional race bike. Bolted to the frame is Campagnolo's Xenon groupset with an FSA Omega chainset and Bianchi's own label Reparto Corse for the wheels and all finishing kit, including the brake calipers.

Find a Bianchi dealer
 

Canyon Ultimate CF SL 7.0 — £1,349

German company Canyon has made quite an impression in the UK with its direct-to-consumer business model meaning big savings for those prepared to bypass the bike shop for their next bike purchase. The Ultimate CF SL is produced using the same mould as that the Ultimate CF SLX we tested a while ago, it's just using a cheaper carbon fibre. That keeps the price lower. Although the weight does go up a bit, it's still light at a claimed 940g. This is the entry-level model built with a full Shimano 105 groupset, Mavic Aksium wheels, Continental GP 4000 25mm tyres, Canyon's own bars and stem and a Fizik Antares saddle.
 

Specialized Tarmac Sport — £1,500

If your tastes run to rast and sharp-handing road bikes, but your budget won't stretch to the astounding Specialized S-Works Tarmac Disc, this everyman race bike will provide a big chunk of the thrills without holing your bank account below the waterline. It has Specialized's light, nimble  FACT 9r carbon frame with a Shimano 105 groupset providing the stop and go bits. 

Find a Specialized dealer
 

Cannondale CAAD12 Disc 105 — £1,499

It might seem a lot of money to spend on a frame that isn't carbon, but the CAAD12 sets a new benchmark for all aluminium frames and puts a lot of carbon bikes to shame. With a frame weight under 1,100g for the disc brake and regular versions, it's not much heavier than carbon either. Cannondale package the frame with a full Shimano 105 groupset and Shimano hydraulic disc brakes, carbon fibre fork with tapered steerer tube, 52/36 crank and a Selle Royal Seta S1 saddle.

Read our report from the CAAD12 launch
Find a Cannondale dealer

The most popular bike style in the UK, hybrids are practical and comfortable, and their upright riding position makes them ideal for the office run or leisurely cruising the lanes.

As the name suggests, hybrids have aspects of road bikes and mountain bikes. From the road comes a lightweight frame and fast-rolling 700C wheels, while mountain bikes contribute flat bars, disc or V-brakes and wide-range gears. The tyres are usually an intermediate width and tread to provide enough cushioning and grip that rough surfaces like forest roads and tow paths are no obstacle,

There are many variations under the hybrid umbrella. At one end, flat-bar road bikes are great for zipping around the lanes and even some light touring, but with skinny tyres might not be as much fun on potholed city streets. At the other end of the range are fully-equipped European-style city bikes, with mudguards, rack and even built-in dynamo lights or a rear-wheel lock.

Hybrids make great urban transport for potholed streets or towpaths (CC BY-NC 2.0 Tom Blackwell:Flickr)

Hybrids are great transport. You can pick one up for less than a hundred quid, and by the time you get up the price range to £300-600 there are some really very nice bikes. That's where we've started with this selection. If that blows your budget take a look at our guide to the best cheap hybrid bikes.

Oddly, fully-equipped bikes are less common at higher prices. Manufacturers perhaps think buyers with more money to spend will want to choose their own mudguards, rack and so on, but we see lots of people riding nice quality hybrids without mudguards and just getting wet bums. Seems a bit daft.

It's not unusual for designers of hybrid bikes to specify alternatives to the ubiquitous rear derailleur and you'll find a couple of examples in our recommendations below. Hub gears are less unusual that on sportier bikes, and can pick up flat-bar singlespeeders very inexpensively because they's so simple.

Hybrids are great cheap transport. Bung even a £500 bike on Cycle To Work Scheme and you'll barely notice the payments disappearing from your pay packet. In fact, in many cities, you'll be better off. Compared to a London Zone 1-3 Travelcard at £144.80 per month, a £154.00 Bristol City peak travelcard or a Cambridge Megarider Plus bus ticket for £92, the repayments for a hybrid are trivial.

Let's take a look at some of your best choices in flat-bar bikes.
 

B'Twin Hoprider 520 — £320

First impressions of the review bike our teenage tester is riding to school daily are good. The model up from the £230 Hoprider 300, it has a suspension fork and seatpost to improve comfort over rough ground, and the transmission is decent quality, for the money eight-speed Shimano Acera.

Less obvious, but very welcome, it also comes with Continental Touring Plus puncture-resistant tyres and trigger shifters rather than the twist-grips you often find on cheaper models. You even get a fairly decent set of metal-bodied pedals, a significant step up from the resin-bodied jobs found on most budget bikes.

Find a Decathlon store
 

Trek 7.1 FX — £380

Trek's best-selling city bike has a light aluminium frame, very wide-range 21-speed gears that'll get you up any hills you're likely to find in the UK, and convenient Shimano trigger shifters.

You don't get extras like a rack or mudguards, but the frame has all the necessary fittings for them, and will even take a Dutch-style frame/wheel lock like the AXA Defender so you can't forget your lock.

Find a Trek dealer
 

Foffa Urban 7 Speed Nexus — £499.99

With a skinny chromoly steel frame and narrow bar, the Foffa Urban is as hipster as it gets, but it's also cheerful, nippy round-town transport. The key feature is the seven-speed Shimano Nexus internal hub gear, which gives a good range for urban riding without the fuss of a derailleur to get damaged or clag up with road grime.

Read our review of the Foffa Urban 7 Speed Nexus

Find a Foffa dealer
 

B'Twin Triban 540 — £500

B'Twin's Triban 540 promises road bike zip with the more upright position of a flat bar so you can sit up and admire the view or keep an eye out for random taxis.

The Triban 540 strikes a balance between speed and practicality. On the speed side, well, at heart it's a road bike. Skinny tyres, narrow saddle, seat a bit higher than the bars. On the other hand, it's got a flat bar, with gears controlled by mountain bike-style triggers so you never need move your hands away from the brakes.

The frame has fittings for rack and guards so it can be practical too and the Shimano Tiagra components make it a bargain for this price.

Read our first look
 

Raleigh Strada 4 — £523

At first glance the Raleigh Strada 4 appears to be a singlespeed. Look a bit closer and you find a clever SRAM Automatix two-speed hub gear that automatically changes to a higher gear at about 15kph; this gives you a low gear to get away from the lights and then switches up to allow you to accelerate through traffic.

The hub nestles in Raleigh's lightweight 6061 aluminium frame, and Strada mechanical disc brakes bring the whole thing firmly to a halt.

Find a Raleigh dealer
 

Charge Grater 2 — £359.99 (reduced from £599.99)

Charge has always excelled at urban bikes. Watch London rush-hour bike traffic and you'll see a heck of a lot of them. We like the Grater's lightweight aluminium frame, and the fact that it comes with mudguards already fitted so you can't fail to get around to adding them and end up with a wet bum when it rains.

Wide-range Shimano gears, puncture resistant tyres and disc brakes are all nice, practical touches for a round-town ride, and at this Wiggle special offer price, it's an absolute bargain.

Find a Charge dealer
 

Whyte Victoria women's urban bike — £699.00

Hybrids intended for women tend to have a shorter top tube than their male equivalents, and have female friendly components like a woman's saddle, as here. With hydraulic disc brakes and nippy 28mm tyres, the Victoria is at the sportier end of hybrids; when you need to get a move on it's noticeably quick. 

If you're quick, the very similar 2015 version can be found substantially discounted.

Read our review of the Whyte Victoria
Find a Whyte dealer
 

Boardman Hybrid Team — £599.99

Boardman is another brand that's ubiquitous on the city streets and just lately main man Chris Boardman has been all over the media advocating for cycling rights and plugging his book on bike design, The Biography of the Modern Bike.

Boardman somehow finds time to design nice hybrids too, like this aluminium-framed, round-town speedster. At this level you start finding hydraulic disc brakes, usually a bit more reliable and less fiddly than cable brakes. The Hybrid Team also has a carbon fibre fork, which helps take the sting out of potholes, and wide-range SRAM gearing.

Find a Halfords branch
 

Cannondale Quick Carbon 1 — £1499.99

The late, sadly missed bike reviewer Steve Worland described this luxury hybrid as: "Quick like a road bike, comfy like a mountain bike, with disc brake confidence; a thoroughbred mongrel of an all-rounder". A hybrid with a carbon fibre frame will seem over the top until the first time you have to carry it up several flights of stairs, at which point it suddenly makes perfect, shoulder-friendly sense.

It makes sense on the road too. Its instantly most obvious and endearing characteristic is its casual speed, while the handling far more sprightly than most hybrid type bikes.

The latest version of the Quick 1 has Shimano 105 gears, fast-rolling 25mm Schwalbe tyres and Shimano hydraulic disc brakes. There are fittings for racks and mudguards too, so it can be practical as well as quick.

Find a Cannondale dealer
Read our review of the very similar 2014 Cannondale Quick Carbon 2

In just a few years aero road bikes have gone from The Next Big Thing to a mainstream bike option. The latest models have been tweaked to be faster than ever, according to the manufacturers, and to alleviate the harsh ride that characterised some early aero bikes.

Aero road bikes essentially draw the aerodynamic features from time trial bikes into a road frame, and balance the demands of weight and stiffness into a package that, on paper, looks to be the ideal all-round choice.

At any decent speed, most of your effort goes into overcoming air resistance, so reducing a bike's drag means you'll go faster, or ride at any given speed with a lower power output. Who doesn't like the sound of that?

Most of your air resistance comes from your body. Wearing non-flappy clothing will help, as will losing weight. But the 20% or so of air resistance from your bike is enough for engineers and designers to focus on making road frames and products more slippery in the air. In the pro peloton aero road bikes have been quickly adopted, where the margins of victory are very slim and there has been a focus on gaining ever smaller performance gains over the years.

Weight, and the lack thereof, used to be the main driving force of frame development. Along with stiffness, these were the two cornerstones of bike design. These days most bikes are light, many well below the UCI’s 6.8kg weight limit (which doesn’t affect non-racers anyway), and come with more stiffness than is sometimes comfortable.

All that has made aerodynamics more important for manufacturers. Specialized has built its own wind tunnel, for example, and most manufacturers are testing in wind tunnels. Nevertheless, aero road bikes haven't converged on a perfect, slippery common shape. Different engineers prioritise different ways of improving aerodynamics but there are shared design trends: skinny, aerofoil-shaped tubes, integrated brakes, and internal cable routing.

Let's take a look at the latest aero offerings.

Cervelo S5

Long hailed as the fastest aero road bike by people who know a lot about aerodynamics, the Cervelo S5 has received quite a makeover this year. It still looks like an S5 but Cervelo claims to have finessed every tube profile and found significant drag reductions. It’s also increased frame stiffness in the head tube and bottom bracket to improve handling. Another change is the shorter head tube to put the rider in a lower, and more aerodynamic, position. Cervelo has also developed its own aero handlebar which is compatible with a regular stem.

Read our coverage of the Cervelo S5 launch
Find a Cervelo dealer

Ridley Noah SL

The Noah FAST packs a lot of innovative aero technology, including slotted forks and seat stays, integrated v-brakes and small ridges on the leading edges of the frame surfaces to smooth airflow. It’s still available, but the Belgian company has released the new Noah SL which is lighter than the previous Noah with a 950g claimed frame weight. It still features the innovative F-Splitfork, but there’s no slotted rear stays and the raised ridges have been incorporated into the tube shapes. The integrated brakes are gone, in their place regular caliper brakes in front of the fork and at the seat stay.

Read about Greg Henderson's Ridley Noah SL
Find a Ridley dealer

Pinarello Dogma F8

Developed in collaboration with Team Sky and Jaguar, the Dogma F8 is the first aero road bike from Pinarello, and it’s just won the 2015 Tour de France, though we reckon Chris Froome could have won on any bike. The F8 uses FlatBack tube profiles, a Kamm Tail sort of shape, with a rounded leading edge and chopped tail. Pinnarello has also lowered the seat tube water bottle cage and it’s further shielded by the down tube. Meanwhile, up front the fork has been derived from the company’s Bollide time trial bike with an aerodynamic shape, and the crown closely nestles into a recess in the down tube.

Find a Pinarello dealer

Canyon Aeroad CF SLX

The second-generation Aeroad CF SLX has been inspired by the work on its futuristic Speedmax time trial bike, with razor sharp aero tube profiles and an optional one-piece handlebar and stem assembly. Much of the company’s focus with the new bike has been in reducing the frontal surface area, so along with the new handlebar there’s a narrower and hour-glass shaped head tube to help reduce drag. Other changes include the new tube profile, a variant of the Trident shape used on the Speedmax, and a seat tube that hugs the curvature of the rear wheel. Unlike some aero road bikes that integrate the brake callipers, Canyon has opted for direct-mount Shimano brakes in the regular positions.

Read our review of the Canyon Aeroad CF SLX 70 Di2

Specialized Venge Vias

The Venge has had a radical makeover, with an all-new aero frame with the most interesting integrated brakes we’ve ever seen. Manufacturers have been integrating brakes into the frame in an effort to reduce drag, but the Specialized approach, with custom designed brake calipers, is claimed to produce zero drag. Elsewhere, a new aero handlebar and stem provides full internal cable routing, there are almost no visible cables on this bike, a further measure to reduce drag.

Read about Mark Cavendish's Venge at the Tour de France
Find a Specialized dealer 

Scott Foil

The Foil arguably kicked off the whole aero road bike trend, bringing aerodynamic design that was once the preserve of time trial bikes to regular road bikes. This update has been a long time coming but it’s evolution, not revolution that is the news here. Changes to the front-end see the down tube lowered and wrapped around the fork crown, and a smaller rear triangle and new internal seat clamp in the top tube. The rear brake is also positioned underneath the chain stays.

Read our coverage of the 2016 Scott Foil launch
Find a Scott dealer

Trek Madone

Once an all-round lightweight race bike, the Madone has been given a complete aerodynamic makeover this year. It features a version of the Isospeed decoupler borrowed from the Domane to provide some comfort (aero road bikes have traditionally compromised comfort in the quest for speed) and it’s wrapped up in a frame with Kamm Tail shaped tubes. Like Specialized, Trek has also developed its own brake callipers, and they’re concealed within the fork and seat stays. To keep the cable routing of the centre pull front brake nice and clean, the head tube features flaps that open and close when the fork is turned.

Read our coverage of the 2016 Trek Madone launch
Find a Trek dealer

Merida Reacto

Merida’s Reacto features tube profiles shape in accordance with NACA airfoil principles, and using the popular Kamm tail approach of chopping off the trailing edge, tricking the air into acting as if the trailing edge were there. More than any other bike here, the Reacto looks like a time trail in drag. There’s an aero seat post, internal cable routing and the rear brake is positioned underneath the chain stays. The front brake, meanwhile, is found on the front of the fork.

Read our review of the Merida Reacto 300
Find a Merida dealer

Not quite aero road bikes

Cannondale SuperSix Evo

Not strictly an aero road bike as such, but Cannondale has lightly modified its latest SuperSix Evo with new Truncated Aero Profile (TAP) main tubes and lowered the seat tube mounted water bottle to reduce the drag.

Read our coverage of the updated Cannondale SuperSix Evo
Find a Cannondale dealer

Canyon Ultimate CF SLX

In the same vein, Canyon has given its latest Ultimate CF SLX a light touch of aerodynamic influence. It has developed a new D-shaped down tube, seat tube and seatpost, which along with a new internal seat clamp, adds up to a claimed 10% reduction in drag compared to the previous non-aero Ultimate. It doesn’t challenge Canyon’s Aeroad CF SLX for outright slipperiness in the wind tunnel though, but does point to a future where all road bikes might one day be shaped in the wind tunnel.

BMC TimeMachine TMR01

Launched in 2013, the TimeMachine grew out of the understanding of aerodynamics BMC derived from its TM01 time trial bike project. It uses a truncated wing profile (not unlike a Kamm tail) for the main sections of the frame. To reduce the air turbulence over the frame memebrs BMC puts a smooth groove at the leading edge of forward facing sections, called a Tripwire. This delays flow seperation and keeps the air attached for as long as possible, minimising drag — in essence it's doing the same job as the dimples on a golf ball.

Read our coverage of the BMC TimeMachine launch
Find a BMC dealer

Giant Propel Advanced

The Propel Advanced SL 3 was Giant's bold entry into the aero road bike fray and gave rise to a whole range of highly-regarded Propel bikes. 

Key to the frame is the AeroSystem Shaping technology that is the result of Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) research and wind-tunnel tests. Every tube has been carefully shaped, with a teardrop shape in evidence wherever you look. Interestingly, the down tube has been shaped with a water bottle in mind. It’s flattened where the water bottle normally protrudes from the sides of a conventional down tube.

Read our coverage of the original Giant Propel launch
Find a Giant dealer

NeilPryde Alize

Unlike many aero road bikes, the Alize's tube shapes are surprisingly chunky with nary a teardrop profile in sight. Whereas traditional aero bikes feature aerofoil shaped seat and down tubes that are prone to flex and can perform poorly in cross winds, the tubes on the Alize have been designed to act as a complete package enabling wider, stiffer and lighter tubes to be used.

the lower third of the down tube which features what Neilpryde call an 'Extended Kammtail'. The kamm tail is the latest buzzword in the cycling world. In effect it's an aerofoil with the tail sawn-off, and has been used on cars since the 50s. What Neilpryde have done, however, is extend this concept so that both the down tube and seat tube act as a single kammtail aerofoil enabling them to increase the size of the down tube without damaging aerodynamic performance.

Read our review of the NeilPryde Alize
Find a NeilPryde dealer

Boardman AiR

Chris Boardman knows a thing or two about aerodynamics, winning the individual pursuit gold medal at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics and breaking the hour record on three occasions. The AiR in his signature range of road bikes borrows heavily from the stunning AiR TT bike. The frame has a deep section down tube, internal cable routing and a fair amount of melding together at the point where the top, down and head tubes meet. There are flat surfaces on the inner faces of both the fork and rear stays, designed to work with deep section wheels and ensure that airflow smoothed by the wheel isn't disturbed by a more traditional section fork blade.

First look: Boardman Air 9.4 aero road bike
Find a Boardman dealer

The most popular bike style in the UK, hybrids are practical and comfortable, and their upright riding position makes them ideal for the office run or leisurely cruising the lanes.

As the name suggests, hybrids have aspects of road bikes and mountain bikes. From the road comes a lightweight frame and fast-rolling 700C wheels, while mountain bikes contribute flat bars, disc or V-brakes and wide-range gears. The tyres are usually an intermediate width and tread to provide enough cushioning and grip that rough surfaces like forest roads and tow paths are no obstacle,

There are many variations under the hybrid umbrella. At one end, flat-bar road bikes are great for zipping around the lanes and even some light touring, but with skinny tyres might not be as much fun on potholed city streets. At the other end of the range are fully-equipped European-style city bikes, with mudguards, rack and even built-in dynamo lights or a rear-wheel lock.

Hybrids make great urban transport for potholed streets or towpaths (CC BY-NC 2.0 Tom Blackwell:Flickr)

Hybrids are great transport. You can pick one up for less than a hundred quid, and by the time you get up the price range to £300-600 there are some really very nice bikes. That's where we've started with this selection. If that blows your budget take a look at our guide to the best cheap hybrid bikes.

Oddly, fully-equipped bikes are less common at higher prices. Manufacturers perhaps think buyers with more money to spend will want to choose their own mudguards, rack and so on, but we see lots of people riding nice quality hybrids without mudguards and just getting wet bums. Seems a bit daft.

It's not unusual for designers of hybrid bikes to specify alternatives to the ubiquitous rear derailleur and you'll find a couple of examples in our recommendations below. Hub gears are less unusual that on sportier bikes, and can pick up flat-bar singlespeeders very inexpensively because they's so simple.

Hybrids are great cheap transport. Bung even a £500 bike on Cycle To Work Scheme and you'll barely notice the payments disappearing from your pay packet. In fact, in many cities, you'll be better off. Compared to a London Zone 1-3 Travelcard at £144.80 per month, a £154.00 Bristol City peak travelcard or a Cambridge Megarider Plus bus ticket for £92, the repayments for a hybrid are trivial.

Let's take a look at some of your best choices in flat-bar bikes.

B'Twin Hoprider 520 — £320

First impressions of the review bike our teenage tester is riding to school daily are good. The model up from the £230 Hoprider 300, it has a suspension fork and seatpost to improve comfort over rough ground, and the transmission is decent quality, for the money eight-speed Shimano Acera.

Less obvious, but very welcome, it also comes with Continental Touring Plus puncture-resistant tyres and trigger shifters rather than the twist-grips you often find on cheaper models. You even get a fairly decent set of metal-bodied pedals, a significant step up from the resin-bodied jobs found on most budget bikes.

Find a Decathlon store

Trek 7.1 FX — £375

Trek's best-selling city bike has a light aluminium frame, very wide-range 21-speed gears that'll get you up any hills you're likely to find in the UK, and convenient Shimano trigger shifters.

You don't get extras like a rack or mudguards, but the frame has all the necessary fittings for them, and will even take a Dutch-style frame/wheel lock like the AXA Defender so you can't forget your lock.

Find a Trek dealer

Foffa Urban 7 Speed Nexus — £499.99

With a skinny chromoly steel frame and narrow bar, the Foffa Urban is as hipster as it gets, but it's also cheerful, nippy round-town transport. The key feature is the seven-speed Shimano Nexus internal hub gear, which gives a good range for urban riding without the fuss of a derailleur to get damaged or clag up with road grime.

Read our review of the Foffa Urban 7 Speed Nexus

Find a Foffa dealer

B'Twin Triban 540 — £500

B'Twin's Triban 540 promises road bike zip with the more upright position of a flat bar so you can sit up and admire the view or keep an eye out for random taxis.

The Triban 540 strikes a balance between speed and practicality. On the speed side, well, at heart it's a road bike. Skinny tyres, narrow saddle, seat a bit higher than the bars. On the other hand, it's got a flat bar, with gears controlled by mountain bike-style triggers so you never need move your hands away from the brakes.

The frame has fittings for rack and guards so it can be practical too and the Shimano Tiagra components make it a bargain for this price.

Read our first look

Raleigh Strada 4 — £550

At first glance the Raleigh Strada 4 appears to be a singlespeed. Look a bit closer and you find a clever SRAM Automatix two-speed hub gear that automatically changes to a higher gear at about 15kph; this gives you a low gear to get away from the lights and then switches up to allow you to accelerate through traffic.

The hub nestles in Raleigh's lightweight 6061 aluminium frame, and Strada mechanical disc brakes bring the whole thing firmly to a halt.

Find a Raleigh dealer

Charge Grater 2 — £599.99

Charge has always excelled at urban bikes. Watch London rush-hour bike traffic and you'll see a heck of a lot of them. We like teh Grater's lightweight aluminium frame, and the fact that it comes with mudguards already fitted so you can't fail to get around to adding them and end up with a wet bum when it rains.

Wide-range Shimano gears, puncture resistant tyres and disc brakes are all nice, practical touches for a round-town ride.

Find a Charge dealer

Whyte Victoria women's urban bike — £699.00

Hybrids intended for women tend to have a shorter top tube than their male equivalents, and have female friendly components like a woman's saddle, as here. With hydraulic disc brakes and nippy 28mm tyres, the Victoria is at the sportier end of hybrids; when you need to get a move on it's noticeably quick.

Read our review of the Whyte Victoria

Find a Whyte dealer

Boardman Hybrid Team — £749.99

Boardman is another brand that's ubiquitous on the city streets and just lately main man Chris Boardman has been all over the media advocating for cycling rights and plugging his book on bike design, The Biography of the Modern Bike.

Boardman somehow finds time to design nice hybrids too, like this aluminium-framed, round-tow speedster. At this level you start finding hydraulic disc brakes, usually a bit more reliable and less fiddly than cable brakes. The Hybrid Team also has a carbon fibre forks, which helps take teh sting out of potholes, and wide-range SRAM gearing.

Find a Halfords branch

Cannondale Quick Carbon 1 — £1499.99

The late, sadly missed bike reviewer Steve Worland described this luxury hybrid as: "Quick like a road bike, comfy like a mountain bike, with disc brake confidence; a thoroughbred mongrel of an all-rounder". A hybrid with a carbon fibre frame will seem over the top until the first time you have to carry it up several flights of stairs, at which point it suddenly makes perfect, shoulder-friendly sense.

It makes sense on the road too. Its instantly most obvious and endearing characteristic is its casual speed, while the handling far more sprightly than most hybrid type bikes.

The latest version of the Quick 1 has wide--range Shimano Tiagra gears, fast-rolling 25mm Schwalbe tyres and Magura hydraulic disc brakes. There are fittings for racks and mudguards too, it can be practical as well as quick.

Find a Cannondale dealer

Read our review of the very similar 2014 Cannondale Quick Carbon 2

If you're keen to get into road cycling, for the fun of zooming round the lanes, for fitness or as a quick and cheap way to get to work, it is possible to buy a road bike for under £500. In fact, we've found a few bargains starting from just under £200, proving you really don't need to spend a fortune to get a good road bike these days.

It’s quite likely that if you’re reading this you’re looking at buying your first road bike. You’ll probably have a lot of questions. A good place to start is always a well stocked bike shop where you can view the bikes in your budget and get a good idea of what is offered.

Road bikes priced under £500 often feature light and stiff aluminium or steel frames with good quality gears and brakes. Japanese firm Shimano is the predominant component choice at this end of the market, and the good news is that a lot of the technology seen higher up the ladder eventually trickles down to the entry level.

Weight is the main area where entry-level bikes suffer. However, with compact or triple chainsets, and the wider range of gears they offer, getting up steep hills is made easier. As a general rule, the more you spend the lighter the bike will be. Closer to £500 and you can expect a carbon fibre fork which saves weight and offers improved performance over the steel and aluminium forks on cheaper bikes.

There are currently some amazing deals around as retailers clear out 2015 models to make space for 2016 bikes, which means a limited budget goes a long way.

>> Read more: 2015 End of Season Sales Road Bike Bargains

£200 and under

If your budget is this tight looking for a second hand bargain is something you should seriously consider (head over to e-bay our our own classifieds for a look), but if it has to be new if you shop around for discount bargains during the winter you might find something.

Mizani Aero 100 — £199.99

Head to the Argos website and you can get this Mizani Aero 100 for just £188. Unlike some inexpensive road bikes, it's available in several sizes, which is immediately far more appealing, as getting the right size bike is so important to cycling happiness.

£200-£300

Spend just a bit more and you get a whole lot more bike. Lighter, better equipped, and we're willing to bet nicer to ride too. This is a price point where the big specialist retailers are really able to flex their buying muscle for your benefit, and combine it with design knowledge to deliver the maximum bang for your buck.

It's no coincidence that both Decathlon and Halfords in-house brands figure strongly here. This is also a price point at which you can pick up a really good discount bargain at the right time of the year, something we've reflected in our pick of bikes here.

Decathlon B'Twin Triban 500 — £280

French-based international sport store chain Decathlon has a wide range of keenly-priced road bikes of which the Triban 500 stands out for under £300.

You get a good quality aluminium alloy frame and lightweight components. Most significantly you get a really wide range of gears thanks to the triple chainset and eight rear sprockets.

On paper that means you get 24 gears, but in practice there is lots of overlap between ranges from the three chainrings. What matters isn't the number, but that the small ring gives you lower gears for easier hill-climbing.

Carrera Zelos — £239.99

There are plenty of bikes costing under £500 at Halfords, and pick of the bunch is this Carrera Zelos. It's currently discounted to £240, so it's a bit of a bargain if you act quickly. It features an aluminium frame built up with a 14-speed Shimano groupset and Tektro dual pivot brakes. There's a women's version too.

Barracuda Corvus - £272.15

Barracuda's Corvus I is the entry-level in their range and cost £299.95 (but can be found cheaper) It features an alloy frame with a smart paint finish and decals, with a 14-speed groupset comprising a Shimano Tourney chainset and rear mech. It uses Shimano's rarely seen A050 bar-mounted shifters, a 7-speed system, that places the shifting levers within easy reach on top of the handlebars.

£300 to £500

Step up to this price bracket and the choice suddenly increases, with some of the bigger manufacturers now coming into contention, especially the more you approach the £500 mark. Most of the bikes at this price, though not all, will feature an aluminium frame, which makes for a lighter bike. Get closer to £500 and you can expect to see the fork be upgraded to a carbon firbe fork, saving further weight and improving the performance.

B'Twin Triban 500 SE — £299 (usually £330)

Probably one of the best performance and value bikes in this whole price range, the B'TwinTriban 500 SE road bike costs just £330 and for that you get a clean looking aluminium frame, carbon fork and 3 x 8 Microshift drivetrain, for an all up weight of 10.08kg (22.4lb). There are no unwelcome shortcuts in the finishing detail and it rides much like a race-bred bike, making it an ideal first road bike for anyone with sporty intentions. You can read our review to find out how much we rated it.

Pinnacle Dolomite One 2015 Women's Road Bike — £360

Pinnacle is the in-house brand of retailer Evans Cycles, and the Dolomite is their entry-level road bike, starting at £450, though it's currently on offer for £400. You get a 6061 aluminium frame and fork with road race geometry. A Shimano Tourney A070 groupset combines a compact chainset with a 12-28t cassette for a wide spread of gears.

A nice detail of this bike is that is has space for 28mm tyres which provide a bit for comfort and wet-weather grip than the usual 28mm rubber. You can even fit mudguards, though the maximum tyre size then drops to 25mm. That gives it quite a bit more versatility than many of the other bikes on this page, and makes it ideal for regular commuting if you want to stay dry.

Boardman Road Sport — £349.99 (usually £449.99)

It's fair to say the Boardman Road Sport is a bike that impressed us a great deal when we reviewed it. Enough in fact that it was our Budget Bike of the Year 2013-14 and came third in the overall Bike of the Year Awards. You get a 7005 double-butted aluminium frame with a Shimano 2300 groupset and FSA Tempo compact chainset.

The Road Sport comes in a slightly more relaxed, sportive-friendly geometry than a full-on race bike; the top tube is a little shorter and the head tube is a little longer — not massively but enough to add extra comfort without sacrificing too much efficiency. You get mounts for mudguards too so it's very versatile. This is a seriously impressive bike for the money — not just a good bike for £450 but a good bike full stop. And at the current special offer price, it's a total bargain.

Giant Defy 5 — £299.99 (usually £499)

Giant is one of the biggest and most well-known bike brands in the world, and the £499 Defy 5 — currently on offer at £299 in some sizes — is the most affordable road bike in the range. Thanks to technology trickling down from Giant's more expensive models, the Defy 5 is packed full of potential. It offers an Aluxx aluminium frame with an aluminium fork, Shimano Claris 16-speed groupset, FSA Tempo compact chainset and 25mm tyres for extra comfort. The Defy range of bikes have higher handlebars for a more comfortable riding position, nice if you're just getting into cycling.

Vitus Bikes Razor VR — £419.99 (usually £649.99)

A great example of the bargains that are currently around, the Razor VR has Shimano Sora components hung on an aluminium frame with a carbon fork. It's pretty good value at its usual price, but for under £500 it's one to snap up before they change their minds.

Features include Sora 18-speed transmission, and plenty of space in the frame for mudguards, pls the necessary eyelets in the frame. You can fit a rack too, making the Razor VR a sharp commuter.

Mango Bikes Point R R240 - £449.99

From a brand that started out with a singlespeed offering comes this brand new Point R aluminium road bike, available at four prices. This, at £449.99 with a Shimano Claris groupset, is the most affordable in the range; there's also a Sora version for £499.99 The frame has a very modern appearance. Smooth welds, curved tubes and internal cable routing. The bike comes fitted with 25mm tyres, and it'll go wider. We reviewed the top-of-the-range Shimano 105 model and were very impressed. 

13 Intrinsic Lambda — £439.99

One of Halfords' new range of aero-tweaked women's road bikes, the 13 iIntrinsic Lambda zips along well, and the handling/steering is neutral, not at all twitchy. We'd swap the 23mm tyres for something wider, but otherwise, this is  a good looking bike that rides well and copes with ups as well as downs. It's a good first road bike;  and if half a grand is what you can afford on your second bike, the Intrinsic makes a fast and capable commuter (add a rear mudguard to help in winter), so your posh carbon steed and its fancy parts can stay at home out of harm's way. 

Read our review of the 13 Intrinsic Lambda

Verenti Technique Claris — £400

We haven't ridden it yet, but on paper this new sportive bike from Wiggle house brand Verenti looks excellent for just £400. You get an aluminium frame with tapered head tube and — unusually at this price — a full-carbon fork. Shimano's Claris group makes it go and it rolls on 28mm Continental tyres which should make for comfort on potholed rural roads.

The DealCatcher's got some incredible deals for you today. Bikes, and bikes, and frames. Cinelli, Raleigh, and Boardman to be precise, all discounted fantastically by Vanilla Bikes, Chain Reaction Cycles, and Halfords.

First up is Vanilla Bikes' offering of a Cinelli Experience Frameset, which has had a massive 43% of its RRP discounted. The 1400g aluminium frame is an incredible deal at under £300.

Next up is Chain Reaction Cycles' deal. A Raleigh Revenio 3 at a fabulous 36% off. Another aluminium frame, and another fantastic deal for £574.99.

Finally, Halfords are making a week of the Cyber Monday deals, and are including their excellently rated Boardman CX Comp bike in the reductions. This one's seen a quarter of its asking price cut away, leaving you with a great cyclocross option for a great price.

Vanilla Bikes

43% off Cinelli Experience Frame
WAS £529.99 | NOW £299.99

This Cinelli frameset is made from world renowned Colombus Airplane aluminium - so you can rest assured that you're not settling for some discounted knock-off if you're planning on grabbing this frameset while its cheap.

At 1400g the frame's light, gives minimal flex, and the carbon-bladed forks and aluminum steerer will help keep your handling sharp and certainly contribute to the frame's low weight.

As we stated before, £300 is an absolute bargain for a frame of this quality.

Chain Reaction Cycles

36% off Raleigh Revenio 3
WAS £899.99 | NOW £574.99

This beauty is Raleigh's answer to the midrange endurance market surge. Long days in the saddle will be a breeze aboard this machine.

Sporting Shimano's midrange 105 groupset, a carbon fork, a tapered head tube and geometry that's been improved for comfort, the Revenio 3 ticks plenty of boxes for the rider who wants to ride fast and long.

Halfords

25% off Boardman CX Comp
WAS £599.99 | NOW £449.99

Finally, get your mitts on a discounted Boardman cyclocross bike from the guys over at Halfords.

They've taken Cyber Monday as seriously as everyone else took Black Friday, so they've got a whole host more deals to offer you.

This is one of many bikes available, take a look if you're interested by clicking here.

- Read more: road.cc's cyclocross bike buyers guide

You won't find a sleigh, a big sack of presents, or a herd of magical reindeer here at road.cc. What you will find, though, is a big pile of incredible cycling deals - and what a bunch of deals we've got today.

Halfords are ready and raring to make your Christmas ride something really special with a treble of fantastic deals on their Boardman bike range - including the Boardman Road Sport, our Budget Bike of the Year 2013-14.

After that we head over to Evans Cycles for a great deal on a pair of Louis Garneau bib shorts, and onto Hargroves where they've got 48% off the Garmin Virb Action Camera.

Halfords

25% off Boardman Road Team Carbon Bike
WAS £999.99 | NOW £749.99

25% off Boardman Road Comp Bike
WAS £699.99  | NOW £524.99

25% off Boardman Road Sport Bike
WAS £449.99 | NOW £337.49

This treble is really worth a look if you're after quality at an affordable price.

We've raved about the value for money which Boardman Bikes offer pretty much since their introduction onto the road bike scene, especially back in 2013 when the Boardman Sport - which you can see in red above - won our Budget Bike of the Year, and also came third in our overall Bike of the Year standings.

The list of three, which are handily organised above in order of expense and performance,  cover almost every level of cyclist.

If you fancy a bit more information, check out the review below.

- Read more: road.cc's Boardman Road Sport review

Evans Cycles

35% off Louis Garneau CB Carbon 2 Bib Shorts
WAS £99.99 | NOW £64.99 + 20% extra off with code

Evans aren't simply offering incredible deals on shorts and leggings right now, they're giving you an extra 20% off a huge range of them too.

All you've got to do is find a pair that you fancy - we suggest the incredible deal on Louis Garneau bibs featured above - and pop the code 20LEGS into the coupon box.

The bibs we mention above are all about comfort. Offering a combination of Carbon and Lycra fibres, and Highlander Mesh to help keep the moisture away from your skin, these shorts will keep you fantastically comfortable.

Hargroves Cycles

48% off Garmin Virb Action Camera
WAS £219.99 | NOW £115.49

One rung down from the Elite which we reviewed back in 2014, the Garmin Virb Action Camera is Garmin's response to the ever popular GoPro.

Featuring an in-built screen and a whole host of other options, the major original downside to the Virb was its price tag.

Now that's not an issue, it's a bit of kit we feel very comfortable recomending.

Need a bit more info? Check out Dave Atkinson's review below.

- Read more: road.cc's Garmin Virb Action Camera review

Do you have a Tour de France-obsessed loved one? How about a style conscious cycling relative? Grab them a last minute gift in this DealCatcher - it might be your last chance after all.

It's now three days until the big one, so strap your shopping hat on, and tuck in to today's range of fantastic DealCatcher deals, including a road.cc exclusive deal on holidays for the Tour de France Grand Depart week.

If you scroll down the page a little you'll also find a couple of cracking deals on tops for cycling. One of the tops is from Ted Baker and is designed for rides in casual urban environments, while the other comes from BTwin and will keep you feeling good in somewhat more serious conditions.

On top of all of that Halfords are offering a quarter of their usual asking price off their fantastic Boardman CX Comp cyclocross bike.

Halfords

25% off Boardman CX Comp Bike
WAS £599.99 | NOW £449.99

Of all of the Boardman bikes, the CX is the model which we're reliably informed Mr Boardman himself cycles the most.

And for good reason. This disc equipped beauty is fantastic value and offers a fantastic ride through its lightweight tripple butted aluminium frame, Shimano Sora groupset, and Mavic 700c wheels.

At a sub-£450 price tag, it's pure value for money - especially if you're keen to try your hand at cyclocross in the new year.

Wiggle

60% off Ted Baker Gogogo Jersey Polo
WAS £65.00 | NOW £26.00

You might have spotted our gift guide for discerning cyclists earlier last week. This didn't make the cut, but the offering of style and practicality that Ted Baker are offering here will delight any cyclist - especially those with an eye on a mirror.

Eyelets under the arm, a zip pocket on the side, and reflective trim make this a very cycling-friendly polo.

- Read more: road.cc's gifts for discerning cyclists

Decathlon

33% off BTwin Aerofit 700 Long Sleeve Cycling Jersey
WAS £59.99 | NOW £39.99

It's been a stunningly mild winter so far. Your thermals might not have even left the wardrobes; some of ours have certainly stayed put.

So, it's not particularly likely that you'll be in the market for some super warm kit any time soon, right?

Understood. Which is why we're firing this BTwin long sleeved jersey at you. Get protection from the cool weather, and a fantastic under-the-coat layer to keep you cosy when the wind and the rain are particularly blustery, without leaving you sweaty and uncomfortable.

We've not tested this particular jersey, but we have had a ride around in the short sleeved 700 - which we liked and gave a solid 8/10. Read the review below.

- Read more: road.cc's BTwin SS Jersey 700 review

La Vie en Velo

​10% off Tour de France Grand Depart cycling holiday
WAS £795.00 | NOW £715.00

Take your spot in a minibus, let your bike travel in the designated bike trailer, and head on over to Normandy before cycling to Mont St Michel to take in the Grandest of cycling race Departs and follow the Tour de France on the first 5 stages.

La Vie en Velo specialise in cycling holidays, and are offering you - our esteemed road.cc readers - the opportunity to join in for a reduced price.

All you've got to do is phone +44 7984 065 329 or email angus [at] lavieenvelo.com and tell whoever you're speaking to that you saw the deal on road.cc - which should be enough for you to get the £80 discount.

Then just prepare you legs, and get ready to meet the gang in Kent before heading off on an amazing cycling adventure.

If you have £1,000 to £1,500 to spend on a road bike, you really do get a lot for you money. A benefit of spending this sort of money is that the bikes start to get much lighter than those costing half as much, which will have a significant impact on the ride quality and performance, and your times up your local hills.

Shimano 105 and Tiagra are the dominant groupsets in this price range. While there is a lot of own-brand kit for parts like wheels, handlebars and saddles, which is no bad thing (manufacturers have really raised their game with own label components), there is a lot more branded kit from the likes of Mavic and Fizik.

At the time of writing (October 2015) we're in the transition between 2015 and 2016 models, so our selection reflects that. There are some 2015 bargains here, as well as some of the best 2016 bikes in the category.​

Trek Émonda S 5 — £1,105

With a lightweight carbon fibre frame and Shimano 105 group, this speedster from Trek's racing range would be a good deal at its £1,300 RRP; at this price it's a steal.

The Emonda line is Trek's take on making the lightest road bikes it can produce for a given price, which means the frame here is worth upgrading as the parts wear out; it wouldn't be shamed by a Shimano Ultegra group.

Find a Trek dealer

Lapierre Sensium 300 — £1,249

This is the successor to last year's Sensium 100 which we found to be an easy bike to get along with. With the same frame, this should also be comfortable to ride for hours on end at the weekend or for an hour’s blast after work. It’s agile and fun when you want to mix it up in a group, and it’s solid and reliable enough to keep maintenance to a minimum. It doesn’t really have a notable weakness. Okay, it could have better wheels, but that is an option higher up the Sensium range.

The Sensium’s carbon-fibre frame is built with a comfortable ‘endurance’ geometry: a lengthened head tube compared to a standard road bike, and a shorter top tube to put you into a more relaxed riding position. The main change from last year is the updated Shimano Tiagra group, which now routes the brake cables tidily under the bar tape.

Read our review of the Lapierre Sensium 100
Find a Lapierre dealer

Giant Defy Advanced 2 — £1,299

Giant’s Defy has long been a benchmark for bikes that combine comfort, endurance and value. Over the years the model range has grown from being purely a mid-price aluminium bike to where we are now where the Defy spans price points all the way from £500 up to £8,000.

The Defy Advanced models are the first carbon bikes in the Defy range. There are three models but the Defy Advanced 2 looks the pick of the bunch. It has the extremely highly rated Shimano 105 11-speed transmission, plus TRP’s also highly rated Spyre mechanical disc brakes.

At £1,149 the Defy Advanced 3 is also worth a look, same frame and brakes but with the new Shimano Tiagra groupset.

Find a Giant dealer

Fuji Sportif 1.1 — £1,100

If the 2015 version is any guide, this will be an excellent bike that’s reasonably quick, solid and reliable. It offers a comfortable, assured ride that comes from a dependable frame and fork and a well-considered equipment package. You get Shimano's excellent hydraulic discs without any major compromises elsewhere.

The frame is hydroformed and double-butted aluminium while the fork has carbon legs and an alloy crown and steerer. The head tube is tall for a fairly upright ride position. It's a comfortable bike, both because of the position and because the 28mm tyres and decent bar tape and saddle take a lot of sting out of the ride. Overall, this is a really good multi-purpose road disc bike that's well-specced.

Read our review of the 2015 Fuji Sportif 1.1 LE

Vitus Venon Disc — £1,214.99

The Vitus Venon Disc is a well-priced carbon build that is fun, stiff and surprisingly comfortable to ride over long distances. It comes with a pretty decent build kit too, and  for 2016 gets TRP Spyre disc brakes.

At the heart of the Venon is a T700 high modulus, unidirectional carbon fibre frameset. It's hung with a complete Shimano 105 11-speed groupset. It's solid, reliable stuff, providing a good compromise of shifting and longevity.

The Venon is a very easy bike to ride, with precise handling. Initial acceleration isn't the sharpest due to heavyish wheels and an all up weight of 8.73kg (19.25lb) but once it's up and rolling it maintains speed well.

Read our review of the 2014 Vitus Venon

Focus Cayo 105 Mix — £1,299

The Focus Cayo 105 Mix uses a race-proven carbon fibre frame and fork with a more relaxed fit and geometry than the German company's racier offerings. The frame is fitted with Shimano 105 11-speed gears and RS500 semi-compact crankset, along with Fulcrum WH-CEX 7.0 wheels and Schwalbe Lugano tyres. Focus uses its own-brand Concept for the handlebars, stem, saddle and brake calipers.

Find a Focus dealer

Bianchi Intrepida — £1,500

We bet most people will want a Bianchi on any new bike shortlist. Bianchi classifies the Intrepida as part of its endurance racing line-up which places an emphasis on comfort over long distances. That means a slightly more relaxed geometry and more upright position than a traditional race bike. Bolted to the frame is Campagnolo's Xenon groupset with an FSA Omega chainset and Bianchi's own label Reparto Corse for the wheels and all finishing kit, including the brake calipers.

Find a Bianchi dealer

Canyon Ultimate CF SL 7.0 — £1,349

German company Canyon has made quite an impression in the UK with its direct-to-consumer business model meaning big savings for those prepared to bypass the bike shop for their next bike purchase. The Ultimate CF SL is produced using the same mould as that the Ultimate CF SLX we tested a while ago, it's just using a cheaper carbon fibre. That keeps the price lower. Although the weight does go up a bit, it's still light at a claimed 940g. This is the entry-level model built with a full Shimano 105 groupset, Mavic Aksium wheels, Continental GP 4000 25mm tyres, Canyon's own bars and stem and a Fizik Antares saddle.

Specialized Tarmac Sport — £1,500

If your tastes run to rast and sharp-handing road bikes, but your budget won't stretch to the astounding Specialized S-Works Tarmac Disc, this everyman race bike will provide a big chunk of the thrills without holing your bank account below the waterline. It has Specialized's light, nimble  FACT 9r carbon frame with a Shimano 105 groupset providing the stop and go bits. 

Find a Specialized dealer

Cannondale CAAD12 Disc 105 — £1,499

It might seem a lot of money to spend on a frame that isn't carbon, but the CAAD12 sets a new benchmark for all aluminium frames and puts a lot of carbon bikes to shame. With a frame weight under 1,100g for the disc brake and regular versions, it's not much heavier than carbon either. Cannondale package the frame with a full Shimano 105 groupset and Shimano hydraulic disc brakes, carbon fibre fork with tapered steerer tube, 52/36 crank and a Selle Royal Seta S1 saddle.

Read our report from the CAAD12 launch
Find a Cannondale dealer

If you're keen to get into road cycling, for the fun of zooming round the lanes, for fitness or as a quick and cheap way to get to work, it is possible to buy a road bike for under £500. In fact, we've found a few bargains starting from just under £200, proving you really don't need to spend a fortune to get a good road bike these days.

It’s quite likely that if you’re reading this you’re looking at buying your first road bike. You’ll probably have a lot of questions. A good place to start is always a well stocked bike shop where you can view the bikes in your budget and get a good idea of what is offered.

Road bikes priced under £500 often feature light and stiff aluminium or steel frames with good quality gears and brakes. Japanese firm Shimano is the predominant component choice at this end of the market, and the good news is that a lot of the technology seen higher up the ladder eventually trickles down to the entry level.

Weight is the main area where entry-level bikes suffer. However, with compact or triple chainsets, and the wider range of gears they offer, getting up steep hills is made easier. As a general rule, the more you spend the lighter the bike will be. Closer to £500 and you can expect a carbon fibre fork which saves weight and offers improved performance over the steel and aluminium forks on cheaper bikes.

There are currently some amazing deals around as retailers clear out 2015 models to make space for 2016 bikes, which means a limited budget goes a long way.

>> Read more: 2015 End of Season Sales Road Bike Bargains

£200-£300

You can get bikes cheaper than this, but they are — frankly — not very good. If your budget is so tight this is beyond your range then should seriously consider looking for a second hand bargain  (head over to eBay or our own classifieds for a look), but if it has to be new you might find something if you shop around for discount bargains during the winter.

 Spend just a bit more and you get a whole lot more bike. Lighter, better equipped, and we're willing to bet nicer to ride too. This is a price point where the big specialist retailers are really able to flex their buying muscle for your benefit, and combine it with design knowledge to deliver the maximum bang for your buck.

It's no coincidence that both Decathlon and Halfords in-house brands figure strongly here. This is also a price point at which you can pick up a really good discount bargain at the right time of the year, something we've reflected in our pick of bikes here.

Decathlon B'Twin Triban 500 — £280

French-based international sport store chain Decathlon has a wide range of keenly-priced road bikes of which the Triban 500 stands out for under £300.

You get a good quality aluminium alloy frame and lightweight components. Most significantly you get a really wide range of gears thanks to the triple chainset and eight rear sprockets.

On paper that means you get 24 gears, but in practice there is lots of overlap between ranges from the three chainrings. What matters isn't the number, but that the small ring gives you lower gears for easier hill-climbing.

Carrera Zelos — £249.99

There are plenty of bikes costing under £500 at Halfords, and pick of the bunch is this Carrera Zelos. It features an aluminium frame built up with a 14-speed Shimano groupset and Tektro dual pivot brakes. There's a women's version too.

Barracuda Corvus - £272.15

Barracuda's Corvus I is the entry-level in their range and cost £299.95 (but can be found cheaper) It features an alloy frame with a smart paint finish and decals, with a 14-speed groupset comprising a Shimano Tourney chainset and rear mech. It uses Shimano's rarely seen A050 bar-mounted shifters, a 7-speed system, that places the shifting levers within easy reach on top of the handlebars.

£300 to £500

Step up to this price bracket and the choice suddenly increases, with some of the bigger manufacturers now coming into contention, especially the more you approach the £500 mark. Most of the bikes at this price, though not all, will feature an aluminium frame, which makes for a lighter bike. Get closer to £500 and you can expect to see the fork be upgraded to a carbon firbe fork, saving further weight and improving the performance.

B'Twin Triban 500 SE — £299 (usually £330)

Probably one of the best performance and value bikes in this whole price range, the B'TwinTriban 500 SE road bike costs just £330 and for that you get a clean looking aluminium frame, carbon fork and 3 x 8 Microshift drivetrain, for an all up weight of 10.08kg (22.4lb). There are no unwelcome shortcuts in the finishing detail and it rides much like a race-bred bike, making it an ideal first road bike for anyone with sporty intentions. You can read our review to find out how much we rated it.

Pinnacle Dolomite One 2015 Women's Road Bike — £337

Pinnacle is the in-house brand of retailer Evans Cycles, and the Dolomite is their entry-level road bike, starting at £450, though it's currently on offer for £400. You get a 6061 aluminium frame and fork with road race geometry. A Shimano Tourney A070 groupset combines a compact chainset with a 12-28t cassette for a wide spread of gears.

A nice detail of this bike is that is has space for 28mm tyres which provide a bit for comfort and wet-weather grip than the usual 28mm rubber. You can even fit mudguards, though the maximum tyre size then drops to 25mm. That gives it quite a bit more versatility than many of the other bikes on this page, and makes it ideal for regular commuting if you want to stay dry.

Boardman Road Sport — £337.49 (usually £449.99)

It's fair to say the Boardman Road Sport is a bike that impressed us a great deal when we reviewed it. Enough in fact that it was our Budget Bike of the Year 2013-14 and came third in the overall Bike of the Year Awards. You get a 7005 double-butted aluminium frame with a Shimano 2300 groupset and FSA Tempo compact chainset.

The Road Sport comes in a slightly more relaxed, sportive-friendly geometry than a full-on race bike; the top tube is a little shorter and the head tube is a little longer — not massively but enough to add extra comfort without sacrificing too much efficiency. You get mounts for mudguards too so it's very versatile. This is a seriously impressive bike for the money — not just a good bike for £450 but a good bike full stop. And at the current special offer price, it's a total bargain.

Giant Defy 5 — £299.99 (usually £499)

Giant is one of the biggest and most well-known bike brands in the world, and the £499 Defy 5 — currently on offer at £299 in some sizes — is the most affordable road bike in the range. Thanks to technology trickling down from Giant's more expensive models, the Defy 5 is packed full of potential. It offers an Aluxx aluminium frame with an aluminium fork, Shimano Claris 16-speed groupset, FSA Tempo compact chainset and 25mm tyres for extra comfort. The Defy range of bikes have higher handlebars for a more comfortable riding position, nice if you're just getting into cycling.

Vitus Bikes Razor VR — £389.99 (usually £649.99)

A great example of the bargains that are currently around, the Razor VR has Shimano Sora components hung on an aluminium frame with a carbon fork. It's pretty good value at its usual price, but for under £400 it's one to snap up before they change their minds — or run out.

Features include Sora 18-speed transmission, and plenty of space in the frame for mudguards, pls the necessary eyelets in the frame. You can fit a rack too, making the Razor VR a sharp commuter.

Mango Bikes Point R R240 - £449.99

From a brand that started out with a singlespeed offering comes this brand new Point R aluminium road bike, available at four prices. This, at £449.99 with a Shimano Claris groupset, is the most affordable in the range; there's also a Sora version for £499.99 The frame has a very modern appearance. Smooth welds, curved tubes and internal cable routing. The bike comes fitted with 25mm tyres, and it'll go wider. We reviewed the top-of-the-range Shimano 105 model and were very impressed. 

13 Intrinsic Lambda — £384.99

One of Halfords' new range of aero-tweaked women's road bikes, the 13 iIntrinsic Lambda zips along well, and the handling/steering is neutral, not at all twitchy. We'd swap the 23mm tyres for something wider, but otherwise, this is  a good looking bike that rides well and copes with ups as well as downs. It's a good first road bike;  and if half a grand is what you can afford on your second bike, the Intrinsic makes a fast and capable commuter (add a rear mudguard to help in winter), so your posh carbon steed and its fancy parts can stay at home out of harm's way. 

Read our review of the 13 Intrinsic Lambda

Verenti Technique Claris — £400

We haven't ridden it yet, but on paper this new sportive bike from Wiggle house brand Verenti looks excellent for just £400. You get an aluminium frame with tapered head tube and — unusually at this price — a full-carbon fork. Shimano's Claris group makes it go and it rolls on 28mm Continental tyres which should make for comfort on potholed rural roads.

In just a few years aero road bikes have gone from The Next Big Thing to a mainstream bike option. The latest models have been tweaked to be faster than ever, according to the manufacturers, and to alleviate the harsh ride that characterised some early aero bikes.

Aero road bikes essentially draw the aerodynamic features from time trial bikes into a road frame, and balance the demands of weight and stiffness into a package that, on paper, looks to be the ideal all-round choice.

At any decent speed, most of your effort goes into overcoming air resistance, so reducing a bike's drag means you'll go faster, or ride at any given speed with a lower power output. Who doesn't like the sound of that?

Most of your air resistance comes from your body. Wearing non-flappy clothing will help, as will losing weight. But the 20% or so of air resistance from your bike is enough for engineers and designers to focus on making road frames and products more slippery in the air. In the pro peloton aero road bikes have been quickly adopted, where the margins of victory are very slim and there has been a focus on gaining ever smaller performance gains over the years.

Weight, and the lack thereof, used to be the main driving force of frame development. Along with stiffness, these were the two cornerstones of bike design. These days most bikes are light, many well below the UCI’s 6.8kg weight limit (which doesn’t affect non-racers anyway), and come with more stiffness than is sometimes comfortable.

All that has made aerodynamics more important for manufacturers. Specialized has built its own wind tunnel, for example, and most manufacturers are testing in wind tunnels. Nevertheless, aero road bikes haven't converged on a perfect, slippery common shape. Different engineers prioritise different ways of improving aerodynamics but there are shared design trends: skinny, aerofoil-shaped tubes, integrated brakes, and internal cable routing.

Let's take a look at the latest aero offerings.

Merida Scultura 6000 — £2300.00

The Merida Scultura 6000 just feels right when you get on it. The position, the ride, the comfort… it's one of those bikes that gives you the confidence to push it as hard as you want, knowing that it isn't going to bite back. It's a bit of a bargain too when you consider the frame is being ridden in the pro peloton and weighs a claimed 750g. It's a hell of a lot of bike for the money.

For this revised version of the Scultura frameset Merida has concentrated on increasing comfort, and it's obviously paid off. The frame is handmade in Taiwan, and by tweaking the carbon layup in certain areas it has been able to bring in quite a bit of extra damping without sacrificing stiffness.

Aerodynamics was another target for Merida, using computational fluid dynamics in the design process and wind tunnel testing of various incarnations. It even used a dummy with moving legs to replicate the effect the rider's pedalling has on wind resistance.

Read our review of the Merida Scultura 6000

Find a Merida dealer

Boardman Elite Air 9.2 — £2,799.99

Boardman's Elite Air 9.2 is just the ticket if you're looking for a fast bike with a good spec but you haven't got very silly money. It's a good package and the performance is impressive straight out of the box.

If you're buying an aero bike, chances are you're doing so because you want to go faster; that, or you just like the look of deep-section tubes.

Do you go faster? The anecdotal evidence suggests a yes: you go faster on this than on standard road bike. Our tester grabbed a downhill KOM on Strava, hung on longer before getting blown out the back of a crit with riders a grade above him and added 10km/h to his top speed on a favourite descent.crit with riders a grade above him and added 10km/h to his top speed on a favourite descent.

Read our review of the Boardman Elite Air 9.2

Find a Boardman dealer

Storck Aerfast Platinum — £10,949

At £10,949, the Storck Aerfast Platinum is a massive outlay, but boy, oh boy do you get one hell of a return on your investment. It's a sub-6.5kg race weapon, with aerodynamics that work in the real world, and it offers comfort levels to challenge most endurance bikes.

Taking plenty of things it's learnt from its astonishingly good Aernario, Storck has pushed the design even further down the aerodynamics route, and what it has created in the Aerfast is a bike that's not only unbelievably fast, but light and stiff too.

If you're in the market for an aero bike, speed is going to be topping your list of priorities, and it's where the Aerfast truly excels. Below about 23mph the Storck feels like any other bike to ride, any other superlight bike that is, but all the same it feels like it requires some effort; you've got to work at it.

Get above that speed, though, and the aerodynamics really come into play. It feels like a permanent tailwind is nudging you along, a friendly hand on your back as you watch the numbers climb on the Garmin – with no more effort required than there was 5mph ago. It's a wonderful feeling, and one you never tire of.

Read our review of the Storck Aerfast Platinum

Find a Storck dealer

Cervelo S5 — £ 3,999

Long hailed as the fastest aero road bike by people who know a lot about aerodynamics, the Cervelo S5 has received quite a makeover this year. It still looks like an S5 but Cervelo claims to have finessed every tube profile and found significant drag reductions. It’s also increased frame stiffness in the head tube and bottom bracket to improve handling. Another change is the shorter head tube to put the rider in a lower, and more aerodynamic, position. Cervelo has also developed its own aero handlebar which is compatible with a regular stem.

Read our coverage of the Cervelo S5 launch
Find a Cervelo dealer

Ridley Noah SL — £5,399.99

The Noah FAST packs a lot of innovative aero technology, including slotted forks and seat stays, integrated v-brakes and small ridges on the leading edges of the frame surfaces to smooth airflow. It’s still available, but the Belgian company has released the new Noah SL which is lighter than the previous Noah with a 950g claimed frame weight. It still features the innovative F-Splitfork, but there’s no slotted rear stays and the raised ridges have been incorporated into the tube shapes. The integrated brakes are gone, in their place regular caliper brakes in front of the fork and at the seat stay.

Read about Greg Henderson's Ridley Noah SL
Find a Ridley dealer

Pinarello Dogma F8 — £ 3,899 (frameset)

Developed in collaboration with Team Sky and Jaguar, the Dogma F8 is the first aero road bike from Pinarello, and it’s just won the 2015 Tour de France, though we reckon Chris Froome could have won on any bike. The F8 uses FlatBack tube profiles, a Kamm Tail sort of shape, with a rounded leading edge and chopped tail. Pinnarello has also lowered the seat tube water bottle cage and it’s further shielded by the down tube. Meanwhile, up front the fork has been derived from the company’s Bollide time trial bike with an aerodynamic shape, and the crown closely nestles into a recess in the down tube.

Find a Pinarello dealer

Canyon Aeroad CF SLX — £6,699

The second-generation Aeroad CF SLX has been inspired by the work on its futuristic Speedmax time trial bike, with razor sharp aero tube profiles and an optional one-piece handlebar and stem assembly. Much of the company’s focus with the new bike has been in reducing the frontal surface area, so along with the new handlebar there’s a narrower and hour-glass shaped head tube to help reduce drag. Other changes include the new tube profile, a variant of the Trident shape used on the Speedmax, and a seat tube that hugs the curvature of the rear wheel. Unlike some aero road bikes that integrate the brake callipers, Canyon has opted for direct-mount Shimano brakes in the regular positions.Shimano brakes in the regular positions.

Read our review of the Canyon Aeroad CF SLX 70 Di2

Specialized Venge Vias — £6,499.99

Out with the old Venge, in with the new Venge Vias. The Venge has had a radical makeover, with an all-new aero frame with the most interesting integrated brakes we’ve ever seen. Manufacturers have been integrating brakes into the frame in an effort to reduce drag, but the Specialized approach, with custom designed brake calipers, is claimed to produce zero drag. Elsewhere, a new aero handlebar and stem provides full internal cable routing, there are almost no visible cables on this bike, a further measure to reduce drag.

Read about Mark Cavendish's Venge at the Tour de France
Find a Specialized dealer 

Scott Foil — from £2,299

The Foil arguably kicked off the whole aero road bike trend, bringing aerodynamic design that was once the preserve of time trial bikes to regular road bikes. This update has been a long time coming but it’s evolution, not revolution that is the news here. Changes to the front-end see the down tube lowered and wrapped around the fork crown, and a smaller rear triangle and new internal seat clamp in the top tube. The rear brake is also positioned underneath the chain stays.

Read our coverage of the 2016 Scott Foil launch
Find a Scott dealer

Trek Madone — from £4,499.99

Once an all-round lightweight race bike, the Madone has been given a complete aerodynamic makeover this year. It features a version of the Isospeed decoupler borrowed from the Domane to provide some comfort (aero road bikes have traditionally compromised comfort in the quest for speed) and it’s wrapped up in a frame with Kamm Tail shaped tubes. Like Specialized, Trek has also developed its own brake callipers, and they’re concealed within the fork and seat stays. To keep the cable routing of the centre pull front brake nice and clean, the head tube features flaps that open and close when the fork is turned.

Read our coverage of the 2016 Trek Madone launch
Find a Trek dealer

Merida Reacto — from £749.99

Merida’s Reacto features tube profiles shape in accordance with NACA airfoil principles, and using the popular Kamm tail approach of chopping off the trailing edge, tricking the air into acting as if the trailing edge were there. More than any other bike here, the Reacto looks like a time trail in drag. There’s an aero seat post, internal cable routing and the rear brake is positioned underneath the chain stays. The front brake, meanwhile, is found on the front of the fork.

Read our review of the Merida Reacto 300
Find a Merida dealer

Canyon Ultimate CF SLX — from £2.699

Canyon has given its latest Ultimate CF SLX a light touch of aerodynamic influence. It has developed a new D-shaped down tube, seat tube and seatpost, which along with a new internal seat clamp, adds up to a claimed 10% reduction in drag compared to the previous non-aero Ultimate. It doesn’t challenge Canyon’s Aeroad CF SLX for outright slipperiness in the wind tunnel, but does point to a future where all road bikes might one day be shaped in the wind tunnel.

BMC TimeMachine TMR01 — from £2,099

Launched in 2013, the TimeMachine grew out of the understanding of aerodynamics BMC derived from its TM01 time trial bike project. It uses a truncated wing profile (not unlike a Kamm tail) for the main sections of the frame. To reduce the air turbulence over the frame members BMC puts a smooth groove at the leading edge of forward facing sections, called a Tripwire. This delays flow separation and keeps the air attached for as long as possible, minimising drag — in essence it's doing the same job as the dimples on a golf ball.

Read our coverage of the BMC TimeMachine launch
Find a BMC dealer

Giant Propel Advanced — from £1.299

The Propel Advanced SL 3 was Giant's bold entry into the aero road bike fray and gave rise to a whole range of highly-regarded Propel bikes. 

Key to the frame is the AeroSystem Shaping technology that is the result of Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) research and wind-tunnel tests. Every tube has been carefully shaped, with a teardrop shape in evidence wherever you look. Interestingly, the down tube has been shaped with a water bottle in mind. It’s flattened where the water bottle normally protrudes from the sides of a conventional down tube.

Read our coverage of the original Giant Propel launch
Find a Giant dealer​

The DealCatcher's here with three stonking deals to give your week that exciting I-can't-wait-for-my-new-cycling-gear-to-arrive feeling.

You know the one. You click check out on the basket, you get the buzz of an email notification telling you that your order has been confirmed, and then you sit on that warm feeling of excitment for two or three working days while you wait for delivery.

Here, why not give yourself those butterflies of excitement right now, but on the cheap? The DealCatcher's got three great deals that'll add something new to your wardrobe.

Take your pick from a heavily discounted budget Boardman road bike - which actually stands up as one of the best entry-level road bikes money can buy.

How about a pair of Women's Shimano WR32 Road Shoes? A great all round shoe that's comfortable, secure, and sleek looking.

Finally, give your Monday a boost, as well as all your upcoming rides with a 2-for-1 deal on GO Isotonic Energy Gels from Science in Sport.

Halfords

30% off Boardman Road Sport Bike
WAS £449.99 | NOW £314.99

First up we've got everyone's favourite former time trial specialist, current TV personality and cycling advocate, Chris Boardman's entry level Boardman Road Sport.

It's a solid bike that's just seen an extra 5% swiped off of its asking price over at Halfords. That might have something to do with the recent announcement of the 2016 performance range, which you can read more about below.

If you want to learn a bit more about the Road Sport, read our review - a link for which you can find just below the 2016 performance range write up.

- Read more: Boardman launch 2016 Performance range

- Read more: road.cc's Boardman Sport review

Wiggle

43% off Shimano Women's WR32 SPD-SL Road Shoes
WAS £74.99 | NOW £42.99

The Shimano Women's WR322 Road Shoe is a flagship member of Shimano's Dynalast pedal form aiding technology.

The idea is to create a shoe that promotes a smoother, more energy-efficient upstroke for each turn of your pedals. Dynalast will help reduce energy loss on long rides, and improve the comfort and health of your heel area, as well as your calf, and hamstring muscles.

Not only are they comfortable and good for your feet, the WR322s look great too. Sleek white, with three relatively understated straps, and silvery-black details make the WR322s a compelling choice in road footwear.

If you'd like a bit more information about how you should go about choosing road shoes, check out our buyer's guide below:

- Read more: road.cc's road shoes buyer's guide

Science in Sport

2-for-1 on SiS GO Isotonic Energy Gels
Use code 'ISO241' claim discount - runs until Thursday

Finally, get a great deal on GO Isotonic Energy gels from SiS before Thursay.

Whenever we've reviewed these, they've always performed well. A solid 8/10 every time shows consistency, right?

Our nutrition reviewer David Else had the following to say about the pinapple flavour:

"High performing gel with carbohydrates for energy and fluid for hydration; tastes good, slips down easily, and is fair value."

Check out the rest of the review below:

- Read more: road.cc's SiS GO Isotonic Energy Gel review - Pinapple