Aluminium Road Bike Review
The aluminium bikes available this year are better than they ever have been. After some key models saw reductions in weight this year, it's meant that what used to be the downside to aluminium is no longer all that bad. We have rounded up the aluminium road bikes which we think are the best options in 2024. They span all price points, spec levels, brands and riding styles. We have bikes from Specialized, Cannondale, Trek, Canyon and Triban. Which would you pick?
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00:00Aluminium road bikes have never been better, and the bikes available to you
00:04represent some of the best value options whether you're looking to buy your first bike,
00:08build up a racing machine, or just tackle some long-distance epics.
00:12We've linked all of the bikes down in the description below, so let's get into them.
00:22The Specialized Alley was refreshed earlier this year and is arguably one of the best-known road
00:28bikes. It's been the gateway drug to road cycling for so many, and after its recent overhaul,
00:33we think it will continue to chaperone more and more cyclists into the sport. But the question is,
00:39what is it about the recent overhaul that will mean it continues to serve the masses of new
00:43cyclists? Well, the bike has been kept up to date with the adoption of disc brake only models. The
00:49frame has dropped a little weight, but more importantly, has also taken on a new geometry
00:54to become slightly more comfortable. The Alley has retained its ability to play host to a pannier
01:00rack and mug guards, while also featuring some drop seat stays to help the Alley maintain a
01:04modern look. As mentioned, the Alley is now a disc brake only bike, meaning the tyre clearance
01:10has expanded all the way out to 35mm. So whether you're a weekend warrior, a gravel path cruiser,
01:16a commuter, or just like to keep it simple and want a road bike which can conquer both short
01:21and long rides, then we think this is arguably the most versatile aluminium road bike that's out
01:26there. It's certainly not the best value. Prices start at £1,000 here in the UK for a Clarisse
01:33specced bike with mechanical disc brakes. The model we'd prefer would be the Alley Sport version,
01:38which steps up to a Tiagra groupset and hydraulic disc brakes. So if you're happy to pay the price,
01:44you'll have a bike which can be used in so many different ways.
01:52If you're after bang for buck, then it doesn't come much better than the Triban RC520.
01:59We say this is the best value aluminium bike currently on the market, thanks to the semi-carbon
02:05fork, Shimano 105 shifters and derailleurs, and frame which can accommodate tyres up to
02:1136mm in size and play host to mug guards and a pannier rack. The impressive spec sheet doesn't
02:17stop there though. Despite the fact that the brakes are cable actuated, the callipers are
02:22made by TRP and house a mini hydraulic reservoir and hydraulic pistons. This means you get a better
02:30braking feel and performance, something more in common with fully hydraulic disc brakes.
02:35Coming in just shy of £900 here in the UK means the RC520 is not only more affordable than many
02:42other road bikes available today, but thanks to the spec, it's also just incredibly good value.
02:48The 36c tyre clearance means that this bike can be used in a variety of ways,
02:53and much like the specialised valet, will likely suit a very large group of riders,
02:58especially those who do want to save a bit of money.
03:02One of the most popular producers of aluminium bikes is Cannondale, and thanks to its vast range,
03:08they do have something for everyone. The CAD Optimo is the brand's most entry-level aluminium
03:14road bike, with the Optimo 4 coming in at just £900 here in the UK. This model comes with 8-speed
03:21Shimano Clarisse shifting, rim brakes, a carbon fork and, as mentioned, a carbon frame.
03:26Happily, the range does span multiple models, with the range topping out at £1300 for the Optimo 1,
03:33which sees its shifting components be upgraded to Shimano 105.
03:38The Optimo range is perfect for riders who want a more performance-focused road bike
03:42without the usual price tag. They are basic bikes, which makes them very easy to use,
03:48but they're also a bit of a pain in the arse if you're looking for something a bit more
03:51without the usual price tag. The cost of maintenance is also pretty good,
04:00thanks to the really good availability of spare parts, and should you want to make
04:04any upgrades to the Optimo, then that's also easily done too. The only thing which may get
04:10trickier to upgrade will be the wheels as more and more bikes become disc brake only.
04:14As mentioned, Cannondale do create a whole range of fantastic aluminium bikes,
04:25and for those who are a bit more endurance-minded, the Synapse AL could be the right choice.
04:31The Synapse 2 sits in direct competition with the Specialized Allez Sport,
04:36thanks to its Shimano Tiagra groupset and hydraulic disc brakes.
04:40However, the Synapse 2 takes things a little further with the addition of a
04:44wheelset from DT Swiss, 30c tyres from Vittoria, and a saddle from Fizik.
04:50It's not just about the specification though, as what's more important is the frame itself.
04:55The Synapse name comes with a lot of weight, as the moniker has become synonymous with
05:00long-distance performance, and arguably that's likely why you would be going for this bike.
05:06The full carbon fork helps keep weight down, and increases the vibration dampening qualities.
05:12The geometry matches that of the much-loved carbon Synapse,
05:15and the plump 30c tyres do a good job of reducing road chatter
05:19and increasing grip without costing you too much in rolling resistance losses.
05:24Some of the Synapse AL models also ship with a top tube bag that can be bolted directly to the
05:30frame, which we think is a really classy touch from the American brand. If you're
05:35after one of the best aluminium endurance bikes, then this is probably it.
05:45Not all aluminium bikes are created equally, and the Trek Emonda ALR is certainly one which
05:51sits head and shoulders above the rest. It saw a huge overhaul in 2023, with changes to the
05:57aesthetic, a more aggressive race-focused geometry, a switch from a press-fit to a
06:02threaded bottom bracket, a claimed 250g frameset weight saving, and new aero profiles to help
06:09minimise losses. Two builds of the bike were created, one with a mechanical Shimano 105
06:14groupset, and the other with a 105 Di2 groupset. Happily, if neither of those were to your liking,
06:20then Trek did also make the frameset available to buy separately for the custom build market.
06:26We think this Emonda ALR is perfect for bike races on a budget. Since you can build a frameset
06:32up with whatever parts you may already own, and the new geometry matches that of the carbon Emonda,
06:37it means you can get racing without having to risk something costing upwards of £6,000.
06:42If you are unfortunate enough to have a crash, then you can be safe in the knowledge
06:47that the frame won't shatter in the same way that carbon does,
06:50and you may have a better chance of a simple repair.
06:54Great value comes in many forms, and for the time being, you can be assured of some fairly
06:59good value when shopping with a direct-to-consumer brand like Canyon. It has a very popular endurance
07:05aluminium bike in the form of the Endurace AL. Thanks to the unique sales model, the German
07:11brand is able to offer a Shimano Tiagra-specced bike with hydraulic disc brakes and a full-carbon
07:16fork for just over £1,000. This means that you can buy a Shimano Endurace ALR for just
07:23shy of £1,400 here in the UK. DT Swiss wheels are shod-in 13mm Schwalbe One rubber,
07:30but most impressive is that the wheels feature a 22mm internal rim width, ensuring you can make
07:36the most out of a big contact patch with the road, aiding in both comfort and grip.
07:41Versatility is covered off too, with space for 35C tyres and top tube bag mounting points.
07:48There is also a Shimano 12-speed mechanical 105 build option, which comes in at £1,649,
07:55and it's this bike which we think gives the specialised LA the biggest run for its money.
08:06The marketplace for budget race bikes is hotting up, and as top-end bikes go stratospheric in
08:11price, more and more people are looking towards top-end aluminium bikes to use in their local
08:16races. It's no secret that for a long time now, the specialised LA Sprint has had a cult following
08:23among amateur racers. Thanks in large part to the funky frameset colourways,
08:28it slots in perfectly with the rider who just wants to build up their own bike
08:31and have something cool to show for their effort.
08:34After a refresh last year, the LA Sprint borrowed the same geometry from the Tarmac SL7,
08:40and it swapped out the press-fit bottom bracket for a threaded unit.
08:44This wasn't the biggest change to the bike, though. The engineers over in Morgan Hill
08:49cooked up a brand new downtube and headtube, which, thanks to a clever hydroforming process,
08:54meant they could do away with one set of welds at the bottom bracket,
08:58but also meant we were left with some fairly unsightly ones at the headtube.
09:03Sadly, this fairly controversial decision marred the bike's initial reception.
09:08But if you can look past the aesthetics, then you are left with a bike which performs in a similar
09:13way to the much more costly Tarmac, but will not cost you nearly as much.
09:25Some aluminium road bikes provide more value than others,
09:28and Trek does a fantastic job with its Domane AL.
09:32Much like the carbon version of the Domane, its aluminium little brother is also endurance
09:37orientated, but it's not the tried and tested geometry that we like so much about this range.
09:43It's instead the different builds Trek has created and the associated price tags.
09:49For example, the Domane AL2 rim comes in at £750 and features two beautiful paint jobs
09:56and a Shimano Claris groupset. Look further up the range and you'll find six more builds,
10:02each upping the spec level progressively until you reach the top-end Gen4 Domane AL5
10:07with a Shimano 12-speed 105 mechanical groupset.
10:12What's fantastic about the range of Gen4 bikes is the use of integrated cabling to achieve that
10:17popular clean, hoseless look, ensuring the Domane AL stays up to date with modern aesthetics.
10:24Trek sits in a very small number of brands to offer such a good range of builds,
10:28and for them all to be competitively priced. So, if you're looking for a specific build
10:34and want to know you're not paying through the nose for it,
10:36the Domane AL range could be worth checking out.
10:42We couldn't have a video about the best aluminium bikes on the market
10:48without giving special mention to the Cannondale CAB13. However, we want to be clear,
10:54we are not saying the CAB13 is one of the best aluminium bikes you can go and buy in 2024.
10:59Quite frankly, the CAB13 has been superseded and has been left in the dust thanks to the
11:05sheer amount of effort and innovation other brands have put into their own aluminium bikes.
11:10So, if there's a bike we hope to see come out in 2024, it's a Cannondale CAB40. Hopefully,
11:16Cannondale has got an ace up its sleeve and will launch something truly cutting edge,
11:21cementing itself once again as the kings and queens of aluminium.
11:26Let us know down below, which aluminium bike would you pick? If you enjoyed the video,
11:31then please do drop it a like, subscribe to the channel for more content,
11:34and we will see you again very soon.