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May 23, 2008
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Where can I find an entry-level road bike for $1,000 or less?
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Scattante R-330 Road Bike (courtesy, Performance)
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You have written quite a bit about road bikes that range from $2,000 to $4,000. What about entry-level bikes? REI’s Novara brand has bikes for $799.
— Chris
Seattle, Washington
Do you have a question of your own?
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 That’s an inadvertent oversight, as the world is awash with good-quality bikes
for $1,000 or less. That’s especially true when the subject is a “house brand”
bike, such as the Novara line, sold exclusively at REI stores.
Take the Divano ($799), a road bike that’s designed to be comfortable and
flexible, so you could use it as a commuter or a training bike, or even for your
first fast century ride. It has a light aluminum frame; drivetrain and brake
components from Shimano, FSA, Ritchey, and other good brands; and a triple
chainring so you can tackle any hill without fear. Overall, it’s a great bargain.
Performance also has
some good buys within its Scattante house brand. Currently, for instance, you can
score a $1,000 R-330—a road bike with specs that are a touch higher than on
the Divano—for $600. Dirt cheap! The R-330 has a triple chainring, aluminum
frame, Shimano go-bits, and even a carbon fork for a smoother ride.
In the name-brand world, Giant has carved out a large niche for itself as a purveyor
of high-quality, well-priced bikes. That company’s OCR A1, for instance, has a
frame that’s made from aluminum and carbon fiber, with mid-range Shimano 105
components and a relaxed geometry that’s great for long rides. At $1,500, it’s a
good buy in a bike that’s right on the edge of the higher-performance models.
Or, for an even $1,000, there’s Cannondale Synapse 6. It has the usual suspects in this price
range: aluminum frame, Shimano Tiagra components, and a few carbon parts (seat
post and fork) to shave some ounces and take some of the jitteriness out of the
aluminum frame. But it’s a nice bike, totally name-brand, and completely
reliable.
The 2008 Summer Outside Buyer’s Guide is now on newsstands. Look
for it online soon.
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