Bike reviews
Halfords Bikes. Read what the experts think.
If you are looking for a great bike to get you to and from work, there's a wide range to choose from. Have a look at some of our great brands and reviews.Upload a picture of yourself on your new bike to Halfords Facebook site. The image with the most views per month will win £50 in Halfords vouchers.
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What Mountain Bike – June 2012
Voodoo Hoodoo 2012 £500 – 5/5
"Possibly the best £500 bike we’ve tested"
"The Hoodoo was the nicest bike to ride on this test, and mainly because the SR Suntour Raidon X1 fork is so good. Not many years ago a fork as good as this would have left the makers no money for a frame… And the Hoodoo’s frame is excellent. Shimano’s Alivio drivetrain is a slick shifting as far more costly gears; the Tektro hydraulic disc brakes are superb stoppers with decent modulation; and the wheel and tyre set-up is the best hard-riding trail combination of all the bikes on test."
"So, does the Hoodoo have a downside? Well, no not really. Its 13.7kg weight is a bit of a haul up the hills, but a bar-mounted fork lockout makes that easier than on the other bikes too. The overall handling feel is simply superb for a bike at this price, and we’d still be saying that if it was £600."
"At a time when some £500 bikes seem lower specced than a couple of years ago, the Voodoo Hoodoo is a breath of fresh air, and mainly because of the fork – a good fork is often even more critical to performance than the frame or anything else. So the fact the frame and its associated kit are good too is a double bonus."
Full review What Mountain Bike
Outdoor Fitness – April 2012
Carrera Virago 2012 £999.99
"The Virago is, in short, a superb bike for the money"
"It seems a disservice to the Virago to start a review by discussing its price, but it’s the elephant in the room. For a penny less than £1000 you can ride away on a bike with carbon frame, carbon forks, Shimano 105 brake/gear shifters and front and rear mechs, and Mavic wheels. What’s more, by limboing below the maximum £1k threshold it should qualify for most bike-to-work schemes."
"For the same £1k most brands can’t deliver an aluminium frame with a specification to match, and they’d plunder your wallet for another four or five hundred pounds for one of their carbon offerings."
"So how has Carrera done it? Well, it’s not by skimping on specification. Shimano 105 in all the right places provides a reliable and quick-firing gearset. The wheels are respectable too – the Mavic CXP 22 rims with Formula alloy hubs are a little heavy, but more than adequate for training rides, sociable sportives and commutes. Picking holes, we’d swiftly change the pads of the Tektro R540 brakes for sharper stopping power, add thicker handlebar tape and when finances allow, invest in a carbon seatpost for an even smoother ride."
"Yet the Virago’s full monocoque carbon fibre frame, relaxed geometry and long wheelbase already make for a smooth, comfortable ride that’s ideal for sportive riders spending long hours in the saddle."
Full review Outdoor Fitness
Road.cc – February 2012
Carrera Virago 2012 £999.99 – 4 stars
"Versatile, comfortable, performance oriented, carbon bike and a real bargain too"
"So you’ve got a thousand quid to spend on a road bike, you’ve been to the shows, you’ve got the brochures and you’ve made your shortlist, but what’s the betting Halfords’ Carrera Virago isn’t on there, more to the point… should it be?"
"Taking everything into consideration the Carrera is a performance bargain and as thousand pound carbon bikes go it can hold its head high against the budget carbon offering from the likes of Ribble and Planet X, etc. Versatility is the key and fair weather commuting, club runs, sportives and even 4th cat racing are all possible on the Virago. It’s just an easy bike to live with and thanks to the sensible build spec it’ll happily eat up the miles without compliant."
Full review Road.cc
What Mountain Bike – February 2012
Carrera Vulcan 2012 £360.00 – 4.5 stars
"Class leading handling and spec at a great price"
"Although most bikes at the £400 mark feature disc brakes, the norm is for cable-operated units. The Vulcan bucks the trend with its Clarks hydraulic stoppers, which remove the need for ongoing cable maintenance and should – in theory – offer more predictable stopping"
"The SRAM eight-speed transmission makes a change from Shimano’s ubiquity in this price range, while the tyres’ aggressive, large block thread pattern clearly mark this bike out as meaning business away from tarmac. More grip in the dirt and wet comes at the expense of easy rolling on the road, so anyone looking for a dual purpose machine might want to switch the stock threads for something that rolls smoother and quieter on the route to work."
Full review What Mountain Bike
Mountain Biking UK - February 2012
Carrera Vulcan 2012 £359.99 – 5 stars
"One of the best beginner bikes we’ve ridden"
"Halfords’ own line of Carrera mountain bikes includes several models worthy of a beginner’s attention, including the Vulcan. At £359.99 it’s the second most expensive bike on test, but the asking price buys a solid-looking spec that includes hydraulic disc brakes."
"The bike’s long top tube and short stem create an efficient and comfortable ride position for hammering out the miles, which marks the Carrera out as one of the rare entry-level machines that doesn’t make compromises in the handling department."
"If you’re new to riding off-road, chances are that you’ll find it feels a bit odd to start with, but trust us on this one – the Vulcan is impeccably well balanced. The steering manages that elusive trick of being stable enough for cruising, yet quick enough to make tight, twisty singletrack a pleasure rather than a chore."
Full review Mountain Biking UK
Cycling Active - February 2012
Carrera Virago 2012 £999.99
"This Carrera looks like an unbeatable deal"
"…it’s true that the Virago would be able to hold its own in much more exalted company. The first impression is of plushness – a beautifully smooth ride that turns stone-chipped lanes into Royal Axminster deep-pile. But not at the expense of speed. The BB30 provides a stiff platform for pedalling in and out of the saddle, and there’s minimal flex at the head tube."
"We found the geometry perfect – there’s loads of setback on the seatpost if you need it, and it’s nice to see Halfords has not gone down that supposedly sportive-specific route of the tall head tube. The Virago’s head tube is aggressively short, so you can put your head down and really smash it if you want to."
"Getting a mostly Shimano 105 groupset at this price is remarkable, and shifting performance is crisp and precise. Likewise, Mavic’s CXP 22 semi-aero rims are another boon. Maybe the only thing missing that’s now fairly commonplace is the internal cable routing in at least one of the tubes. It’s not a deal breaker however, and sometimes if this is done cheap it can result in annoying rattles. Another plus for the Virago is that it runs completely silently."
Full review Cycling Active
Fitness Blogger Article
Carrera Virago Limited Edition - £999.99
"Probably the best thousand pounds I’ve spent"
"At first it appeared that for a grand carbon was not an option, trawling the usual ‘big brand’ specialist manufacturers I would have to part for at least an extra £400 to equip myself with a carbon frame. That’s before I looked at halfords.com and found the Carrera Virago."
"The Carrera Virago has a compact frame with slightly slacker angles than some, giving a more comfortable stand over height and giving a less ‘twitchy’ ride. Where die-hard racers will say this is bad, the majority of us will thank the designers for going easy on us. Riding is responsive but you don’t feel like you’re riding over the front wheel and about to have a teeth-in-tarmac moment if you touch the brakes."
"So – what do you get for a grand? From Halfords quite a lot it would seem"
"The Virago certainly delivers bang for buck. Having spent more money than I care to admit to on bikes this is probably the best thousand pounds I’ve spent in quite a while!"
Full review Fitness Blogger
What Mountain Bike - January 2012
Carrera Fury 2012 £599.99 – 4.5 stars
"Still a benchmark starter bike for technical XC trails"
"Carrera’s Fury has been the entry-level hardtail to beat for a while. It’s a burly cross-country bike that’s well specced, and good enough to hit the majority of UK trails"
"For the 2012 model, rather than inflate the price, Halfords adjusted the spec. The Fury’s most obvious change is its fork. It’s still a 120mm air fork from Suntour with a screw-thru 15mm axle: a Raidon X2 instead of an Epicon. Gearing is still X5, except it’s 10-speed with a 36/24 double-and-bash crankset. The BB is better, it’s an FSA external bearing one instead of the previous Octalink"
"Compared to many XC bikes at this price, the Fury has a more sat up, trail-friendly stance, thanks to its taller fork, shorter, more steeply angled stem, and wide bar. Even though it’s not a slack-angled hardcore hardtail and doesn’t have extra steering trail to stabilise it, you can still hit technical sections with confidence"
Full review What Mountain Bike
What Mountain Bike - December 2011
Boardman Urban MTB Team 2011 £849.99 – 4.5 stars
"The Spec is superb and the rigid carbon fork makes for a light, direct and sprightly ride feel"
"Weighing 10.6kg, this is one of the lightest, mountain bike we’ve tested for under £1000"
"Off the peg, this is a very fast commuter in mountain bike form. While it’s fun to see how well you can ride on dry trails with slick tyres, the beauty of this carbon-forked Boardman, once you’ve treated it to proper mountain bike treads, is the way its low weight makes it feel so sprightly, tight and direct. Be generous with tyre size and it’s forgiving even without suspension. In fact, it comes close to feeling like a cross-country race bike, but at half the price"
Full review What Mountain Bike
Bikeradar.com - November 2011
Carrera carbon road 2011 £999.99
Carrera unveil sub-£1,000 carbon road bike
Halfords in-house brand Carrera have unveiled their first carbon fibre road bike. The limited edition Virago is available now via their website and comes in at £999.99, making it suitable for Halfords' cycle2work scheme.
It’s a limited edition model, with just 50 bikes available to buy before Christmas. Features include a full-carbon frameset, Shimano 105 shifters and derailleurs, BB30 bottom bracket, Mavic CXP-22 rims, FSA Gossamer crankset and Tektro brakes. The Virago is available in four sizes – 52cm, 56cm, 58cm and 60cm. For more details, visit the Halfords website.
For more please visit Bikeradar.com.
What Mountain Bike - November 2011
Boardman CX Team 2011 £899.99 - 5 stars
"Precise handling plus powerful stop and go performance make the Boardman an absolute bargain"
"It might be the cheapest bike in the test at £900, but Boardman clearly isn’t messing about. While it’s heavier and slower than a same price road bike, the excellent oversized BB30 crankset power delivery is matched by precise and immediate handling clarity that’s great for carving through jams or traffic. There’s enough tyre and disc-specific Ritchey rim underneath you to let you take rough shortcuts too"
"The rougher the terrain got the more we appreciated the smoother full carbon fork compared to the Whyte. Also, the totally honest and clearly communicated handling makes it clear when you’re getting into trouble early enough to back off and get out of it, rather than leading you on matador style. The fact it never gave any hint it was 25% cheaper then the two other bikes is also undeniably impressive"
Full review What Mountain Bike
What Mountain Bike - October 2011
Boardman HT Pro 2011 £999.99 - Best in Class
"A properly trail capable, state of the art ‘all you need’ hardtail for an absolute bargain price"
"Boardman has delivered outstanding value, grouptest-winning bikes from the beginning, so it’s no surprise to find them in the running for the value bike of the year"
"While previous bikes have been outstandingly light or brilliantly specced for the money, they haven’t always been the most rideable or rough and ready all-rounders. This year Boardman has added a bit more travel, a bit more a bit more bar and a bit more tyre girth, which all adds up to a much more capable, confident and trail ready ride. Top it off with the latest 2x10 componentry, proven wheels and a top quality frame that’s well worth upgrading and the HT Pro is all the bike you’ll ever really need."
"VERDICT Enthusiastically light and lively but confident enough for tackling anything. Nobody beats Boardman for value this year"
Full review What Mountain Bike
What Mountain Bike - October 2011
Carrera Fury 2011 - £599.99
"Best ‘Entry Level’ XC Hardtail"
"At a price where most bikes are faltering at the first real hurdle, the Fury is firing off up trails with enthusiasm and control. It’s a huge amount of bike for the money"
Full review What Mountain Bike
What Mountain Bike - August 2011
Boardman HT Pro 2011 £999.99 - 4.5 stars
"Sorted style and killer value is an irresistible combo – another winner from Boardman"
"Boardman has a reputation for killer value, and the HT Pro will enhance that – it’s amazingly well-equipped for its price. It’s not just a couple of headline-grabbing pieces, either – the HT Pro has a great spec everywhere you look"
"Boardman’s UK-centric design is right on the money, with well-balanced and confident handling making it an excellent all-rounder. The Boardman’s svelte weight definitely helps its trail manners – it’s the lightest bike here by some margin, over a pound lighter than the next lightest and three pounds lighter than the heaviest. The HT Pro never feels flimsy, though, with the frame proving suitably solid. It’s not shy of being pushed hard into corners and there’s no shortage of stomp-and-go potential"
Full review What Mountain Bike
Cycling Plus - August 2011
Boardman Road Race £649.99 - 4 stars
"It is bikes like the Race on which Boardman Bikes built its reputation: a straightforward, attractive road bike at a wallet friendly price. A machine designed to appeal to the newbie or occasional sportive rider, or perhaps someone returning to cycling. Boardman is up against brands with history behind them, but if offers as much – or more – for your money at just about any price point"
"As usual, Chris and co have put together an extremely attractive package. And while the Race is aimed at the wannabe weekend racer or sportive rider, Boardman has sensibly made room for front and rear mudguards, adding year round versatility, so that this summer’s racing bike can double as next winter’s trainer. If you’ve got £600 - £700 to spend on your first serious road bike, the Race is a definite contender for your cash"
Full review Cycling Plus
Cycling Active - August 2011
Voodoo Marasa 2011 £349.99 – Overall Rating 85%
"On first sight, most people who see the Voodoo Marasa assume it’s a bike of at least £500, a price point more commonly associated with one rather expensive feature: Shimano hydraulic disc brakes. There’s so many advantages to disc brakes on an every day bike – they won’t wear the wheel rims, they perform well and probably most importantly on a bike like this, they’re pretty much maintenance-free"
"If you do want a bike that’ll handle the rough with the smooth, if you’re allergic to tinkering and maintenance you’ll struggle to find more bike for your buck"
Full review Cycling Active
220 Triathlon - Summer 2011
Boardman Road Race 2011 - £649.99
"The alloy frame has smooth welds, and the drillings for mudguards show that the Race could well become a winter trainer later in the year. The geometry is on the relaxed side and, in combination with the FSA compact chainset, is perfect for sportives, novices and long, steady training rides"
"The carbon fork and alloy steerer aren’t usually seen at this price point and significantly improve the ride. Mavic CXP22 wheels may be packing some weight, but they’re both tough and reliable"
Full review 220 Triathlon
BikeRadar.com – July 2011
Carrera Kraken 2011 - £499.99
"With bike prices souring, due to currency fluctuations and rises in the cost of raw materials, it’s becoming increasingly rare to find a sub-£500 mountain bike that can actually cut it off-road. However, it looks like UK high street chain Halfords are on the right track, if this Carrera Kraken is anything to go by"
"We haven’t reviewed a Kraken for a few years, but it was a hit with both our testers and readers back in 2007, and the new version looks even better. From a distance you could easily mistake it for a bike costing twice as much"
Full review BikeRadar.com
Cycling Active - Summer 2011
Boardman CX Team 2011 - £899.99
"...the best of the current crop is this recently launched CX Team"
"For just under £900, you get a quite amazing amount of bike. There’s Boardman’s all-new super-light aluminium frame, a versatile SRAM Apex drivetrain, super-effective Avid disc brakes, and a carbon fork"
"We’re always harping on about do-it-all bikes but, for the money, we don’t think you can find a machine that will cope with sportives, commutes and off-road forays quite as ably as this"
Full review Cycling Active
Cycling Active - Summer 2011
Boardman Road Team 2011 - £999.99
"We liked… Terrific value and smooth-welded frame. Overall Rating… 91%"
"…right from the first pedal stroke it was clear that the Team is a genuine quality bike and it seemed crazy to have ever wondered whether Boardman might not deliver this time. You’re in safe hands and you always sense the expertise behind these bikes"
"Many friends took the smooth welds and detailing on the lightweight aluminium frame for carbon; indeed the fork is carbon. But what’s amazing – and noticeable on back-to-back comparisons – are the top drawer ‘hidden’ features; the tapered head-tube and steerer for added strength and the BB30 bottom bracket for increased stiffness. Having ridden the bike on several Alpine passes, you definitely notice how solid your pedalling action feels, particularly when stomping on the gas (boxy chainstays aid this further); descending is far more stable and reassuring."
"The Geometry is absolutely spot on… it simply feels ergonomically efficient in a no-nonsense way."
Full review Cycling Active
Cycling Plus - Summer 2011
Boardman Hybrid Pro 2011 £999.99 – 4 stars
"Its hard to fault the Pro as a high-end hybrid"
"The Boardman stayed comfortable over 100km, and its 61cm bar is an ideal width compromise, working well in most situations, The saddle and carbon seatpost are a great combination, and the compact chainset and 11-28 cassette provide the widest ranging and most practical gearing, with super-slick SRAM shifting."
Full review Cycling Plus
London Cyclist - June 2011
Boardman Road Team £999.99
"Incedible value and ride. At just 18.5lbs this bike is rapid, only your legs will hold you back."
"Like other Boardman bikes we’ve tested, the 2011 Team defies logic: the sum of the parts adds up to considerably more that the retail price, while the technology and finishing is usually only found on bikes twice as expensive. Not that we’re complaining."
"Shimano 105 shifters and mechs are paired with FSA compact chainset all worked flawlessly. The Tektro brakes were only left wanting on the longest descents and Mavic’s Aksium wheelset ran fine, but the Vittorio Zaffiro tyres lacked grip in the wet. Impressive own brand finishing kit too."
Full review London Cyclist
What Mountain Bike - June 2011
Boardman FS Team £999.99 - verdict 4.5/5 Stars
"If you want a top-performing all-rounder and don’t want to spend more than £1000, buy one of these"
"Boardman’s well-regarded FS Team has had a ground-up redesign for 2011, but maintains the brand’s reputation for value for money. It's an impressive step up from the old model, which was an excellent bike. The new model is light, amazingly well-equipped and certainly won’t hold you back out on the trails."
Ride and handling: Inspiring trail manners and great looks
"With a little more rear travel than most of the competition at this price (130mm/5.1in), Boardman have opted for a RockShox Sektor fork up front to match. Impressively for the money, it’s a QR15 through-axle variant. "
"Combined with the big frame tubes and tapered steerer, there’s no shortage of front-end stiffness and the Team FS tackles rough trails with considerable authority, helped along by relaxed geometry. The fork uses RockShox’s simpler TK damping setup, but it behaved itself perfectly well."
"RockShox’s Monarch rear shock impressed, too – with a laser-etched sag gauge and adjustable Floodgate platform damping, it’s easy to set up and tune. All this talk of through-axles and oversized frame tubes makes the Team FS sound heavy, but it weighs just over 29lb. That’s impressive for a longish-travel bike at under £1,000."
Full review Bikeradar.com
Triathlete's World - June 2011
Boardman Road Race £649.99 - verdict 9/10
"You cannot go wrong if you are looking for a race-ready machine"
"Out on the road the Boardman really does seem to be in a different class to the other bikes on test. It rides smoothly on the flat, the full carbon fork soaking up road bumps, but when it comes to hills, the stiff aluminium frame responds well to a kick on the pedals and we blast the usual north London hill repeat circuit with ease."
"What’s most impressive about this bike is the price; at £649.99 you cannot go wrong if you are looking for a race-ready machine. Double bottle-cage mounts mean plenty of options for hydration, tapered rear stays look stiff and pretty, and the white Arione-esque saddle tops off the elegant look."
"Boardman has an enviable racing heritage and that has filtered all the way down to its entry-level bikes. This wannabe racer certainly looks the part and has superior componentry to back it up."
Full review Triathlete's World
MBR – June 2011
Voodoo Wanga 2011 £999.99 – verdict 9/10
"…It’s terrific fun to ride and the best package in this test – light, fast and giving the confidence usually reserved for full-sussers. It’s almost worth buying for the performance of the fork alone. With a few rider tweaks we’d probably give the Wanga full marks next year"
Full review MBR
Auto Express
Carrera Transport £299.99 – 4 stars
Auto Express Recommended 2011
"At £300, the Halfords-sourced Carrera is a bargain, given it’s lighter and easier to fold than the £200 Apollo. Unfolding is simple, too, and with large wheels and eight gears, it’s just as comfortable to ride in town"
Full review Auto Express
Auto Express
Apollo Transition £199.99 – 3 stars
"…Great to ride in town, it also scored for comfort and, with its six gears, proved easy to pedal uphill. But quality is as you expect at this low price – there are no locks to hold the bike together when folded. And it’s too bulky to challenge the best."
Full review Auto Express
What Mountain Bike – June 2011
Voodoo Hoodoo 29er £479.99 – 3.5 stars
"Bigger 29in wheels roll more smoothly over rough terrain than 26in wheels, so I was able to just about keep up with Steve’s B-17 on descents and the stiff power delivery was quicker on the climbs."
"Its heft weight means acceleration isn’t easy, but the extra control meant I could claw back Justin’s early lead when things got more technical. Overall handling is okay and the frame is good enough to upgrade with better tyres, forks and so on."
Full review What Mountain Bike
Cycling Plus
Carrera TDF LTD 2011 - £449.99
"Much better than expected for the price – a sound and tough first road bike" 3.5 stars
"On miles of rural and urban routes, the Carrera was glitch-free and very pleasant to ride. We’re not sure that the aero profile down-tube on the 6061 aluminium frame contributes much to speed or performance, but on a more practical note there’s clearance and eyelets both for mudguards and for a rear rack."
"...It should prove as tough as old boots. Its 36-spoke wheels are solid, dependable and should soak up a lot of punishment, and if the bike does need tweaking there’s a free service from high street giant Halfords after six weeks."
Full review Cycling Plus.
Singletrack Magazine – Issue 65
Boardman FS Team 2011 – £1000.00
Singletrack Recommended
"At 130mm travel, the Boardman FS Team walks the fine line between capable all-day riding and 'play bike', and does it well. Attention to detail is great, as is the working of aluminium, as seen on the marvellously sculpted rear postmount mount for the rear caliper. The Boardman FS Team is as much bike, for as little money, as many riders will ever need."
Full review www.singletrackworld.com
The Bicycle Buyer
Boardman Hybrid Pro 2011 - £1000.00
What’s it like to ride?
"Once you’re tuned into the nuances of bike company marketing blurb, you tend to take everything with a pinch, if not a barrel, of salt, but sometimes the endorsements do ring true. This is indeed a ‘superlight frame’, so much so that passers by in the office conducted the lift it up and put it down test wouldn’t believe the Hybrid Pro was actually constructed from triple-butted alloy. But it is, engineered into this aggressively speed obsessed form, with tapered steerer, BB30 bottom bracket, carbon fork and monster chainstays. The result is a lighting rod of a hybrid that feels almost as stiff, responsive and agile as a road bike. Driven by a mixed bag of components including a compact FSA Energy 50/34T chainset, Shimano cassette, Microshift front derailleur and SRAM Rival rear mech, shifting however is slick and reliable and the SRAM double tap thumb shifters are a joy to use once you become accustomed to them. The Avid Elixir disc brakes and levers provide more than enough punch to halt the Boardman without being overly snappy, which is a good job as this bikes implores you at every turn to put the hammer down."
Would we buy it?
"Without question. Dispelling the belief that hybrids are boring, soulless bikes, Boardman have once again raised the bar in yet another category of bike."
For the full Bicycle Buyer thebicyclebuyer.com
The Bicycle Buyer
Boardman HT Pro 2011 - £1000.00
What’s it like to ride?
"Literally just released as we type this, we however been privileged enough to have had our paws on the HT Pro for a couple of months now and we can confirm that it’s as good in the flesh as it is on paper. Made from triple-butted alloy and featuring a tapered headtube, BB30 bottom bracket and colossal box-section chainstays, the HT Pro’s frame is an engineering lesson in the generation of stiffness, efficient power transfer and speed, with a concession to comfort being the curvy wishbone seatstays. And the results are electrifying once you get this out in the wild. Perfectly poised, lightning quick and light, clocking in at just 11.5KG for a M, the HT Pro is quite basically a revelation at this price. Demanding you take risks and challenge yourself, while we wouldn’t suggest that this will make you a better rider, it will however actively encourage your development, ferociously. Equipped with a 120mm travel RockShox Reba RL Fork, SRAM X9 drivetrain components paired with an FSA Comet 42 x 27T chainset, Avid Elixir R brakes and Mavic XM317 rims laced to formula hubs, the hardware assembled here is just as impressive as the frame it’s attached to."
Would we buy it?
"Duh? Of course we would. Offering all but un-matchable performance at this Cycle To Work Scheme friendly price the HT Pro excels in every department and is frankly phenomenal. A £1000 suddenly doesn’t seem like a lot of money to spend when you ride this bike."
For the full Bicycle Buyer thebicyclebuyer.com
"Hot Stuff" – Stuff Magazine
Boardman Hybrid Pro - £1000.00
It’s all too easy to let your eyes be drawn by retro cruisers or hip fixed-gear minimalism, but if you want to go up hills and ride fast and do other useful bike stuff, you may regret it. This Boardman is an all-rounder for the cyclist about town. Seriously light, thanks to its triple-butted aluminium frame and carbon forks, and reassuringly expensive for mostly the same reasons, it has high-end 20-speed SRAM gears and Avid disc brakes. It’ll go like stink. You could even stick cyclocross tyres on it and head for the muddier bits of the park. Whatever: just ride.
Full review Stuff Magazine
Mail on Sunday, Live Magazine 10th April
Carerra Transport - 4 Stars - £300.00
For the price, this small-wheeled but nippy folder is a bargain: it packs away neatly (although a bit lumpily), handles OK and features good gearing. But component quality isn't great (you do get the rack and mudguards fo free), so you may want to upgrade as you go - and certainly expect a bit more maintenance.
Wheel size - 20in
Size folded - 33 x 26x 20in
Folding time - 20 secs
Weight - 12.7kg
Gears - 8
Full review Mail on Sunday, Live Magazine 10th April
Fresh Goods - Singletrackworld.com March
Boardman FS Team 2011 - £1000.00
"It’s the end of the week, the sun is shining and it’s time for Fresh Goods. While it may have been slim pickings the past couple of weeks, this time the delivery drivers have been queuing round the corner...."
"This bike has had us a little slack jawed with amazement. Halfords’ own brands have had a somewhat poor reputation in the past, but the Boardman bikes have been doing an awful lot to counter that. This is their entry full sus trail bike that we’ve got in for Issue 65′s affordable full sus bike test. The triple butted aluminium alloy frame has got nice looking flattened welds everywhere and uses a four bar linkage at the back to give 130mm travel. Up front there are Rock Shox Sektor forks with rebound and lockout adjustment as well as 15mm Maxle. There’s a SRAM X7 2×10 drivetrain with a FSA crank up front and (new 2012) Elixir 3 brakes. Finishing kit is an array of own brand stuff that all looks functional too."
Full review www.singletrackworld.com
Budget nuggets – Cycling Active
Carrera TDF Ltd Road Bike 2011 - £349.99
"We’ve never featured a complete bike in our ‘Budget nuggets’ section before, and although £350.00 isn’t exactly spare change, we do think this qualifies as a great deal. Halfords’ Carrera own-brand releases a special Tour de France model each year, and although it’s a few months early, this is the 2011 version. The frame is made from 6061 lightweight aluminium and is kitted out with Shimano’s lowest-spec 2300 groupset and Tektro brakes. That means, though, that it comes fitted with genuine integrated STI levers, so you’ll get the full road bike sensation at a bargain price tag.
Full review Cycling Active May 2010
Best road bikes under £1,000 - Cycling Plus
Boardman Road Team (2011) £999.99 - 4.5 Stars
"Hard to fault; should appeal to racers and distance riders"
"Boardman have set the standard over the past few years at this price, and their 2011 Road Team looks likely to continue that trend. At first glance the frame appears to be carbon, but in fact the fantastic finish disguises a beautifully smooth-welded aluminium frame. If you closed your eyes when riding it – not something we’d recommend – you’d swear you were on a much more expensive bike."
"When it comes to the ride experience there’s actually very little between this and the Cube, with a great balance of performance and comfort, helped by good wheels and tyres and a carbon seatpost. Another very impressive effort from Chris and co."
- Weight: 8.99kg
- Frame: Triple butted aluminium
- Fork: Carbon
- Groupset: Shimano 105, FSA Gossamer chainset
- Wheels: Mavic Aksium Race
For the full Bikeradar.com review visit Bikeradar.com
Boardman Hybrid Team (2011) £749.99 - 4.5 stars
"The benchmark mid-range hybrid for more athletic riding"
"Boardman bikes are always good value, with spec levels that can make rivals look ordinary by comparison. That’s because they’re sold solely through UK motoring and leisure chain Halfords, which relieves the pressure of dealer margins and means more money in the budget for, say, a groupset one tier higher."
"But there’s more to making a good bike than throwing money at it. It still has to be designed properly. This is. It could have a slightly wider gear range but otherwise it's uncompromised. Ride to work with mudguards and rack. Do intervals on it in the lanes. Change the tyres and turn up at a cyclo-cross race. Or just use it for hammering around on."
For the full Bikeradar.com review visit Bikeradar.com
Boardman MTB Team FS (2010) £999.99 - 4 stars
"Smooth, responsive frame plus an astonishing value spec make the Team FS an unbeatable bargain"
"When it comes to getting the riding basics right and then topping them off with a component package that’s outrageous value, few brands get anywhere near Boardman. The Team FS is no exception if you want a light and racy full-suspension all-rounder. Its clean speed and rapid responsiveness is obvious straight away."
"Not only is it significantly lighter than the competition at this price, but it’s also impressively stable under power. Skinny and occasionally limiting tyres aside, what you’re looking at here is a bike that can be ridden as hard as anything else that’s double the price and deliver a vast amount of fun in the process. The smooth, responsive frame plus an astonishing value spec make the Team FS an unbeatable bargain."
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Boardman MTB HT Pro (2010) £999.99 - 4 stars
"Astonishing lightweight speed and kit value that’s perfect for racing and mile eating – but not a trail bruiser"
"You can't fault the Boardman on acceleration, and it's similarly dominant on long, non-technical climbs. The mid-width bar and neutral geometry mean it’s vice-free and responsive when the trees thicken and the corners tighten, too. In fact it’ll skip and thread through smooth singletrack as fast as anything else at this price range, with that lethal acceleration kick waiting to make gaps whenever you get the chance."
"On rougher trails and beneath more aggressive riders the HT Pro begins to struggle due to its skinny, fragile tyres and flexy wheels. There’s not much tyre clearance for anything much bigger so it’s not a wise choice for rocky areas. For lighter riders and smoother trails, though, it offers the best blend of cross-country performance and value for money going."
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VooDoo Bokor (2010) £749.99 - 4.5 stars
"Great ride, great kit, phenomenal value – an outstanding all-round entertainer for the money"
"Voodoo have been around for over a decade, eschewing the usual range changes in favour of gradual development when it makes sense. Lighter, faster, better controlled and better equipped than most other bikes at this price, the Bokor offers an outstanding all-round ride. Geometry is on the rapid and racy side, but balanced with a mid-length stem and well shaped, if slightly narrow, riser bar to put a reassuring amount of control into your hands."
"The RockShox Recon fork with its Motion Control damping makes a noticeable difference to overall control, and the frame itself is no uncultured coat hanger either, with a reasonable amount of spring and shock absorption. This keeps the whole bike feeling coherent and balanced, and lets you work the tyres, traction and your skills to the limit."
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Boardman MTB HT Comp (2010) £699.99 - 4.5 stars
"A very keenly priced cross-country racer and singletrack accelerator. Its superior fork makes it light and lithe"
"The Boardman Comp looks like it should cost a lot more than it does. And yes, that is a RockShox Recon Solo Air up front. You don’t see many air forks on £900 bikes, let alone £700 ones. It’s the main reason for the bike’s expensive-feeling, nuanced performance, plus it drives the weight down. The Comp comes in at a whisker under 26lb without pedals, making it one of the lightest bikes we've tested at this price."
"The Comp’s natural homes are pedally singletrack, all-day epics or race start lines. It’ll keep pace with any sub-£1,000 26in hardtail, yet it’s not built solely for speed. While it’s got fairly steep cross-country race style angles, the big bar and plush fork give trail confidence, and it remains composed on the downhills too. Get this bike if you’re after the raciest hardtail for under £900, and then trouser the spare £200."
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Carrera Fury (2009/10) £599.99 - 5 stars
"Top-quality hardtail that’s great fun on technical cross-country trails and light and pacy enough to go fast or far"
"The Fury is a starter bike that strikes an excellent balance. It’s sorted for black route fun and games, being bags of fun on descents, yet it can still climb and keep pace with most nose-in-the-air niche bike riders who try to overtake you on the flat. It’s got a kind of handle-anything panache as well as a premium ride."
"It’s not only got a great fork and a solid spec, its slightly slacker angles and bigger bar and tyres than most mountain bikes at this price demonstrate an understanding of how riders are using entry-level hardtails these days. Some budget bikes can be a chore to ride and to test, but the Fury was never anything less than fun."
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Boardman Team Carbon 2010 - £999.99
"A lightweight, efficient frame and excellent level of spec combine to produce an outstanding bike for the money"
"Boardman Bikes have only been around for three years but they’ve already gained a reputation for offering remarkable performance at excellent prices. The Team Carbon is the cheapest carbon fibre model in the line-up, ducking in at just under the £1,000 mark."
"The Team Carbon is a sparky character that can’t wait to get up to race pace. Light weight means acceleration is swift and you get an instant hit of speed whenever you increase the intensity."
For the full review click Source: Bikeradar.com
Boardman MTB Team FS 2010 - £999
"Smooth, responsive frame plus an astonishing value spec make the Team FS an unbeatable bargain"
"When it comes to getting the riding basics right and then topping them off with a component package that’s outrageous value, few brands get anywhere near Boardman. The Team FS is no exception if you want a light and racy full-suspension all-rounder."
"Skinny and occasionally limiting tyres aside, what you’re looking at here is a bike that can be ridden as hard as anything else that’s double the price and deliver a vast amount of fun in the process"
Ride & handling: The best £1,000 full-suspension bike you can buy
For the full review click Source: Bikeradar.com
Boardman MTB HT Comp 2010 - £700
"A very keenly priced cross-country racer and singletrack accelerator. Its superior fork makes it light and lithe"
"The Boardman Comp looks like it’s wandered in accidentally from a higher priced bike test. But no, that’s what it costs. And yes, that is a RockShox Recon fork."
"Butted and hydroformed tubes form the aluminium frame. Here the welds have been smoothed out or filled in before being painted over, so it looks almost as if the frame has been fillet brazed. It makes it hard to tell whether the reinforcement at the head tube is a genuine gusset or the result of more hydroforming."
For the full review click Source: Bikeradar.com
Carrera Fury 2010 - £599
"Top-quality hardtail that’s great fun on technical cross-country trails and light and pacy enough to go fast or far"
"The Fury is a starter bike that strikes an excellent balance. It’s sorted for black route fun and games, being bags of fun on descents, yet it can still climb and keep pace with most nose-in-the-air niche bike riders who try to overtake you on the flat."
"Ride & handling: Lightweight, big-grin hardtail that will handle pretty much anything."
For the full review click Source: Bikeradar.com
Voodoo Bokor 2010 - £749.99
"Top quality, top value and very versatile bike that you’ll enjoy on every ride"
"Voodoo have been around for over a decade, eschewing the usual range changes in favour of gradual development when it makes sense. The Bokor offers both spellbinding value and a bewitching ride. Lighter, faster, better controlled and better equipped than most other bikes at this price and with extra transmission versatility thrown in, it’s a clear win all the way for the Voodoo Bokor."
Source: Bikeradar.com
http://www.halfords.com
Boardman Cyclo Cross CX 2010 - £999.99
"Excellent off-road performance, and comfy on the cobbles too"
"Chris Boardman never raced cyclo-cross during his pro career, telling us that he – understandably – “wanted some time out after a long summer’s racing”. Now that he’s not competing he tells us he likes riding tracks and trails, at the moment using a Boardman Hybrid Pro with a cut-down bar. Well, with a ’cross machine in his range he can now replace the Hybrid with this somewhat more suitable beast."
Source: Bikeradar.com
http://www.boardmanbikes.com
http://www.halfords.com
www.halfords.com