The Bike Test THREE GRAND DAYS OUT

As prices creep up, senior tech ed Warren Rossiter finds out if big miles have to mean big money by testing three endurance bikes worth under £3,000 each

- Warren Rossiter

The bikes

Cannondale Synapse Carbon 4 £2,400

Cube Attain GTC SL 62.499

Giant Defy Advanced O £2.899

Need to know

What makes an endurance road bike different to a performance road bike, and what should you consider when buying one? Here's our five-step guide

AN ENDURANCE BIKE, at first glance, looks much like the bikes you'll see racing through France in July, but look more closely and you'll see there are some subtle but significant differences, which make them more suitable for the likes of you and I rather than two-time Tour de France winner Tadej Pogačar and his pro peloton pals. An endurance bike is made for day-long comfort, putting you in a more upright position that puts less strain on your lower back, for example.

01 Geometry for big rides

It really is all about ride position. While a performance race bike has a longer, lower riding position, using stack and reach (see Bike Tech Explained box) to maximise aero gains, an endurance bike ups the comfort, with a shorter reach and taller stack. Though the riding position is still sportier than you'll find on a gravel bike or tourer.

02 Year-round use

An endurance bike should also be better for year-round use, with increased tyre clearances so you can fit larger, more weatherproof tyres come winter and its more treacherous riding conditions. They may also have useful details such as mudguard mounts.

03 Sporty but not just for sport