THE BEST FOR LESS

DO YOU HAVE TO SPEND FIVE-FIGURE SUMS TO TRULY GET THE BEST PERFORMING BIKES FOR YOUR LOFTY AGE-GROUP GOALS? WARREN ROSSITER INVESTIGATES

- WARREN ROSSITER

RACY ROAD BIKES

When searching for the top-performing bikes to carry you to age group glory, it's only natural to check out what the pro triathletes are sitting astride. But a courteous glance at the pro cycling circuit is also a worthwhile exercise.

Thanks to Tadej Pogačar, Colnago once again topped the podium at the Tour de France last year with the V3Rs. The year also saw Specialized launch its S-Works Aethos - the world's lightest production road bike and one that Specialized says wasn't even built for professional riders (even though a few did ride them in the toughest climbing stages of the Tour).

In their range-topping guises, each of these bikes would set you back a five-figure sum, which, however you look at it, is a huge amount to spend on a bike. Thankfully, though, both Colnago and Specialized offer versions of their bikes at more affordable prices.

First up is the Specialized Aethos Comp, which, at £4,500 (£5,000 for the 2022 model), is less than half the price of the £11,500 S-Works Aethos. Colnago's V3 also comes in at £4.5k and is the budget version of this year's Tour winner. And although neither can lay any claim to being a bargain, they each profess to offer an experience that's similar to their full-price counterparts. But do they really? The S-Works Aethos frame is built from Specialized's highest-grade FACT (Functional Advanced Composite Technology) 12r carbon, whereas the Aethos Comp is made from lower-spec ior carbon but uses the same molds as the S-Works. It weighs in at a mere 699g, so is still one of the lightest production frames you can buy. It carries less weight than Colnago's 790g Tour-winning V3Rs, Cannondale's 866g SuperSix EVO and Specialized's 800g Tarmac SL7.