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BikeRadar's top road bike reviews

By Matthew Cole

Following on from our mountain bike roundup yesterday, you’ll probably know that we’ve got thousands of reviews on BikeRadar, ranging from our opinions on waterproof socks to our views on high-end bikes made from exotic carbon blends. But which road bike review has been most popular over the last twelve months?

We’ve delved deep into the yearly stats to bring you the top five road bike reviews on the site. So, who came out on top?

Read on to find out…

5] Trek Madone 5.2

Trek madone 1.5:

Former pro rider Marcel Wüst tested the Madone 5.2 for us – a bike fit for Tour de France winners. Equipped with Shimano’s Ultegra SL groupset, the Madone 5.2 is a top-class racing bike that will give anyone who likes its looks a lot of pleasure on the road.

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4] Specialized Bicycles Tricross Comp

Specialized tricross comp:

Specialized’s Tricross Comp Double is an amazingly versatile machine that also happens to be lots of fun. Its cyclo-cross heritage makes it a tough, comfortable street bike that’s also fit for playing on dirt roads or making your debut in a cyclo-cross race. We loved it.

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3] Specialized Bicycles Centrum Sport

Specialized centrum sport:

The only non-pure road bike in our top five, the Centrum Sport is part of Specialized’s 'Multi Street' line-up for 2008. At just US$550, the Sport variant is one of the most stylish grab-and-go bikes we've tested this year.

It comes with a matt-black finish, disc brakes and singlespeed gearing with braze-ons galore to appeal to the hearty urban commuter.

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2] Specialized Roubaix Elite Compact

Specialized roubaix elite compact:

The Roubaix Elite is the entry-level carbon offering from Specialized, and it’s been very popular with BikeRadar readers. It was praised for its phenomenal handling, but disappointed our reviewers with its road shock absorption.

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1] Specialized Langster London

Specialized langster london:

Thousands of you have read the review of the Langster London - a special ‘pimped’ edition of Specialized's popular production fixer that has slowly evolved since landing on these shores a couple of years back.

Like Kona's Paddy Wagon, the Langster derives its name from its creator - in this case Specialized employee and US track champion, Dan Langley.

User Comments

There are 30 comments on this post

Showing 1 - 30 of 30 comments

  • Blimey, is Bikeradar sponsored by specialized?

  • specialized win the most awards in the most mags

  • Oh for gods sake, Specialized in the top 4? Really?

  • Specialized certainly is popular with Bike Radar readers. I have a Tricross Comp and really enjoy it. There is nothing similar from other manfacturers - they either having race oriented CX bikes or touring oriented models. The Tricross range covers both, and I can keep up with pure road bikes as well. Tricross rules! Well done Specialized!

  • Specialized Willier no competition

  • What about the Viner Maxima? I cant believe its not in the top 5 reviews, This was a review that almost made me buy one.

  • This isnt a very good top 5 when 4 are specialized bikes, 2 of which arn't road bikes as such. So why call it top road bike reviews???

  • specialized win the most awards in the most mags

    Now lets guess which brand has got the biggest advertising budget?

    Now what keeps mags afloat ?

  • What a surprise? Specialized ? mass product with marketing departement the size of surry. by the way. its road review , how come we have cross and mountain machines..would love to know how much bike radar got for such listing, well its christmas and staff need dosh.. give me break ,.

  • Yeah as if i would buy a Specialized before a Colnago,De Rosa,Pinarello,Tommassini.

    Has this Bike review been sanctioned my President Mugabe : )

  • Interestingly, the MTB reviews don't appear to be as contraversial. I thought Focus was C+'s favourite advertiser, sorry bike anyway....

  • What about the Kiron Scandium (09).

    You give it 5 stars and leave it out of the top 5.

    Has Wiggle cut it's advertising budget?

    Come on BR either grow a pair or strap a pair on and give us some honest reviews and results.

  • WTF?

  • what a crap top 5 - No De Rosa, Colnago, Kuota ????? WTF

  • Me thinks ppl are reading this wrong its not the top 5 best BIKES, It's the top 5 MOST popular REVIEW !!!!

    Thats the way i read it anyhow ! i.e. which bike REVIEW has been most looked at/commented on by the readers ??

  • Maybe i'm wrong but i guess if i'm right everyone will be man enough to say sorry BR lol :)

  • I bought a Specialized Tricross (Sport) based on a mini review in the cyclocross article. I agree with other posters - it can be a road bike, commuter, cyclocross or light tourer. It comes with mudguard and pannier mounts and in a wide price range (I'll upgrade mine as funds permit!). I looked around a lot and this was the most versatile bike I could find without spending a lot more on titanium.

  • @Mark_K - good point. Be nice if BR can step up and clarify how the Top 5 are selected.

  • Yet more evidence if any were needed of your bias towards specialized> One of my cycling partners has the roubaix elite and suffers from the worst road shock imageinable. As for the tricross it looks and handles like a tractor and has appalling brakes. Where are the decent bikes with flair and style? Wilier, Colnago, Pinarello even Scott? Reviewing my continued purchaseing of the mag.

  • That's a nice big Specialized banner at the top, how much do you charge for something like that?

  • Mark_K is on the money.

    "We’ve delved deep into the yearly stats to bring you the top five road bike reviews on the site"

    Most people looked at Specialized bikes during the year, according to our site stats.

    "Reviewing my continued purchaseing of the mag." - what does this mean? BikeRadar is a website. The top five are based on the website stats, nothing else.

  • Ohh do i win a prize lol :)

  • i would never buy a derosa or a colnago especially colnago old school lugged tech. they make sales on the name and are overpriced. cervelo and specialized make some of the best rode bikes and in tests are lighter and outperform those italian bikes in stiffness and other race oriented qualitys.

  • This episode tells us who has some of the best bicycle marketeers of 2008, but gives us no information about who makes the best, or best value, bikes. Shame on Bike Radar for doing such a disservice to its readers, but hey that’s business, right? Caveat emptor and all that

  • @plunt - I agree. I think all this shows is that the majority of people are searching for and finding Specialized on the BR site. If the view stats were based on registered or "known" users that would already be a step in the right direction.

    Anyway does this not point the way for BR to come up with a set of rating criteria - weight, value, price, handling etc. An innovative set of criteria would serve to help readers choose the right bike and also allow for rating "most popular" within certain criteria.

  • Crikey! guess BR don't get to try out many bikes then!

  • I had a tricross it was excellent - apart from the vibration generated from the front forkl every time I used the brakes!

    I guess this review is based on web site hits for a particular review of a bike, and so no suprise that some of the more whacky models have been slected - I expect a review of readers road bikes would reveal a very differnet top 5.

  • What a load of crap! How could the Pinarello Prince not make it into the Top 5???? How much did Specialized pay you guys? What a joke of a Top 5.

  • No Motobecane LeChampion or Novara, lol!!!

  • So I wonder who got a free Specialized for Christmas? With this list you should have! Now how about an unbiased report?

  • 1

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