Yes, there are plenty second-hand... but when it comes to new bikes, some prices have seemingly risen far greater than inflation and few brands now offer models below £1,000. Are the days of the brand new £500 road bike well and truly over?The cost of bikes is a never-ending discussion point in the world of cycling and, like so many things in life, their prices have soared in recent times, in many cases faster than inflation.
However, in many cases the entry-level bikes of today are more expensive now, even accounting for inflation. In some cases by a quite significant amount. For example, Specialized's Allez is 66 per cent more expensive than it was back in 2014 when it cost £600., the £600 price tag of the 2014 Allez — which like today's version came with 8-speed Shimano Claris groupset and an AXIS wheelset — would be £811 today, accounting for inflation. In reality, it is now £1,000.
In 2013, the base model of Trek's range was the Trek 1.1, costing £550 at RRP. Three years later Giant's entry-level offering, the Contend, took over from the Defy, with the Contend 2 costing £525 at the time. Those prices are long gone, the Domane AL2 now £200 more expensive than the 1.1 at £750 and the Contend 2 at £849. The days of Trek, Giant and Specialized offering road bikes around the £500 mark appear to be no more.
Another caveat would be that the challenges that have hit the bike industry since Covid mean plenty of models, notably those of a couple of years ago that need shifting, have been subject to price-slashing and clearance sales, meaning you can probably find a better deal than the retail price — but on the whole, cheap road bikes aren't quite as cheap as they once were.
Less well-known names might capitalise on the more established players moving towards the £1,000 mark, perhaps suggesting the bike industry hasn't yet killed the cheap road bike if it can be saved by other brands. Indonesian-based manufacturer Polygon offers its Claris-equipped Strattos S2 for $569 .