THe darkside is calling loudly, and to make it worse, I'm being seduced by a bike from Halfords. What has become of me?

Pics and reviews of Boardman's most welcome 🙂

BikeRadar has a couple. IME the bar tape is painfully thin and needs changing straight away. Also there used to be an issue with the wheels – they didn't seem very well built – so check the spoke tension if you get one. It might be sorted by now.

Which one are you interested in? The prices went up a bit recently.

Would love the one at 1600, but can't really tretcth that far so thinking 1200 looks good value.

http://www.bikeradar.com/gear/category/bikes/road/product/team-carbon-10-37560

http://www.bikeradar.com/gear/category/bikes/road/product/team-carbon-10-37560

They like it, bike snobs don't!

bought a 9sp tiagra equiped one (cheap one) about `18 months ago – i love it. It's not by any stretch a top of the range machine but it does do everything pretty well – will be out on it tonight.

i know a few people with them and a few have not liked the continental tyres – although i don't mind them.

oh yeah i don't really like the saddle but have put centuries in on it. I have just bought a new one for it though.

James has two 'road' bikes (and far too many mountain, jump. trail. dh … bikes..) a Boardman and a Ribble, prefers the Boardman but he did change the wheels.

I have a team Carbon. Bought last dec when it was still under 1k for bike to work scheme. First proper road bike, used 90% for commuting which has put about 900 miles on it so far.

Stem too long for me (and I'm lanky from the hips up!) on the Large, went to a 110. Wheels are probably cheapest kit on there but held up despite the pot holes and generally rubbish roads on my commute. It's fast, light and fun to ride. And I don't like road bikes much!

So far, haven't had to change anything and rode through the winter. Have a white one which is a buggr to clean (esp tape, which I haven't changed but it is thin). SRAM rival stuff works really well, frame is stiff but you can ride for ever if you have the legs, components all seem to work.

So not much to compare it against, but very happy and am considering a cheap hack for this winter to keep it for nice days.

Crazy-legs on here has one and he's a proper roadie. I'm sure he'll be along shortly with a proper review 🙂

I bought one of the older pros (they were £1600 originally I think – the carbon rear triangle ones) off ebay a couple of months ago as it was too good a bargain (£600) to pass up on and I love it.

It's different spec to the newer ones, but it all works very well and is nice and light (everything I have changed has added weight!). I like the geometry with the stem flipped as it's not too racey like that, but does go fast if you want it too!

Wheels are v light but not the strongest/stiffest, but then again they may have changed by now…

I'm very pleased with mine!

I looked at the Boardman pro but went for the Merida road race 905, alu frame but Ultergra throughout and just my comfortable imho.
Halfords run on the cycle2work scheme and not the more common cyclescheme if that makes a difference?

i also shortened the stem from 110 to 90 mm – kept it pointing down the right way up 😉

also worth having a fitting on a road bike ime. paid £60 to have it all sorted and think that was excellent value.

I got a Team (the ali one) early last year. It was a 2008 reduced to £700 from £1000! It has Ritchey Pro wheels bars etc and Ultegra running gear. I can't fault it for the money.

If you can come to terms with buying a bike everyone knows comes from Halfords, then there realy is no reason for not getting one.

i was seriously drawn to those, but heard that some were squint!
mate got a planet x carbon ultegra and i fell in love with it!!
I used the cyclescheme and bought my own one, it's just lovely!!!!
check them out!!! very good deal!!,and it looks even better in the flesh than it does in the photos!!

I've got the triple butted alu one. It's a really nice frame for the money (well, i bought it off eBay F&F for ~£110): surprisingly light, sparkly paint, boss on the toptube for race number. It rides much nicer than the Focus Variado Expert i had before, it's not crit-bike stiff but not a complete noodle either. It's got a very long top tube though – 54.5cm effective on the small – which may or may not be an issue for you.

Couple of photos here, i can't embe them from the new flickr for some reason:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/23095166@N02/4530267505/

Are Halfords still doing that carbon Viner?

They like it, bike snobs don't!

TBH I've never seen anything like snobbery for any of the Boardman range, they all seem to be pretty good value bikes that punch above their weight component-wise, and ride pretty well.

I was drawn to the carbon one when I popped in to look at tyres for my ageing and broken Raleigh on Saturday. I thought it actually looked quite smart and well specced. Slightly out of my price range though (that one anyway), and if I can get work to do the cycle2work/cyclescheme thig, I'd be tempted by either that or a similar Merida.

nickc

I've read people saying they would be embarassed turning up to events on them!

And also a general attitude that there must be something 'wrong' with them for them to be the price they are. People most often seem to say that the frame is low quality. Don't see it myself (for the money).

Really?

Blimey. embarrassed to turn up at an event with a bike that's got the name of still the fastest prologue rider ever…I wonder if Merckx owners feel the same?

That's what makes them snobs. You must be new on here if you've not seen any snobbery towards the Boardman range. 😆

Apparently the Boardman Comp is a great value bike. Want one but I can't even afford that at the minute 🙁

The Boardmans are okay – but, there are better frames out there for the $$$…..like Planet X….you pay for the groupo, the frame comes for free (kind of!!!)….be sure to ride one first…..

Also consider:

Moda
Cube (Streamer)
Merida
Even a Caad 8
Wilier

Try not to get sucked in to the Carbon void…..you might find you prefer Alloy!!!!

for that sort of money it's worth considering the Verenti bikes from wiggle – they also offer great value but are a bit more comfortable for day to day riding.

If you wait to wiggle's fairly frequent special offer weekends you can get c15% off the list price.

This one is about £1,584 for regular wiggle customers and is Cycling Plus' bike of the year:

Verenti Rhigos 02

SigmaF – Member
The Boardmans are okay – but, there are better frames out there for the $$$…..like Planet X….you pay for the groupo, the frame comes for free (kind of!!!)….be sure to ride one first…..

Also consider:

Moda
Cube (Streamer)
Merida
Even a Caad 8
Wilier

Try not to get sucked in to the Carbon void…..you might find you prefer Alloy!!!!

Agreed in all but the rec for the PX – very dead feeling frame. The Boardmans are ok at their price point, and if you want a bike for a price, then that's an ok way of looking at it.

If you want a bike to ride, define an upper price limit and ride as many as you can below and up to the limit. You might surprise yourself. Don't get sucked in just because it says it's a carbon frame.

For what it's worth, the CAAD 9 is the best riding bike out there in that sort of price bracket in my opinion.

My boardman carbon arrives on friday cant wait will post up some pics and initial impression.

One short ride and im loving it. The spec and pricing on the whole range is very good doubt you could go far wrong.