Over the last few years, Boardman's bikes have garnered numerous glowing reviews and its £1000 SLR 8.9 has long been one of my favourite road bikes, so the ADV 8.9 has a lot to live up to.
Well, at first glance, there's very little to fault when it comes to the ADV 8.9's components. Boardman has gone for a largely GRX setup with the groupset's excellent hydraulic disc brakes. The only deviations are the Tiagra front derailleur and FSA's Omega chainset and bottom bracket.
The mountain bike-inspired geometry, notably the slacker head angle, works in tandem with the flared bar for excellent control off-road. The wide grips also help with control when you're descending, and the confidence-inspiring brakes mean you can hit the descents harder.
VERDICT
"Supremely versatile and comfortable with great kit for the cash" 4.5/5
Cycling Plus Magazine June 2021