Boardman SLR 8.8 Disc review: possibly the best road bike (well) under £1000
Boardman’s alloy frameset has a quality look beyond its price. The tubes are shaped to add comfort where it’s needed, like in the thin seat stays, while providing a robust main triangle that helps with power transfer. The down tube changes shape from top to bottom, while the top tube tapers front to back and the seat tube fits a standard 27.2mm wide seatpost.
The SLR 8.8 Disc rides like a much more expensive bike than its £800 price tag. It’s smooth, comfortable and eats up the miles. A lot of that’s down to those wide tyres, which let you lower pressure to avoid being bumped around on the usual less-than-smooth British roads.
VERDICT
Boardman SLR 8.8 Disc gives you all the features of a modern road bike in a great value package. There’s plenty of gear range and the disc brakes give reassuringly effective stopping power. Boardman has made compromises to hit the bargain price, but they’re cleverly chosen and don’t detract overtly from the bike’s performance. - 5/5