Can A Boardman SLR 8.9 Road Bike Handle The Roads As Well As Expected?
The Boardman SLR 8.9 Road Bike looks great and, thanks to the shape and branding, you can tell who made it straight away.
There are promises in the product description about an improved ride and the specification looks detailed.
They seem to have put plenty of thought into every element of this bike, but do all those decisions pay off?
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The pros and cons of this Boardman SLR 8.9 Road Bike.
Pros:
- The bike is lightweight with lots of carbon rather than any light alloy metal.
- There are improvements to the gear system after previous models.
- There is a nice rigidity to the bike when needed for a good session on the road.
- The brakes appear to be of high quality.
- The shape and paintwork give this bike a nice edge.
Cons:
- This isn’t a cheap bike because of the features and materials used.
- There are suggestions to upgrade some of the features, such as the pedals.
- Some complaints about finishing touches like the application of the paintwork.
The Boardman SLR 8.9 Road Bike has a lot going for it in terms of the specification and handling on the road.
The first thing that stands out with this bike is the way that it looks. You get a great shape with the position of the seat and handlebars making this a sportier road bike than more middle-of-the-road options. You also get a nice fade effect on the paintwork rather than just a plain colour.
The specification of this Boardman road bike seems to meet most people’s expectations, especially with the gear system and the construction of the frame. The gears were upgraded in response to negative comments on previous models and you now get the effective 11 Speed Shimano 105 system.
As for the frame, you get the lighter feel of the carbon SLR frame with an aero tube profile and this is enhanced by the continued use of carbon in the forks.
There are also nice details in the shape and construction to ensure the best response out on the road. There is a rigidity to the bike where it counts and most users feel comfortable gliding through the street at a good speed.
Another reason this road bicycle can handle the roads with ease is the combination of the 70c Boardman wheels and Vittoria’s Zaffiro tyres.
The front wheel has a quick-release system in case you want to pack it up in the car for adventures away from home. There are enough little extra like this to provide value, although some are better than others.
Sadly, not all riders are as in love with the Boardman SLR 8.9 as they should be.
There are high expectations for this bike because of the price paid. Naturally, this allows riders to pick holes in the specification and minor details.
There are comments about some of the choices for the components, such as the lack of drop of the brakes for the size of the wheels.
There are also suggestions to swap out the pedals for something better. It is a good idea to go over what the bike can and can’t do to suit your riding style and see where a little extra cost in upgrades wouldn’t hurt.
Then there are those that pick up on small details in the finishing touches of this bike. For example, one mentioned the paintwork flaking far too easily for a high-end model. This is where some extra protection and mudguards might help if you want to keep this looking nice.
Is this Boardman Carbon Road Bike worth the money paid?
This is a high-end road bicycle with an understandably high price tag because of the materials and components used. You are benefiting from the use of the responsive carbon frame and little details in the build that can improve the ride.
Many of these may not be obvious to first-time users, but they are there. There is still room for improvement and a little more thought in the finish of the bike, but not so much that this is a letdown.
You can ride this Boardman road bike on the roads with ease and know that it is a step above many other models.
Find more reviews about the Boardman SLR 8.9 Road Bike on Halfords here.