Sportive bike

Fuji's Sportif 1.3 does a good job of being a well-rounded all-round winter workhorse. The frame's good, new Sora is good, the wheels are good and the £700 all-in price (even cheaper online) is good. As a first sportive bike, a winter trainer or an all-year commuter it's definitely worth a look.

Mekk use the slogan 'Affordable Performance' to describe their bikes and that's a fair description. The Mekk 3G Potenza SL5.5 is a great looking carbon frame with a tall front end, and will suit those seeking a comfortable bike that is no slouch.

It's not perfect, but it's a great start from a new brand.

Never heard of Mekk? Don't worry, that's because they're the newest bike company on the block and are vying for your attention with seriously well designed and really well specced bikes.

More often than not, I've found women's bikes to be much more comfortable straight from the shop, with far less tweaking than required by unisex or men's bikes. I'm clearly Ms Average as far as women's bike builders are concerned - and I found that to be true for the Specialized Ruby Elite too.

The Cyfac Gothica CS is a gorgeous bike for long days in the saddle. It's light, it's fast, and we'd say that it's one of the most stylish looking bikes we've ever had on test here at Road.cc.

Frame