GO Outdoors road bikes – get to know the value-for-money Calibre range

Outdoor sports retailer GO Outdoors first started producing road bikes under the Calibre brand name in 2014. Starting out with three aluminium bikes, the range has since expanded to include endurance-orientated and carbon-fibre-framed bikes as well.

Prices range from £349 for the Calibre Rivelin and Loxley up to £899 for the Calibre Nibiru 2.0. Prices are higher if you don’t have a GO Outdoors discount card, but being as it only costs a fiver, we’re assuming that you’d make the investment.

GO Outdoors also sells bikes by other manufacturers, including Raleigh, Viking and Orbea, but for the purposes of this guide we’re just going to look at its own Calibre offering.

Calibre Rivelin — £299

GO Outdoors initially dabbled in sub-£300 road bikes, but the entry-level bike is now this very well-specced sportive bike. The hydroformed aluminium frame is hung with Shimano's eight-speed Claris groupset, which is decent entry-level stuff. The fork has carbon fibre blades, the Schwalbe Lugano tyres are a sensible 25mm width and there's a decent gear range from the 50/34 FSA chainset.

Calibre Loxley — £299

The women's version of the Rivelin actually has a frame with women-specific geometry that's different from the men's bike, which is almost unheard-of at this price. The stem is also shorter for a given bike size, catering to women's general preference for a more upright position.

Calibre Lost Lad — £299.50

The Lost Lad is a new endurance model with disc brakes, and Shimano's Claris components. As well as the different brakes, there's a bit more room in the frame than the Rivelin, so you could fit fatter tyres than the stock 25mm Schwalbe Luganos to improve comfort and roadholding. There's room for mudguards too, so as well as its main billing as a countryside explorer, the Lost Lad would make a good fast commuter.

Calibre Lost Lass — £299

The women's version of the Lost Lad, the Lost Lass has the same spec, but with a female-specific geometry.