It's not like it's been developed to purely hit a price point either. It rides really well, offering a comfortable, no-nonsense frame and fork with well-balanced handling to suit beginners or those who want to exploit its all-weather capabilities.
While many mid to top-end aluminium alloy frames show excellent ride qualities thanks to clever design and development of the tubing, some of the cheapest and most basic can still feel a little unforgiving in their feedback and be a bit harsh on certain surfaces.
At this price, the SRL 8.8 Disc is more likely to be considered by those new to road riding – your first bike, possibly, or your first road bike at least if you're coming from a hybrid or mountain bike background. The Boardman is perfect for this; it's an easy bike to ride and it gives you all of the fun and sense of speed roadies crave with none of the drawbacks like twitchy handling or a nervous rear end from a short wheelbase.
OVERALL
Two or three years ago, I knew roughly what a particular budget would get you from each brand off the top of my head, but the cycling world, like every other market, has changed dramatically in terms of pricing. Which is what makes it even more remarkable to be looking at this Boardman and going, bloody hell, that's cracking value for money. Not just in the current climate, but generally.
The key for me though is that Boardman hasn't achieved this by offering a 'gas-pipe' frameset with a nice paint job. The SLR gives a quality ride and balanced handling, matched to a blend of components that complement while keeping the price down.
VERDICT
Well specced and a great ride feel from a bike that looks and feels more expensive than it is. 8/10