Popular with commuters, leisure and fitness riders alike, flat bar road bikes are perfect for riders best bike brands wanting a more spirited riding experience.
Sportier than both urban and hybrid bikes, flat bar road bikes feature quicker handling, lighter weight and gearing optimised for speed. These bikes will generally offer similar technology and performance as a traditional road bike but without the aggressive riding position of drop-down handlebars. The greater comfort and visibility make them a perfect vehicle for recreational riding, fitness or commuting. There is no suspension on flat bar road bikes, as this would add unnecessary weight.
The relaxed geometry improves the bike’s overall stability and puts you in an upright position, allowing you to see far ahead and past traffic when commuting. There is typically a wide range of gears to choose from that enable leisurely pedalling regardless of the terrain.
What to Expect
At around AUD$1,000, flat bar road bikes are starting to mirror the same specification found on traditional entry level road bikes. Aluminium will be the common frame material, with most models offering carbon fibre forks (usually with metal steerer tubes).
Expect eight, nine or ten-speed shifting, while braking will typically come courtesy of either mechanical or hydraulic disc brakes. The tyres will be wider than traditional road bike tyres but narrower than urban or hybrid bike tyres, ranging from 28mm to 35mm. The larger tyre size allows for a right balance of rolling efficiency and puncture protection as well as some additional security from urban obstacles like tram tracks and curbs.
If you’re a year-round cyclist, it pays to look for fender and rack mounts to make load-lugging and riding in inclement weather that little bit easier.
Spending a little more than AUD$1000 should see a more premium frame and fork used, saving weight and improving ride comfort. Shifting (changing gears) will become more precise, braking will become more secure, and the bike as a whole will be more durable. Jump up a few price points, and you’ll typically see flat bar road bikes become more like their racing siblings. Expect carbon fibre frames, higher-end components and a ride that’s lighter, faster and more comfortable.
And now onto the bikes, in no particular order, here is our selection of the best flat bar road bikes to be had for AUD$1,000 (or close to it).
Merida Speeder 100 Disc
The Speeder 100 Disc courtesy of Merida features a quality hydroformed aluminium frame paired with a full carbon fibre fork. Moving to stopping power and the Speeder 100 makes use of powerful hydraulic disc brakes. While a little heavier, disc brakes offer superior brake control and durability, especially in the wet.
With the premium features mentioned above, the gearing is a more basic eight-speed setup, affording a total of 24 gears spanning a wide range. Double-walled aluminium rims wrapped in durable 32c Maxxis Detonator rubber complete the specification.
Price: AUD$999
Giant Fastroad SL 2
The Fastroad is a long-standing member of the Giant product line-up and for a good reason. With a quality aluminium frame mated to a carbon fork that helps soften road vibrations at the front of the bike, the Fastroad is perfectly at home traversing city streets and bike paths.
A nine-speed Shimano Sora groupset takes care of the shifting and is mated to a quality FSA 50-34T crankset. A supremely wide range 11-34T rear cassette (rear cogs) features at the rear to prove the largest gear range of any other bike on this list. Hydraulic disc brakes feature, also courtesy of Shimano while Giant provide the double-walled alloy wheelset wrapped in its own 32c puncture-protected tyres.
Price: AUD$1,099
Trek FX 3 Disc
Industry stalwarts Trek are no strangers to the fitness bike game, producing a range of flat bar bikes suited the urban environment. The FX is most at home in the city, featuring an aluminium frame, mated to a carbon fork, meaning that this is one bike that is engineered to last.
All-weather hydraulic disc brakes feature, as does a Shimano Acera nine-speed groupset mated to a standard compact (50-34T) crankset. The gearing on offer here is nearly identical to a traditional road bike. A Bontrager handlebar, stem and seatpost take care of the contact points while a Bontrager wheelset wrapped in commuter-friendly reflective 32c tyres complete the build.’
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