A RACE-READY BARGAIN
Raleigh reclaims some of its Tour de France-winning heritage with its new line of full-carbon, race-specific frames. The Supercourse is the most wallet-friendly of the bunch, but the cost savings come from the components. The frame is the same one Raleigh’s sponsored riders race, and you can tell: Stand up on the pedals and the lively Supercourse seems to take off from underneath you. The drawback? It’s not the world’s most forgiving ride. If there’s a bump in the road, you’ll know it. But if you’re looking for a no-compromise race frame that won’t break the bank, the Supercourse warrants serious consideration. 19 lbs, 57 cm; raleighusa.com
Bonus: The black color and sharply angled cross sections of the main tubes give the bike a cool stealth-fighter look.
Bummer: At 19 pounds, it isn’t going to make steep climbs any easier.