Roux Foray P19

The Roux Foray P19 is a solid performer. You get a good quality build on a nicely finished frame, and the ride is solid too: it's a pretty comfortable and capable hybrid. For the money, it's pretty good value too.

The bike is built around a 7005-series double butted alloy frame, which is nicely built and finished. The welds are smoothed where you're likely to notice them – head tube, seat tube junction – and left more weldy where you're not, such as round the bottom bracket. It's a bit of an odd approach but visually it works pretty well. The white finish is brought over to the carbon-bladed, alloy-steerer fork.

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You can fit mudguards and a rack, and there are separate mounting points for both at the rear dropout. The Shimano hydraulic disc brake sits in the rear triangle so it's not in the way of stays or rack supports.

The transmission is 10-speed, using Shimano Tiagra derailleurs and shifters. That's good spec for the money. The chainset is an FSA Gossamer MegaEXO and the brakes non-series Shimano hydraulic discs. Decent alloy finishing kit is used and you get lock-on grips and a decent sporty saddle.

The wheels use Formula CX centre lock hubs with Ryde DP18 alloy rims, and they're fitted with Continental Contact tyres in a 28mm width. The bike has plenty of clearance for bigger tyres if you're planning more mixed riding.

The ride: solid, comfortable

The Roux is a good bike. It's comfortable to ride and capable of keeping up a decent pace. Roux says it's 'an alternative to a drop bar bike and comparable in performance, it merely swaps some aero advantage for a more alert and comfortable position', and that's a fair summation. You won't go as fast as you do on a road bike, but the position and controls are a bit more tailored toward city riding and it's a pleasant experience riding the Roux into, and around, town.

The steering is pretty much the definition of neutral, and there's enough stiffness through the tapered front end to make the bike feel precise without ever edging over into twitchy. The frame is stiff too: It's not a bike you'd often sprint on but I did for the purposes of testing and there wasn't anything to worry about in terms of stiffness.

The Roux doesn't look like a bike that's been whittled away to provide a bit of the fabled vertical compliance for a softer ride. You get mostly standard tube profiles and the seatstays are attached in the normal place and fairly chunky, rather than being slimmed down or dropped for a bit more flex. Not that it's really a problem: the Roux isn't an uncomfortable bike. It's firm in terms of ride, but if the frame is stiff (it looks stiff) then that's mitigated by the 28mm tyres and the grips and saddle, which are both pretty comfortable. There was the odd time when it felt a bit lumpen hitting a pothole or dropping off a kerb, but overall it's fine.

With the precise-but-neutral steering and the reasonably upright riding position, the Roux is a very capable machine at cruising speeds. The Shimano/FSA transmission was faultless, and the wheels and tyres roll reasonably well once you've got them up to speed. The Continental Contact tyres certainly aren't the fastest option out there but they're a sensible choice with good puncture protection and a sizeable air chamber to smooth out road chatter and small hits. I was running them at about 70psi, which seemed the best compromise between speed and comfort. I didn't get a flat during testing, if that anecdote is any use to you.

Once you try to wind the Roux up to go a bit faster it's really the increased air resistance from the upright riding position that's the limiting factor over a road bike where you can hunker down a bit more. If your commute is long, or you habitually need to (or want to) do it quickly then you'll find the Roux's limit. When I say 'long', I'm talking probably 45 minutes to an hour. Below that – or if you're not in a hurry – you're unlikely to be at much of a disadvantage.

Descending on the Foray is assured: there's plenty of stopping power on offer from the hydraulic brakes, and that and the steering inspire confidence. The tyres are pretty good too.

On the uphills the main issue is the weight. At nearly 11kg this isn't an especially light bike, especially if you're used to something more exotic. Gearing's not really an issue, with the 50/34 chainset and 11-30 cassette giving plenty of range and some good low gears for the steep stuff. Assuming you've got the legs there's no reason why you won't get to the top, just don't expect to do it in a massive hurry. You're better off seated, with the bike feeling a little cumbersome and the rear tyre a little scrabbly out of the saddle.

Value?

At £800 the Roux compares favourably in terms of spec to many other flat-bar bikes out there. I preferred the ride of the Kinesis Tripster ACE as overall it's just a bit more fun to ride. It's giving away a bit in terms of spec to the Roux, though. Similarly, if you spend an equivalent amount on a Trek you're getting Shimano Sora, not Tiagra. It's not exclusively the case though: Giant's Rapid 3 has a very similar spec at the same money, and the Boardman Hybrid Team gets Tiagra for £100 less.

Realistically, the functional differences between Sora and Tiagra are pretty small, and so are the weight savings. You probably won't notice the extra sprocket on a day-to-day basis either, but the better-made Tiagra kit should stay slicker for longer.

> Read our guide to the best hybrid/urban bikes

Overall, the Roux Foray P19 is a sensible choice for day-to-day city duties: it's well built and versatile, with a good spec for the money. You wouldn't say it was the most engaging ride, but if you're looking for an easy, reliable ride for your daily commute it certainly delivers that.

Verdict

Well built and versatile city/urban bike, with a good spec for the money