Boardman ADV 9.0 review

We all have our regular routes, roads and loops that offer a known ride-time. We then choose a route depending on how long we want to be out for. Riding an adventure bike showed me how much more there was to find

Cycling Weekly Verdict

This bike is great fun to ride. I loved the riding position, it was comfortable and gave great control as did the well thought out kit supplied on it. As an all round package it works brilliantly with a spec perfectly suited to the riding – nothing is out of place. All you’ll need over time is a few extra sets of tyres to ensure you’ve got the right pair for the riding you do. This bike could be a specialist bike for true adventure riding but has the capability to be a commuter, winter trainer, tourer or a cross bike. If you’ve only got space for one bike at home, this is a contender for that spot. For me the beauty was that it opened up a whole new set of routes, giving me more ride options right from my doorstep.

Reasons to buy
  • +

    Great riding position

  • +

    Simple and well thought-out finishing kit

  • +

Reasons to avoid
  • -

    Sluggish on the road

  • -

    Original tyres too heavy/slow

  • -

You can trust Cycling Weekly. Our team of experts put in hard miles testing cycling tech and will always share honest, unbiased advice to help you choose. Find out more about how we test.

Adventure by name and adventure in its soul. Boardman’s ADV 9.0 pushed Cycling Weekly’s editor out of his comfort zone and rewarded him with a reawakened enthusiasm for riding the path less trodden. But it’s also far more versatile than just exploring off the beaten track and rightfully belongs in Editor’s Choice.

I’m guilty to sticking to my known routes. If I’ve got an hour, hour-and-a-half, or two-and-a-quarter I’ve got a route or two to suit. Mechanicals aside, I know almost to the minute what time I’ll be back. These are the routes that I usually stick to, until I rode the Boardman ADV.

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Simon Richardson
Magazine editor

Editor of Cycling Weekly magazine, Simon has been working at the title since 2001. He fell in love with cycling 1989 when watching the Tour de France on Channel 4, started racing in 1995 and in 2000 he spent one season racing in Belgium. During his time at CW (and Cycle Sport magazine) he has written product reviews, fitness features, pro interviews, race coverage and news. He has covered the Tour de France more times than he can remember along with two Olympic Games and many other international and UK domestic races. He became the 130-year-old magazine's 13th editor in 2015.