trek emonda vs bmc teammachine

2024 Trek Emonda vs BMC Teammachine SLR

The Trek Emonda and BMC Teammachine SLR are popular road bike models. Our bicycle expert, Alex Lee compares these models, their features, technologies and pricing.

In this article, I’ll guide you through a comparison between the Trek Emonda and BMC Teammachine SLR ; both popular road bikes among cyclists.

I’ll walk through the Trek Emonda and BMC Teammachine SLR models lineup, their specifications, and retail pricing (USD). I’ll explain the carbon fiber technology used ( Trek OCLV vs BMC ACE+ ), and unique frameset features for each bike.

The goal is to help you get a better understanding before you make your final purchasing decision.

Trek Emonda

The Trek Emonda is a lightweight bike for the high mountains.

The lightest Trek Emonda frame weighs less than 700g using Trek’s OCLV 800 carbon. This is the bike Richie Porte rode to his third place in the 2020 Tour de France.

The SLR is the lightest and most expensive atop the Trek Emonda models. There are six Emonda SLR options, specced electronic shifting groupsets from SRAM or Shimano.

Next in line is the SL, the mid-range, more budget-friendly option. It has the same frame design and geometry as the SLR but uses the OCLV 500 carbon instead. The groupset choices are Shimano Ultegra Di2 , Shimano 105 Di2 , SRAM Force AXS , or SRAM Rival AXS .

The Trek Emonda SLR and SL framesets are also available separately.

Trek Emonda vs others

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BMC Teammachine SLR

The BMC Teammachine SLR is an all-rounder, pure-breed race bike.

Cadel Evans won the Tour de France in 2011 on the same BMC Teammachine SLR01 model, albeit an older generation model. At first glance, the naming convention of the Teammachine SLR01 can be confusing and looks to be all over.

There are two versions available; BMC Teammachine SLR01 (higher grade) vs BMC Teammachine SLR (standard).

Both models have the same frame geometry but differ in carbon fiber grade (Premium 01 Carbon vs Premium Carbon vs ), internal vs external cable routing, and components.

The range-topping model is the BMC Teammachine SLR01 Ltd, the same bike the AG2R Citroën Team rode at the 2023 Tour de France . It’s followed by the One, Two Three, Four, and Five models. Top-of-the-line BMC Teammachine SLR01 models are equipped with Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 or SRAM Red AXS . Mid-range models are equipped with Shimano Ultegra Di2 or SRAM Force AXS .

BMC Teammachine SLR vs others

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2024 Cervelo R5 vs BMC Teammachine SLR

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Trek vs BMC carbon fiber

Trek oclv carbon.

The OCLV (Optimum Compaction, Low Void) carbon is a proprietary carbon fiber manufacturing technology developed by Trek.

• Optimum Compaction refers to the heat and pressure applied during the curing process to squeeze out excess resin and ensure that the carbon layers are compacted to the optimal density.
• Low Void refers to the goal of reducing microscopic air pockets or voids that can occur in the carbon fiber and create weaknesses.

One of the key advantages of OCLV carbon is its ability to achieve an optimal balance between stiffness, strength, and weight. Trek engineers carefully tune the carbon layup and utilize varying modulus carbon fibers to create stiff frames in certain areas to maximize power transfer while maintaining compliance in other areas to enhance comfort and ride quality.

The OCLV carbon is available in 800 and 500 series.

• OCLV 800 is the highest-grade carbon fiber used by Trek. The carbon modulus is higher in OCLV 800, making it stiffer and lighter. The manufacturing process is more refined, using more advanced carbon and resins, leading to a bike frame that provides top performance levels for stiffness, weight, and strength. OCLV 800 is used in all models with SLR .
• OCLV 500 is a lower-grade carbon but still offers a high level of performance. It has a slightly lower carbon modulus, meaning it’s a bit less stiff and heavier than OCLV 800. OCLV 800 is used in all models with SL .

It’s worth noting that the different OCLV grades don’t only refer to the material itself, but also to the manufacturing techniques used to form the carbon fiber into bike frames. Higher-grade carbon requires more precise manufacturing techniques to take full advantage of its superior material properties.

The BMC ACE+ (Accelerated Composites Evolution Technology + ) is the latest carbon fiber layup technology used on all BMC road bikes.

ACE+ operates by determining the cross-sections of the frame, the arrangement of the carbon layers, and the geometric structure based on targeted performance values. Subsequently, it generates thousands of virtual models to pinpoint the ideal equilibrium of performance, focusing on three fundamental aspects; Stiffness, Weight, and Compliance.

BMC has two different carbon grades, 01 Premium Carbon and Premium Carbon, in their road bike frames. The choice between the two carbon grades depends on the rider’s preferences, budget, and desired level of performance.

• 01 Premium Carbon is a high-grade carbon fiber material with superior performance, stiffness, and weight savings. It provides enhanced ride quality with improved power transfer and responsiveness. Premium 01 carbon is used on all BMC models with 01, such as Teammachine SLR01 and Roadmachine 01.
• Premium Carbon is a mid-range carbon fiber material that balances performance, weight, and affordability. It is used on all BMC models without the 01.

Frameset technologies and innovations

Trek Emonda and BMC Teammachine SLR framesets incorporate advanced technologies to enhance their bikes’ performance and ride characteristics.

Here’s an overview of the technologies used in each bike model.

Where to buy

• Trek online shops . Australia, Austria, Canada, Germany, Netherlands, United Kingdom, United States
• Trek retailers . Use this tool to find your nearest Trek retailers.

BMC retailers

• BMC retailers . Use this tool to find your nearest BMC retailers.

Alex Lee is the founder and editor-at-large of Mr. Mamil. Coming from a professional engineering background, he breaks down technical cycling nuances into an easy-to-understand and digestible format here.

He has been riding road bikes actively for the past 12 years and started racing competitively in the senior category during the summer recently.

Mr. Mamil's content is for educational and entertainment purposes only. The content is not a substitute for official or professional advice. Please do your own due diligence.

Mr. Mamil participates in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. We also participate in various other affiliate programs, and at times we earn a commission through purchases made through links on this website.

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BMC’s Teammachine R 01 Is a Radical Looking Race Bike—But Does It Have Wings?

Designed with a dash of Red Bull F1 knowledge, the Teammachine R 01 is BMC’s fastest and best race bike.

The Takeaway: With its Red Bull F1 connection and wide-stance Halo fork, BMC’s Teammachine R is one of the most interesting race bikes to arrive on the scene in recent memory. It offers brilliant handling, just-right compliance and ride feel, and punches through the air like a true aero bike. Even so, the bike’s weight and limited tire clearance are shortcomings and BMC offering no support for riders who need a different-sized cockpit is a letdown. For all the hype around Red Bull Advanced Technologies engineering, it doesn’t seem to have much of, or any, leg up on its competition aerodynamically. Even so, it is a dynamic, engaging, and entertaining race bike. Ultimately, it is one of our favorites to ride.

The Red Bull Connection

Shaping the teammachine r, the results, one width cockpit, ride impressions, models and prices.

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Price as tested: $15,000 (01 LTD) Weight as tested: 15.7 lb. (size 54cm) Sizes offered: 47, 51, 54, 56, 58, and 61cm Weight limit: 110 kg/243 lb. Model price range: $9,000 to $15,000 Frame only: Yes; $6,000 Max tire clearance: 30mm Drivetrain: Electronic only Routing: full internal Bottom Bracket: Press Fit 86 Seatpost: Frame-specific, 10mm and 25 mm offsets offered Stem: Frame specific Derailleur Hanger: BMC Warranty: three years on frame (extended to five years if registered with BMC within six months of purchase), two years on BMC components and paintwork

Aerodynamics Assumed

A big part of the TM-R’s story revolves around aerodynamics (more on this below), and this model also replaces the aero-profiled BMC’s Timemachine Road bike. Yet BMC does not call the TM-R an aerodynamic bike: Instead, it simply refers to it as a race bike.

There is a simple reason for this. Today, a bike designed for the highest levels of professional road racing must have some aerodynamic optimization, or a team’s riders are disadvantaged. Speeds are crazy high, riders embark on longer solo attacks, and energy management and marginal gains are foundational concepts.

If you’re designing a race bike today, you account for aerodynamics—it’s that simple. Even brands that make two options—one more aero-optimized, one more weight-optimized: Trek’s Madone (aero) and Emonda (weight) for example—add aerodynamic tuning details to their weight-optimized frames.

There are 33 UCI WorldTeams equipped by 20 bike brands: Every frame used by the teams’ racers has some aerodynamic tuning.

Aerodynamics are so prevalent that, today if you’re shopping high-performance, drop bar bikes (even gravel and all road), you’re shopping aero bikes.

The only notable exception from a mainstream brand is the Specialized Aethos: A bike with modern carbon construction and race bike fit and handling, but without any extra aerodynamic tube shaping, routing, or cockpit components.

While BMC primarily develops its bicycles using in-house resources, it partnered with an outside firm to help refine the tube shaping, aerodynamics, and composite layup of the Teammachine R.

Within the bicycle industry, using outside consultants is common practice for brands big and small. So, it is not noteworthy that BMC had outside help. What is noteworthy is who provided that outside help: Red Bull Advanced Technologies (RBAT). (And, yes, the same Red Bull that makes the energy drink.)

RBAT was spun out of the Red Bull Racing (RBR) Formula 1 team in 2014. It is a “sister business” of RBR (and, like RBR, owned by Red Bull) that provides the Formula 1 race team with engineering and technology services. When you see Red Bull Racing’s RB20 race cars, that is RBAT’s handiwork.

But since its founding as a (semi) independent business, RBAT also offers its skills to anyone with the resources to pay for its services. According to RBAT’s “ About Us ” page, its expertise lies in “Aerodynamics; mechanical, composite and electrical design; structural analysis; simulation and modelling; control systems and software development; and manufacturing.”

RBAT also has computers—Really big, really powerful computers. The kind of computers that other outfits have to rent time on (at great expense) to run CFD (computational fluid dynamics) simulations and iterative design models.

During my conversation with Rob Gray, Red Bull Advanced Technologies technical director, he stated that it’s RBAT’s opinion that “We're using 10 times higher resolution of CFD than any other bike company. We've got a very big cluster of computers that solves the CFD problem and really looks at all the air molecules are moving around the bike.”

In RBAT, BMC got the skills, experience, and resources of a company with a proven record of successfully designing and optimizing lightweight and aerodynamic carbon composite structures for the world’s most technologically advanced car racing series. And the caché of saying that Teammachine R was, in part, designed by the same outfit that designed the cars Max Verstappen has used to trounce the F1 field for three-plus seasons.

While RBAT has incredible resources and knowledge about topics adjacent to modern racing bicycle frame design—namely aerodynamics and composite structures—it doesn’t live bicycles day-to-day, like BMC.

BMC couldn’t simply tell RBAT to “design us a light and fast bicycle” because who knows what might come of such free reign. A recumbent, a velomobile, an updated version of the Bowden Spacelander?

To ensure that the final product was something suitable for the demands of professional road racing, BMC provided RBAT with a handful of constraints to work within. Gray explained that BMC provided geometry—rider position and handling—and several key performance indicators (KPIs).

Those KPIs included the aerodynamic drag target of BMC’s Timemachine Road aero bike, a weight target of the Teammachine SLR climbing bike, and other goals concerning stiffness in some areas of the bike and compliance in others.

Of course, the looming presence of the UCI’s rulebook was always something RBAT needed to work against, as well as basic componentry considerations. Stuff like 700c wheels, adequate tire clearance, hub and thru axle dimensions, post-mount disc brake caliper mounting standards, front and rear derailleur mounting points, and water bottle mounts.

With those ground rules, “We were given freedom to investigate and set the actual tube profile. So, the aerodynamics side of the bike and then the structural design of the bike,” Gray explained.

Essentially, RBAT’s job was to take some specific points in space and connect them with a handful of carbon tubes that were as aerodynamic as possible with a rider aboard (and conforming to the UCI’s regulations), while offering the stiffness professional riders demand. And all that while keeping the weight as low as possible.

“We started this project by investigating how different things affected the aero on the bikes,” said Gray, “Things like looking at how wide the spacing the front forks were. The flow off the back of the forks and whether the legs were in the shadow of that flow [and] how that flow is interacting with the rider’s legs.”

The game at this point became finding a compromise between pushing the legs wide for aerodynamics, and the weight required to ensure the wide-set structure was strong enough, Gray explained.

Gray states that, initially, the design process took them in a direction that was heavily biased towards aerodynamics, but “Once we got a design that worked aerodynamically and hit our targets on the aero side, we then moved more into the structural design side.”

For the structural side, RBAT employed FEA (finite element analysis). The tubes were modeled, and divided into triangles. The team then analyzed the load on each triangle and iterated the composite laminate to, “put all the fibers in the places where you really need them to hit the strength, stiffness, and compliance targets while still being underweight,” said Gray.

But hitting the structural targets was not the end of the process. Some of the work done there influenced the frame’s aero profile. So, the frame returned to aerodynamics to find ways to cut drag. Once aero finished its revisions, it went back for structural refinement. These iterative loops continued until both sides were (relatively) happy.

Even then, RBAT’s work on the new frame was not done. Gray explained, from there, “We got into the production engineering side of it where we're trying to translate our ideal laminate design into something that the guys can actually manufacture. The computer might be happy with one-degree changes of fiber angle, but in reality, 30 degrees is okay, 45 degrees is more typical. So, it's trying to make something that worked in the real world.”

The first real-world Teammachine R frames were built in the carbon-frame prototyping facility at BMC’s Impec Lab in Grenchen, Switzerland. After BMC’s test lab validated that the frames hit strength targets, it was time for the wind tunnel.

“The final stage was to put the bike into the wind tunnel and validate the numbers that we've been coming up with on the computer and check everything was good,” Gray said, adding, “And, then the final-final stage was to repeat a bit of the work for the different size frames. We focused on the medium frame in the first instance, but we had to make sure that we were still hitting our targets when we were looking at the other sizes of frame.”

I asked Gray if RBAT found anything to exploit in the UCI’s regulations that no one else has.

“Not particularly, I don't think. The problem with the way the regulations work is it's very easy for them to make a ruling on something you've done and just say, ‘No, you can't do that.’’

If it were motor racing, Gray said, they would have built something at the edge of the rules and risk the battle with the regulating authority. But the potential for the mercurial UCI to outlaw the bike after the molds were cut and it was ready for production was too perilous. So they took a more conservative approach to ensure the bike would be safely within the UCI’s rules.

“I think we felt like there wasn't so much freedom within the cycling sport,” said Gray.

At first glance, BMC’s Teammachine R looks vaguely familiar. And a lot like other top-tier race bikes. This, perhaps, reflects Gray’s statement that RBAT didn’t uncover anything previously unexploited within the UCI’s regulations. However, upon close inspection, the TM-R’s combination of details and shapes set it apart from competitors. Perhaps that claimed 10 times higher CFD resolution did net some gains.

The wide-stance Halo fork is the bike’s most attention-grabbing feature. Its almost comically wide-legged stance is unlike anything on a road racing bike: Only some more radical track bikes have forks with such wide-set legs.

And though it looks like it offers massive clearance, the TM-R’s maximum stated clearance is a somewhat paltry 30mm. For comparison, the Specialized Tarmac, Cannondale SuperSix Evo, Trek Emonda, and Canyon Ultimate all offer 32mm clearance.

Unsurprisingly, aerodynamics are the reason for the wide-set legs. “When rotating at speed, the front wheel produces a significant amount of turbulent air. We increased the inner fork spacing to allow that turbulent air to be shuttered away from the frame and reduce aero stall. The result is cleaner air that hugs the frame longer resulting in a significant drag reduction,” BMC says. And, as RBAT’s Gray mentioned, the wider legs also help direct airflow around a rider’s legs more efficiently.

At the top of the fork is a crown that neatly integrates into the downtube; above that is the headtube with its impressively long chord length. The downtube is rather skinny at the headtube junction but swells impressively in the midsection to shuttle air around the water bottle.

BMC’s Aerocore cages are included with every bike. These cages have a base that neatly mesh with the frame’s tube shapes which, the brand says, enhance the bike’s aerodynamics. The TM-R is compatible with standard bottle cages, but they’ll make the bike more draggy.

Just below the bottle cage area the downtube merges into one of the most impressively large bottom bracket zones of any road bike. The TM-R’s bottom bracket area is so large that calling anything down there a “tube” is inadequate: It is more like a shipping container with a press-fit 86 bottom bracket. A detail that’s easy to miss at this part of the TM-R is the nubbin that sags below the BB shell and hides a little more of the rear tire from the wind.

The bottom bracket eventually tapers down to some still healthy-sized chainstays. The seat stays are fashionably tiny and deeper than they are wide. From the drive side, BMC’s capped “Stealth” dropouts are obvious and give the bike a rather tidy appearance when looking at the right side. Where the (dropped, of course) seat stays meet the seat tube is another impressively large triangle of carbon that caps the wheel cutout in the aero-shaped seat tube.

The TM-R has a proprietary carbon seatpost that is, expectedly, deeper than wide. All bikes come with a 10mm offset seatpost, but BMC offers a 25mm offset post for riders who like to sit back further.

BMC employs a binder with two low-torque (3Nm) and rear-facing set screws. As I did most of my ride testing of the TM-R in the winter, I observed the rear tire throwing ample water and grit into the screws. I could see this causing headaches down the line, so I mitigated the issue by covering the screws with a bit of tape.

The top tube is…wild. Looking down from the saddle, it’s about 25mm wide where the seat post enters but doubles in size by the time it reaches the headset bearing. From the side, it’s again about 25mm tall at the seatpost, tapers to just 17mm tall near its midpoint, before growing again to reach 50mm where it joins the head tube.

Finally—and something you’re probably expecting—the TM-R is only compatible with electronic-shifting.

BMC claims a frame weight of 910 grams, with the fork weighing an additional 395 grams. That’s on the heavier side for a semi-aero all-arounder race frame.

The Specialized S-Works Tarmac frame weighs 685 grams, a Trek Emonda SLR comes in at 689g, a Canyon Ultimate CFR frame is 762g, a Cannondale SuperSix Evo Lab71 frame weighs 770 grams, a Pinarello Dogma F frame weighs 865 grams, Scott’s Addict frame is 790 grams, and Giant’s new TCR frame tips the scales at 690 grams (all weights claimed).

That 910-gram weight is more in line with full-aero frames like the Scott Foil (970g), Canyon Aeroad (915g), and even the now-discontinued Specialized Venge (960g).

BMC claims that the most expensive model, the LTD, comes in at 15.4 lb/7.00kg in a size 54cm without bottle cages. My test bike (also a size 54 LTD) tipped my scale at 15.7 lb/7.12kg without bottle cages.

That’s about a pound or so more than a S-Works Tarmac SL8 (14.6 lb) or Emonda SLR 9 eTap (14.75 lb) I tested, and it’s even a bit heavier than my Pinarello Dogma F test bike (15.4 lb.) .

If you’re counting every gram, the Teammachine R 01 Two probably weighs less than the LTD. That’s due to the Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 group which is a bit lighter than the current SRAM Red AXS found on the LTD. The Two is also a grand cheaper with, save for the gruppo, the same parts as the LTD.

Somewhat oddly for a bike with such an emphasis on aerodynamics, BMC offers no wind tunnel data or competitor comparisons for the Teammachine R. It certainly looks fast. And by reputation alone, RBAT knows how to make something move through the air efficiently.

All that BMC would tell me is it’s faster than the Teammachine SLR by 3.5 percent (19 percent less drag) and 2.1 percent faster than the Timemachine Road. Those comparisons are based on bikes with identical components, and water bottle cages and bottles mounted. The test protocol included testing the bikes with three different (real) rider body shapes aboard with the results based on a weighted minus-15 to plus-15-degree yaw sweep.

The aerodynamic performance of BMC’s Teammachine SLR (a climbing bike with some aero shaping) and Timemachine Road (an aero road bike) are somewhat middle of the road. So while exceeding them wouldn’t seem a big challenge for a company with RBAT’s knowledge and resources, 3.5- and 2.1 percent don’t sound like much.

I think the somewhat unimpressive-sounding low-single-digit gains realized by the Teammachine R compared to its BMC stablemates speak, in part, to how aerodynamic the modern race bike already is and also how tough it is for anyone to cut much more drag while staying within the UCI’s restrictive rulebook.

But at the top level of racing, every gain is a gain worth having.

Take the 2023 Tour de France, as an example. Jonas Vingegaard finished seven minutes and 29 seconds ahead of Tadej Pogačar in the general classification. Which sounds impressive, but Vingegaard’s overall time of 82 hours, 5 minutes and 42 seconds was just 0.152 percent faster than Pogačar’s.

Using a recent one-day race as an example, Pogačar won Strade Bianchi by two minutes and 44 seconds: a mere 0.85 percent.

The one-piece ICS Carbon Aero Cockpit found on the top three Teammachine R models is offered in exactly one width: A scant 360mm at the hoods (the UCI’s minimum width) which, thanks to a 12.5-degree flare, expands to 420mm at the drops.

While the width is fixed, BMC offers stem-length options from 80 to 140mm in 10mm steps. Stock stem lengths are (frame size/stem length): 47cm/90mm, 51cm/100mm, 54cm/100mm, 56cm/110mm, 58cm/110mm, and 61cm/120mm. The other stats on this cockpit are minus-12 degree stem angle, 72.5mm reach, and 135mm drop.

BMC says the reasons to go with a single width are simple: It’s the most aerodynamic choice under the current UCI rules, and, after testing multiple width options with their professional riders, the 360/420mm was the preferred choice.

If the ICS’s width is not suited to your needs, the TM-R is compatible with a two-piece cockpit. However, the shape of the fork steerer precludes the use of just any stem: Currently, the only stem compatible with the TM-R is BMC’s ICS2 stem . Thankfully, most handlebars can be fitted.

An example of the two-piece combination is found on the $9,000 TM-R 01 Four (the least expensive model) which runs the ICS2 stem with an Easton handlebar. Because the brake hoses below this stem are hidden under a removable cover (instead of through the stem extension) it has a big advantage from a fitting perspective. Coupled with the Four’s Easton bar and brake hoses running under the bar tape (and not through the bar), the Four has the easiest cockpit to customize.

Unlike the more expensive models with the one-piece cockpit, the Four has frame-size-specific stock bar widths: 400mm on the smallest frame size (47cm), up to 440mm on the largest (61cm). This means that, yes, the bar width on the smallest (47cm) Four is wider than the bar on any of the sizes of the bikes fitted with the one-piece cockpit.

Like many other cycling tech editors, I’ve highlighted the drawbacks of internal routing and proprietary parts. They are nightmarish for many reasons, but if there’s any application where the nightmares are worth the tradeoff, it’s a road race bike where every extra gram of drag is a liability. But while I understand the benefits of full internal routing on bikes like this TM-R, they don’t excuse BMC and their dealers from servicing customers who require different cockpit dimensions from stock.

And this is where my biggest problem with the Teammachine R arises: BMC offers little official recourse for riders who need different cockpit dimensions.

When I reached out to BMC’s team in the United States to enquire about the options available to TM-R customers I received a response from Joan Hanscom, BMC USA’s marketing manager, that read, “In many cases the retailer will be able to help with a ‘swap’. Meaning in some cases the retailer will bring the longer/shorter stem cockpit for the customer knowing that a future customer will want the size that they’ve just done the swap for.” Hanscomb added, however, “This is really on a per retailer basis.”

For riders who don’t get lucky with their BMC dealer, either they suck it up and ride with a cockpit that doesn’t fit properly, or they pay full price for the correct sized components, and then pay labor for the swap. This is, I feel, unacceptable for such expensive bikes that place such an emphasis on performance. Because fit, after all, is a lynchpin of rider performance.

It's also quite annoying that BMC’s one-piece cockpit requires a proprietary electronics mount that is not included. When I mentioned this to my colleague, Tara Seplavy, she said, “It’s like buying a Lamborghini and getting charged extra for a cup holder.” And to dig the dagger in further, BMC charges 100 bucks for the little bugger. That’s $25 to $40 more than K-Edge charges for its superb USA-made machined aluminum mounts .

My time riding the Teammachine R left me with conflicting feelings. I was impressed from the first moments aboard it, and those feelings blossomed to the point where it is now my favorite race bike. Yet I’m also disappointed that BMC and RBAT didn’t deliver a bike that is clearly the head of its class. But first, let’s talk about how it rides.

Fit and handling are very individual qualities. On the fit topic, the Teammachine is in the same ballpark as other race bikes (race bike geometry is very homogeneous), so you’re not likely to sit on it any different than another brand's bike of approximately the same size.

Its steering falls to the mellower end of the spectrum; more akin to Pinarello’s Dogma F than a Specialized Tarmac. That gives it more stability and composure at higher speeds and through sweeping corners and less crit-bike quickness. But differences in the steering flavor of the Teammachine (and others like it) and the Tarmac (and others that handle similarly) are found in the notes, not the body. It’s more about preference than performance.

Overall, the BMC handles beautifully. Again, from a high-level view, the Teammachine’s handling isn’t much different than what other race bikes provide. Even so, this bike was one of the most intuitive-handling race bikes I’ve ridden: Whether pushing it hard or on a recovery ride, it always reacted as expected and was free of drama or surprise.

It is a firm ride, but not harsh. It has enough compliance to smooth the sharper hits and not punish the rider on longer rides. But it is a crisp and gritty ride: the TM-R gives the rider ample feedback with the smallest change to the road surface immediately communicated.

And while it is on the more rigid end of the compliance spectrum, it is surprisingly supple when cornering over rough surfaces: Just one of the reasons I found its handling so confidence-inspiring. The Teammachine R is very stiff in the ways you want a race bike to be stiff, which leads to immediacy and reactivity in its acceleration and direction changes.

In the voice notes I recorded while testing the bike, I said things like, “It has an attitude,” and said it felt, “rowdy.” I look for those traits in a race bike: I want them slightly untamed. Too much polish makes a race bike feel slow and boring.

And slow the TM-R certainly is not. It is a rocket.

One memorable occasion I had while testing the BMC: I joined one of my regular groups for a zone-two ride and they asked why I was pushing the pace. I wasn’t—the TM-R is just freakin’ fast. On flats, it rolls like a true aero bike—that feeling that you’re just a bit fresher than usual, or you’ve got a bit of a tailwind (or the headwind isn’t as strong).

Is it faster than other premium semi-aero all-around bikes like a Specialized Tarmac? Maybe. Is it faster than a full-aero bike like a Cervelo S5 ? Probably not, but I’m always prepared to be surprised.

In the absence of comparative wind tunnel data, it’s difficult to say. But my, subjective, sense is that it’s in the same ballpark as the other premium aero and semi-aero bikes. And that’s because, I think, the UCI’s regulations have effectively erected a wall that prevents any brand from finding significantly more aero gain above where the best frames are today. RBAT’s Gray said it himself: They didn’t find anything to exploit in the UCI’s rules that other brands had not already exploited.

And that’s why I can’t help but be a bit let down by the result—even if the Teammachine R is, at present, my favorite race bike.

Because even with RBAT’s expertise, computing horsepower, and their claimed 10 times higher CFD resolution than bike brands, the Teammachine R is not game-changingly more aerodynamic than the bikes BMC developed without RBAT’s help. And, I suspect, not earth-shakingly (if at all) more aero than its competition.

It's also, at least 100 (perhaps 200) grams too heavy for a premium race frame. The 910-gram frame and 395-gram fork are not particularly impressive when other all-around frames hover around the 700-gram (forks around 340 grams) mark. Heck, Specialized’s third-generation Venge aero bike (from six years ago ) had a 960-gram frame and 385-gram fork.

My 15.7 lb/7.12 kg test sample wasn’t heavy, and it didn’t ride heavy. But it also didn’t ride like a light bike. The Teammachine R didn’t feel as explosive as the Tarmac SL8 or Emonda SLR I tested.

I also find the 30mm tire clearance limit almost unacceptable for a modern race bike. It’s fine right now , but I believe that limit will quickly become a liability given the ever-increasing widths used by road riders, even those at the pointy end of the pro peloton.

I know making a great race bike is difficult. And I understand that, as frame weight and drag numbers drop over time, it gets progressively harder to find significant gains. I appreciate that many people worked hard to get the new Teammachine R where it is today. And I recognize how difficult it can be for all the people who worked so hard on the TM-R to hear critics—who had no part in the bike’s development—like me pan their efforts.

BMC’s Teammachine R is a very good race bike, and the most complete race bike ever from BMC. But I can’t shake the feeling that it should be better. The Teammachine R proves the smarts and capabilities of the teams at Specialized, Trek, Cannondale, Canyon, Giant, etc. rather than making them look like amateurs. For all the Formula 1 swagger, the Teammachine R doesn’t raise the bar or change the game. Or maybe it does, but in ways too small to stand out.

Despite these shortcomings, I’m calling the Teammachine R my favorite (current) race bike. It is undeniably fast and extremely responsive. It handles beautifully and I find it’s comfortable enough for long hours on the pavement, but with pleasing and appropriate levels of feedback.

Plus, I like that it stands out because of its distinctive looks. It is a bit weird and different, but with so many great little shapes and details that I find exciting.

There is no perfect race bike. Each strikes a different combination of weight, geometry, aerodynamics, comfort, and features. Even as more brands converge on the semi-aero all-arounder as their one race bike, no two are ever truly alike. And therefore no one bike can ever satisfy every racer.

The BMC Teammachine R is undeniably a great race bike. Could it be better? For sure, but there’s always the next generation.

BMC offers the Teammachine R only in its most premium carbon level (named 01), which partially explains why it’s an expensive model line. The line has four complete bikes priced from $9,000 to $15,000, plus a frame kit at $6,000.

Two complete bikes have Shimano drivetrains ( Dura-Ace or Ultegra ) and two have SRAM (Red or Force ). Befitting a race-focused bike, all complete models have a power meter. As explained above, the three most expensive models come with BMC’s one-piece carbon cockpit while the least expensive version has a two-piece cockpit.

Teammachine R 01 LTD

BMC Teammachine R 01 LTD

Teammachine R 01 Two

BMC Teammachine R 01 TWO

Teammachine R 01 Three

BMC Teammachine R 01 THREE

Teammachine R 01 Four

BMC Teammachine R 01 FOUR

A gear editor for his entire career, Matt’s journey to becoming a leading cycling tech journalist started in 1995, and he’s been at it ever since; likely riding more cycling equipment than anyone on the planet along the way. Previous to his time with Bicycling , Matt worked in bike shops as a service manager, mechanic, and sales person. Based in Durango, Colorado, he enjoys riding and testing any and all kinds of bikes, so you’re just as likely to see him on a road bike dressed in Lycra at a Tuesday night worlds ride as you are to find him dressed in a full face helmet and pads riding a bike park on an enduro bike. He doesn’t race often, but he’s game for anything; having entered road races, criteriums, trials competitions, dual slalom, downhill races, enduros, stage races, short track, time trials, and gran fondos. Next up on his to-do list: a multi day bikepacking trip, and an e-bike race. 

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• Bike of the Year 2024

Best climbing bikes 2024 | Lightweight bikes for when the road points upwards

The top lightweight road bikes for climbing

Russell Burton / Our Media

Simon von Bromley

The best climbing bikes are low-weight, helping you conquer the longest (or steepest) ascents.

There's a definite buzz to riding a fast, flyweight machine, and many road cyclists love the fast acceleration and responsiveness of climbing bikes.

A modern lightweight bike has to prove itself not solely through whether it's under the UCI weight limit, but also by having the aerodynamics to up your ride speed on descents and the flat.

Keep reading to see our pick of the best climbing bikes and to find out more about these lightweight bikes, check out our buyer's guide at the end of this article .

Best climbing bikes 2024, as rated by our expert testers

Giant tcr advanced sl 0 disc.

• £9,699 / $11,000 / AU$13,499 as tested
• Weight: 6.7kg (L)
• Pros: Light, stiff and responsive race bike; top-spec build
• Cons: Exposed brake hoses; narrow tyres

The Giant TCR has long been a benchmark for race bikes and the ninth generation of the bike remains a top performer.

While the TCR comes in many variants to suit different budgets, the Advanced SL 0 model is unapologetically high-end and its frameset sports an integrated seatpost with a topper rather than a conventional one.

With a full SRAM Red eTap AXS wireless groupset and carbon wheels from Giant's in-house brand Cadex, it's ready to race out of the box and is properly light.

• Read our full Giant TCR Advanced SL 0 Disc review

Bianchi Specialissima

• £11,206 / $11,626 / €11,449 as tested
• Weight: 7.2kg (59cm)
• Pros: Great mix of speed, handling, control and smoothness
• Cons: Wheels are a bit of a disappointment

The Bianchi Specialissima is a bike that's gone from round tubes to aero profiles in its latest iteration, also gaining disc brakes and hiding the hoses, while still ticking the lightweight boxes with a 750g frame and 370g fork. You could lose another 80g by opting for black paint instead of celeste.

Bianchi incorporates Countervail anti-vibration tech into the frame and the bike comes with Shimano Dura-Ace 12-speed shifting and other top-notch kit. The Vision SC 40 carbon tubeless wheels feel a little low-value compared to the rest of the spec though (even at £11,000).

The ride is a mix of responsiveness with great handling, while also composed, smooth and more comfortable than some bikes with tyres wider than the Specialissima's 26mm Pirellis.

• Read our full Bianchi Specialissima review

Cannondale SuperSix Evo Hi-Mod 2

• £8,250 / $8,300 / €8,999 / AU$11,999 as tested
• Weight: 7.57kg (56cm)
• Pros: Excellent handling combined with compliance and stiffness
• Cons: Vision Trimax handlebar may not suit those with smaller hands

Now in its fourth generation, the SuperSix Evo continues to cement itself as one of the best climbing bikes. The new bike takes much of what made the previous versions so well regarded, but removes the often-maligned PF30a press-fit bottom bracket and replaces it with a 68mm BSA threaded model. The front-end design and down tube have also been refined and there's a new proprietary seatpost, too.

Out on the road, the SuperSix Evo balances its inspired handling with compliance and stiffness. It's a particularly adept climber, feeling assured and firm when under the rider and when you want to put the power down, it rockets forward. The new aero seatpost isn't as stiff as you might expect, offering a good amount of buzz-reducing compliance.

The Shimano Ultegra R8100 groupset on this build is BikeRadar's pick of the Japanese brand's latest groupsets and we were impressed by the newly updated flagship HollowGram R-SL 50 wheels, too. Although Cannondale specs Continental Grand Prix 5000 tyres, they're in a 25mm width and we'd be keen to run wider rubber. We also suspect the Vision Trimax won't suit those with smaller hands because the tops are very deep.

• Read our full Cannondale SuperSix Evo Hi-Mod 2 review

Canyon Ultimate CF SLX 8 Di2

• £6,199 / $5,499 / €6,499 / AU$9,899 as tested
• Weight: 7.26kg (L)
• Pros: Cheaper than Ultimate CFR; smother than Ultimate CFR
• Cons: Can’t customise components at purchase

The Canyon Ultimate CF SLX 8 Di2 sits below the range-topping CFR, but our tester found it to be smoother with the same handling and stiffness as the pricier model.

In short, you get better value for money with this Shimano Ultegra-equipped bike and a more balanced ride, earning it a place on the very top shelf of current road bikes.

It’s a shame you can’t customise the build at the point of purchase, which might be an annoyance if you prefer an inline seatpost.

• Read our full Canyon Ultimate CF SLX 8 Di2 review

ENVE Melee (Ultegra Di2 build)

• £5,500 / $5,500 / €5,500 for frame 'chassis' | £10,400 / $12,834 / AU$19,220 as tested
• Weight: 7.8kg (58cm in this example build)
• Pros: Outstanding handling balanced with great comfort and geometry
• Cons: Expensive and you can't buy a full build off the peg

The ENVE Melee took our 2024 Performance Bike of the Year crown, thanks to its outstanding handling and balanced comfort. The brand's second bike after the Custom Road has been aerodynamically optimised, albeit with a slightly taller ride position than you'll find on longer and lower bikes. The Melee also fully integrates its cables and hoses and uses a D-shaped seatpost.

We found the Melee to be one of the easiest-handling race bikes on the market and we were struck by how stable and composed it is in every scenario. It deals with everything with real calmness.

A stable and composed ride can sometimes be a little boring, but there's none of that here. The Melee's reaction to inputs is quick and it's unperturbed by crosswinds.

Unlike the other bikes on this list, the Melee is sold as a 'chassis' – a frame, fork, stem, handlebar, seatpost and thru-axles. You then build the bike up with your preferred electronic groupset , wheels and tyres. Even in a modest build, that means the Melee is far from a cheap proposition, but the ability to mould it into your own makes it a real winner.

Our example build came with a Shimano Ultegra R8100 groupset, and ENVE's Foundation 45 carbon wheels and SES tyres in a 29mm width.

• Read our full ENVE Melee review

Focus Izalco Max 9.7 AXS

• £5,699 / €6,199 / AU$8,999 as tested
• Weight: 7.9kg (L)
• Pros: Racy handling; decent value
• Cons: Grey paint scheme

Similar to many other bikes in this category, Focus has evolved its Izalco platform to be more well-rounded.

The latest version takes both weight and aerodynamics into account, but doesn’t go so far as to ignore practicality completely – the aero cockpit, for example, uses a standard stem and handlebar setup to make fit adjustment and maintenance a little easier.

At 7.9kg (size large), it’s not the lightest bike we’ve ever tested, but this does include 50mm-deep aero wheels and, with a frame weight of just 890g (claimed), it could certainly be lightened up considerably with a few weight-weenie optimisations.

There’s also a slightly cheaper version, the Izalco Max Disc 8.8 , that has Ultegra R8000 mechanical gears, but performed similarly well in our testing.

• Read our full Focus Izalco Max 9.7 AXS review

Lapierre Xelius SL 9.0

• £7,399 / €7,799 as tested
• Weight: 7.5kg (L)
• Pros: Good-value spec; racy geometry
• Cons: Limited sizing; can be twitchy in the wind

Another lightweight bike with aero features, the Xelius nevertheless stands out thanks to the design of its seatstays. The navy blue fade glitter paintjob looks stunning and the racy geometry leads to sharp handling.

If you're at either extreme of the size range, the five sizes available may not work for you though.

The spec is really good for the price, with 12-speed Dura-Ace Di2, a carbon bar and stem and Lapierre's own-brand carbon wheels with 25mm Continental GP5000 tyres that measure 27mm on the 47mm-deep, 21mm internal-width rims.

• Read our full Lapierre Xelius SL 9.0 review

Merida Scultura Team

• £8,000 / €9,999 as tested
• Weight: 7.1kg (M)
• Pros: Great value for a pro-level spec; exciting ride
• Cons: Tricky fit adjustment

The Merida Scultura Team took our 2022 Performance Bike of the Year crown, thanks to its superb, exciting ride and racy handling. It's also great value, with a Shimano Dura-Ace 12-speed groupset, complete with power meter.

Merida has shaved 4.2 per cent from the previous Scultura's drag numbers, while also lowering weight slightly to a claimed 822g for a size M frame. It's well kitted out; we particularly liked the Vision Metron 45 SL wheels, their 1,372g weight leading to low inertia on climbs. They're shod with 28mm Continental GP5000 tyres for a comfortable ride.

The one downside is the lack of narrower options for the integrated bar/stem.

• Read our full Merida Scultura Team review

Specialized S-Works Tarmac SL8 Dura-Ace Di2

• £12,000 / $14,000 / €14,000 / AU$19,900 as tested
• Weight: 6.76kg (56cm)
• Pros: Exceptionally well-balanced handling; aero bike speed
• Cons: Wider tyres would be beneficial; cost

The Specialized S-Works Tarmac SL8 is the brand’s latest flagship road bike.

The SL8 rides like a dream with exceptionally well-balanced handling. It has the speed of an aero bike and it’s a fantastic climber.

Our tester described this no-expense-spared build, featuring Shimano Dura-Ace, as one of the finest race bikes available. But he cautioned that it doesn’t shift the goalposts far enough from the performance of the previous-generation SL7 to warrant upgrading.

• Read our full Specialized S-Works Tarmac SL8 review

Basso Diamante Ultegra Di2

• £7,199 / €8,299 as tested
• Weight: 7.58kg (58cm)
• Pros: Sharp but stable race geometry
• Cons: Long and low cockpit won't work for everyone

The eighth-generation Diamante is a thoroughbred race bike, while remaining classic in its appearance. The tube shapes are rounded, which Basso says is designed to improve stiffness and efficiency, while minimising weight.

The geometry is in pure race bike territory – long and low, so you'll want to have a long think about whether it will work for you and carefully study the geometry chart. That said, in testing we found the Diamante to balance its tactile handling with satisfying stiffness. It's surprisingly comfortable, too, thanks to the slim seatstays and carbon seatpost.

There's little to criticise with the Ultegra Di2 specced. The second-tier groupset delivers identical shifting and braking performance to Dura-Ace with a compelling cost saving. We also rated the Microtech RE38 wheels – many own-brand efforts can vary in design modernity, but these are on the money with a 23mm internal rim width.

• Read our full Basso Diamante Ultegra Di2 review

BMC Teammachine SLR 01 Two

• £9,800 / $10,999 / €10,499 as tested
• Weight: 7.09kg (56cm)
• Pros: Lightweight and fast
• Cons: High price

The latest iteration of BMC’s excellent Teammachine learns lessons from the Timemachine (BMC’s aero road bike) to improve its aerodynamic efficiency, without adding too much weight.

In fact, its 7.09kg weight makes the BMC Teammachine SLR 01 Two one of the lightest bikes on this list, and that’s seriously impressive considering it has aero wheels, disc brakes and plenty of other aero features.

The omission of a Dura-Ace crankset in favour of Rotor is perhaps the only minor criticism we could make of a bike that's otherwise extremely hard to find fault with. There’s no denying it comes at a very high price though.

• Read our full BMC Teammachine SLR 01 Two review

Canyon Ultimate CFR Di2

• £10,399 as tested
• Weight: 6.3kg (L)
• Pros: More versatile than ever
• Cons: Inconsistent spec

The Canyon Ultimate CFR Di2 is tremendously expensive and light at a mere 6.3kg in size large.

The top-dog Ultimate retains its race-winning stiffness, agility and climbing ability while becoming ever more aerodynamic.

However, the shallow-section DT Swiss wheels undermine the Ultimate's versatility, while the Schwalbe Pro One TT tyres are a puncture risk on all but the smoothest roads.

• Read our full Canyon Ultimate CFR Di2 review

Cervélo R5 Disc Force eTap AXS

• £8,599 / €8,799 / $8,400 as tested
• Weight: 7.4kg (56cm)
• Pros: Stiff, but not too stiff frameset; includes power meter
• Cons: Expensive compared to competition

Cervélo claims a 703g frame weight for the latest R5 and, like all Cervélos, there's an aero edge, with Squoval tube profiles and smooth frame edges, while internal hose routing saves a claimed 3W at 48km/h.

The SRAM Force AXS chainset comes with a power meter and the bike is equipped with Reserve 34/37mm carbon wheels, although they're planned to be swapped out for Zipp ZR1 wheels from 2024. The 25mm Vittoria Corsa tyres measure around 29mm on the wide rims.

Cervélo has a reputation for stiff frames, but the latest R5 is slightly less stiff than its predecessor. The geometry is racy, leading to an agile, predictable ride, and the light weight and good power transfer make for sprightly climbing.

• Read our full Cervélo R5 Disc Force eTap AXS review

Colnago C68

• £11,753 / $15,772 / €14,065 as tested
• Weight: 7.3kg (58cm equivalent)
• Pros: Beautifully built; superb handling
• Cons: Saddle should be better at this price

Colnago uses its lugged construction on the C68, but the tube shapes are more reminiscent of the monocoque V3R . Colnago fits its own comfortable one-piece cockpit with hidden cable routing.

The ride position is long and low, although not too aggressive for less flexible riders and leads to great handling from the taut frame.

There's a full Dura-Ace R9200 build, including C50 wheels with 28mm Pirelli tyres, although the Prologo saddle isn't the range-topping carbon-railed version. It's a great bike that merits its superbike rating.

• Read our full Colnago C68 review

Colnago V4RS

• £5,000 / €12,630 as tested (UK price is for frameset only)
• Weight: 7.23kg (57cm)
• Pros: Pinpoint handling
• Cons: Seriously expensive

Ridden by UAE Team Emirates (and perhaps most importantly) Tadej Pogačar, the V4RS is Colnago's monocoque carbon race bike, where a balance of lightness, stiffness and speed is the name of the game.

Colnago claims the V4RS is 3 per cent more aerodynamic than the outgoing V3RS and the new CC01 cockpit alone is said to be 16 per cent more aerodynamic. There are some new tube shapes too, with a reprofiled head tube, although many will be glad to hear the brand has reverted back to a round steerer tube.

Out on the road, the V4RS is unerringly poised, with direct handling and sharpness. It felt particularly confident on descents, driving hard into an apex and the bottom bracket laps up power when climbing, the bike keen to accelerate when you get out of the saddle.

• Read our full Colnago V4RS review

Giant TCR Advanced Pro 2 Disc

• £2,999 / $5,199 / €3,100 as tested
• Weight: 7.87kg (M/L)
• Pros: Solid all-round spec; lively ride quality; generous tyre clearance
• Cons: Limits aftermarket upgrades

The legendary TCR has finally gone aero, but that doesn’t mean a huge increase in weight, fortunately.

At 7.87kg, it’s not the lightest bike on this list, but it’s very competitive in its price range and could likely be lightened considerably with some component upgrades.

It also offers a noticeably smooth ride, with confident handling and clearance for up to 32mm tyres, which is very welcome.

Giant’s sister company Liv offers a women's version called the Langma Advanced Pro Disc, which is one of the best women's road bikes .

• Read our full Giant TCR Advanced Pro 2 Disc review

Scott Addict RC 10

• £5,949 / $8,000 / €6,599 as tested
• Weight: 7.9kg (56cm)
• Pros: Quality ride; power meter
• Cons: Middling wheels and mediocre tyres

The Scott Addict marries sharp handling with a predictable and compliant ride quality that's similar to the Cervélo R5. There's integrated cabling that works for mechanical and wired electronic, as well as wireless shifting, and it's reasonably easy to work on.

Scott includes a power meter with the SRAM Force AXS electronic groupset and you get decent, if not outstanding, Syncros Capital 1.0 35 Disc wheels with a claimed weight of 1,574g a pair.

We were disappointed with the fitted Schwalbe One TLE tyres though, with their higher rolling resistance than many of the best road bike tyres . Tyre clearance is a little narrow at 28mm too.

Although this mid-spec Addict weighs just under 8kg, you can spend a lot more and get the bike's claimed weight down to 6.7kg.

• Read our full Scott Addict RC 10 review

Specialized Aethos Comp

• £4,500 / $5,000 / €5,400 / AU$6,900 as tested
• Weight: 8.2kg (58cm)
• Pros: Rapid handling, but stable ride quality; climbs well
• Cons: Wheelset and tyres limit performance

Although the Comp spec of the Specialized Aethos weighs over 8kg, the top-spec S-Works Aethos brings that down to a claimed sub-6kg, definitely earning a place on our lightweight bikes list. The classic frame profile with round tubes goes against the aero-is-everything modern trend.

The Comp uses a lower-spec carbon than the S-Works, but still has a 700g frame weight and comes with a SRAM Rival AXS groupset and lower-priced, heavier wheels. These make it feel less skittish than the S-Works bike, while it retains its rapid handling and shares its geometry with the Tarmac SL7. It still feels light when climbing too.

• Read our full Specialized Aethos Comp review

Specialized S-Works Tarmac SL7

• £10,500 / $12,000 / €11,499 / AU$18,000 as tested
• Weight: 6.7kg (54cm)
• Pros: Stiff, fast and responsive
• Cons: Ride might be too racy for some; that price tag

The Specialized Tarmac SL7 has now been replaced by the Tarmac SL8, but you can still find this bike for sale.

The Tarmac SL7 is disc-only and has clearance for 32mm tyres. It's a fast and uncompromising race bike that will delight riders who can kick out big power numbers.

In its halo S-Works spec, this is a seriously expensive bike, but more affordable models are available, with the second-tier frame claimed to weigh a respectable 920g.

• Read our full Specialized S-Works Tarmac SL7 review

Trek Emonda SL 6 Pro

• £3,350 / $3,799 / €3,799 / AU$5,499 as tested
• Weight: 8.13kg (56cm)
• Pros: Stiff, exciting ride; great-quality components
• Cons: 25mm tyres harm performance; uncompetitive weight

In line with market trends, Trek has amended the Emonda’s design parameters to encompass a broader, all-round riding style, with the obligatory disc brakes and aero optimisation.

This does mean builds won’t quite be able to match the positively feathery lows of previous models , but Trek is, unsurprisingly, adamant they are faster most of the time. Our tester broadly agrees with this sentiment too, heaping praise on the Emonda's speed and stiffness.

It’s also worth considering Trek’s beautiful Emonda ALR . Not only are there rim and disc brake versions of that frame (as things stand), but it’s also substantially cheaper. We think it’s an absolute peach of a bike.

Trek says the Emonda is now a unisex bike, and offers a broad range of sizes (from 47cm to 65cm) with the intention of fitting all different kinds of cyclists.

• Read our full Trek Emonda SL 6 Pro review

What we've included (and what we haven't)

This buyer's guide features lightweight bikes at a range of prices, reviewed by BikeRadar and having scored at least four stars in our testing.

While lighter bikes may be available (including custom builds and different models within a given manufacturer's range), these are bikes we have tried and tested, and can confidently vouch for as a result.

Buyer’s guide to climbing bikes

It perhaps goes without saying, but when you’re riding uphill, gravity is always trying to pull you back down.

Reducing the total rider plus bike system weight means less energy (or power , in cycling parlance) is required to maintain a given speed while climbing.

Therefore, if you want to ride uphill faster, or simply make the hills a little easier, a lightweight bike helps a lot.

It’s for this reason we see hill-climb obsessives chopping and changing practically every component to bring their overall bike weight down to its lowest possible limit.

The only issues are that high-end, lightweight bikes and parts can be eye-wateringly expensive, and the weight-weenie bug can be hard to shake once you get started. However, some of the best road bikes under £3,000 are good for climbing.

Cheaper still is improving your power-to-weight ratio . You can do this by becoming more powerful at the same weight or losing weight through cycling and maintaining power.

Top-quality carbon fibre is prized for its incredible stiffness-to-weight ratio, and rightly so – this is the reason it’s used in Formula One. If you can afford it, the lightest bikes and parts will almost always be made out of high-end carbon fibre.

At the lower end though, good aluminium is competitive with, or even better than, cheap carbon fibre. That applies not just to weight and stiffness, but also ride quality and strength.

The very last of those characteristics is also a general worry for ultra-lightweight carbon fibre frames and parts. You have to be very careful about sticking to recommended weight, torque and clamping specs, or else it’s very easy to break these feathery items.

Aero vs. weight for climbing

Until fairly recently, climbing bikes made no concessions to aerodynamics, leaving drag-reduction to the best aero road bikes . But with the rise of computer modelling, on-bike aero sensors and other advanced testing techniques, this has all changed.

Even dedicated climbing bikes are now launching, with brands touting their aerodynamic efficiency.

Take the Trek Emonda , for example. Trek says it has been designed specifically for the rigours of iconic Tour de France climbs such as Alpe d’Huez (a 13.85km monster in the French Alps), yet still features extensive aero treatment.

True hill climb aficionados will no doubt be tearing their hair out at this point, exclaiming ‘anything under 10 per cent isn’t even a proper hill anyway!’, but if you want to go fast, aero always matters, regardless of the gradient.

It's true that aerodynamic drag becomes a smaller part of the equation as gradients increase in severity, but the absolute amount of air resistance you experience remains the same for any given speed.

On top of that, the power to overcome any increase in air resistance is proportional to the cube of speed. So, if you want to ride your bicycle twice as fast, you’ll need eight times more power to overcome the extra drag force, unless you can reduce your aerodynamic drag.

In an ideal world, then, you want a bike that’s both lightweight and aero for smashing hills.

"Weight weenies should be Crr weenies"

So said Robert Chung, Professor and Theoretical Mathematical Demographer at the University of California-Berkeley. Chung is perhaps most famous for devising the ‘Chung Method’ of calculating aerodynamic drag, but he also reminds us of the importance of not ignoring rolling resistance.

Using a power equation for wheeled vehicles (such as the one found at www.kreuzotter.de ), he showed that even a relatively small difference in rolling resistance (Crr stands for 'coefficient of rolling resistance') can be worth as much as large changes in weight, even on steep gradients.

Chung's graph plots the difference in Crr between Continental’s GP4000S II and GP5000 tyres in terms of the equivalent efficiency found through weight loss on different gradients.

On a flat road, it’s clear that even a relatively small decrease in rolling resistance is worth more than practically any increase in weight. What’s really interesting to note though, is that changing from a GP4000 to a GP5000 is still worth more than 500g of extra mass even on a 10 per cent slope.

Yes, that’s right; the small difference in rolling resistance between two of the best road bikes tyres can have a greater effect on your efficiency than 500g of extra weight even on a 10 per cent slope, and that equivalent mass penalty only increases as the gradient gets shallower. On a 6 per cent slope, the difference is equivalent to a kilogram of extra mass.

The key takeaway is that you shouldn’t just look at weight figures when shopping for tyres. The differences in rolling resistance between tyres will be worth far more to your climbing speed than any minor weight variations.

Gearing and cadence when climbing

Some riders apparently enjoy using singlespeed or even fixed-gear bikes for climbing hills . But most people are going to want bike gears .

For a long time though, back in the days when riders only had five or so cogs on their cassette to choose from, gears such as 42×21 were considered adequate for climbing mountains.

Thankfully, though, things have moved on and we now have access to compact/sub-compact chainsets , long-cage rear derailleurs and much larger bike cassettes .

Used together, these can allow practically anyone to spin up steep climbs at a comfortable cycling cadence , rather than turning them into a series of leg presses.

Muscling up a steep hill in a massive gear might feel heroic, but it’s probably slower and it’s costing you more energy too, as anyone with a power meter will be able to attest to. These days, even the pros know you need to gear down when the road goes up .

Rim or disc brakes

Another thorny issue. In our opinion, there are two answers to the bike brakes debates – a simple one and a nuanced one.

The simple answer is that rim brakes are, generally, lighter, and therefore are better for climbing bikes .

There's a more nuanced answer, however. While disc-brake equipped bikes generally come with a weight penalty (though this is becoming harder to measure because, despite what we wrote in 2017 , new high-end rim brake road bikes are uncommon), the advantage of better braking will be keenly felt on the way down the hills.

If the only thing you care about is going uphill as fast as possible, then rim brakes could still be the right choice. Otherwise, the advantages of road disc brakes might tip the balance.

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Best carbon road bikes: Our pick of the best racing and endurance road bikes

Carbon road bikes combine meticulous weight saving, geometry tweaking and aerodynamic sculpting to rule the road

Best carbon fibre race bikes

Best carbon fibre endurance bikes, carbon road bikes explained.

Carbon fibre is a bit of a wonder material because it can be moulded into just about any shape, and tuned to be stiff in one plane and flexible in another. With these properties, it's heavily used throughout the bike industry and we see it in everything from frames down to brake levers. There are advocates of bikes made from steel, titanium and aluminium, but the best road bikes are most commonly made from carbon fibre. For evidence, look no further than the bikes ridden in the WorldTour .

Best road bikes Best aero road bikes Best lightweight bikes Best aluminium road bikes Best road e-bikes

There is no shortage of remarkable bikes made from aluminium, steel and titanium, but with its stiffness, strength and malleability, carbon fibre reigns supreme in road bike technology. Once a reserve for top tier racing bikes, advances in carbon production and technology has resulted in carbon being utilised across every cycling discipline from the best lightweight bikes to full suspension mountain bikes and surpassing the performance possible with metal tubes. 

Scroll down for a pick of our favourite carbon road bikes that are available today and an overview of what to look for when choosing a carbon road bike .

Specialized Tarmac Disc Expert

Specifications, reasons to buy, reasons to avoid.

We're up to the SL6 version of the Specialized Tarmac, and the current frameset has lost a bit of weight and the tubing profiles are a bit boxier. The chainstays have been dropped drastically, and the back of the seat tube and seat post are now flat, a well-tested way to introduce compliance to the rear end.

Introduced a few iterations ago, the new Tarmac is based around what Specialized calls Rider-First Engineering, each frame size is built with a specific geometry, layup and tube shapes, meaning gone are the days of the ultra-stiff XS and noodly XL frames. Also gone are the gender-specific geometries, the only difference between the men's and women's versions are the touchpoints and cranks.

Specialized tell us the frame is more aero too, claiming the new Tarmac is 45-seconds faster over 45km compared to 'other lightweight bikes in the same category'. Only available with disc brakes for 2020, this has allowed the brand to balloon the max tire clearance to 30mm. The Expert spec comes with a Shimano Ultegra mechanical groupset, Roval C38 carbon wheels finished in with S-Works Turbo 120TPI rubber and one of our favourite paint jobs of the bunch.

Raced by: Bora-Hansgrohe , Deceuninck-QuickStep , Boels Dolmans

Trek Emonda SL 6 Disc

The Emonda is Trek's lightweight carbon road frame, and the top-end SLR version is one of the lightest framesets you can buy. While the SL version doesn't get the 600-series carbon and ultralight paint of the SLR trim, it's no slouch on the scale. Only available in the brands H2 more relaxed fit, the Disc version of the frame is made using the brand's second-tier OCLV 500 carbon.

At the back, the Emonda uses a seat mast and cap, which adds some vertical compliance, however, it does limit your minimum and maximum saddle height. Tipping the scales at around 8.6kg, depending on the size, it's not the lightest bike on the market but considering the price, it is well specced.

• Richie Porte's Trek Emonda – Gallery
• Sandy Floren's Trek Emonda gravel-lite race bike - Gallery

The latest version of the Emonda SL is noticeably stiffer and leads to a lively road feel, the stable BB creates a tight pedalling feel. Trek still hasn't applied its ISO-speed technology to the Emonda, and with the additional stiffness in the frame, some feedback from the road makes it through to your body, especially through the handlebars.

The Emonda SL is also specced with a Shimano Ultegra groupset and Bontrager Paradigm Disc tubeless-ready wheels; we feel it demonstrates decent value for money.

Raced by: Trek-Segafredo , Trek-Segafredo Women

Cannondale SuperSix Evo Hi-Mod Disc

Launched just ahead of the 2019 Tour de France , Cannondale 's latest SuperSix Evo comes complete with a first for the frame – a sloping top tube. But it's not just the death of the flat top tube, Cannondale has swapped to Kammtail tube shapes for a claimed 30 watt saving (at 48kph) over its predecessor and the brand says the new SuperSix is between nine and 40 watts faster than a range of its competitors. The frame also gets a flat-backed seat post and seat tube, and the dropped chainstays which are becoming increasingly common among carbon race bikes.

Capable of taking 30mm tyres (28mm rim brake), the new frame is claimed to weigh 886g in a size 56, painted. The rim version of the bike uses the standard open quick release dropout, however, the disc version is shod with Mavic's speed release thru-axle system which pairs an open dropout with a threaded counterpart to speed up wheel changes.

• Cannondale SuperSix EVO review
• Lachlan Morton's Cannondale Supersix Evo - Gallery

Cannondale has also opted for an integrated bar and stem and sees the brands in-house KNOT components providing the seat post and wheelset. As you'd expect for a bike in this price bracket, the 45mm deep road wheels are carbon fibre and tubeless-ready, and a Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 groupset provides the gearing. The new SuperSix EVO also comes with a Power2Max NG Eco power meter installed in the HologramSiSL2 cranks, though you'll have to pay a fee on top of the retail price to activate it.

Raced by: EF Pro Cycling

Giant TCR Advanced Pro 0 Disc

Giant's TCR has long been a no-nonsense performer, and the brand as a whole demonstrates top value for money. Designed around the brand's compact road geometry, the frame is built using Giant's Advanced Composite Technology, and moulded in a modified monocoque construction — meaning the front and rear triangles are moulded separately and then bonded together.

The TCR has always been known for its snappy ride quality and that's due in large part to its compact rear end. At the front, the TCR gets Giant's chunky Overdrive steerer which combine with the front and rear thru-axles and stiff carbon fork mean no steering input is lost to flex.

• A closer look at the new Giant TCR - Simon Geschke's 6.4kg bike
• Greg Van Avermaet's golden Giant TCR Disc - Gallery

Depending on where you live, the Advanced Pro Disc comes with either a Shimano Ultegra or SRAM Force eTap AXS drivetrain, but, regardless of your region, the wheels and tyres are tubeless-ready out of the box, meaning they come with valves and rim strips installed and Giant even gives you enough sealant to get rolling.

The Giant TCR has recently been updated, so the current model TCR is soon to be deemed 'old-hat', but that should mean discounts are readily available on what is still an excellent bike. 

Raced by: CCC Team , CCC-Liv

Canyon Aeroad 7.0

German direct-to-consumer brand Canyon has redefined the level of bike that you can get for your money, and the Aeroad 7.0 is proof. The frame and fork are made from a slightly lower grade of carbon than the SLX version that the Movistar Team rides, but beyond that it's identical. Aero tubing isn't prone to flexing, and the Aeroad offers a stiff ride, but it's still not as bone-rattling as some wind-cheating frames on the market.

For the £2,450 / $3,000 / AU$3,950 price tag, you get a Shimano 105 groupset, which offers fantastic shifting performance and reliability with 11 gears at the back. The base model of the Aeroad is only available with rim brakes; however, you still get direct-mount calipers, which are a reasonable trade-off to save a bit of cash.

While the majority of the bike is fitted with Canyon's own components, the wheels are Reynolds AR58 deep-dish carbon wheels . For the money, the Aeroad is damn hard to beat.

Raced by: Movistar Team

The third iteration of the S5 is claimed to be faster, stronger, and stiffer than its predecessor. At the front, the ultra-stiff front integrated bar and stem is more akin to the spoiler on a racing car than the front end of a bike. Combined with the proprietary external steerer tube that's designed to cheat the wind, Cervelo says as a system this creates a 17g reduction in drag when compared to a standard setup. With the cables routed completely inside the bike, you’re going to want the S5 with an electronic or wireless drivetrain, as replacing the fully internal gear and shift cables and housing will be time-consuming, at best.

Only available with disc brakes, the new frame has room for up to 30mm rubber and sees 12mm thru-axles using the quarter-turn RAT system developed by Focus, which is owned by the same parent company. With improved stiffness throughout, the robust front end makes for pinpoint cornering and allows you to push the limit through the corners. The downside is it can be a bit harsh through your hands.

• Tiesj Benoot's Cervelo R5 - Gallery

Cervelo is a brand well known for its aero bikes , and the new S5 is claimed to be around 5.5-watts quicker than its predecessor, which combined with increases in stiffness throughout make it sharp and always wanting to surge forward.

It's not cheap, but for your investment, you get a Shimano Ultegra Di2 groupset and a set of DT Swiss ARC 1459 62 Disc carbon wheels.

Raced by: Team Sunweb

Scott Foil 10 Disc

The Scott Foil has come quite a long way from its origins, which were often touted as way too stiff, but ultra-responsive with zero flex or vibration dampening. In 2016, Scott completely revamped the frame and added discs in 2017, changing the layup to combat road buzz and dropping the seat stays for vertical compliance.

It's still a stiff and agile frame but lacks some of the snap of the original — not necessarily a bad thing because it makes the bike considerably more manageable, especially four hours into an all-day epic.

Available in both rim and disc versions, Scott graduated from Kammtail to aero tubing and even includes a carbon fairing to shield the disc brake caliper from the wind. The top-end RC versions of the bike come with a one-piece integrated Syncros bar and stem, which is why we like the Foil 10 Disc. Using the brands HMF carbon, it comes with a standard bar and stem and is kitted out with a Shimano Di2 Drivetrain and Syncros Carbon wheels. All that said, we’re not so sure about the brown paint job.

Race by: Mitchelton-Scott , Mitchelton-Scott women

Pinarello Dogma F12 Disk

Say what you will about Pinarello's Dogma but it has won seven of the last 10 Tour de France's. The latest iteration of the Italian brand's aero racer is the Dogma F12, and it's the first race bike from Pinarello to come with discs from the outset. It's quite a big deal given in 2017 Fausto Pinarello famously declared he wasn't convinced high-performance bikes needed disc brakes. The rim brake version also swaps from a single bolt to direct mount brakes.

At first glance, the F12 doesn't look all that different from the F10; there are quite a few claimed improvements to aerodynamics and stiffness throughout the frame. The fork has been revamped to better combat twisting forces from the disc brake caliper, and the frames themselves are said to be 10 per cent lighter than the F10 (unpainted). Pinarello has also made refinements to its asymmetric frame design and changed to a higher grade carbon, said to amount to a 10 per cent increase in stiffness.

• Luke Rowe's Pinarello Dogma F12 XLight
• Rohan Dennis' Pinarello Dogma F12 XLight - Gallery

Now with the ability to take 30mm tyres, the F12 is designed around the Most (Pinarello's component brand) Talon bar and stem combo, which is available in 16-stem length and bar width combinations. Pinarello is making the Dogma F12 in 13 frame sizes, however, they are so expensive, most retailers seem to only be offering framesets at the time of writing.

Raced by: Team Ineos

BMC Teammachine SLR02 Disc One

The BMC Teammachine is one of our favourite race bikes (in fact this writer owns one), and the latest iteration exemplifies the brand's prowess for engineering. As one of the first brands to adopt the dropped chainstays, the Teammachine finds a stellar balance, offering snappy power transfer, seemingly laser-guided handling while dampening a large portion of the vibration before they make it through to your touchpoints.

The big issue we have is the price tag for the range-topping SLR01 version. However SLR02 is about half the price, but still maintains the same geometry and the majority of BMC's hallmark ride characteristics. The frame itself is made with the brand's second-tier carbon, which adds a bit of weight, and doesn't absorb quite the same level of vibration.

Even at the second level of the frame, there are four specs, but it's hard to pass up the Teammachine SLR02 Disc One, complete with SRAM's shiny new Force AXS eTap wireless groupset. The bike is specced with BMC's Integrated Cockpit System, which uses a BMC stem, but standard bars, allowing for a bit of added adjustability, customisation and ease of servicing.

Raced by: NTT Pro Cycling

Ridley Helium SLX Ultegra Di2

A Ridley product manager once told me that the design ethos for its bikes come directly from its sponsored race teams. He explained the design and performance elements are balanced against what will make race mechanics want to pull their hair out and the Helium SLX exemplifies this rational. It's not the stiffest or the lightest bike on the market but the cable routing is simple and while the majority of the finishing kit comes from 4ZA, Ridley's in-house components brand, there's no proprietary anything.

The Helium SLX might not be the stiffest frame out there but it's still robust were it needs to be. Made with a mix of 60/40/30-ton high modulus carbon, Ridley subtlety transitions from round to boxy tubing in areas like the down tube and BB and even the strongest sprinters will struggle to bend the tubing under pedalling.

At the back pencil-thin seat stays soften big hits and the layup does well to absorb vibration. The geometry is racy, but not so stretched out and aggressive that the weekend warrior can't find a comfortable position.

This particular model takes the top end frame, and bolts on the latest Shimano Ultegra Di2 drivetrain and finishing kit comes from 4ZA. Ridley sends these bikes out with Fulcrum Racing 5 wheels, with the assumption being if you're buying a bike like this you probably already own a nice wheelset and may not want to pay for another. However, in Australia, Ridley bikes are only sold as framesets, and the local distributor allows customers to customise everything from drivetrain and wheels to a fully bespoke paint job.

Raced By: Lotto Soudal

Bianchi Oltre XR4

Raced by the Jumbo-Visma team, Bianchi 's Oltre XR4 is an eye-catching ride, especially in the trademark celeste paint job. But, it's what's hidden inside the carbon that sets this bike apart. The CV Countervail carbon architecture, which is also used by NASA, incorporates a viscoelastic resin to better dampen road vibrations coming up through the frame, which the brand says also increases stiffness. There is no doubt the frame is stiff under pedalling forces, but you can feel the difference the countervail tech makes when it comes to comfort.

The main focus of the Oltre XR4 is to slice through the wind so it's no surprise to see the cables fully hidden, with Vision's 5D ACR one-piece cockpit wrangling everything into the frame. With these properties, the Italian outfit has also made the geometry fairly unforgiving and you'll need to be flexible to find a comfortable position.

Don't mistake the Oltre XR4 for an aero bike that's just meant to go straight, it handles with cat-like reflexes. The price tag is pretty heavy and depending on where you live it may only be offered as a frameset.

Raced by: Team Jumbo-Visma

Specialized Roubaix Expert

The Specialized Roubaix was the first commercially available endurance road bike when it was launched back in 2004. With a slightly more relaxed geometry and taller head tube, early versions of the Roubaix featured Zertz inserts, said to absorb road buzz — their effectiveness is still up for debate.

The Roubaix has come quite a long way since then, now featuring the Future Shock. Designed in collaboration with McLaren, the Future Shock is now in its 2.0 version and features a hydraulic piston inside the head tube which provides 20mm of travel, now with a dial to adjust the compression and rebound damping.

• Alison Tetrick's Specialized S-Works Roubaix for Super Sweetwater gravel race - Gallery

The cheaper models of the Roubaix (Comp and below) get a Future Shock 1.5, which is the same unit minus the adjustable damper. Specialized has also added a new D-shaped seat post at the back, complete with a drop-in clamp to maximise flex and create a more balanced ride quality front to back.

It's not as snappy as the Tarmac when you push on the pedals, but it does an excellent job of smoothing out square edges on the road. According to Specialized, the new Roubaix is more Aero than the Tarmac SL6 and lighter than a Venge. Like the Tarmac, it only comes with disc brakes and a unisex geometry, with the only difference between the men's and women's bikes being the touchpoints.

Ridley Fenix SL Disc

On paper, the Fenix SL looks like your typical Fondo bike, with sure-footed endurance geometry. In practice, the frame is on the stiffer end of the spectrum and makes for a ride quality that's anything but boring. There is precisely zero unwanted flex in the fork or laterally in the frame, a characteristic that's relatively commonplace in this category of road bikes. With dropped seat stays, the bike isn't harsh, however, we're not sure we'd describe it as a comfortable ride.

We'd argue among a field of endurance bikes, most of which look like they've been hit with the ugly stick, the Fenix SL, even with its chunky slightly aero tubing, is a pretty good looking bike.

It's not particularly light on the scale, but the Fenix is an endurance roadie that isn't willing to trade comfort for boring or sluggish ride quality.

Trek Domane SL 7

The third generation of the Trek Domane carries the dual front and rear IsoSpeed technology. The top-end SLR models borrow the Madone's top tube mounted adjustable pivot, while the rest retain the standard inbuilt flex point. Trek say the new Domane is more aero than its predecessor, with Trek claiming it's a full minute per hour faster than the previous version - although at what power output, we cannot be sure. 

Trek has fully committed the Domane to disc brakes and the result is that it can accept up to 38mm tyres, or 35mm with a fender. At the front, there is a nifty cable guide mounted under the stem; it's not quite as clean as the internally routed options, but not having to run cables and housing through handlebars and stem make maintenance and changes to bike fit considerably easier.

The Domane also features a clever down tube storage box that allows for tools and a spare tube to be stored in the frame inside a plush tool roll. The full Ultegra SL6 version pictured is built around Trek's H2 Endurance Fit, however, if you spring for the Project One SLR, the slightly more aggressive H1.5 is available. Trek has also ditched the gender-specific geometries, with the only difference between the gendered bikes being the touchpoints and paint jobs.

BMC Roadmachine 01 Four

At first glance, the BMC Roadmachine looks identical to the Teammachine racer, but closer inspection reveals a higher stack, shorter reach, softer ride and room for fat tyres. Even with the more relaxed geometry the Roadmachine still retains much of is racier cousin's efficiency and snap when pressure is applied to the pedals, but with slightly more forgiving steering characteristics.

The frame is made using the TCC (Tuned Compliance Concept) Endurance lay-up, which BMC says is designed to take the edge off rough roads. BMC has also employed what it calls Angle Compliance technology, which is marketing-speak for flex built into the fork, seat stays and seat post. The Roadmachine is where BMC first employed its integrated cockpit design, so it's no surprise to see it here and we love the addition of mounts for a top tube food/storage box so your pre-knock Haribo can be at hand at all times.

There is enough room in the frame for 33mm tyres so even though 'road' is in the name, nothing is stopping you from taking the Roadmachine past where the pavement ends. At the front, the new asymmetric fork is said to be ten per cent stiffer, while the back features the brand's dropped seat stays. The trouble, however, is the BMC sized price tag.

Giant Defy Advanced Pro 0

Since it was introduced in 2009, Giant's Defy has consistently been the brand's top-selling bike — it was also the first road bike to be offered exclusively in disc brakes. With only minor refinements to the geometry over the years, every other aspect of the bike has been improved from the D-Fuse seat post and handlebar to the oversized and tapered OverDrive 2 steerer tube.

The Defy Advanced sees an updated rear end with a slight curve in the seat stays to promote deflection. To balance out the plush rear end, Giant has adapted the D-Fuse technology for the front of the bike. The tops are now D-shaped like the seat post and Giant says the amount of flex can be customised by rotating the bar in the stem.

With these comfort features the remainder of the front triangle is robust with Giant employing its beefy Megadrive down tube and PowerCore BB shell, similar to what's seen on its race bikes. For a period in time, the Defy was the lightest frameset in Giant's range, but now made from the brand's second-tier carbon, it has gained a bit of weight.

Bianchi Infinito CV

While Bianchi's Infinito CV offers a more relaxed and upright riding position, it's anything but boring. The handling is sharp, but the bike is a tad more reluctant to change line than the racy Oltre XR4 or Specialissima climbing bike.

Bianchi has borrowed a good bit of the geometry from its racing bikes, but added ~20mm of stack and subtracted ~10mm from the reach (depending on the size), shifting a bit of weight away from the front wheel, but maintaining the steep angles.

Bianchi has also borrowed a bit of the aero tubing from the Oltre, and the frame gets the Brand's Countervail carbon, which uses a viscoelastic resin to insulate your body from road noise - aka vibrations. We'd argue the effect is a bit less noticeable on an endurance platform because, by design, there is more comfort built into the frame.

Even with the frame designed with more comfort in mind, it's not flexy. With beefy tube shapes and a large bottom bracket shell, there is no power lost out of the saddle or climbing. Specced with a Shimano Ultegra groupset, Bianchi has also opted for 160mm rotors meaning there is oodles of braking power accessible with a single finger.

Cannondale Synapse Carbon 105

Cannondale's Synapse was made stiffer last year, with engineers honing in on the head tube and bottom bracket. It's disc-specific with thru-axles, has improved cable routing, more tyre clearance and a geometry that offers more uniform ride characteristics across the range.

In previous years the Synapse had been a touch flexy under power, but Cannondale has nipped that in the bud and the brand tells us the new frame has the same head tube stiffness as the SuperSix EVO. It has a slightly longer and lower position than the Roubaix or Domane, and thus, its handling characteristics are a bit more aggressive. To keep things comfortable, Cannondale has built the bike with its SAVE micro-suspension, which is just a fancy way of saying that the flex points are built into the rear triangle, seat post, and fork.

Even with a Shimano 105 spec, the Synapse comes with Cannondale's lightweight HollowGram SL crankset and is the first model to come exclusively with disc brakes. The frame will take up to a 32mm tyre and there are even hidden fender mounts on the rear seat stays.

How carbon road bikes are made

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Carbon fibre is a bit of a wonder material because it can be moulded into just about any shape, and tuned to be stiff in one plane and flexible in another. With these properties, it's heavily used throughout the bike industry and we see it in everything from frames down to brake levers.

There are vast differences in the quality of carbon road bikes and components, and this ultimately comes down to the layup. Most carbon road bikes are made using pre-preg carbon fibre sheets; basically, the fabric is pumped full of uncured resin and shipped on massive rolls which are cut into the individual pieces that will be moulded into a bike.

Many brands use the same manufacturing facilities in Asia to produce all but their most premium bikes, and while certain details and processes may vary from brand to brand, the main bullet points of creating a carbon road bike frame are the same.

Sheets of pre-preg carbon fibre are hand laid into or around a mould and placed into a heated press, which is assisted by air bladders. Solid forms compact the layers of carbon together; spreading the resin through the frame, removing gaps and voids, and squishing out the excess. Then the frame is put into what equates to a giant pottery kiln where the resin is cured, and then the frames are sanded and painted.

The layup of a carbon road bike is essentially a really difficult 3D jigsaw puzzle with upwards of 400 individual pieces and the order in which they are put together will ultimately define the ride characteristics. Depending on the orientation of the fibres, using the same mass and modulus of carbon can yield a rigid structure or one that is noodly and flexible.

Woven vs Unidirectional

There are two main types of carbon, woven and unidirectional.

As you can probably guess, woven carbon sees the fibres knitted into a fabric, crisscrossing each other, allowing the material to be stiff in more than one plane. Woven carbon is used in areas where there are lots of different directional forces coming through the frame like the head tube and the bottom bracket and also around holes that have been drilled into the frame, like cable ports and bottle cage mounts.

On the other hand, with unidirectional carbon, all the fibres run parallel. This is what's used throughout the majority of the frame because sheets of unidirectional carbon can be laid on top of one another to combat specific directional forces.

The modulus refers to the stiffness of the individual fibres. Higher modulus carbon is accomplished by refining each fibre to make it smoother and thinner allowing for higher tensile strength. While high modulus carbon is stiff, it's also brittle, and a bike made of exclusively high modulus carbon would likely break on the first impact, whether that be from road debris or a crash. Lower modulus carbon isn’t as stiff, but it is also less delicate.

No matter the frame, it will be made from a mix of different modulus carbon, strategically placed throughout for the best possible performance and strength.

A french term meaning single shell, a monocoque is a structural system where loads are supported through an object's external skin, like an egg — or a bicycle.

When the term is applied to bicycles, it's a fancy way of saying the entire frame is moulded in one piece. True monocoque frames are becoming increasingly rare, and in most cases, the front and rear triangles are manufactured in two separate pieces and then bonded together. When you see a brand using a term like semi-monocoque or modular monocoque, this is how the frame is made.

What to look for in a carbon road bike

Our general advice when looking to buy a road bike is to spend as much as you can on the frame and worry less about the components bolted onto it. It's easy to upgrade wheels, handlebars and groupsets, but you're stuck with the frame.

We've split our favourite carbon road bikes into two categories, race bikes and endurance bikes. While you’ll likely see a crossover in terms of technology and features, these bikes are designed to do separate things, and the geometry will vary to help in achieving these goals.

Race bikes are designed to go fast, which can sometimes come at the expense of things like comfort. A race bike's geometry will have steep angles for fast steering and facilitate a long reach and low stack to achieve an aerodynamic position. To get the most out of a race bike, you need to be pretty flexible.

Endurance bikes feature a more upright geometry, slacker angles and plenty of built-in comfort technology. As things have progressed, quite a lot of new technology gets its start on endurance bikes before it's then adapted onto a brand's race bikes. You’ll often see pro teams don endurance bikes for the cobbled classics, not only for the additional comfort but for the slower handling that makes maintaining control through the bumpy and slippery cobbled sections slightly less herculean.

A lot of these bikes will feature aerodynamic cues, but if you're looking for out and out speed, our guide to the best aero road bikes will provide the fastest, most aerodynamic bikes available.

Disc brakes have been utilised for years in just about every other cycling discipline other than road bikes because of their superior performance in all conditions and the additional tyre clearance they allow. The brakes and rotors themselves may weigh a bit more than calipers, but they also allow for light rims because there is no brake track needed.

Most road bikes are available in both rim and disc varieties, but unless you've got a stable of the very best road wheels in your garage, we'd recommend seriously considering discs brakes. With this, most disc-equipped road bikes have swapped to 12mm thru-axles, not only for a more secure wheel to frame connection, but the end to end lateral stiffness is vastly improved.

Integrated cockpit

With most bike brands now having an in-house or partner components brand, quite a few high-end bikes come with one-piece bar and stem combos. They have a definite cool factor while allowing for cables to be fully hidden from the wind which makes them aero and they are a bit lighter than their standard bar and stem.

But changing cables can be an absolute nightmare, and even with brands offering plenty of handlebar widths and stem lengths, if you can't find the numbers that match your specific fit needs or a bar shape you like, you are out of luck.

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Based on the Gold Coast of Australia, Colin has written tech content for cycling publication for a decade. With hundreds of buyer's guides, reviews and how-tos published in Bike Radar, Cyclingnews, Bike Perfect and Cycling Weekly, as well as in numerous publications dedicated to his other passion, skiing. 

Colin was a key contributor to Cyclingnews between 2019 and 2021, during which time he helped build the site's tech coverage from the ground up. Nowadays he works full-time as the news and content editor of Flow MTB magazine. 

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BMC Teammachine SLR 01 review

The updated teammachine gets an aero makeover, but aside from the integrated cockpit, you wouldn't know it by looking at it., review rating.

Integrated cockpit; Stealth dropouts; Aerocore water bottle cage system;

Super stiff and fast; a pure racer’s bike

Harsh ride; handlebar shape can cause pressure points on rider’s palms

Heading out the door? Read this article on the new Outside+ app available now on iOS devices for members! >","name":"in-content-cta","type":"link"}}'>Download the app .

When BMC pulled back the curtain on the redesigned Teammachine SLR 01 on a recent Zoom call, I’m sure I wasn’t the only one who thought, “That looks exactly the same as the last one.” Now that the bike is in my garage and I’ve had plenty of miles of fun with it, I can confirm that the differences are indeed subtle, but very important. The new Teammachine SLR 01 is stiffer and lighter than its predecessor, but aerodynamics factor in to the redesign in a big way.

• Giant TCR Advanced SL 0 Disc review
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• Best road helmets, tested and reviewed

Teammachine SLR 01 nuts and bolts

BMC’s stated goals for the Teammachine update should come as no surprise: make it lighter, improve responsiveness, and make it faster. That about sums up the goals for any race-worthy road bike, right?

It seems the company has largely succeeded in that quest, keeping the Teammachine in tight contention with other superbikes on the market. BMC stuck with its Integrated Cable System, or ICS, which tucks everything nicely through the handlebars and stem into the frame. This time it’s with a one-piece handlebar and stem, which BMC says is among the lightest on the market at 305 grams. (The ICS 2 system maintains a two-piece setup, and it’s 15 grams lighter than the previous version.)

The integrated cockpit is really the last overtly visual cue that the Teammachine has gotten a makeover. Everything else is far more subtle, like the Stealth dropouts (the axle nut is co-molded into the frame and fork to create a cleaner look and cut down on weight in parts), the wider bolt spacing on the front brake that should make it easier to make adjustments, and the redesigned junction at the seat stays and seat tube — along with the seatpost clamp that has been relocated underneath the top tube junction.

All told, the fine details add up to a bike that’s 6 percent faster, 9 percent lighter, and 20 percent stiffer than its predecessor, according to BMC.

Aerodynamics

The integrated handlebar and stem is the most visually aerodynamic element of the bike, but it’s hardly the most consequential. BMC refined its tube shapes, from the fork on back, to achieve as much aerodynamic gain as possible. All told, BMC says the updated version of the Teammachine is 6 percent faster than the previous one.

So while the new Teammachine looks a lot like the old one, a closer look reveals the nuances of the changed tube shapes. It’s not dramatic, but it’s all there, especially in the fork blades, which have been re-shaped entirely.

This revamp builds on BMC’s existing ACE technology that focuses on enhancing stiffness, weight, and compliance. Now dubbed ACE+ Technology, aerodynamics gets thrown in the mix. BMC focused on specific parts of the bike —  head tube, fork blades, down tube, and dropouts, to be specific.

The head tube remains the same width to maintain torsional stiffness, but it also got stretched front and back. The front also sports a rounder shape.

The fork legs got stretched out, too, though not as stretched out as the Timemachine Road . In other words, the truncated foil shape now adorns the fork, which would usually lead to less lateral stiffness. To counter that, BMC used new materials to maintain fork stiffness. It’s ultimately 50 grams lighter and more aero, but it maintains identical stiffness as compared to its predecessor.

The commitment to aerodynamics extends to the smaller details. Take a look at the bottle cage on the down tube and you’ll notice it looks fairly overbuilt. That’s not really a nod to strengthening the cage; it’s actually to improve aerodynamics. BMC calls it Aerocore: The down tube and bottle cage work together to help air flow more smoothly over that area of the bike when there’s a water bottle in the cage. The shape reduces drag, particularly at certain yaw angles that area of the bike is likely to encounter. The down tube cage is 43 grams, and the seat tube cage is 26 grams. Both are carbon.

Teammachine on the road

I got to test out the revamped Teammachine over the course of about 150 miles on my home roads. That’s fortunate because I know where the windy sections are, where I can test out the cornering, and when I should expect to get a sense of the bike’s compliance features. Having ridden the previous Teammachine extensively, I had a preconceived notion of what to expect here, and largely I was right, with a few notable exceptions.

Let me start by saying the Teammachine offers an incredible ride, one that racers will make friends with immediately. That said, I was quite surprised to find out that the Teammachine is startlingly stiff. That means both laterally and vertically, which means this ends up being one of those trade-off situations: The bike explodes when you climb and sprint, but it definitely feels jarring over chattery roads. The front end is especially rough, which may have something to do with the ultra-stiff integrated cockpit.

It should be noted that my test bike came stock with 25mm tires. The Teammachine can fit up to a 30mm tire, so while I did go through the trouble of adjusting tire pressure to up the comfort here, I think a wider tire would really be in order to get more compliance out of the bike. Even then, I suspect much of the frame stiffness would remain.

About that cockpit: It looks super fast and sleek on the bike, but I found the handlebar shape to be uncomfortable where the brake hoods meet the bar. The slight curve from the hoods to the bar tops causes a pressure point, which landed in such a way that my pinky fingers kept going numb. That said, the bar tops are shaped slightly for aero purposes, but they are still round enough to feel comfortable on the hands. This is a place where a lot of integrated cockpits get tripped up, but BMC got the shape right here.

The Teammachine’s handling also took me a bit by surprise, and I need to note that BMC sent me a size 54cm based off the measurements I gave them, while I usually ride a 56cm bike. In terms of fit and comfort, the bike fit wonderfully, though I could probably have used a bit longer of a stem.

I mention the sizing because the handling felt sort of wobbly when I got out of the saddle for hard efforts on climbs, or if I was trying to get up to speed quickly on the flats. When I was sitting, the handling feels locked-in and stable. The Teammachine corners tightly, but not as tightly as something like a Specialized S-Works Tarmac or a Giant TCR Advanced SL 0, both of which live on the ultra-twitchy end of the handling spectrum. The handling here is a net positive, though it was interesting how much of a chameleon the Teammachine was, depending on whether I was sitting or standing.

Is the updated Teammachine faster? Once again, we have to enter the trust circle here. We can’t verify BMC’s numbers without independent lab testing; in lieu of that, I’m willing to believe that the gains BMC is touting are real, though I’d be crazy to say I could feel it out on the road.

It’s hard to argue with a fast bike, and the Teammachine is undoubtedly fast and fun to ride. It’s packed with nice touches like the high-zoot computer mount and integrated cockpit, and BMC has wisely stuck with the general DNA of the Teammachine by keeping the general silhouette. But this is hardly the same bike it was last year; the new beast doesn’t advertise its changes, but perhaps that’s simply an indication that BMC had already gotten so much right before. The new tube shapes only add to the total package here.

That said, I think the handlebar shape can use some refining, and the overall ride quality is pretty harsh, so if compliance is important to you, the Teammachine might be a bit too jarring for you.

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\"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-racing\/if-i-want-to-return-as-a-cyclist-its-now-or-never-anna-van-der-breggen-stuns-with-comeback-announcement\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"\u2018if i want to return as a cyclist, it\u0027s now or never\u2019: anna van der breggen stuns with comeback announcement\"}}\u0027>\n \n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n\n \n\n \n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-racing\/if-i-want-to-return-as-a-cyclist-its-now-or-never-anna-van-der-breggen-stuns-with-comeback-announcement\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"\u2018if i want to return as a cyclist, it\u0027s now or never\u2019: anna van der breggen stuns with comeback announcement\"}}\u0027>\n \u2018if i want to return as a cyclist, it\u0027s now or never\u2019: anna van der breggen stuns with comeback announcement\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n "},{"title":"there\u0027s no room for chris froome on israel-premier tech\u0027s tour de france team","url":"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-racing\/tour-de-france\/no-room-for-chris-froome-on-israel-premier-tech-tour-de-france-team\/","markup":" \n \n\n\n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-racing\/tour-de-france\/no-room-for-chris-froome-on-israel-premier-tech-tour-de-france-team\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"there\u0027s no room for chris froome on israel-premier tech\u0027s tour de france team\"}}\u0027>\n \n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n\n \n\n \n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-racing\/tour-de-france\/no-room-for-chris-froome-on-israel-premier-tech-tour-de-france-team\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"there\u0027s no room for chris froome on israel-premier tech\u0027s tour de france team\"}}\u0027>\n there\u0027s no room for chris froome on israel-premier tech\u0027s tour de france team\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n "},{"title":"first ride: the new pinarello dogma blends performance & style","url":"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-gear\/first-ride-review-is-performance-and-style-possible-the-revamped-pinarello-dogma-says-yes\/","markup":" \n \n\n\n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-gear\/first-ride-review-is-performance-and-style-possible-the-revamped-pinarello-dogma-says-yes\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"first ride: the new pinarello dogma blends performance & style\"}}\u0027>\n \n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n\n \n\n \n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-gear\/first-ride-review-is-performance-and-style-possible-the-revamped-pinarello-dogma-says-yes\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"first ride: the new pinarello dogma blends performance & style\"}}\u0027>\n first ride: the new pinarello dogma blends performance & style\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n "},{"title":"first look: fizik one-to-one promises the holy grail of bike saddles for $499","url":"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-gear\/fizik-one-to-one-adaptive-custom-3d-printed-bike-saddle\/","markup":" \n \n\n\n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-gear\/fizik-one-to-one-adaptive-custom-3d-printed-bike-saddle\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"first look: fizik one-to-one promises the holy grail of bike saddles for $499\"}}\u0027>\n \n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n\n \n\n \n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-gear\/fizik-one-to-one-adaptive-custom-3d-printed-bike-saddle\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"first look: fizik one-to-one promises the holy grail of bike saddles for $499\"}}\u0027>\n first look: fizik one-to-one promises the holy grail of bike saddles for $499\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n "},{"title":"\u0027there were a few tears shed that day:\u0027 memories from my tour de suisse career curtain call","url":"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-culture\/there-were-a-few-tears-shed-that-day-memories-from-my-tour-de-suisse-career-curtain-call\/","markup":" \n \n\n\n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-culture\/there-were-a-few-tears-shed-that-day-memories-from-my-tour-de-suisse-career-curtain-call\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"\u0027there were a few tears shed that day:\u0027 memories from my tour de suisse career curtain call\"}}\u0027>\n \n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n\n \n\n \n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-culture\/there-were-a-few-tears-shed-that-day-memories-from-my-tour-de-suisse-career-curtain-call\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"\u0027there were a few tears shed that day:\u0027 memories from my tour de suisse career curtain call\"}}\u0027>\n \u0027there were a few tears shed that day:\u0027 memories from my tour de suisse career curtain call\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n "}]' > >", "name": "footer-menu", "type": "link"}}'>advertise >", "name": "footer-menu", "type": "link"}}'>privacy policy >", "name": "footer-menu", "type": "link"}}'>contact >", "name": "footer-menu", "type": "link"}}'>careers >", "name": "footer-menu", "type": "link"}}'>terms of use >", "name": "footer-menu", "type": "link"}}'>site map >", "name": "footer-menu", "type": "link"}}'>my newsletters manage cookie preferences privacy request healthy living.

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Based on frame geometry and build specs.

A bike with lower gearing will be easier to ride up steep hills, while a higher top end means it will pedal faster down hills.

Tarmac SL6 Sport

Émonda SL 5

(descending)

Based on build material and quality level of the frame, fork, wheelset, groupset, suspension system, and more.