ROAD BIKES
BEST BIKES
From pro-level rides to budget buys, push performance and training motivation with a new road bike for the summer months ahead
Words: Mark Bailey
With summer gliding into view, it’s time to explore the great British countryside by bike – and there is no better way to turbo-charge your mood, energy and performance than by investing in a new ride. Whether you want to splash your lockdown savings or hunt for a bargain deal, experience an innovative new design or indulge in a classic frame, buying a bike is a deeply personal choice. But whatever your taste, we’ve rounded up the best new road bikes to keep you rolling all summer.
SPECIALIZED S-WORKS AETHOS DURA ACE DI2
£11,750, specializedconceptstore.co.uk
Yes, you could buy a car for the price of Specialized’s stunning new lightweight design, but would four wheels make you as happy or as healthy as two? If you have been saving up your cash during lockdown, the Aethos is the object of beauty you’ve been waiting for. With a frame weight of just 585g and a total weight of 5.9kg (so light it would be disqualified at the Tour de France) it is the US giant’s lightest ever bike. Sculpted for optimal aerodynamics, it delivers a uniquely agile and exhilarating ride. This S-Works edition, fitted with Shimano Dura-Ace components, is the top-ofthe-range model, but you can pick up an Expert model with high-quality Ultegra components for £5,500.