Our review team’s best bike buys of 2022 so far…
Road bikes
Four fantastic flyers for road riding and racing
Canyon Aeroad CF SLX 7 Disc eTap
£4,949 | Issue 397
● This is a superbly specced and surprisingly comfortable aero bike that’s built with more than the pros in mind.
Factor Ostro VAM
£9,450 | Issue 395
● You’ll need big pockets, but this is a fast, light and comfortable bike that has a collection of the best spec around.
Giant Defy Advanced 0
£2,899 | Issue 394
● A very special frameset with a superb level of kit and fantastic wireless gearing. The latest Defy is very, very hard to fault.
Lapierre Xelius SL 9.0
£6,999 | Issue 393
● Maximise your speed on this fasthandling and great-value road bike with high-spec kit and distinctive geometry.
Gravel bikes
This capable quartet will help you head off the tarmac
Ribble Gravel AL SRAM Rival 1x
£1,999 | Issue 396
● This Ribble offers a more-than-capable ride that can handle the rough stuff, and with cracking spec for the price to boot.
Giant Revolt Advanced Pro 0
£4,999 | Issue 393
● A clever flip-chip drop-out at the rear on our 2022 Bike of the Year allows you to extend the wheelbase and fit wider tyres.
Vielo V+1 Strato SRAM Rival
£5,299 | Issue 393
● A great choice for racing, this Vielo manages to blend racy geometry and great handling with plenty of compliance.
Cube Nuroad C:62 Pro
£2,499 | Issue 393
● Influenced by gravel tourers, the speedy Nuroad would work well for commuting as well as for less-technical gravel.
Budget bikes
A great-value trio that won’t break the bank
Boardman ADV8.9
£1,150 | Issue 393
● This aluminium bike with carbon fork boasts an excellent spec, including Shimano’s GRX 400 10-speed gravel kit.
Triban RC500
£649.99 | Issue 393
● Decathlon’s great-value own-brand bike is versatile enough to work on gravel or even do a spot of touring or bikepacking.
Giant Contend 1
£949 | Issue 393
● You’ll get a Shimano Sora groupset, vibration-damping seatpost and carbon fork plus tubeless-ready wheels and tyres.