By Paul Norman

Published: Friday, 02 September 2022 at 12:00 am

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The best aero road bikes add an extra dose of speed to your ride, and the pursuit of speed is undoubtedly part of what makes cycling so exhilarating. And when it comes to going fast, on the flat or downhill at least, aerodynamic drag has the biggest influence.

Representing the leading edge of road-bike technology, the best aero road bikes challenge traditional notions of what makes a fast race bike.

The latest aero bikes combine wind-cheating profiles with next-level integration to make these machines as slippery as possible. Sure, they may not always be at the cutting-edge when it comes to weight, but if you think an 8kg road bike can’t be fast, think again.

Still, there is a lot to consider when it comes to finding the best aero road bike for your needs.

For those of us who aren’t blessed to be WorldTour pros with a team of mechanics at hand, an aero bike still needs to be easy to live with. Do you need an engineering degree to maintain it? Do the deep-section wheels make it a handful on windy days? How does it perform on broken back roads? We’ve answered those questions in pursuit of finding the best aero bikes money can buy.

Are aero road bikes worth it?

Aero bikes are commonplace in the pro peloton, where riders are chasing marginal gains and, of course, have access to the latest WorldTour bikes from their team sponsors.

The angular, sculpted frames of aero bikes particularly come to the fore on long, flat stages and under the sprinters, where the lower drag of the wind-cheating tube profiles can give them the extra turn of speed they need to clinch a victory.

Teams and their bike sponsors will typically provide riders with the choice between an aero bike and a lightweight climbing bike, and some riders will swap between them depending on the terrain.

Some riders now stick to their aero bikes regardless of terrain, riding them on more undulating and mountainous terrain. This is particularly true for breakaway specialists, who spend a lot more time in the wind than other riders and seek out whatever advantage they can get.

That said, one of the recent trends in bike design has been the combination of low weight and aerodynamics, and some brands offer just one machine to meet both requirements.

The Specialized S-Works SL7 and Pinarello Dogma F are just two examples of aero-influenced all-rounders found in the WorldTour peloton, but generally, we’ve seen the convergence of light weights and aerodynamics.

Still, aero road bikes are the fastest option out there in the majority of circumstances and you don’t have to be a pro to benefit, especially if you’re a rider who places a lot of significance on riding fast. After all, for a lot of people, riding fast is fun.

If that’s you, then read on for our pick of the best aero bikes, as tested by the BikeRadar team, and read our full buyer’s guide at the end of the article to help you find the right bike for you.

Best aero road bikes in 2022

Cannondale SystemSix Hi-Mod eTap AXS

David Caudery / Immediate Media

• £10,500 / $12,500 as tested
• Still one of the fastest bikes in the world
• Nimble handling and a comfortable ride

This Cannondale SystemSix is an incredibly fast bike that left us feeling that other brands are still playing catch-up with Cannondale when it comes to creating aero bikes.

The Hi-Mod frameset is Cannondale’s stiffest carbon fibre, and despite the stiffness and aero tubing, we found this to be a remarkably comfortable bike to ride.

This bike has a halo-spec with a SRAM eTap AXS groupset, 64mm-deep carbon wheels and Cannondale’s two-piece aero KNOT handlebar, which still allows for plenty of adjustment.

The price is high, but when you compare it to other bikes of this spec it’s competitive, and there is always the Cannondale SystemSix Carbon Ultegra.

• Read our full Cannondale SystemSix Hi-Mod eTap AXS review