A crew of 国产吃瓜黑料 testers just spent nearly two weeks in Sedona, Arizona, testing a full fleet of 2017鈥檚 top bikes. Nowadays, there are so many good options, it鈥檚 hard to go wrong. That said, a handful of the bikes definitely stood out. On first blush, here are a few of my favorites.
Scott Addict 20 Disc ($3,800)
The Addict has been one of my favorites since its inception over a decade ago, and s. There鈥檚 still a full line of rim brake Addicts, but our testers unanimously decided that discs are simply superior. This isn鈥檛 the top of the line鈥攖hat honor goes to the Premium Di2 model鈥攂ut it鈥檚 plenty of bike for mid-level racers聽and those who favor an aggressive ride, with a full Shimano Ultegra group set including flat-mount disc brakes. The wider 28c tires are a smart spec, and a nod to comfort, and the only real ding against this one was the heavier alloy Syncros wheels, which accounts for the lower MSRP. If you race, this is a bike with which you could happily and easily burn off the competition, and do it in relative comfort.聽
Wilier Cento 10 Air ($8,200)
If had disc brakes, it would have been the Gear of the Year winner.聽That said, the deep-section HED tubulars are part of the bikes stunningly fast feel, and they actually brake reasonably well for rim brakes on carbon (though not as well as discs). It鈥檚 gorgeously detailed, as is the case with every Wilier we鈥檝e ever ridden, including a wild-looking, but very comfy stem-bar combo. (Some testers would have preferred a full grip wrap rather than exposed carbon on the tops.) The bike is fully aero, and smashes along on flats and rollers accordingly, but it鈥檚 also willowy at just of 15 pounds (size 56), which makes it pretty much one of the peppiest bikes in the whole test. It鈥檚 pricey, though Wilier sells a less expensive complete build ($6,400), including Shimano RS-21 training wheels, under the assumption that most racers already have their race hoops.
Co-op Cycles ARD 1.4 ($2,300)
It鈥檚 sometimes hard to get excited about budget bikes when riding them alongside race machines like the Wilier, but the new REI house brand Co-op, which succeeds the erstwhile Novara brand, didn鈥檛 fail to impress. This is the only road bike that many people will ever need, with a carbon frame and an upright position that鈥檚 tuned for compliance, plus a Shimano 105 drivetrain, which is surprisingly crisp and precise. The American Classic wheel set yields great performance for the price, especially with the thicker 28c tires. And REI will also stock a gravel build, which we tried out using a second set of hoops. That model impressed us even more for its nimble handling and cushy road feel. The bike even looks high-end, with black-on-black graphics and minimal branding. If it weren鈥檛 for the poor choice in handlebars, which fall off at the end and provide no space in the drops, as well was the clunky, too-long non-series shifters, this might have made our list of top three bikes in the entire test.
Franco Kanan ($6,500)
Here鈥檚 another carbon road bike that we wanted to hate because it didn鈥檛 have disc brakes. But we just couldn鈥檛 resist. Franco Bicycles is a small SoCal manufacturer that鈥檚 designing and building their own frames (not open mold) and selling them direct to consumer. That means you get an incredibly high-end bike for a lot less than you would with other manufacturers. The is Franco鈥檚 endurance model, and while it is a surprisingly supple ride, it actually feels quicker and racier than many of the race bikes in the test. Part of that is the weight: our tester, equipped with SRAM Red and HED Ardennes Black wheels, was the lightest in the test at 14.3 pounds for a size 56. It felt like cheating, especially on the climbing days, and testers were RoShamBoing for it accordingly. And Franco sells the bike in even more affordable configurations, all built to your desires and shipped pretty much ready to ride.
Look 765 Disc ($3,800)
On paper, the seems very much like the Scott Addict, with a carbon frame, full Ultegra parts, and flat-mount hydraulic disc brakes. But this is an endurance frame, so the head tube is taller and the wheelbase is longer, all of which adds comfort and stability. Look has also woven flax linen fibers into the frame, which adds a damping effect to mitigate against road vibration and ease shoulder, back, and neck fatigue. The bike has Look鈥檚 classic, beautiful Mondrian styling, and a host of other niceties, including comfy shallow-drop bars, cushy 30c tires, and a popular Selle Italia saddle. The only miss was the Mavic Aksium wheels, which worked fine but felt a bit lower-grade than the rest of the bike, and pumped up the weight to a surprising 19.4 pounds. Comfort over speed on this one.