Pinarello’s rear suspension is the attention-grabber, but it’s not the entire plotline of the K8-S. The elastomer-based shock—dubbed the DSS 1.0—definitely adds real vibration control. It offers 9 millimeters of rear travel and adjustable preload. (Frame sizes 50 centimeters and smaller have a softer elastomer.) Despite all of that, the K8-S still delivers the vital […]
The Roubaix SL4 had one hell of a debut when Tom Boonen rode it to a solo victory in Paris-Roubaix. But that was in 2012. Specialized has breathed new life into the platform with hydraulic discs that let the Roubaix stop the way it rides: on any road, in any conditions, in a WorldTour-worthy package. […]
This is an endurance bike for people who don’t think they want an endurance bike. The carbon frame, with its 406-millimeter chain stays and massive bottom bracket, makes for a platform that can sprint and climb like a pure race bike. The Quartz was dominant in our lab tests. Its composite score (combining bottom bracket […]
The Fenix is only nominally an endurance bike. Sure, it’s designed to help riders get over bumpy roads. But those riders are racers, and those bumps are cobbles. This is the frame that team Lotto – Soudal takes to the northern classics. The Fenix uses thin stays and a narrow 27.2-millimeter seatpost to build in […]
To tame road vibrations, Look engineers sandwiched layers of flax fibers — yes, flax — between carbon sheets in strategic areas of the 765 frame. Whether or not the flax fibers dampen vibrations as advertised, our testers did note that the 765 felt transmitted more road chatter than most endurance bikes. But they were also […]
The Allegro comes built with 28-millimeter tires, and you’ll need them to take some of the sting out of a surprisingly stiff rear end that’s reminiscent of old loop-tail BMX bikes. In fact, the Allegro is full of surprises: Billed as an endurance bike, it accelerates almost like a racer at high speeds, where it […]
The Avant hangs an awesome Ultegra Di2 build and hydraulic disc brakes on a classically styled carbon frame that’s stiff enough for racing but that has fender mounts and the relaxed geometry of an endurance bike. It comes with 25mm tires but can easily take wider rubber. The Avant is, in a word, versatile. Our […]
The Teammachine is made for the way most of us ride: Lots of long, sometimes fast miles for fun and fitness, with the occasional race thrown in. There isn’t a lot of wow to the SLR02, but this carbon bike is a remarkable value and offers an acceptably comfortable ride. It can be a bit […]
We named the Emonda “bike of the year” in 2015. One year later, we stand by that decision. This is a purebred race bike that is as stiff and responsive as the competition, is more comfortable than a lot of them, and can easily be built up in the 12-pound range. Yet it can take […]
As is frequently the case, Giant delivers a lot for the money here. No, we’re not saying $9,000 is cheap. It’s not. But it also isn’t unheard of for high-end race bikes, which the TCR Advanced SL most definitely is. In fact, a lot of bikes in the TCR’s competitive set sit north of $10,000. […]
