The popularity of aero road bikes has been on a consistent upward trajectory over the past decade. The fascination with going faster by using less energy has long been considered the holy-grail in cycling, and this need for speed, particularly in the pro peloton, has led to vast investment from manufacturers, which has resulted in radically faster, more compliant and lighter-weight aero bikes, thanks to advances in aerodynamic understanding, computational fluid dynamics testing, and improved carbon-fibre layering techniques.
Truncated aerofoil tube profiles, component integration and deep section aero wheels have become the order of the day as bike manufacturers attempt to out-do each other in a bid for the fastest aero road bike crown.
While significantly lighter than the time trial bikes from which they draw inspiration, the modern aero road bike is designed to save you watts by cutting through the air like a samurai sword. There's a lot of science involved but even the casual weekend rider will find it difficult to dispute the speed gains of the aero road bike - both from a visceral and physical sense.
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However, it's not just speed, watt savings and reduced drag coefficients but also all-round comfort that has become an important factor to consider when choosing an aero road bike. Early examples of aero road bikes were known for their unforgiving ride qualities, but that's not the case anymore. It appears as though the recipe has been mastered with all modern examples offering a well-balanced combination of speed, lightness and compliance.
Aero road bikes explained
The more-easily a moving object cuts through the air, the less energy it needs to keep it moving - it's simple physics really. What this means is that if the playing fields were equal and every cyclist possessed the exact same functional threshold power (FTP), the rider with the most aerodynamic bike would win the race - every time.
The speed at which the benefits of improved aerodynamics become greater than that of saving weight is around 15kph, which, depending on fitness, is likely to be at a gradient of around six per cent. Therefore, in all but the steepest of mountain days, it's not necessarily the lightest bike that wins the race, but the one that is best suited to the topography.
1. Aerofoil tubing
2. Integration
3. Wheels
Best aero road bikes you can buy today
Cannondale SystemSix
- Brake: Disc
- Frame: Hi-Mod Carbon, Carbon
- Sizes (cm): 47, 51, 54, 56, 58, 60, 62 (men)
- Weight: 7.8kg (Ultegra 54)
- Cannondale SystemSix Hi-MOD Dura-Ace Di2
- Cannondale SystemSix Hi-MOD Red eTap AXS
- Cannondale SystemSix Carbon Ultegra Di2
- Cannondale SystemSix Carbon Ultegra
- Cannondale SystemSix Women's Carbon Ultegra Di2
Pinarello Dogma F12
- Brake: Disc, rim
- Frame: Carbon
- Sizes (cm): 42, 44, 46.5, 47, 50, 51.5, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57.5, 59.5, 62
- Weight: 840g (Frame only)
- Pinarello Dogma F12 Disc Red eTap AXS
- Pinarello Dogma F12 Disc Dura-Ace Di2
- Pinarello Dogma F12 Disc Dura-Ace
- Pinarello Dogma F12 Disc Campagnolo Super Record EPS
- Pinarello Dogma F12 Disc Campagnolo Super Record
- Pinarello Dogma F12 Campagnolo Super Record EPS
- Pinarello Dogma F12 Campagnolo Super Record
- Pinarello Dogma F12 Dura-Ace Di2
- Pinarello Dogma F12 Dura-Ace
Bianchi Aria
- Brake: Disc/rim
- Frame: Carbon
- Sizes (cm): 44, 47, 50, 53, 55, 57, 59, 61 (unisex)
- Weight: 8.38kg (Ultegra disc 53cm)
- Bianchi Aria Ultegra Disc
- Bianchi Aria 105 Disc
- Bianchi Aria Ultegra Di2 Disc
- Bianchi Aria Ultegra Di2
- Bianchi Aria Ultegra
- Bianchi Aria Triathon Ultegra
- Bianchi Aria 105
Canyon Aeroad
- Brake: Disc/rim
- Frame: Carbon
- Sizes: 2XS, XS, S, M, L, XL, 2XL (Men), 2XS, XS, S, M (Women)
- Weight: 7.6kg (Aeroad CF SL 7.0)
- Canyon Aeroad CF SLX Disc 9.0 SL
- Canyon Aeroad CF SLX Disc 9.0 Di2
- Canyon Aeroad CF SLX 9.0 SL
- Canyon Aeroad CF SLX 9.0 Di2
- Canyon Aeroad CF SL Disc 8.0
- Canyon Aeroad CF SL 8.0
- Canyon Aeroad CF SL Disc 7.0
- Canyon Aeroad CF SL 7.0
Scott Foil
- Brake: Disc, rim
- Frame: Carbon
- Sizes (cm): 47, 49, 52, 54, 56, 58, 61
- Weight: 7.3kg (Foil Premium Disc 54cm)
- Scott Foil Ultimate Disc
- Scott Foil Premium Disc
- Scott Foil RC Disc
- Scott Foil 10 Disc
- Scott Foil 20 Disc
- Scott Foil 10
- Scott Foil 20
- Scott Foil 30
Cervelo S3
- Brake: Disc, rim
- Frame: Carbon
- Sizes (cm): 48, 51, 54, 56, 58, 61
- Weight: 8.15kg (S3 Ultegra Disc 54cm)
- Cervelo S3 Ultegra Di2 Disc
- Cervelo S3 Ultegra Disc
- Cervelo S3 Ultegra Di2
- Cervelo S3 Ultegra
Specialized Venge
- Brake: Disc
- Frame: Carbon
- Sizes (cm): 49, 52, 54, 56, 58, 61 (men)
- Weight: 7.42kg (Venge Pro 56cm)
- Specialized S-Works Venge eTap
- Specialized S-Works Venge
- Specialized Venge Pro eTap
- Specialized Venge Pro
Giant Propel Advanced
- Brake: Disc, rim
- Frame: Carbon
- Sizes: S, M, ML, L
- Weight: 8kg (Propel Advanced Pro Disc Medium)
- Giant Propel Advanced SL Disc
- Giant Propel Advanced Pro Disc
- Giant Propel Advanced Disc
- Giant Propel Advanced Pro
- Giant Propel Advanced
Trek Madone
- Brake: Disc/rim
- Frame: Carbon
- Sizes (cm): 50, 52, 54, 56, 58, 60, 62 (men); 47, 50, 52, 54, 56 (women)
- Weight: 7.81kg (Madone SLR 8 Disc 56cm)
- Trek Madone SLR 9 Disc eTap
- Trek Madone SLR 9 Disc
- Trek Madone SLR 9
- Trek Madone SLR 8 Disc
- Trek Madone SLR 8
- Trek Madone SLR 7 Disc eTap
- Trek Madone SLR 7 Disc
- Trek Madone SLR 6 Disc
- Trek Madone SLR 6 Disc Speed
- Trek Madone SLR 6
- Trek Madone SL 6
Merida Reacto
- Brake: Disc
- Frame: Carbon
- Sizes: XS, S, S/M, M/L, L, XL
- Weight: 7.78kg (Reacto Disc 8000-E medium)
- Merida Reacto Disc Team-E
- Merida Reacto Team-E
- Merida Reacto Disc 8000-E
- Merida Reacto 8000-E
- Merida Reacto Disc 7000-E
- Merida Reacto 7000-E
- Merida Reacto 6000
- Merida Reacto Disc 5000
- Merida Reacto 5000
- Merida Reacto Disc 4000
- Merida Reacto 4000
- Merida Reacto 500
- Merida Reacto 400
- Merida Reacto 300
You can read more at Cyclingnews.com
via Cyclingnews Latest Interviews and Features http://www.cyclingnews.com/features/best-aero-road-bikes-2019
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