The most expensive road bikes in the world — here are some of the priciest production bikes you can buy

"You can buy a car for that!" It’s a comment we hear a lot when the subject of expensive road bikes comes up. You certainly can spend the price of a small hatchback on a bicycle these days. To see just what exotica is out there, and just for a bit of fun, we’ve rounded up some of the most expensive production road bikes currently available for you to buy.

In recent years we have seen the prices of top-end road bikes easily soaring into five figures; so it's no surprise, then, that every bike featured here comes with a price tag of at least £12,000. While a full custom build is more than possible at these kinds of prices, these aren't crazy one-off bikes with full custom paint jobs. Instead, we've had a look through the most expensive bikes available to purchase now, online or from your local bike shop.

To clarify, that means we're fully aware that you could probably spend way north of £20,000 if you started with a Parlee Z-Zero disc frameset (~£7,800) or the BMC Teammachine Masterpiece (~£12,000 apparently) and draped it in the most luxurious custom components and finishing kit, but you'd only get prices for a full bike by making an enquiry. See our article on the most expensive bike you could build yourself if this is more your thing, where we managed to rack up a £30k bill in the most recent update!

Back to our most expensive 'off-the-peg' selections: all of the bikes featured are available from retailers, brands or distributors, and all of them include the most expensive components. SRAM Red eTap AXS, Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 and Campagnolo Super Record Wireless are the high-zoot groupsets of choice here, all of them electronic. 

Anyway, I might personally be riding around on a second-hand bike and not be able to finance any of these myself, but that didn't stop me from doing a bit of window shopping. Let's explore this wish-list of top-of-the-range production road bikes... 

Trek Madone SLR 9 (£17,475)

> Trek Madone SLR - The most aero bike in the Tour de France?

While the Trek Madone SLR 9 starts from a 'modest' £13,625, by selecting the Lidl-Trek team edition and all top-of-the-range components you can add to basket at the £17,475 price we've quoted; therefore, it's the most expensive we can find at the time of writing within the parameters we've set out above. 

Released in 2022, the Madone SLR was one of the most significant new bikes to be seen thanks to its radical aero design, particularly, the massive hole in the seat tube. The hole in the seat tube is called IsoFlow and it is designed to improve aerodynamics, flex over bumps to smooth the ride and save weight over previous Madones.

For a whopping £17,475, this bike is in the same chrome iridescent paint job sported by Lidl-Trek riders such as Mads Pedersen and Elynor Backstedt during the 2023 Tour de France. It's equipped with a Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 groupset and is complete with Bontrager Aeolus RSL 51 wheels and Trek Madone SLR Integrated Barstem. 

Colnago C68 Road Ti (£17,143) 

In second place we have Colnago's C68 Road Ti bike, which is designed and handmade in Italy. We're told it "combines the nobility of titanium and the lightness of carbon", with two 3D-printed titanium joints between the head tube and top tube. 

It's only available in one colourway (pictured above) and build prices start from £12,941. However, I've managed to get this up to £17,143, again featuring Shimano's Dura-Ace Di2 groupset, a power meter, and £3,350 Enve SES 3.4 wheels. 

The C68 can accommodate tyre widths of up to 32mm, and the frame also features an integrated multi-tool in the top cap of the headset. 

Specialized S-Works Aethos Super Record (£15,000)

> Liam’s Custom Specialized S-Works Aethos

If you're after a lightweight bike but have heavy pockets, look no further than Specialized's S-Works Aethos Super Record for £15,000. 

Specialized says this bike is aimed at riders who prioritise handling and ride quality above aerodynamics, and who want the ultimate high-performance road bike unrestricted by competition rules.

The front end isn't integrated, leaving the brake hoses exposed, and there's a lack of aero tube shapes - but what the Aethos lacks in aero, it certainly makes up for in weight, or lack of it.

Specialized claims the S-Works Aethos is the "lightest production road bike in the world", weighing just 585g (size 56cm). Complete bikes can weigh around 5.9kg. 

This complete build includes Campagnolo's Hyperon Ultra wheels, the most expensive groupset on the market - Campagnolo Super Record Wireless - and S-Works handlebars. 

Scott Foil RC Ultimate (£14,699)

Scott bikes can be seen in the pro peloton, being ridden by both the men's and women's squads of Team dsm-firmenich PostNL. Among them, the Foil RC aero road bike stands out as the most popular choice.

The design of the new Foil has been developed in partnership with aerodynamicist Simon Smart of Drag2Zero, and the results are glaringly obvious. The rather shallow kammtail shapes of its predecessor have been replaced by more sculptural, almost time-trial-bike levels of tubing. There's no visible cabling and all hoses are integrated within the headset and frame, making for a very clean look.

This build is complete with a SRAM Red eTap AXS groupset, and Scott’s subsidiary Syncros provide the wheels and finishing kit. 

BMC Teammachine SLR01 (£14,500)

BMC road bikes don't currently feature in the WorldTour peloton after AG2R ditched their long-term partner for Van Rysel. However, this hasn't hindered BMC's position as one of the leading contenders among the most expensive production road bikes on the market.

The BMC TeamMachine has long been considered one of the best carbon fibre race bikes, but it's also one of the most underrated as well. BMC calls it “one bike to rule them all”, echoing the language used by Specialized to describe its Tarmac models. 

BMC claims the Teammachine frame (size 54 without bottle cages) weighs 910g, while the fork is 395g. Complete bikes weigh as little as 7kg. 

This £14,500 build features Campagnolo's flagship groupset, 45mm deep Campagnolo Bora Ultra WTO wheels and BMC's integrated cockpit system. 

Colnago V4Rs (£14,545)

Colnago's V4Rs is a peloton-ready road race machine focusing on stiffness, lightness and comfort, with a smidgeon of aerodynamic tweaks thrown in for good measure.

Search 'V4Rs' and you'll see that it's ridden by UAE Team Emirates, carrying a certain Tadej Pogacar to many victories, so it certainly has some pedigree. The geometry is low slung and definitely performance-orientated, but the front end isn't overly steep, which brings a touch of neutrality to the handling.

The base builds start at £7,334, whereas this particular configuration, priced at £14,545, features Campagnolo's Super Record Wireless groupset, Bora Ultra WTO 45 wheels, and Colnago CC.01 handlebar. 

De Rosa 70 Super Record (£13,999.99)

> The best road bikes NOT in the men's 2024 World Tour peloton

De Rosa bikes may not currently be found in the WorldTour peloton, but that doesn't stop them from coming with high price tags. 

The De Rosa 70 bike was released last year, and the 70 name celebrated the 70th anniversary of the De Rosa brand. The bike is said to combine aerodynamics and light weight, designed in collaboration with the esteemed Italian brand, Pininfarina.

With fully integrated cables and a claimed frame weight of just 730g, this Italian build boasts top-spec components including Campagnolo's Super Record Wireless groupset and Bora WTO wheels.

Pinarello Dogma F (£13,900)

Pinarello's Dogma F is an out-and-out race bike designed for competition at the highest level, described as a "Grand Tour-winning machine" by Pinarello. While its appearance may divide opinion, few can dispute its credentials and lineage as one of the most prominent bikes on the world stage today.

Pinarello prides itself on accessibility, and while that might sound rich coming from a brand that makes high-end exotica like the bike on test here, what it means is that it caters for (well off) riders of all sizes. As a result, the Dogma F is available in 11 frame sizes ranging from 50cm to 62cm.

Another Italian affair, this build comes with Campagnolo Super Record Wireless, Campagnolo Bora WTO wheels and the Talon Ultra Light handlebar from Pinarllo's MOST brand. 

Pinarello Dogma X (£13,300)

The second offering from Pinarello to make it onto this list is the Dogma X endurance bike, which Pinarello says "strikes the perfect balance between performance and real-world comfort."

Pinarello claim the X is 95% as aero as an F, with the majority of that 5% difference being down to the fat 35mm tyres the X was designed around. 

From the seat tube forward, “the X is basically an F”, says Chief of Operations Muaritzio Bellin, but the X is very much a party-at-the-back affair, with the 'X-STAYS' designed to reinforce lateral stiffness. 

For £13,300 you can get your hands on a Pinarello Dogma X complete with Shimano Dura-Ace Di2, MOST Talon Ultra Light integrated handlebar and Princeton Grit 4540 wheels. 

Wilier Triestina 0 SLR (£13,256.37)

Mark Cavendish is back for another year with the Kazakh team, and Astana Qazaqstan is continuing with Wilier Triestina bikes: the Zero SLR and Filante SLR models. The Wilier Zero SLR might not be the newest bike in the WorldTour at over three years old, but there's no denying it's a looker.

The Wilier Zero SLR is the Italian company’s do-it-all road racer, combining low weight with aero tube shapes, while the Filante is a little more aero and not quite as light.

Build prices start at £ 7,183.73, but with Campagnolo's Super Record Wireless groupset and Bora WTO wheels, as well as Ramato glossy paint job, the total is brought up to £13,256.37. 

Cannondale SuperSix Evo Lab71 (£12,500)

> Is Aaron's new Cannondale Supersix Evo LAB71 the nicest bike in the office?

The LAB71 moniker, introduced in 2023, represents the pinnacle of Cannondale's carbon technology, and the SuperSix Evo Lab71 is referred to as "the crown jewels of Cannondale’s product line". So, it's no surprise that it's earned a spot on this list.

Cannondale describes it as '"light, smooth, and aero", while off.road.cc and ev.tips editor Aaron Borrill says that the frame is "incredibly stiff yet compliant. I don't know how they do it". 

For £12,500, this bike comes equipped with a Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 groupset, Cannondale SystemBar R-One integrated bar/stem and Cannondale's HollowGram R-SL 50 carbon wheelset.

Cervélo S5 (£12,500)

The Cervélo S5 is Jonas Vingegaard’s Tour de France-winning aero road bike, and Team Visma | Lease a Bike's weapon of choice at the time of writing. 

The frame boasts a deep headtube, referred to as an "aerodynamic nose" at the front of the fork crown, along with a deep bottom bracket area and aggressive shaping on the trailing edges of the tubes. According to Cervélo, these enhancements have not only reduced drag by 65 grams, but also increased surface area while simultaneously reducing the bike’s overall weight compared to its predecessor.

The S5 is only compatible with electronic shifting, and both Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 and SRAM Red eTap AXS builds cost £12,500. This build also features Reserve 63 hoops which are ridden by Team Visma | Lease a Bike too. 

The bike features Cervélo's carbon handlebar, which Cervélo says will provide a "perfectly flat bar-to-hood transition”.

Specialized Tarmac SL8 (£12,000)

> 8 things you didn't know about the Specialized Tarmac SL8

Concluding our lineup of the priciest production road bikes available is the Specialized Tarmac SL8, which claims to be lighter, faster, stiffer and more comfortable than the SL7, a bike that was already world-class... and believe it or not, even more expensive than the SL8 before the top-of-the-range SL7 was discontinued. The SL8's a bargain then!

The Specialized Tarmac is a thoroughbred racing bike, and the SL8 is very similar to the bike it replaces, remaining as the brand's 'one bike to rule them all'. The key changes over the SL7 are the aesthetically divisive 'Speed Sniffer' head tube for improved aerodynamics, a new cockpit and a 120g weight reduction to the frameset. 

Both Dura-Ace Di2 and SRAM Red eTap AXS builds are priced at £12,000, and the bike features components from Specialized's brand Roval, including an integrated bar/stem and rapide CLX II wheels. 

What bike would you buy if money was no object? Have we missed anything? Let us know in the comments section below.