Best endurance road bikes 2025 — the top rated fast and comfortable mile munchers reviewed on road.cc

Giant Defy is an endurance bike that has been around for years and with each one, it's received some added improvements that have made it even better. The 2024 Advanced SL 0 we tested convinced us of being an exceptional endurance road bike that combines comfort, speed, and practicality. While this model comes with a high price tag of £11,499, it also offers a top-tier riding experience. 

The bike boasts an excellent frameset, lightweight construction, and a high-end spec to complete it. It rolls on 32mm (measured at 34.2mm) Cadex Classic tubeless tyres that are wide, but hence for a road bike but offer a comfortable and smooth ride.

Giant has focused on simplicity rather than gimmicks for comfort, with features like dropped seat stays and a flexible D-Fuse seatpost. The new Contact SLR handlebar also contributes to a vibration-free ride. However, Giant has tweaked the geometry, making the bike more performance-oriented by lowering the front end, which adds to the sporty feel without compromising comfort.

Despite its endurance focus, the Defy Advanced SL 0 is impressively light and accelerates well, and shifting is crisp thanks to the 12-speed SRAM Red eTap AXS groupset. The Defy Advanced SL 0 is a standout endurance bike, but for better value, exploring the lower-tier models such as the Giant Defy Advanced 1 we've also rated highly may be more appealing for most.

Since its introduction, the Mason Definition has been a much-loved endurance road bike and has even been awarded our Bike of the Year title. This third version has had a few updates though the overall quality and performance of the bike remain unchanged and, to some extent, unrivalled. Dubbed as a four-season bike, it's not a punchy climber or sprinter but it does deliver some pleasantly buttery mile-munching.

The most visible of the actual design changes is the brake hose and gear cable routing, which has been modernised to be more integrated. It's not fully integrated, which saves you from the maintenance hell that fully internally routed cockpits and headsets can be. 

The Definition frame is made with aluminium alloy tubes, developed in conjunction with Italian tubing expert Dedacciai. The hand-selected 7000 series aluminium tubes are triple butted and custom shaped then TIG welded by hand, with beautifully smooth weld beads.

The Definition 3.0 comes in a wide range of build options: you can choose between SRAM, Shimano and Campagnolo drivetrains and there's a plethora of customisation possibilities for the rest of the components. Our review bike came equipped with the electronic SRAM Rival AXS, the lowest-tier SRAM drivetrain you can choose from the full Definition 3.0 builds. 

Specialized's Roubaix has earned its place as a go-to bike for those who value a smooth ride over an aggressive, speed-chasing riding position. Described by Specialized as "the pinnacle of endurance road bikes", the Roubaix SL8 Expert comes specced with the latest third-generation Future Shock 3.0 front suspension system, mudguard compatibility, and 40mm tyre clearance. 

While it may not be the lightest or the most aggressive endurance road bike on the market,  but the Roubaix SL8's smooth ride sets it apart. Reviewer Suvi says, "It's a bike that few other endurance all-road bikes can trump in terms of its sublime and smooth ride quality and the versatility that 40mm tyre clearance allows". 

For those of you unfamiliar with Specialized's Future Shock system, it's placed between the head tube and the stem, so instead of this working to smooth out the bike, it's designed to suspend the rider. If the bike can move underneath you, Specialized claims, that should lead to less fatigue, especially on longer rides, and Suvi's experiences bear that out.

The geometry is much the same and the frame still takes both electronic and mechanical groupsets. 

The Mason SLR SRAM Force is an impressive steel all-road and touring bike that combines modern bike design with classic, steel frame craftsmanship. The SLR's custom steel tube set combined with a full carbon fork delivers exceptional ride quality which blends comfort and responsiveness. Even with a loaded setup, this bike maintains its directness and stability, making it perfect for long rides and various terrains.

The geometry of the SLR has a balance between endurance and agility, and this bike handles both road and off-road surfaces with confidence, with tyre clearance for 45mm tyres without mudguards or 40mm with guards on. And talking of mounts, there are ones not only for the guards but also racks and accessories dotted around the SLR frame which makes loading up the bike for an adventure easy. 

The Mason SLR offers excellent value for a hand-welded steel frame with high attention to detail and off-the-shelf geometry. It is a versatile, high-quality bike that combines modern performance with classic aesthetics at a reasonable price which is likely to please both your head and your heart.

Featuring slightly relaxed angles and room for 35mm tyres, the Dogma X is the most comfortable bike I've ever ridden, says reviewer Aaron. Visually, the Italian company has done well to retain much of the Dogma F's design DNA, which helps keep the premium theme going.

The X Stays will polarise opinions but they are designed to reinforce lateral stiffness without interfering with vertical compliance. In other words, it provides more side-to-side stiffness without impacting comfort or compromising stiffness at the bottom bracket area. Whether or not you can actually feel this is up for debate but the bike certainly has a buttery-smooth ride quality, according to Aaron. 

The frame is constructed from Toray T1100 1K carbon fibre – a light and strong-grade weave that helps the Dogma X tip the scales at an impressive 7.4kg, occupying the middle ground between climbing and aero bike.

Specification-wise, the Dogma X is extremely well kitted out – which is exactly what you'd expect in a bike at this stratospheric sort of price. Our model is built around Shimano's top-end Dura-Ace R9200 groupset, though you could go for SRAM Red eTap AXS and Campagnolo Super Record WRL. 

Titanium, with its vibration-dampening properties, lends itself well to endurance bikes and the  Spa Cycles Elan Ti Mk2 is one the best titanium bikes we've tested. The titanium frame and carbon fork deliver a smooth and enjoyable ride, which is particularly well-suited for long-distance cycling.

Despite its weight of 10.25kg, this bike can surprise with its eagerness for speed once in motion, and it navigates urban traffic with ease and also excels on high-speed descents. The geometry, including a tall head tube, provides a relaxed yet adaptable riding position. The bike's versatility is propped up by its capability to take up to 45mm tyres, which makes it suitable for both road and off-road adventures. 

With a competitive price, especially during sales, and the option for customisation the Spa Cycles Elan Ti Mk2 is an excellent value titanium bike for cyclists seeking a bike for a lifetime.

The Ridley Grifn isn't technically an endurance road bike, but rather a versatile allroad bike designed to handle both road and gravel terrains. And while trying to be a jack of all trades, it has managed to strike a good balance between the two, offering a great riding experience. With a set of gravel tyres and some wide slicks, the Grifn also excels as a commuter bike, handling rougher surfaced roads with ease. On the road the handling is neutral, making it a comfortable and enjoyable choice for long miles.

The Grifn is built upon a carbon frame and fork and has a sleek and integrated design with cable routing that keeps everything looking tidy. The Grifn comes with a gravel-oriented Shimano GRX 2x Di2 groupset, which delivers rattle-free, precise shifting and reliable braking.  However, while the integrated handlebar and stem provide a clean look, the setup may limit adjustment opportunities. But at the same time, the Grifn also comes with multiple mounting points for bottle cages, mudguards, and even a top tube bag - making it ready for a longer adventure on the bike.

Overall, if you are a rider looking for a bike that won't slow down your explorations, then the Ridley Grifn is a fun and capable bike that can serve you both on and off the road, as long as you don't venture to the most technical singletracks.