Best aero road bikes 2024 — get yourself a wind-cheating bike for an extra turn of speed

Canyon's aero road bike offering is the Aeroad CFR which has recently been updated and is described as "the fastest bike in the WorldTour peloton", ridden by Alpecin-Deceuninck and Movistar riders for all stages of the Tour de France 2024. 

The 4th-gen Aeroad might focus on aerodynamics with a deeper headtube, integrated bottom bracket area and a broader fork design that tapers to a narrower headtube, but other factors like weight and comfort haven't been overlooked. Tester Stu says, "This is one very fast, very stiff race machine that's in its element once the speed rises, but it's also a capable climber, descender and all-round pleasurable place to be". 

In terms of weight, the Aeroad CFR Di2 has a claimed weight of just 7.07kg, yet the frameset is said to tip the scales at 960g, 45g more than the previous Aeroad. However, Canyon has managed to keep the overall bike weight competitive with a new lighter cockpit and shallower wheels.

If you're looking for an aero bike that is also lightweight, then the Specialized S-Works Tarmac SL8 is our pick, with an impressive frame weight of just 680g. The Tarmac SL8 claims to be 15% lighter and 6% more compliant than the SL7, has an improved stiffness-to-weight ratio to the tune of 33% and is 16.6 seconds faster over 40km (25 miles).

One bugbear that fans of aero might have had with the SL7 was that it actually didn't test as fast as the discontinued Specialized Venge at numerous angles in the brand's own 'Win Tunnel'. However, according to Specialized, the SL8 is both faster than the 2019 Venge and also the lightest bike in the WorldTour peloton.

The latest Tarmac comes in S-Works, Pro and Expert models. The top-of-the-range S-Works frame benefits from the most advanced carbon layup, and hence the lowest weight. The S-Works model sits at the top in terms of components too. Wearing a SRAM Red eTap AXS drivetrain, Roval Rapide CLX II wheels and a Roval Rapide cockpit, there's nothing short of top tier.

Reviewer Jamie concluded by saying, "It's undeniably lighter, it's undeniably fast and the simultaneous improvements in stiffness and compliance – which may well sound like familiar marketing waffle – are small but undeniably there. They have real-world benefits to the ride feel, and edge the Tarmac closer to race bike perfection". 

The Giant Propel Advanced Pro 1 is an excellent aero road bike that provides efficiency, comfort, straightforward front-end adjustment, and good value in the current market. Reviewer Mat writes, "The Giant Propel Advanced Pro 1 is all about efficiency and that's apparent from the get-go. This is a bike you can muscle about without worrying that it's going to flex from your best efforts". 

The latest Propel uses truncated ellipse frame tubes that are considerably shallower than before, but Giant reckons that the bike as a whole is faster. It says that the top-level Propel Advanced SL allows you to achieve 40km/h while putting out 6.21 watts less power than on the previous model. This equates to 'a 2.6% aerodynamic improvement'. 

The Giant Propel is an excellent aero bike across various price ranges, starting at £2,699 for the Propel Advanced Disc and reaching up to the WorldTour-level Advanced SL 0 with Cadex carbon-spoked wheels for £11,999. While we reviewed this model with a SRAM Rival eTap AXS groupset and Giant's SLR 1 50 Carbon Disc wheels, the Propel remains competitive at every price point. In fact, the latest Propel is so good that we wondered if it would be the death of the TCR... it wasn't. 

The 3T Strada Italia Force D2 2x12 2024 is fast and comfortable, with enough tyre clearance to mix and match terrain as you please - it's designed specifically for 28-35mm tyres but optimised for 30-35mm wide tyres. A comfortable aero bike may sound like a contradictory statement but the refined aerodynamic tube shapes and ability to run wider tyres and lower pressures have resulted in time-trial-bike-like speed on most road surfaces and conditions. 

Reviewer Aaron said, "3T has created a superb aero road bike with promising versatility and all-round comfort – which is unusual for an aero machine. Despite its weight, it's an incredibly fast bike that corners and descends like it's on rails." 

The 3T Italia Strada range is comprehensive with several premium options available including a £5,488 frameset. Complete bikes start with the £7,227 SRAM Rival AXS build, and move up to £8,414 which will get you either a Shimano Ultegra Di2 2x12 build or the bike reviewed here with SRAM Force AXS. The range tops out with the £9,605 Force AXS Project X and £13,903 Red AXS/Zipp builds.

The Orbea Orca Aero M10iLTD 2024 is described as "stunningly fast" by our reviewer Stu. It comes complete with aero add-ons like a bottle and cage, as well as a storage container under the down tube. While the UCI isn't a fan of fairings, unless you are a pro, you can take advantage of the 'aeroness' of the storage box.

This is the bike for those who place speed and aero efficiency over everything else and Stu says, "Orbea has done a great job of creating an aero road bike that doesn't have to be ridden flat out to be enjoyed. In fact I was impressed with how well it works in the corners and on the descents."

Considering the aero add-ons and deep section wheels, at 8kg this is a reasonable light bike too, and it is capable of taking tyres up to 30mm. 

Cube's Litening Aero C:68X Pro is a quirky looking bike, with its aero profiles and jaunty angles, but it's definitely one that's been designed for a specific job. The racers, or those of you who prioritise speed over everything else, will be very happy with the performance.

The geometry is very much race-orientated, so that means relatively steep angles at the seat tube and the head tube, and the handling is quick. You'll find an integrated carbon fibre stem and handlebar, the ICR Aero Cockpit, full internal cable and hose routing, and space for tyres up to 28mm. 

The Litening Aero C:68X comes in different levels: the top-tier SLX, ridden to victory by Biniam Girmay at this year's Tour de France, as well as the SLT, Race, and Pro models, the latter of which we tested. Overall, the Cube Litening C:68X Aero is a lot of bike for the money, and if speed is your main focus then it is definitely one to have on your short list. 

The Pearson Minegoestoeleven is its flagship carbon fibre road model, and boy is it fast. The aero tweaks to the frame and the deep-section wheels give a performance bonus when the speed is high, while the unfaltering stiffness from the lower half of the frame gives you a superb platform to apply the power against, according to our reviewer Stu. 

As for the specifics of the frame and fork build, Pearson plays this close to its chest, not specifying anything about the grade of the carbon fibre used, just saying that both frame and fork are uni-directional carbon monocoques. The Pearson handlebar and stem is an all-in-one affair made from carbon fibre. At 8.08kg this build is no superlight race bike, although a fair chuck of that weight is in the deep-section wheels.

Prices start at £4,550 with the mechanical groupset and Pearson's Cut and Thrust carbon wheels, with the range topping out at £8,350, with Dura-Ace Di2 and Pearson Tooth and Nail wheels, which have a 'saw-like' profile similar to something like Zipp's 454 NSW wheels. The Pearson Tooth and Nail wheels show an aero advantage in the real world and are also very stiff. 

The Look 795 RS blade is designed to balance aerodynamics, stiffness and low weight and is the bike of choice for Team Cofidis riders. 

The frame is a very different shape from previously. Although certain features remain, such as the integrated fork crown, the frame now uses shallower tubes and dropped seat stays. Look claims that specific areas of the frame, such as the slim seatstays, seatpost, seat post clamp, top tube, and fork, have been developed for optimised aerodynamics. As a result, the new model is said to be 10% more aerodynamic than before.

Look claims a frame weight of 905g (size small) and 425g for the fork, and says that a complete bike weight of 7kg (size medium) is possible when built up with a Shimano Dura Ace Di2 groupset, power meter pedals, bottle cages and Corima MCC EVO 32 tubular wheels. Complete bikes start at £8,490 with the frame only coming in at £5,390.