Best road bikes 2025 — from aero to endurance, the best drop bar bikes for road riding

Lauf is well known for its superb gravel bike - the Seigla - and now the brand has dipped into the road bike market, too. Úthald is the Icelandic maker's distinctive (and divisive) road bike that blends performance and endurance features. Dave thinks the bike's design makes sense for 'normal' riders, including external routing for easy maintenance - but really defying the current trends of having everything internal and integrated. 

This is not a pure race bike, but instead, it's built for those who love long miles and comfort - Lauf has used its Integrated Compliance Engineering (ICE) to add comfort to the frame, allowing for subtle movement in response to road vibrations. The geometry is a unique mix, featuring a slack head tube for stability and a short rear end for agility. Our test bike was the Race Wireless build, equipped with SRAM Force AXS groupset and Zipp 303S wheels and for the price, the overall build represents good value for money. 

As reviewer Dave concluded: "For the weekend warrior who wants a quick bike in the shed but doesn't need the marginal gains of a top-end race machine, this bike is pretty hard to fault. I'll certainly be sad to see it go, and I'm hopeful that it's an indicator of the direction road bikes for normal people will be taking over the coming years. More like this, please."

Orro has struck quite a nice balance with the Gold STC Force D2 Etap AXS Tailormade - this bike seems to offer an outstanding blend of comfort and performance, at an attractive price. Reviewer Stu went as far as to say the ride quality is sublime, providing a solid and confidence-inspiring feel without compromising on speed. The lightweight frame, coupled with good handling, allows for nimble manoeuvring and precise control.

The bike's construction, featuring spread tow carbon and various carbon fibre grades, contributes to its impressive stiffness-to-weight ratio. The updated design, drawing inspiration from Orro's aero bikes, enhances both aesthetics and functionality, with smoothed junctions, dropped seat stays, and internal cable routing.

Our test bike was clad with SRAM's updated Force AXS groupset, Vision Metron handlebar and SMR Alloy stem which offer versatility and adjustability, and the Selle San Marco Shortfit saddle which added comfort. If you want a high-performance road bike that excels in both comfort and speed, this one makes a compelling choice for a wide range of riders.

We should add a disclaimer to this and any other Orro bikes featured in this guide - that Orro's parent company has just gone into administration. That being said, we're leaving the recommendation in for now until we know more about the fate of the brand. 

As prices continue to rise, Boardman has done a sterling job to keep a bike of this quality and componentry under the £1,000 mark. The SLR 8.8 delivers a fine ride via a no-nonsense frame and fork with well-balanced handling to suit beginners or those who want to exploit its all-weather capabilities.

The triple-butted 6061 alloy frame and slender tube profiles serve up a tasty ride, transferring power proficiently without feeling harsh. The SLR 8.8 primarily uses a Shimano Tiagra groupset that’s based around a 10-speed system. However, the chainset is FSA Vero Compact, while the brakes switch to Tektro. It’s a cornucopia of components but it does the job.

Boardman’s-branded SLR rims are laced to Formula DC-20 (front) and DC-22 (rear) hubs and are a solid set of wheels. They’re not light but they are dependable. Vittoria’s Rubino G2.0 28mm tyres are great for high-mileage riders who aren’t obsessed by top speed. Grip levels are reassuring, especially in the wet.

At £875, this bike is an absolute bargain.

The Ultimate has been designed as a race bike and, if you have the legs, Canyon’s absolutely correct – this is one fast bike. Upon this carbon beauty, you can sprint, climb and descend swiftly and with style. The test model came in at 7.27kg but if that’s not light enough for you, an even higher-spec model comes in at 6.8kg.

But what of the spec of the Ultimate CF SLX 8 Di2? Well, as you can tell from the title, it’s equipped with Shimano’s electronic groupset, this time in the form of its 12-speed Ultegra. It works wonderfully and you’d have to be a real shifting pedant to look to upgrade to the more expensive and ever-so slightly lighter Dura-Ace Di2.

Wheels come in the form of DT Swiss’ ARC 1400s and they complement the bike nicely, though they will suit rolling roads a little more than properly hilly routes. The 50mm depth can be nudged slightly by sidewinds, but these are one of the easiest wheels to get along with in gusty conditions. Mounted onto these wheels are Schwalbe Pro One Skin tyres that perform well.

Rocketing bike prices mean Canyon isn’t the value-packed brand it once was. But with the Ultimate CF SLX 8 Di2, that doesn’t matter. It’s comparable price-wise with its contemporaries (or better than) and it delivers a fantastic ride, one that’s fast and comfortable. If you have the money, you can’t go wrong.

One of the few bikes to receive a 10/10 score from road.cc and a road.cc Recommends Bike of the Year winner, the Fairlight Strael 3.0 is even better than the versions before it and wowed our reviewer with its stunning ride quality, genius design and versatility. 

It takes everything brilliant from its predecessor but includes some updates that not only improve the ride quality but also give the Strael an even smoother, more refined look. The forming and butting of the chainstays on this model have been reshaped to work better with forces in all directions, and this results in a very stiff bike that responds almost as well as a carbon superbike. It's comfortable and well-balanced too, meaning this bike is at home in races, on sportives or even the commute if you're after a luxury mile-munching bike. 

The attention to detail on the Strael 3.0 is second to none, and with so many mounts for extra gear, it can be anything you want it to be.

The price we've quoted is for a build with Shimano's Ultegra Di2 12-speed groupset at the time of writing. The frameset currently starts at £1,399, and you can completely customise your build with Fairlight when ordering. 

The Specialized Allez is a bit of a cult classic when it comes to aluminium road bikes. The updated 2023 Specialized Allez has, as you might have guessed, an aluminium alloy frame that offers a smooth ride feel, lacking any harshness. Being also very competitively priced, this bike is ideal for beginners wanting to get started in their cycling journey. The well-balanced geometry provides stability and control, making it enjoyable for both new and experienced riders and while the stock tyres feel a little "dead," they're easy to replace. The Tiagra groupset, hydraulic brakes, and full mudguard compatibility also add to this bike's winter capability and versatility. 

The Enigma Eikon is handbuilt in Enigma's UK headquarters, and offers sublime ride quality as well as the stiffness needed for a performance road bike. 

It gives a nice racy position without feeling too extreme off the rack, but you can also ask for custom geometry for your build to really personalise the experience. It's not as light as a carbon fibre racing machine, but it's still a pretty decent climber and is responsive enough for most. Stu found it to be ideal for "those who like to go fast, but without the racing ambition."

The price we've quoted is for the frameset only, full bikes cost significantly more and start at £7,595.