BikeRadar’s 2016 Most Wanted Awards are underway. You can cast your votes by clicking here.
Vote for your top bikes now in our most wanted awards
Our editors assembled the list of nominees based on the following criteria: bikes with a proven record of success under our testers; bikes that push the envelope in terms of technology and design for their respective categories; and last but certainly not least, bikes and gear that make us want to get out and ride.
Here are the five contender for Most Wanted aero road bike.
Trek Madone
An aero bike that is super fast and super cushy? Trek turned a laughable idea into a reality with the new Madone.
The IsoSpeed Decoupler at rear turns effectively adds rear suspension, and the front end is remarkably soft vertically, too. Yet, when you stand up to accelerate, there is no mistaking the lateral stiffness of an all-out race bike.
Want the best of both worlds? Here you go.
Cervélo S5
Cervélo arguably pioneered the entire aero road category beginning with its Soloist back in 2002. The S5 continues the slippery-fast tradition of the Canadian engineering-focused company.
For 2016, Cervélo refined the S5 with a lower head tube, a stiffer front end and its own aero handlebar. According to company CFD calculations, a bike’s handlebar contributes roughly 30 percent of its total drag.
Canyon Aeroad
The latest iteration of the German aero machine is blazingly fast, it rides surprisingly well, and it's stunningly striking to look at, all while sacrificing virtually nothing in the name of speed.
Add highly competitive pricing and you've got a failsafe recipe for success.
Scott Foil
The original Scott Foil typified the aero bike stereotype: crazy fast in the wind tunnel, and crazy stiff laterally and vertically out on the road. With the new Foil, Scott changed the game.
Perhaps the best testament to the new Foil's aero-but-plush personality came with Mat Hayman's win at the 2016-Paris Roubaix. If the new Foil can handle the stones of the Hell of the North, it can probably handle your local rough roads, too.
Specialized S-Works Venge ViAS
The new Specialized Venge ViAS is quantifiably faster than a standard road bike by a wide margin. What’s more, the bike handles like an excellent race bike should, with nimble handling, a highly efficient chassis and supple tires mounted on deep, wide rims that deliver huge amounts of confidence in fast turns.
The geometry carries over from the Tarmac — tight chainstays, steepish head and seat tube angles, short wheelbase — and the front end and bottom-bracket rigidity are near and above the Tarmac, respectively. This means nimble handling and almost telepathic acceleration.
So which is your Most Wanted?
To vote, head to our awards page below and select the bikes and products you think deserve the title of 'Most Wanted'.
