Road bikes 2019: the future of road cycling

Is new tech making bikes better, and where are things headed?

Published: August 31, 2018 at 12:30 pm

In the wake of this year’s Bike of the Year awards which saw the marvellous (yet somehow rim brake-equipped) Giant TCR Advanced 2 take the top prize, BikeRadar is contemplating where things are heading for 2019. Road cycling has seen rapid technological upheaval in recent years, and that's showing no signs of slowing as braking, tyre and aero advances proliferate.

In our video, Senior Technical Editor Warren Rossiter, Cycling Plus Editor-in-chief Rob Spedding and former pro slash Le Col founder Yanto Barker sit down and discuss the burning issues that tear at the very soul of the poor roadie.

Are disc brakes good? Is tubeless too much faff? Has Campagnolo abandoned ordinary riders? Is mixing component brands perfectly acceptable or profoundly offensive?

It’s fair to say that Yanto comes at the debate from a fairly traditional pro perspective, remaining sceptical about disc brakes and tubeless for the road.

Warren is all about embracing the new, while Rob Spedding is mostly just eye candy for the silver set (and a valuable moderator for the discussion, naturally).

So, how do you feel about the direction road cycling is taking for 2019? Are you weary of technological advances, or excited about what the future holds?

What does the future of road cycling hold?