Trend analysis 2021 - The hottest road bike trends of the 2021 season

The top takes off

The once simple and purist sports bike has changed radically over the past decade. The realisation that the aerodynamics of a bike can be decisive in a race gave rise to a wave of streamlined, sometimes futuristic-looking bikes, whose flat shapes are now standard in all races on predominantly flat tracks. The fact that they are not always ridden everywhere is mainly due to the fact that they weigh more and are often harder to ride than the classic, lightweight racing bike. In the course of this development, the latter has almost become a sub-category.

However, the differences are becoming smaller - again - which is a clear trend. Lightweight bikes are increasingly being designed to be streamlined so that the aero disadvantage is not too great; one example of this development is the Wilier Filante SLR we tested. And although new racing bikes are still consistently aerodynamically shaped, with integrated handlebars and stems and internally routed cables, development engineers are now recognisably trying to make the aerodynamically mature speedsters lighter and more comfortable, such as the latest generation of the Merida Reacto, our second test bike. One manufacturer has recently anticipated the logical consequence: Specialized abolishes the distinction between lightweight and aero road bikes and presents the new Tarmac as a universal competition bike that combines good aerodynamics and low weight.

However, the focus on competition-relevant qualities has side effects: Professional racing bikes are now the preserve of a few large manufacturers who can afford to develop them. Brands that are not involved in professional sport can barely keep pace, and many no longer offer competition racers at all.

The one-piece design also poses new challenges for mechanics. Handlebar-stem combinations can no longer be customised, the height adjustment of handlebars with integrated cables is complicated and a complete replacement is expensive. Often, only the saddle, wheels and gear group can be customised. And last but not least, the flagship models are so expensive - thanks to disc brakes, electric shifting and, in some cases, integrated power measurement - that they leave you salivating. Five-figure sums are unfortunately the norm for state-of-the-art professional racing bikes today; even for 5,000 euros, you have to make do with a bike in the competition racer segment that has mid-range equipment and weighs around eight kilograms.

The trends in competition bikes are continuing: they are becoming more streamlined, tidier - and increasingly expensive:

Pioneer

Once ridiculed as a "soft-edged" road racing bike, the marathon or endurance racing bike has long since found its place in the cycling world. A more relaxed, slightly more upright riding position, slightly wider tyres (usually 28 millimetres) and smaller gear ratios predestine these bikes for amateur athletes whose ambition is directed more towards long distances and steep mountains than chasing over race tracks at top speed in an aerodynamically optimal position. The more comfortable design also means that even newcomers to road bikes can cope well with a marathon racer.

Because the marathon road bike is conceived as a versatile bike from the outset, many manufacturers are constantly exploring the direction in which it will continue to develop; in particular, the boundaries to gravel bikes are becoming increasingly blurred. As is so often the case, the major American manufacturers Trek and Specialized are leading the way. Their Domane and Roubaix models are now fitted with 32 millimetre wide road tyres as standard. Most renowned brands have now picked up on this trend, and the two test bikes from Cervélo and Look also have 30 millimetre wide tubeless tyres. This not only makes the bikes (even) more comfortable; in addition to smooth roads, they can also easily cope with firm field and forest paths without losing too much of their agility and smoothness on tarmac. Many leisure cyclists are likely to welcome this.

Apart from the trend towards wide tyres, manufacturers have a wide range of ideas about what makes the perfect endurance road bike. Suspension concepts (e.g. Trek, Specialized and Wilier), integrated handlebar/stem units and aero features such as on competition bikes (BMC, Canyon, Cervélo) or additional benefits in the form of toolboxes or mudguard mounts compete for the favour of buyers. The advantage of variety: everyone will find a bike to suit their needs in the wide range of marathon bikes on offer.

The marathon road bike is becoming a grab bag. Ever wider tyres to make the bike more versatile are just one of the many ideas that are revitalising the category:

Escape helper

Rose's Backroad with aluminium frame is ideal for the idea of the gravel bike as an introduction to the world of racing bikes and as a second bike for more experienced athletes: it is affordable, robust and versatile. Experienced road cyclists should know, however, that the bike is very much tailored to the needs of beginners. The almost stoic smoothness off-road can also be appreciated by trained riders; however, the riding position is extremely upright, even for a gravel bike. The fact that the handlebars cannot be lowered is due to the high headset cap, through which the cables are routed - very neatly - into the frame. On the Reveal marathon bike, this was recently replaced by a stem with integrated cable routing. It remains to be seen whether the Backroad will also have this. Apart from that: The components are tried and tested, and the frame is ready for anything. Mudguards and pannier racks can be mounted on the eyelets provided, as can water bottles or small luggage under the down tube, on the top tube and on the fork. There is even a mount for a side stand. The bike is available in a pleasingly wide range of sizes, the two smallest come with smaller wheels.

The Tera is Basso's second gravel bike model to enter the race. The special feature of the frame immediately catches the eye: the massive aluminium main frame carries a carbon rear swing arm, which is firmly bonded to the chainstays and connected to the seat tube at the upper end with ball bearings. Basso promises that the construction is naturally springy, up to eight millimetres. However, this effort results in a good ten kilos of fighting weight, which noticeably dampens the joy of getting to know the bike. The frame alone weighs more than two kilos, but the inexpensive equipment with the Apex 1x11 drivetrain from SRAM also puts pressure on the scales. But the first few metres in the saddle quickly put you at ease. Once on the move, the bike is extremely plush on the piste and can hardly be rattled even by heavy bumps - an effect of the geometry with a long wheelbase and very short stem. And the rear suspension? In the lab test, the bike hardly has any more travel than a carbon seatpost that flexes well, but when riding, the frame behaves like a real suspension system, is better damped and the rider sways less in the saddle. The bike is surprisingly inexpensive for the design effort involved: the version shown costs less than €2,000, and a Shimano 105 version with 2x11 gears is available for a little more.

Gravel bikes continue to boom - they are becoming more suitable for off-road use and are thus setting themselves apart from marathon racers. Inexpensive models are designed to attract beginners:

Edge athlete

With the meteoric rise of gravel bikes, many people have almost forgotten which genre paved the way for them in technical terms. With the introduction of disc brakes, the good old cross-country bike found new friends again among hobby cyclists, because it finally put an end to rim brakes as an eternal annoyance on off-road racing bikes. Many of the models on offer at the time were not ridden in cross-country races, but mutated into practical winter and second bikes suitable for everyday use - as gravel bikes are today.

Now the new category is pushing the cross bike back into the niche from which it once came: as a competition bike for a very specific purpose, with limits prescribed by the regulations. This is also demonstrated by the only two new launches of the season from Cube and Giant. The requirements have not changed: The perfect cross bike is light, agile and comfortable to carry when it has to be lifted over obstacles. And it has a very specific gear ratio, tailored to the short circuits. The tyres can be a maximum of 33 millimetres wide - actually far too narrow for difficult terrain, but this limit characterises the nature of this special competition. This is not very practical for non-racers, but for some it may be worth looking at a cross racer. The frame and fork generally allow for wider tyres, and gear ratios can be converted. If you are looking for a sporty, light and manoeuvrable bike on which you can sit stretched out like on a racing bike, you are more likely to find what you are looking for among the competition cross bikes.

The cross bike is in danger of disappearing into oblivion in the gravel bike boom. However, two new models show that the genre still has potential:

All information on measured values, aerodynamics, weight and the usual detailed grading of the bikes shown can be found below in the download for 1.99 euros.

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