Wind tunnel, laboratory and practical test 2016: All-round road bikes - 9 top all-rounders in the TOUR road bike test

It's a paradox: the world of road bikes is becoming more diverse, the boundaries between the different types are becoming blurred, there are more and more models to choose from, customisation is key - and at the same time, many road cyclists are finding it increasingly difficult to decide on a specific model. Is the aero racer perhaps too extreme after all? Or a little too heavy? Is the lightweight racer too sensitive? And too little lateral stiffness? And the comfort racer - isn't that giving away too much aerodynamics?

While the specialists among racing bikes are moving further and further apart towards the extremes, it looks as if this is creating new room for manoeuvre for all-rounders in the middle - and at a level where these new all-rounders are outperforming those bikes in almost all disciplines that until recently were the best in class in just one characteristic.

The frames of six of the nine models in this test weigh less than 900 grams, the lightest, from AX Lightness, weighs less than 700 grams. That is, without question: lightweight construction. The aerodynamically best - Ultimate CF SLX from Canyon, Corratec CCT Evo and Time Skylon - seamlessly join the test field of the specialists from our January issue. And when it comes to comfort at the seat post, the best all-rounders hardly have to lag behind the emphatically comfort-tuned marathon bikes (test in TOUR 2/2016) hide.

For the time being - and this is the fly in the ointment - these bikes are still quite expensive. In order to combine properties that until recently tended to be mutually exclusive, the designers have to pull out all the stops and utilise the possibilities of carbon in particular. To put it in a nutshell: The new all-rounders are not the absolute best in any one property - but they are better in all properties than the specialists were just a few years ago.

You can find the test results of these all-rounders in this article:

- AX Lightness Vial Evo D Di2
- Cannondale SuperSix Evo Black Inc.
- Canyon Ultimate CF SLX 9.0 Aero (TOUR test winner)
- Corratec CCT Evo DA
- Cube Agree C:62 SL
- Merida Scultura Team
- Scott Addict SL
- Storck Aernario Platinum G1
- Time Skylon

Full programme

Canyon provides the perfect example of the all-inclusive approach. The new Ultimate presented last summer impresses with balanced performance in all disciplines. The fact that the frame was designed with aerodynamic aspects in mind only becomes clear at second glance. Tear-off edges on the down tube, seat tube and seat stays, so-called Kammtails, help the rider to save a few watts in the fight against the wind. This makes the bike the fastest in this test field, measured under the same conditions as the 15 aero racers in the test field. TOUR 1/2016. If you swap the 303 wheels from Zipp fitted to the Ultimate for the even faster 404 wheels from the same manufacturer, the Ultimate even overtakes some of the aero specialists. At the same time, the bike offers one of the best comfort values on the saddle that we have been able to measure so far. All this at a total weight of just under seven kilos, including electric gears and good aero wheels. What more could you want?

Perhaps a slightly more customised bike? No problem, that's also on offer here: Cannondale's new Super Six Evo in the classy, extremely expensive Black Inc. version obviously gave free rein to the product manager's passion for fine tuning components. Lightweight brakes from Eecyleworks and many parts from the American carbon specialist Enve, including aero wheels with fine Chris King hubs, make the bike a feast for the eyes for any road bike fan with a penchant for solutions outside the mainstream. The SuperSix Evo, which weighs just under six kilos, also has subtle aero attributes, here in the form of a down tube with a conical cross-section.

And the raving continues. The Vial Evo from AX Lightness is also a high office for fans of customised racing bikes. The worries about the manufacturer based near Bayreuth following its insolvency last summer seem to be over for the time being; an investor wants to continue the company. And it would be a real shame if models like the Vial Evo had no future. At a breathtaking 693 grams, the frame is one of the lightest we have ever had on the scales in the TOUR lab. The fact that the balancing act between lightweight construction and aerodynamics succeeds is, as with Canyon, thanks to the findings of the German car designer Wunibald Kamm. In the first half of the 20th century, he discovered during aerodynamic tests that the aerodynamic advantage of an aerofoil profile is largely retained even if the rear end of the wing is clipped. Today, frame designers regard Kammtails as a blueprint for aerodynamic optimisation. Using almost the same amount of material as round tubes, it is possible to harmonise low weight, high comfort and high rigidity at the same time.

Prejudice disproved

One manufacturer that had almost been written off, but is still maintaining its niche in the burgeoning market, is the French carbon frame pioneer Time. The company still manufactures its frames and forks in its own factory near Lyon, using its very own process. Time is one of the few frame manufacturers that produces its own carbon fibre. Fibres are woven into seamless stockings on special machines, which are then inserted into the production moulds; only then is the resin injected into the closed mould using this method, known as "resin transfer moulding". For a long time, Time frames were considered to be less rigid but more comfortable. With the Skylon model, it has now been possible to virtually reverse this prejudice: The frame is super stiff in all directions, unfortunately also at the saddle, which is mainly due to the aero profile of the seat post. Nevertheless, the Skylon has the best aerodynamic potential of all the models in this test.

With the moderately streamlined Mavic C40 wheels fitted to the test bike, the bike takes third place in the aero ranking. With fast Zipp 404 wheels, it makes a significant leap forward. In this comparison measurement, the Skylon even comes in ahead of the Canyon Ultimate including the Zipp 404.

The new Merida Scultura is a model that impressed the testers less with its individual measurements than with its handling. As far as aero performance is concerned, the fourth model generation does not quite fulfil the high expectations despite the Kammtails on the down tube and seat tube, which is also due to the Fulcrum wheels with relatively flat rims. On the other hand, the bike stood out on our test ride on the southern shores of Lake Garda with its unusually effective vibration damping. The Taiwanese manufacturer had already used a mix of carbon and flax fibres on the previous model to improve comfort. With the current model, there is now a noticeable difference in ride behaviour compared to many other bikes in terms of damping.

Controllable technology

So there is a lot on offer in this test, although the strengths and weaknesses of the individual candidates differ. However, what unites them - and sets them apart from the extreme aero specialists from the previous test - is that they are comparatively uncomplicated bikes to handle. The fastest of the aero racers, in particular the Trek Madone and Specialized Venge ViAS, achieve their outstanding performance in the wind tunnel primarily through a high degree of system integration. This makes them fascinating from a technical point of view, but sometimes a nightmare for mechanics.

The nine bikes in this test, on the other hand, all have conventional brakes on which the cables can be swapped without the need for a mechanic's tutorial. Only the Canyon Ultimate has an integrated handlebar, but this could easily be swapped for a classic model. And, with the exception of the Time, the seat posts are round and easy to remove - important if you want to fly to a training camp with your own bike in a suitcase. Questions like these can also be important arguments when making a purchase decision. The bikes in this test may not look as spectacular as the crème de la crème of aero models - but the best of them certainly offer spectacular riding characteristics.

Downloads:
download