Best road bikes 2023: top reviewed bikes from our testing

The best road bikes we've tested at Cycling Weekly from value picks to top bikes from our race bike of the year awards

A group of cyclists riding a selection of the best road bikes
(Image credit: Future)

This year Black Friday is running from November 24th - 27th. We've rounded up all the best Black Friday bike deals - spanning fully built bikes, components and tech - in our main hub page. You're guaranteed to find a bargain.

If you're looking for the best road bikes, there are more and more options available at every price point.

Here at Cycling Weekly, we've tested a hundreds of road bikes. That ranges from the best cheap road bikes to superbikes priced at more than $10,000 / £10,000, including the nine superbikes we tested for our Race Bike of the Year (RBOTY) 2023 awards.

The road bike sector is more nuanced than it's ever been, with frame materials, aero features, wheel construction and tyre width all offering loads of choice. The best gravel bikes offers machines that you can ride on the road but that you can also take on tracks and trails, giving you more choice still in where you can ride. 

Here are our picks of the best road bikes for 2023 at a variety of different price points. 

The quick list

Best road bikes we’ve tested at Cycling Weekly

You can trust Cycling Weekly. Our team of experts put in hard miles testing cycling tech and will always share honest, unbiased advice to help you choose. Find out more about how we test.

The entry level

The best entry-level road bike overall

Specialized Allez Disc on a yellow background

The Specialized Allez now has disc brakes and extra tire clearance

(Image credit: Future)
Best entry-level road bike overall

Specifications

Frame: Specialized E5 Premium alloy
Groupset: Shimano Claris
Wheels: Axis Sport alloy
Weight: 10.0kg / 22lbs (claimed)

Reasons to buy

+
Quality aluminium frame
+
Clearance for 35mm tires
+
Full carbon fork
+
Stable & assured ride

Reasons to avoid

-
Indifferent mechanical disc brakes
-
Getting expensive for an entry level bike

Specialized's 2023 update of the Allez has added disc brakes in place of the rim brakes on the older model. That has allowed it to increase tire clearance to a more substantial 35mm or 32mm with mudguards. That in turn has added an extra dose of comfort to the ride and means that the new Allez can handle light gravel duties and isn't confined to tarmac.

The base model bike has Shimano Claris 8-speed shifting and mechanical disc brakes. Claris has big jumps between gear ratios on the 11-32t cassette, while the mechanical disc brakes don't have the stopping power of hydraulics.

The Allez line-up now consists of just two models (plus the Allez Sprint). The higher spec Allez Sport has ten speeds and hydraulic disc brakes, but there's a big jump in price for what's otherwise the same spec as the base model Allez.

A wheelset upgrade would significantly improve performance, but all in all it's a decent package for the price, making the Allez reasonably competitive against the other best cheap road bikes we've reviewed.

Read more: Specialized Allez first ride review

The best entry-level road bike for racing

Caad 13 Disc

Cannondale is a master of alloy bike frame fabrication

(Image credit: Future)
Best entry-level road bike for racing

Specifications

Frame: SmartForm C1 Premium Alloy
Groupset: Shimano 105
Wheels: RD 2.0 alloy
Weight: 9.0kg / 19.9lb

Reasons to buy

+
Fast and agile
+
Frame ride quality - stiff yet comfortable
+
Well-specced at this price point
+
A frameset worthy of component upgrades 

Reasons to avoid

-
High front end is a bit out of character with the bike's racy feel

Cannondale has long been a master of performance alloy frames and the CAAD13 follows in that vein. It's got long and low geometry based on that of the pro-level carbon SuperSix, with aero tube profiles leading to handling which is second to none. Priced low enough to be a first bike it's a frame that you won't outgrow.

At this price point, you get a Shimano 105 hydraulic groupset with a RS510 crank set. The wheels have had a slight upgrade, so you're now getting DT Swiss R470 rims with the Formula hubs. The only thing that we found fault with was the rather high front end stack. It's easy to rectify but means you'll have to have your head tube cut down to avoid an ugly stack of spacers above the stem. 

Read more: Cannondale CAAD13 Disc full review

The best entry-level road bike for value

Giant Contend SL1

The Giant Contend SL1 is a quality entry-level option

(Image credit: Cycling Weekly)
Best entry-level road bike for value

Specifications

Frame: ALUXX SL-Grade alloy
Groupset: Shimano 105
Wheels: Giant P-R2 alloy
Weight: 9.0kg / 19.9lbs

Reasons to buy

+
Full carbon fork
+
Great ride quality, offering comfort over long distances
+
Assured yet nimble handling

Reasons to avoid

-
Heavy - a tad over 9kg for a size small

Sharing features of Giant’s more expensive bikes, the Contend has a compact alloy frame with a sloping top tube. The D-Fuse seatpost and carbon fork are designed to add compliance at the rear and the front end respectively. Along with the endurance frame geometry this gives great comfort and handling, letting you ride for longer and inspiring confidence.

There’s bags of low gearing, down to 1:1, to tackle uphills and Shimano 105 gives you quality shifting, although the rather heavy weight doesn’t make for sprightly performance. It's a good value proposition for its price though.

Read more: Giant Contend full review

The best road bike for versatility

Vitus Venon Evo 105 Di2 road bike on a pink background

The Vitus Venon Evo is available in road or gravel specs

(Image credit: Future)
Best road bike for versatility

Specifications

Frame: Venon Evo Carbon
Groupset: Shimano 105 Di2
Wheels: Prime Attaquer alloy
Weight: 7.8kg / 17.2lbs

Reasons to buy

+
40mm tire clearance adds versatility
+
Comfortable but sporty endurance ride
+
Capable on fast gravel trails

Reasons to avoid

-
28mm tires look swamped in the large clearance frame

The Vitus Venon Evo has a trick up its sleeve. With its wide tire clearance of 45mm it's not glued to the road and you can buy the same frame specced out for gravel duties, with a series of models with a GR suffix; we've also reviewed the Vitus Venon Evo-GR gravel spec bike.

The carbon frame weighs under 1kg and has plenty of compliance built in. The road-going specs are fitted with Michelin Power Cup 28mm tubeless tires on Prime Attaquer alloy wheels. We tested the 105 Di2 model of the Vitus Venon Evo, but there's a whole range of electronic and mechanical groupset options from Shimano and SRAM. 

The ride on the road is well balanced and firm but comfortable and there's plenty of room to fit mudguards on the hidden mounts, making the Venon Evo a good option for year-round use. It's lightweight as well.

Read more: Vitus Venon Evo-RS full review

Swipe to scroll horizontally
BikeFrame materialGroupsetTire clearance
Specialized Allez AluminiumShimano Claris35mm
Cannondale CAAD13 Disc 105AluminiumShimano 10530mm
Giant Contend SL1AluminiumShimano 10528mm
Vitus Venon Evo-RSCarbonShimano 105 Di240mm
Cervélo S5CarbonSRAM Force AXS35mm
Giant PropelCarbonSRAM Rival AXS30mm
Trek Madone Gen 7 SL 7CarbonShimano Ultegra28mm
Cannondale SuperSix Evo Hi Mod 2CarbonShimano Ultegra34mm

RACE BIKES

Race Bike of the Year 2023: Overall winner

Cervélo S5 on a yellow background

The Cervélo S5 mixes a fast, aero ride with comfort and handling

(Image credit: Future)
Race Bike of the Year 2023: Overall winner

Specifications

Frame: S5 Carbon
Groupset: SRAM Force AXS
Wheels: Reserve 52/63
Weight: 8.2kg / 18.0lbs

Reasons to buy

+
Space for 35mm tires
+
Quality wheels plump up the tires for better handling
+
Smooth, fast ride

Reasons to avoid

-
Not the lightest of high-end bikes

The Cervélo S5 garnered top spot in our Race Bike of the Year awards in 2023. We rated its straight line speed, but also its cornering ability and superb ride quality. It's the handling that sets it apart from other fast aero bikes though: fast to respond to a change of line but not twitchy.

We rated with Reserve wheels, with their internal width helping to add comfort to the tires and progression when cornering. It's not the lightest bike, tipping the scales at over 8kg, but you don't feel that when riding.

If you want some validation of the bike's qualities, how about 2022 Tour de France yellow and green jerseys and a slew of one day race wins?

Read our review of the Cervélo S5 in our Race Bike of the Year 2023 coverage.

Race Bike of the Year 2023: Best value

Giant Propel on a orange background.

The Giant Propel offers a lot of bike for its price

(Image credit: Future)
Race Bike of the Year 2023: Best value

Specifications

Frame: Giant Propel Advanced Pro
Groupset: SRAM Rival AXS
Wheels: Giant SLR 1
Weight: 8.5kg / 18.6lbs

Reasons to buy

+
Great value, particularly for lower specs
+
Quality builds
+
Now lighter and more agile than its predecessor

Reasons to avoid

-
Not as smooth handling as some of the other bikes tested

The latest model Giant Propel has slimmed down the previous model's chunky frameset, to reduce weight and increase comfort, but has still improved aerodynamics and adjustability over the previous model, with a two piece bar and stem.

Giant has also adjusted the Propel's geometry, so that it's much closer to its TCR climbing bike, for a more responsive ride. Although we tested the Rival AXS build, best value can be found in the entry level bike which easily beats the other bikes in our Race Bike of the Year awards.

Read our review of the Giant Propel in our Race Bike of the Year 2023 coverage.

Race Bike of the Year 2023: Best aero bike

Trek Madone SL7 Gen 7 on a pink background

The Trek Madone SL7 is very aero

(Image credit: Future)
Race Bike of the Year 2023: Best aero bike

Specifications

Frame: Madone Gen 7
Groupset: Shimano Ultegra
Wheels: Bontrager Aeolus Pro 51
Weight: 7.5kg / 16.5lbs

Reasons to buy

+
Very fast and lightweight
+
Clever bars reduce frontal area

Reasons to avoid

-
Some may find it a bit too edgy for comfort
-
Very expensive

Another bike that's shed weight, in its case 300g, by abandoning the IsoSpeed system in its predecessor, the Gen 7 Madone has also garnered some striking looks, with its hole under the saddle, which sits on a seatpost cantilevered over the rear of the frame.

But that's only half of the 20 watts saving over the older Madone. The other half comes from the bars, which position the hands 30mm closer together on the tops, for a more aero tuck.

It's incredibly fast handling as well as being a fast ride in a straight line. Trek even fits a wider saddle on the smaller frames, as it's those that are most likely to be ridden by women, whom the width will suit better.

Read our review of the Trek Madone SL7 Gen 7 in our Race Bike of the Year 2023 coverage.

Race Bike of the Year 2023: Best climbing bike

Cannondale SuperSix Evo Hi Mod 2 on a pink background

The Cannondale SuperSix Evo Hi Mod is a great bike for climbers

(Image credit: Future)
Race Bike of the Year 2023: Best climbing bike

Specifications

Frame: SuperSix Hi Mod
Groupset: Shimano Ultegra
Wheels: HollowGram R-SL
Weight: 7.3kg / 16.1lbs

Reasons to buy

+
Low weight and more aero than previous model
+
Now with a threaded bottom bracket

Reasons to avoid

-
Not as fast or comfortable as the Cervelo S5

This fourth generation of the Cannondale SuperSix has received some subtle updates from its predecessor, which nevertheless make it more aero and lighter - and replace the Pressfit bottom bracket with a threaded design - with a claimed 770g frame weight the lightest in our Race Bike of the Year awards.

Acceleration is lightening fast and it holds speed well thanks to the 50mm deep aero wheelset. It's a great climber's bike as well, with low weight and great geometry for out-of-saddle efforts. Descending is equally magical, although its not as fast or as comfortable as the Cervelo S5. There's a good range of models and prices on offer.

Read our review of the Cannondale SuperSix Evo Hi Mod 2 in our Race Bike of the Year 2023 coverage.

How to choose the best road bike for you

What's the difference between race and endurance geometry?

A key decision when choosing the best road bike for you is what you plan to do with it. Are you looking to go fast or race, or are you after a more comfortable bike for leisurely rides or long days in the saddle?

Geometry is the key factor here. A full-on race bike will put you in a more bent-over riding position, with your head and shoulders lower down over the handlebar. That’s great when you have a need for speed, reducing your frontal profile to lower your wind resistance but can be uncomfortable, particularly for a beginner.

On the other hand, bikes labelled “endurance” or “sportive” will be designed for a more upright riding position, with the bars higher and closer to the saddle. That delivers greater comfort on longer rides, but may make you a bit slower.

If you’re riding on hilly roads, or planning a trip abroad to the Alps for example, you’ll certainly appreciate a lightweight bike. However, if you're going to spend your time riding fast on flatter terrain then aerodynamics are probably more important to you. And If you’re looking to race, the stiffer, more edgy handling of a race bike will work better than the more stable handling of an endurance machine.

An increasing number of bikes are designed to take you off the tarmac as well as letting you ride efficiently on road. A gravel bike will give you wide tyres and lower gears. But many endurance or 'all-road' bikes now offer plenty of tire clearance as well as an expansive gear range, letting you take in a wider variety of routes.

How much do I need to spend on a road bike?

You also need to look at how much you want to spend on a bike. That’s not just the initial outlay, but the cost of replacing worn or damaged parts, the cost of servicing your bike and the cost of any upgrades. There’s a big difference in price between lower spec mechanical parts and top of the range electronic gearing.

A bike's specs will vary a lot between manufacturers. In particular, prices will often be lower at direct only brands (such as Canyon and Ribble) and in-house brands (Vitus at Wiggle or Boardman at Halfords). But to give you an idea, here's a look at common specifications at various investment levels. In the interest of brevity, some bandings are wide and therefore you would expect variation within them.

£750 - £999 / $1000 - $1500

An aluminium frame and carbon fork, aluminium seatpost and handlebar/stem, shifting at Shimano Sora or Claris level, aluminium wheels. Rim brakes. 

£1000 - £2000 / $1500 - $2500

Either an aluminium frame and carbon fork at around Shimano 105 level, or a carbon frame and fork with shifting at Shimano Tiagra level. Aluminium wheels, seatpost and handlebar/stem. Disc or rim brakes. 

£2000 - £3500 / $2500 - $4000

Carbon frame and fork with Shimano 105 (lower end of budget) or Ultegra (higher end), aluminium or carbon rims, carbon seatpost, aluminium handlebars and stem. Disc brakes should be hydraulic from this price point. Titanium frames are an option.

£3500 - £5000/ $4000 - $6000

Carbon or titanium frame and fork, Shimano Ultegra or SRAM AXS eTap groupset, carbon seatpost, aluminium bar/stem, carbon rims 

£5000 - £10,000 / $6,000 - $12,000

Carbon frame and fork, Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 or SRAM Red AXS eTap, carbon wheels of 50mm+, carbon bars and stem.

£10,000+ / $12,000+

Accept nothing but the best of everything. Top of the range carbon frame and fork - usually utilising stiffer carbon and therefore fewer layers resulting in lower weight, carbon wheels of 50mm+, one piece carbon bar/stem Shimano Dura-Ace, SRAM Red AXS or Campagnolo Super Record Wireless, power meter as standard.

What are the best frame materials for road bikes?

A major difference between cheaper and more expensive bikes is their frame material. Bikes costing under £1000 are typically made of aluminium alloy, with the tubes welded together. It’s a material used in more expensive bikes too and can result in a strong, lightweight machine.

But pricier bikes are usually made of carbon fibre. The fibres give the bike strength and are embedded in a synthetic resin to hold them together. The mix of fibres used and their lay-up determine the bike’s ride feel. More expensive bikes will use more high modulus carbon fibre, which lowers the weight without reducing the bike’s strength.

Titanium is another material used in some more expensive bikes. It’s lightweight, strong and doesn’t rust or fatigue. And you can still find bikes made of steel tubing, which was the traditional framebuilding material. It’s not quite as light as other choices, but robust and gives a distinctive ride feel.

You should also look at what the bike’s fork is made of. Many bikes will have an all-carbon fork or one with carbon fork blades and an alloy steerer. This tends to absorb road bumps well for a more comfortable ride, but you can find alloy or steel forks on some lower priced bikes.

How do I choose the right size road bike for me?

It’s important to get the right size bike. Most bikes come in a range of sizes to fit your stature and bike makers will usually publish a rider’s height range which a bike of a specific size will fit. 

You should feel comfortable seated on your bike and be able to put both feet flat on the ground when standing over the crossbar, without it touching you.

You’ll usually find more detailed frame dimensions listed too, which give you more details of how your bike will fit you. The most important are reach and stack, although they’re a bit complex to interpret. 

In general, the higher the stack number (usually shown in cm or mm) the more upright your riding position will be. If you enjoy a 'taller' riding position then look for a more generous stack height. Equally, a shorter reach will put you closer to the bars, thus in a more upright position. For the most part, race bikes will feature a lower stack height than endurance models. 

To make sure that your bike is set up correctly and to avoid the risk of injury from incorrect fit, it’s well worth getting a professional bike fit. A bike fit will cost some money, although sometimes a bike shop will offer one at a discount or free when you buy a bike. A bike fit will ensure that your saddle and bars are optimally placed for efficient riding. Consider a good fit an investment.

Best road bikes

A bike fit should help you get more comfortable
(Image credit: Picasa)

What is an 'aero' road bike and do I need one?

Bike makers push their bikes’ aero credentials, especially on more expensive machines, with claims of wind tunnel testing and time saved. Time was, an aero frameset was significantly heavier than one with the traditional round tubes, but the best aero bikes can now be as light as a non-aero one.

On the other hand, around 80% of the wind resistance comes from the rider, not the bike and those time savings are typically when riding at around 45kph/28mph. Since wind resistance increases as the cube of speed, if you’re riding at half that, you’ll have an eighth of the drag, so all those aero features won’t make a lot of difference.

How many gears should a road bike have?

After the frame, gears are the most important thing to consider when choosing a road bike. Today many top end road bikes will come fitted with 12-speed cassettes. When paired with a double chainring this means you'll have 24 gears. Remember however that some of these gear ratios will be duplicated in certain chainring/cassette combinations.

More affordable road bikes tend to come with fewer gears. These cassette options should range from 8-speed to 10-speed, again most often paired with a double chainset.

As for groupset brands, Shimano gearing is the most common, but the other major options are SRAM and Campagnolo. Shimano’s top end groupsets, Dura-Ace, Ultegra and 105 have a 12-speed cassette, while less expensive bikes may come with 10-speed Tiagra, 9-speed Sora or 8-speed Claris.

SRAM and Campagnolo also offer 12 speeds on their top end road bike groupsets and all three brands offer electronic shifting rather than the mechanical cables used on lower priced ranges.

Best road bikes

Wider range cassettes help in the hills
(Image credit: PHILIPP FORSTNER)

What are the best gear options for a road bike?

When choosing a new road bike it's important that you think about the gears it comes equipped with. Fortunately if you've already matched your potential bike to the kind of riding you plan on doing, there's a good chance that the gear choice will also be well-suited. 

An out-and-out race bike may come with a more traditional gearing set-up, for example 53/39 tooth chainset paired with an 11-30 tooth cassette. 

However road bikes that fall into the endurance or sportive categories are likely to have a compact chainset, most likely a 50/34, and a cassette that will have 30, 32, 34 or even 36 teeth as the largest option. The lower gears will help you to both tackle steep hills with more ease and generally pedal with a higher cadence. However, this can mean larger gaps between gear ratios.

There are other options out there too. SRAM, for example, now offers its eTap AXS groupsets with 48/35, 46/33 and 43/30t chainsets. Paired with its cassettes starting at 10 teeth, these give similar highest gear ratios to traditional gearing starting at 11 teeth, but greater low-end gear range for easier climbing and less need to shift between chainrings on undulating roads.

Best road bikes

Electronic shifting is now a mainstream option on higher spec bikes

Is electronic shifting really better?

While the majority of road groupsets are mechanical, using cables from the shift levers to change gears, there are a growing number of road bikes that now come fitted with electronic shifting, where a motor shifts the derailleurs between ratios. 

The main electronic systems are Shimano Di2, Campagnolo Wireless and SRAM eTap AXS, which all offer 12 speeds.

There are benefits and drawbacks of both mechanical and electronic options. 

Mechanical components, such as mechs and levers, are generally cheaper and lighter than their electronic counterparts. They are also, for the most part, easier to fix when something goes wrong. 

Electronic gears benefit from reliable shifting. There's no cable tension at play here. If you've suffered a hand injury, the ease of changing gear with the press of a button could be appealing. 

Electronic gearing can be personalised through an app, allowing you, for example, to shift multiple gears seamlessly. However, all this tech doesn't come cheap and complete road bikes fitted with electronic gears will be more expensive. Plus, you've got to remember to charge the batteries.

Are rim or disc brakes best for a road bike?

Disc brakes have largely taken over on road bikes and all but the lowest priced bikes are now in general disc brake only, although some more expensive bikes still offer you the option to choose disc or rim brakes. 

That’s because disc brakes give you more consistent stopping, whatever the weather conditions, better modulation and greater overall stopping power. On the flip side, they’re heavier than rim brakes, although bike makers have been able to make frames lighter, largely mitigating the extra weight.

Most disc brake bikes use hydraulic calipers, although you can find mechanical disc brakes, usually on cheaper machines. Discs are creeping down the price range, but some of the most affordable bikes still come with rim brakes.

Best road bikes

Disc brakes are a feature of the majority of new road bikes

What is the difference between carbon and alloy wheels?

Road bike wheels are typically 700c size, although the smaller 650b size can be found on some smaller frames. Regardless of size, both are available as carbon or alloy options.

Carbon fibre rims are used on most of the best road bike wheelsets. These rims lower weight and are often deeper, to improve aerodynamics over a shallow wheel. In fact carbon can be produced in a far greater range of shapes, allowing manufacturers to create wheels optimised for a varied range of riding styles. 

Alloy rims are generally cheaper and will feature on many complete road bikes. They are usually heavier than their carbon counterparts although lightweight alloy options are available. 

Wheels are a component where bike makers often look to economise, so a budget wheelset may feature even on an expensive bike. It’s worth considering whether you’ll need to upgrade them to get the best out of your new bike. 

Best road bikes

Wider tyres let you reduce tyre pressure, increasing comfort and grip

What is the best tire width for a road bike?

There was a time when tire options for road bikes were limited by the frames they were fitted to. A 23mm tire was commonplace. If you were lucky you might be able to squeeze a 25mm into your frame.

However, today road bikes now come with increasingly wide tires. A 25mm width is now the minimum and even race bikes often have 28mm tires, while endurance machines may go to 32mm or even more.

With wider tires it's possible to run a lower tire pressure for more comfort and added grip. Wider tires can be as fast as or faster than narrower widths as well.

It's also worth checking out the clearance offered by a frame before you buy the bike. It might be that it comes specced with a 25 or 28mm tire but actually has clearance for something wider. 

Wheels and tires are increasingly tubeless-ready too. This means that you can add sealant and dispense with the inner tubes, reducing the risk of punctures and upping grip and ride comfort even more. Tubeless tires are in general faster as well.


Meet the testers

Simon Smythe

Simon is a hugely experienced cycling tech writer, who has been writing for Cycling Weekly since 2003. Until recently he was our senior tech writer. In his cycling career Simon has mostly focused on time trialling with a national medal, a few open wins and his club's 30-mile record in his palmares. However, as writer and reviewer he's ridden more road bikes than he cares to remember, from eye-wateringly expensive aero race bikes to far more wallet friendly offerings and plenty in between.

Stefan Abram

After winning the 2019 National Single-Speed Cross-Country Mountain Biking Championships and claiming the plushie unicorn (true story), Stefan swapped the flat-bars for drop-bars and has never looked back. 

Since then, he’s earnt his 2ⁿᵈ cat racing licence in his first season racing as a third, completed the South Downs Double in under 20 hours and Everested in under 12.

How we tested these road bikes

How we test

We have a dedicated team of testers here at Cycling Weekly, whose job is to review a whole range of cycling products and to write objective reviews of their experience of using them day in day out in a whole range of conditions.

With huge experience, they're really well placed to compare products, identify their strengths and weaknesses and bring you an honest, unbiased assessment of how they perform.

When it comes to testing road bikes we log hundreds of miles, looking at a number of factors as we assess their overall performance. Of course we consider what the bike is primarily designed for, whether it's an aero race bike, a lightweight climber or an endurance model but also look at more general considerations such as build and spec quality, durability and value for money. 

With Black Friday coming up on November 24th and running until the 27th, all the major retailers are already starting their discounts. On the tech side of things, we’ve rounded up the best Black Friday Wahoo deals over here and the best Garmin deals over here.

More generally, we have specific hub pages for power meter deals and bike computer deals. With the nights drawing in, we’ve also picked out the best bike light deals as well

Beyond that, we’ve got a hub on the best Black Friday cycle clothing deals, deep winter glove deals and our top picks from Adidas’ Black Friday bike kit deals

And with Christmas coming up, we absolutely have a page on the best kids’ bikes deals - from balance bikes to fully equipped gears. 

Paul Norman

Paul started writing for Cycling Weekly in 2015, covering cycling tech, new bikes and product testing. Since then, he’s reviewed hundreds of bikes and thousands of other pieces of cycling equipment for the magazine and the Cycling Weekly website.

He’s been cycling for a lot longer than that though and his travels by bike have taken him all around Europe and to California. He’s been riding gravel since before gravel bikes existed too, riding a cyclocross bike through the Chilterns and along the South Downs.