What’s the best road bike of 2018? As the bells chimed to usher in 2018, we found ourselves in Girona in search of the answer to this burning question. If you’ve ever wondered what goes on behind the scenes of a race-bred test session, then you’re on the right page.
For an overview of the test fleet head to the main article: What’s the best road bike of 2018? – 12 race bikes put to the test
More and more pro cyclists are laying down roots in Girona, picking this unassuming Spanish town for its mild winters. The names of the surrounding climbs like Els Àngels and Rocacorba have become part of the local pros’ daily lexicon. From Giro leader Simon Yates to BMC’s Tour of California hope Tejay van Garderen, Girona simply dishes out the goods as a base. That’s exactly why we’d picked it to find the fastest race bike of 2018. Ex-pros Christian Meier and David Millar demonstrated hospitality by not only joining us for a ride and serving up the coffee secrets of Espresso Mafia, but also spelling out in an exclusive interview about what really distinguishes a good race bike from a great one. Did we let them join our ride? Of course. 😉 But after eight days and thousands of test kilometres ridden, our test riders were still looking for answers. This meant staging the GRAN FONDO Race Session in a bid for clarity: which bike gets downhill the fastest, with the most precision on hairpins and lending itself to the highest speeds?
By the end of the session, two bikes had emerged as clear victors.
The Road Riders’ Paradise of Girona
During our trip to Girona we housed Gran Fondo at Christian Meyer’s high-end bike shop, The Service Course, which served as a base for preparing the test bikes as well as providing soigneur-style massages after long days in the saddle. Once you’ve drank your share of coffee at Espresso Mafia and La Fabrica, swing by Café Federal. The bar is set at three pre-ride Carajillos, ok? #wedareyou. If the stretch of bars and overwhelming choice of restaurants gets too much, it’s nice to stock up on fresh produce and indulge in dissecting the day’s escapes over home-cooked food. Our New Years Eve GRAN FONDO pasta party is one that will go down in history.
The GRAN FONDO Race Session
The Gran Fondo Race Session consisted of each bike and rider taking four runs down a hand-picked 1.4 km stretch of wind-protected tarmac with an average 7 % gradient. Returning up the climb was naturally done with the very same test bikes, which meant 140 metres of climb on each of the 12 bikes. On this occasion, we were more likely to pick an energy gel than a mid-ride vermouth. In no doubt as to the winner, all of the test riders clocked their fastest times on the very same bike.
The best bike computer
Noting insider tips, poring over maps and scanning the horizon for street signs are just some ways to find tarmac jewels that are further off the beaten track. During our test rides we grabbed the opportunity to trial the current most exciting GPS devices, which revealed certain key strengths and weaknesses of the various models. After a week’s worth of riding, there was one clear winner, which masterfully delivered functionality as well as value for money. If you’re not content with the standard fare for GPS mounts, then you could amp up your style by adopting one of 2018’s top GPS mounts that we’ve hunted down.
The results and the test winner
You might be surprised to see we’ve gone against the carbon weight-weenie grain by selecting the heaviest bike on test as our best buy tip–the bike that delivers the ultimate in value for money. The ultimate race bike for having the fastest lap time won’t necessarily be the stiffest, lightest and more aerodynamic bike around. The best times are just as likely to happen on a comfortable steel bike–it all comes down to taste.
The thought of limiting the test field by excluding certain weights or materials makes about as much sense as only testing beers when it comes to the sourcing the ultimate post-work beverage. Looking outside the box lends itself to the discovery of new bike concepts as well as views that won’t be found in any guide book, and wines that don’t specifically pair with your food Cheers!
For an overview of the test fleet head to the main article: What’s the best road bike of 2018? – 12 race bikes put to the test
All bikes in the test: 3T Strada | Canyon Aeroad CF SLX Disc 9.0 Di2 | Corratec EVO eTap Konfi | Fuji SL 1.1 | Rose X-Lite 6 eTap | Scott Addict RC Ultimate Disc | Specialized S-Works Tarmac 2018 | Speedvagen Road | Standert Triebwerk Mach 3 | Trek Emonda SLR 8 Disc | Wilier Superleggera SL
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Words: Photos: Noah Haxel
