You love bikes, and so do our editors and staff. But with so many different types of bikes available—and so many new bicycles introduced each year—how do you know which ones are the best for you? And what does it even mean for a bike to be “the best”?
First and foremost, the best bicycle is the bike you enjoy riding. The best bike for you might not be the best for another cyclist. If your favorite or best bicycle isn’t on our list, it certainly doesn’t make your bike any less worthy. Your needs are unique to you, so enjoy your bike. And, if you like your bike and don’t want a new one, do not feel pressured to purchase anything.
To help you better understand the bikes you love and ride, Bicycling’s test editors ride hundreds of bikes each year. We analyze prices, features, and how each bike helps solve your riding needs. We also closely monitor cycling trends and follow new technologies, seeking out exciting and unique bikes that might interest you or benefit riders in the future.
No two cyclists use a bike in the exact same way. So, our editors test bikes in ways you ride them. We go to group rides and events, put them through their paces on fast lunch rides, race them in weekend criteriums or gravel races, and commute with them daily.
Our testing doesn’t end after only a few rides; we discuss every bike extensively with shops and mechanics, experts in aerodynamics and suspension, and other cyclists on rides and at events. We dive into the minutia of each bike to give us insight into the obstacles you might face.
To acknowledge the best and most exciting bikes, Bicycling’s test editors present Bike Awards to a select group of bicycles each year. These 27 bikes are worthy recipients based on ride quality, overall value, new trends and technologies, or bicycles we think are especially exciting.
Below is the full list of winners. We divided 2025’s Awards into four main categories—Road, Gravel, Mountain, and E-Bike—where you will find reviews and photos for each bike. Your next bicycle might be one of our favorites. —Tara Seplavy, Deputy Editor
Road Bikes
Mountain Bikes
Gravel Bikes
E-Bikes
As Deputy Editor, Tara Seplavy leads Bicycling’s product test team; after having previously led product development and sourcing for multiple bike brands, run World Championship winning mountain bike teams, wrenched at renowned bicycle shops in Brooklyn, raced everything from criteriums to downhill, and ridden bikes on six different continents (landing herself in hospital emergency rooms in four countries and counting). Based in Easton, Pennsylvania, Tara spends tons of time on the road and trail testing products. A familiar face at cyclocross races, crits, and bike parks in the Mid Atlantic and New England, on weekends she can often be found racing for the New York City-based CRCA/KruisCX team. When not riding a bike, or talking about them, Tara listens to a lot of ska, punk, and emo music, and consumes too much social media.
A gear editor for his entire career, Matt’s journey to becoming a leading cycling tech journalist started in 1995, and he’s been at it ever since; likely riding more cycling equipment than anyone on the planet along the way. Previous to his time with Bicycling, Matt worked in bike shops as a service manager, mechanic, and sales person. Based in Durango, Colorado, he enjoys riding and testing any and all kinds of bikes, so you’re just as likely to see him on a road bike dressed in Lycra at a Tuesday night worlds ride as you are to find him dressed in a full face helmet and pads riding a bike park on an enduro bike. He doesn’t race often, but he’s game for anything; having entered road races, criteriums, trials competitions, dual slalom, downhill races, enduros, stage races, short track, time trials, and gran fondos. Next up on his to-do list: a multi day bikepacking trip, and an e-bike race.
Test Editor Dan Chabanov got his start in cycling as a New York City bike messenger but quickly found his way into road and cyclocross racing, competing in professional cyclocross races from 2009 to 2019 and winning a Master’s National Championship title in 2018. Prior to joining Bicycling in 2021, Dan worked as part of the race organization for the Red Hook Crit, as a coach with EnduranceWERX, as well as a freelance writer and photographer.
