When someone learns I am an editor for Bicycling, they often ask, “So, what’s the best bike?”
Simply answering “There is no best bicycle” might sound like the easy out, but it actually opens the door to more prodding, questions, and discussion.
The best bike generally isn’t the lightest, nor is it the fastest. It probably didn’t carry a professional to Tour de France glory or a World Championship rainbow jersey. And quite often, it’s far from the most expensive machine on the market.
Many cyclists over-obsess about buying “the best” bicycle; it seems to be in our DNA. When researching a new bike purchase, we pore over geometry charts and dissect the nuances of manufacturers’ specifications. We read reviews, dive down internet rabbit holes, and talk to other cyclists to winnow out or justify potential options.
And those options for great bikes are seemingly endless—it’s a bottomless bidon of choice across dozens of riding categories, subcategories, and niches. Buyers must decide: Should I buy a race bike or endurance, SRAM or Shimano, with or without suspension, e-bike or non-assisted? The razor-thin differences between brands (and sometimes even within a company’s product line) can make selecting a new bicycle challenging for many riders. The choices can mentally paralyze you.
This sheer overabundance of excellent bike choices can cause FOBO—fear of a better option—when you cannot decide because you’re afraid another, even better, option awaits. You may have experienced it: You’re almost set to lay down cash on brand X when photos of a new, top-secret bike leak from brand Y. Then you wait for that new bike’s release, only for brand Z to announce its latest model. Instead of having a great time riding a new bike on the trail or the road, you’re stuck with your old bike that now brings you no joy, or worse—you don’t ride at all.
If you bought that bike from brand X and now fear buyer’s remorse, I also get it; it’s a real emotion, and a bike can be a big investment. But I’m here to assure you that, more than likely, you made a solid choice. It’s a golden age of bicycle performance. Bikes are very, very good right now.
While appearance is always subjective, from a strictly functional standpoint, purchasing an absolutely amazing bike is much easier than buying a certified stinker. Almost without exception, new bicycles (regardless of price, category, and where they’re sold) operate better than ever. While some may have particular service needs or quirks, virtually all new bikes are capable and reliable.
Bicycle companies generally have sizing and geometry pretty dialed. If you require a more precise fit or have particular needs or preferences, there are plenty of options for component changes. Recently launched bikes ride more smoothly and confidently than their predecessors. Drivetrains shift almost flawlessly, and brakes have more power and modulation than ever.
Sure, a $10,000 road bike with Shimano Dura-Ace will likely ride faster on the road, shift more precisely, and stop quicker than an $800 gravel bike with Claris. However, a race bike with Dura-Ace rides very similarly to a race bike equipped with SRAM Red. Many riders cannot distinguish a ride-quality difference between comparably equipped bikes, certainly not enough to keep them from enjoying the bike.
When I worked in bike shops or at events for brands, riders often inquired about which bike to purchase. Usually, I’d ask them, “Where do you want to ride?” or “What issue with your current bike do you need to resolve?” These questions help establish a cyclist’s riding intent and narrow the choices.
But now, when friends or readers ask me what bike to buy, I instead ask, “What will make you ride more?” or “What do you need to ride happier?”
Think back to the bicycle that got you hooked on riding. I’m willing to bet it didn’t threaten the UCI’s minimum weight regulation and probably wasn’t constructed from carbon fiber or aero-optimized in a wind tunnel. Perhaps it didn’t fit you correctly or ride all that well.
I also bet that bike made you happy. Otherwise, you’d not have fallen in love with cycling. That detail alone made it good enough to qualify as a great bike.
So yes, the “best bike” actually does exist—and you might already own it. Whichever bicycle gets you stoked to ride is the best bike.
Rather than sweating the nuances of specification and millimeter differences of geometry, look for characteristics that will bring you joy. If a bicycle with a sparkle paint job or fenders and lights makes you smile and ride more, it’s the best bike for you. If someone else rides more and is happier thanks to an aero race bike with skinny tires or an electric bike with fat tires, that’s the best bike for them.
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.
