He should never have had a budget category if he didn’t ride any cheap bikes. Cycling is the most intimidating and gatekept hobby I’ve ever picked up. It’s embarrassing how little content there is on sub $1000 bikes. It’s not like they don’t exist. no sram or shimano no one reviews it. There’s a ton of content on budget, cameras, cars, motorcycles, computers, even E-BIKES!! for enthusiasts but none for road/gravel cycling. Wild.
Purely by chance bought a £225.00, second hand 2013 alu Giant Tcr, as tested by David for use when im in my Engkish house. Loved the ride. Got back to Northern Ireland and bought a brand new Ultegra 2023 Tcr Carbon, followed by NOS 2022 bargain price Ultegra Defy. Love the ride qualities they provide! Yes im fortunate to indulge in my chosen sport with my hard earned cash, BUT, i still love riding the up graded Alu Giant tcr as well! In a nutshell Giant for me!
Most reviews wouldn’t dare to mention ‘disappointing’ category → big big kudos to you, David. That’s what a ‘serious’ reviewer needs to have → guts 👍 👍
In 2025 i would love to see more of a push to restoring a used or vintage bike. You can potentially get a much higher quality bike for less money, it is also a lot more environmentally friendly (extremely important), and a push away from carbon fiber unless you race.
It would be great to see your reviews of some of the Cube bikes from the latest collection. Interesting equipment for relatively little money compared to other brands.
Ever since I saw your first ride of the Bridge Surveyor it has won a special place in my heart. Ticking all my boxes even in the colour schemes they offer. I'm saving up to buy it.
Firstly a really excellent review. My preference is the Tarmac SL8, which has it all, including the hefty price tag. I’m very meh on the Trek Madone and I think Trek was wrong to drop the Edmonda. They really underrated that bike. You give a lot of ticks to Giant Defy and I’ll take a relook at that. It sounds like a great bike out of the box and has great potential in being scalable. I agree with you while Piddock is a master cyclist the rest of us are most likely not in that category and the benefits of the Pinarello are likely to be got out of it. Thanks for all your outstanding work over 2024
I just ordered an Orbea Terra M20 Team with carbon frame/fork and Shimano GRX820 components all the way through. I feel Orbea is constantly overlooked as a gravelbike. Great bikes and relatively good value for money. And lots of customization possible on their website at no extra cost (depending on choices, of course). Listening to your disappointment with the Canyon Grail, I can't help myself to think "get the Orbea Terra like I did".
Beyond most peoples' price range but always a good watch....I've never spent more than £1500 on a new bike....Run it and upgrade bits when you are able. I'm still running Claris on one of my old road bikes and Tiagra on the other newer one....Well happy with how they work.....
Congratulations David. You have just won best ‘Best Bike’ review of the year! Your prize will be a weird review by our Aussie friends in 1 weeks time. 😉🤣
I think you missed the mark on the Endurance category. The 2024 BMC RoadMachine has 40mm tire clearance, downtube storage, top-tube mounts, and very similar geometry to the Enve Fray, but is available in complete builds that are significantly less expensive than just the Enve frame. A 105 equipped RoadMachine is $3200 while the Enve frame alone is $5500. It's also less expensive and lighter than the Trek Domane. It has better tire clearance and arguably better frame features than the Canyon Endurace. I think BMC hit the bullseye this year.
I got myself the BMC Roadmachine Five (2024 Edition) with the Shimano 105. I researched for a long time and traveled hours to get my hands on the 61 frame i need. To keep it short: I‘m sooo extremly happy i did this. The bike is amazing! The 100+ km rides so far were comfortable and still alot of fun. The option to slap on up to 40mm rubber ist just the cherry on top. Too bad BMC does not get the recognition it deserves for this one!
Great video as usual 😍 It could be great if you could test bikes from the French manufacturer Origine in 2025. They are so popular here in France that an independent review from you could be very interesting. Furthermore some people could discover this brand that seems to offer good value for the price.
Hey David next year I’m planning to upgrade to an endurance bike I’m debating between the Pinarello X1 or the Giant Defy Advanced I’d like to hear your opinion on these two. Thank you.
Watched quite a few of the review videos and have never been so sure as to the impartiality. Kudos for sharing the disappointing bikes also, from some of the big brands.
David, I hope you'd give a review of the SwissSide wheels when you do the BMC RM R review. I'm close to pulling the rtrigger on a pair and want to hear your opinion.
Im going to purchase a Reilly titanium bike as soon as i can contact them today and talk about shipping or if i can find a dealer in America. Im doing my research today.
Really like your reviews and 2024 was wild!🎉 However i don't get that the Canyon Grail is disappointing because of 42mm tyre clearance and the Bridge Surveyor is the best Gravel Bike because it has 40mm clearance 🤷🏽♂️
Because I see the Grail more as a gravel bike, which it's sold as, but the Bridge is more a road/all-road bike - I was riding 34mm tyres and it was pretty sweet but I wouldn't use it for full-on gravel which the Grail is intended for
Great list, I would agree in general with your picks. I've watched so many of you're videos David that I'm already aware of your love of Giant bikes, but I personally cant get past their aesthetics, which screams Chinese knockoff even though I know they are one of the largest builders in the world. I have 6 bikes at this time but by far my favorite and most recent purchase was the ENVE Fray, built similar to your test bike. Yeah, it wasn't cheap but it checks all the boxes for an aging former racer and at 56 I'm valuing comfort and aesthetics more over pure speed; the Fray is beautiful and the downtube storage makes it prettier when built by eliminating any bags, pumps, etc. showing. I can't say enough about how awesome this bike feels to ride and how great it looks.
I have the Domane AL 5 - with mechanical 105. Just getting back into riding after 40 years off, and this bike retails for just under $2K. The carbon version is $1.5K more and weighs just 0.8 kg less. I think the AL 5 is a great value.
I like my S-Works SL-8. Fast, nimble and comfortable. I’m told it’s less money than some others but more than a few. What I like is they have good sizes and geometry but also it’s a very plain looking bike. No big tubes, no cut tubes. People complain about the sniffer but I don’t notice it. Buying thru my LBS has been a good experience.
I don't understand why noone considers canyon ultimate slx 9 with di2 which also lightweight (6.88kg) and aero as a competitor to tarmac. Twice cheaper,
@SebastianRojas-nz9jl Rose bikes aren't available in the UK due to Brexit and I've been speaking to Cube for 6 months about getting a bike to test, hopefully that'll happen soon
Doesn't really mean a whole lot when your favorite bikes are the $14000 builds like the S-Works and the Cannondale MTB. Like, of course they're your favorite with the lightest components but that's not going to be achievable for the vast majority of the cycling community. The two 'overall' winners are $15k a piece. Like yeah, if you review a Ford Pinto and then a Lamborghini Huracan, you'll probably like the Lambo a little better
Come on, all these bikes come in a lower cost version that are significantly less expensive and the only difference is not function but weight. Then there is the used market which is typically 40 to 50% less. There are viable options out there beyond repetitive complaining.
@@n8torious309 Excuse me, I overlooked the boutique bikes and so should everyone who is on a budget. You remind me of those people who complain they can’t find an affordable Rolls Royce when there are so many other obvious options.
@@stevevarga8621 The subjective nature of this conversation is that the "best bike of 2024" perhaps isn't the one-off, $15000 ultra luxurious boutique brand frame but instead a bike somewhere in the intersection of affordability and practicality for the layperson whilst still being fast enough. So basically an Aeroad CF SLX.
@@n8torious309 Exactly. Cycling for our crowd is a sport of passion. You purchase accordingly and the limitation are price and hopefully common sense. I’ve over spent in the past and learned my lesson. The purely expensive bike doesn’t necessarily bring real performance benefits or even happiness. There are a lot of elements in the ‘best bike’ but one of the most important factors is that this bike inspires you to ride better and longer. It’s the bike that turns you on.
The Trek looks absolutely stunning. Unfortunately it's way over my budget and realistically I would never be able to afford it, but the color scheme is gorgeous 😍
I always ask myself who is buying these expensive bikes?Don't get me wrong i would love to get into this hobby but good lord the prices????I would have to sell my car to get a bike that i like😂
Take a trip to Decathlon or Halfords and check out some of the cheaper bikes, good options from just £300 which get you a really good starter bike to partake in this hobby :)
I had defy ever，now I have roubaix as my endurance bike. your comment is very accurate among them . I love roubaix with future shock, but it is sometimes too high for the handle bar . However , I will build scott addict rc 2025 as another lightweight climbing bike😅
Which is your favourite bike?
Cannondale SuperSix EVO CX/SE is missing on this list!
Best quiver-killer bike if you don’t like the Specialized Crux.
factor ostro vam 2.0
Giant Defy. It's great, and would suit many riders that ride a bike that's too aggressive for them
Bourght a Merida Scultura Endurance 6000. Very happy with it. Super comfy Di2 at a decent price. A nice, not black colour to boot!
My favorite bike is scott addict gravel
Ok so best so called "budget" bikes are 4k, 3k and 2.5k respectively. This is messed up.
Have you just tried not being poor?
Welcome to 2024
lol - some people are out to lunch…
Ikr? Budget bike should be $200 max!
He should never have had a budget category if he didn’t ride any cheap bikes. Cycling is the most intimidating and gatekept hobby I’ve ever picked up. It’s embarrassing how little content there is on sub $1000 bikes. It’s not like they don’t exist. no sram or shimano no one reviews it. There’s a ton of content on budget, cameras, cars, motorcycles, computers, even E-BIKES!! for enthusiasts but none for road/gravel cycling. Wild.
Purely by chance bought a £225.00, second hand 2013 alu Giant Tcr, as tested by David for use when im in my Engkish house. Loved the ride. Got back to Northern Ireland and bought a brand new Ultegra 2023 Tcr Carbon, followed by NOS 2022 bargain price Ultegra Defy. Love the ride qualities they provide! Yes im fortunate to indulge in my chosen sport with my hard earned cash, BUT, i still love riding the up graded Alu Giant tcr as well! In a nutshell Giant for me!
You nailed it with the Giant Defy as the best Endurance bike on the market.
Most reviews wouldn’t dare to mention ‘disappointing’ category → big big kudos to you, David. That’s what a ‘serious’ reviewer needs to have → guts 👍 👍
Facts… they wouldn’t even surf anywhere near that word - or anything close to it…🍻
In 2025 i would love to see more of a push to restoring a used or vintage bike. You can potentially get a much higher quality bike for less money, it is also a lot more environmentally friendly (extremely important), and a push away from carbon fiber unless you race.
It's fun to take an old neglected steel frame and make a beautiful bike out of it again.
It would be great to see your reviews of some of the Cube bikes from the latest collection. Interesting equipment for relatively little money compared to other brands.
Totally agree 😃
I guess reviewers are on the waiting list, as are the buyers.
Ever since I saw your first ride of the Bridge Surveyor it has won a special place in my heart. Ticking all my boxes even in the colour schemes they offer. I'm saving up to buy it.
Love the Defy. Best purchase I made this year.
That Bridge has been pulling at me since day 1 . That’s a great choice in my book mate. Handmade in 🇨🇦 with ❤
Firstly a really excellent review. My preference is the Tarmac SL8, which has it all, including the hefty price tag. I’m very meh on the Trek Madone and I think Trek was wrong to drop the Edmonda. They really underrated that bike. You give a lot of ticks to Giant Defy and I’ll take a relook at that. It sounds like a great bike out of the box and has great potential in being scalable. I agree with you while Piddock is a master cyclist the rest of us are most likely not in that category and the benefits of the Pinarello are likely to be got out of it. Thanks for all your outstanding work over 2024
Super excited to see the Bridge take top honors! I’ve been mulling over ordering one for a year. I’m putting in my order this Friday!
I just ordered an Orbea Terra M20 Team with carbon frame/fork and Shimano GRX820 components all the way through. I feel Orbea is constantly overlooked as a gravelbike. Great bikes and relatively good value for money. And lots of customization possible on their website at no extra cost (depending on choices, of course). Listening to your disappointment with the Canyon Grail, I can't help myself to think "get the Orbea Terra like I did".
Great video, David! That Defy seatpost - does it flex?😊
Always appreciate your thoughtful reviews. I've been thinking about the Defy, but hesitant b/c of the pressed-fit BB.
Beyond most peoples' price range but always a good watch....I've never spent more than £1500 on a new bike....Run it and upgrade bits when you are able.
I'm still running Claris on one of my old road bikes and Tiagra on the other newer one....Well happy with how they work.....
Congratulations David. You have just won best ‘Best Bike’ review of the year! Your prize will be a weird review by our Aussie friends in 1 weeks time. 😉🤣
The grail is the best endurance road bike with 35+ road tires
grail's geometry is too aggressive to be considered an endurance bike really
@@frankyao5854 Yeah, the Grizl would be better.......
@@Andy_ATB yeah, but no 2-by option afaik
I think you missed the mark on the Endurance category. The 2024 BMC RoadMachine has 40mm tire clearance, downtube storage, top-tube mounts, and very similar geometry to the Enve Fray, but is available in complete builds that are significantly less expensive than just the Enve frame. A 105 equipped RoadMachine is $3200 while the Enve frame alone is $5500. It's also less expensive and lighter than the Trek Domane. It has better tire clearance and arguably better frame features than the Canyon Endurace. I think BMC hit the bullseye this year.
Do you have the bmc? If so.. what’s it feel like to ride
I got myself the BMC Roadmachine Five (2024 Edition) with the Shimano 105. I researched for a long time and traveled hours to get my hands on the 61 frame i need. To keep it short: I‘m sooo extremly happy i did this. The bike is amazing! The 100+ km rides so far were comfortable and still alot of fun. The option to slap on up to 40mm rubber ist just the cherry on top. Too bad BMC does not get the recognition it deserves for this one!
And again, I'm going to be sad that there is no comparison to last years top bikes. Because they now would be more in a justifiable price range.
When Fairlight Secan 3.0 review sir!??
Great video as usual 😍
It could be great if you could test bikes from the French manufacturer Origine in 2025. They are so popular here in France that an independent review from you could be very interesting. Furthermore some people could discover this brand that seems to offer good value for the price.
Factor Gravel sl bikes any opinions?
I have a 2012 aluminium defy and a 2021 adv pro 1 TCR rim brake ultegra cable with duel power meters. Both such fun bikes...
Hey David next year I’m planning to upgrade to an endurance bike I’m debating between the Pinarello X1 or the Giant Defy Advanced I’d like to hear your opinion on these two. Thank you.
Wow, the only review I have read that doesn’t appreciate the new Dogma, but then again you ride a “Giant”!
Watched quite a few of the review videos and have never been so sure as to the impartiality. Kudos for sharing the disappointing bikes also, from some of the big brands.
Where does the normal sl8 fit for you? Is still number 1 for you? Or has it to be the s works.
It's the same damn bike. Stop believing bs. Mine built to 6.3 with ultegra. But in my opinion Pinarello is number one.
More mountain bike content please 👍
Love my Aspero. Do it all bike!
I wish the BMC Teammachine R had the lower grade carbon frame like the SLR, I guess it is a matter of time :)
David, I hope you'd give a review of the SwissSide wheels when you do the BMC RM R review. I'm close to pulling the rtrigger on a pair and want to hear your opinion.
Any thoughts on the ride quality of the Pinarello X5?
Im going to purchase a Reilly titanium bike as soon as i can contact them today and talk about shipping or if i can find a dealer in America. Im doing my research today.
ENVE Frey. 1. BMC. 2. Aston Martin 1. McLaren. 2
Really like your reviews and 2024 was wild!🎉 However i don't get that the Canyon Grail is disappointing because of 42mm tyre clearance and the Bridge Surveyor is the best Gravel Bike because it has 40mm clearance 🤷🏽♂️
Because I see the Grail more as a gravel bike, which it's sold as, but the Bridge is more a road/all-road bike - I was riding 34mm tyres and it was pretty sweet but I wouldn't use it for full-on gravel which the Grail is intended for
What would be the best bike for climbing? And I am thinking a lot about group and transmission
Wilier Verticale SLR would be a good choice from this list
@ thank you very much
The best bike of 2024 is a 2016 Cannondale supersix evo with winspace wheels and 105
Tom Pidcock will now on road ride scott bikes, no more pinarello. But in XC mountain-biking he will continued riding pinarello bikes.
That hasn't been officially confirmed, but it's what we think will happen........
lol you really hate the Dogma
Cube Attain C62 SLT
Ultegra Di2, carbon wheels, bars and seat post
£2999
Did you try look blade 795 RS ?
I put30 mm tubeless Pirelli tires on my new 2025 Pinarello dogma running at 3.5 bar and it is as smooth as silk, and I am 66 years old
Best bike for 2024 is the BMC Teammachine R
Great list, I would agree in general with your picks. I've watched so many of you're videos David that I'm already aware of your love of Giant bikes, but I personally cant get past their aesthetics, which screams Chinese knockoff even though I know they are one of the largest builders in the world. I have 6 bikes at this time but by far my favorite and most recent purchase was the ENVE Fray, built similar to your test bike. Yeah, it wasn't cheap but it checks all the boxes for an aging former racer and at 56 I'm valuing comfort and aesthetics more over pure speed; the Fray is beautiful and the downtube storage makes it prettier when built by eliminating any bags, pumps, etc. showing. I can't say enough about how awesome this bike feels to ride and how great it looks.
Where does the Trek Domane fall for you?
Too mainstream to make an interesting review I reckon. I have an SL7… Best bike I’ve ever owned.
@@bernieinsaudi Thanks. Really like the diversity the bike offers. Mix of comfort and speed with being serviceable
I have the Domane AL 5 - with mechanical 105. Just getting back into riding after 40 years off, and this bike retails for just under $2K. The carbon version is $1.5K more and weighs just 0.8 kg less. I think the AL 5 is a great value.
Not one Scott bike on your list! They’re making some of the best bikes out at the moment.
I like my S-Works SL-8. Fast, nimble and comfortable. I’m told it’s less money than some others but more than a few. What I like is they have good sizes and geometry but also it’s a very plain looking bike. No big tubes, no cut tubes. People complain about the sniffer but I don’t notice it. Buying thru my LBS has been a good experience.
What do you mean by sniffer?
How did the cervelo not make the list for aero?
Under 2.5k for an advanced 1?? Where?
The topic is best gravel bike of the year.
I don't understand why noone considers canyon ultimate slx 9 with di2 which also lightweight (6.88kg) and aero as a competitor to tarmac. Twice cheaper,
Canyon Grail was in last years video mentioned as one of the best gravel bikes... I'm confused 🤔
What about Rose or Cube bikes?
They would beat the Giant. So the are better not mentioned ;)
@SebastianRojas-nz9jl Rose bikes aren't available in the UK due to Brexit and I've been speaking to Cube for 6 months about getting a bike to test, hopefully that'll happen soon
Doesn't really mean a whole lot when your favorite bikes are the $14000 builds like the S-Works and the Cannondale MTB. Like, of course they're your favorite with the lightest components but that's not going to be achievable for the vast majority of the cycling community. The two 'overall' winners are $15k a piece. Like yeah, if you review a Ford Pinto and then a Lamborghini Huracan, you'll probably like the Lambo a little better
Come on, all these bikes come in a lower cost version that are significantly less expensive and the only difference is not function but weight. Then there is the used market which is typically 40 to 50% less. There are viable options out there beyond repetitive complaining.
@ you couldn’t be more wrong. the two “overall” favorites are boutique brands with no budget option frameset.
@@n8torious309 Excuse me, I overlooked the boutique bikes and so should everyone who is on a budget. You remind me of those people who complain they can’t find an affordable Rolls Royce when there are so many other obvious options.
@@stevevarga8621 The subjective nature of this conversation is that the "best bike of 2024" perhaps isn't the one-off, $15000 ultra luxurious boutique brand frame but instead a bike somewhere in the intersection of affordability and practicality for the layperson whilst still being fast enough. So basically an Aeroad CF SLX.
@@n8torious309 Exactly. Cycling for our crowd is a sport of passion. You purchase accordingly and the limitation are price and hopefully common sense. I’ve over spent in the past and learned my lesson. The purely expensive bike doesn’t necessarily bring real performance benefits or even happiness. There are a lot of elements in the ‘best bike’ but one of the most important factors is that this bike inspires you to ride better and longer. It’s the bike that turns you on.
No titanium bikes?
Watch again.
Naw man, the BMC looks hideous
Marketing specialized zrobił swoje...
Where is the c50?
The best is mine, no matter what.
factor didnt make it :(
Love the crux.
SWorks, Trek, TCR... Come on so predictable!
The Trek looks absolutely stunning. Unfortunately it's way over my budget and realistically I would never be able to afford it, but the color scheme is gorgeous 😍
Brilliant that you included some non mainstream bikes thanks. Personally, I have no interest in being just another Tarmac rider.
i was considering buying the Sika - based on your endorsement i think i might put a deposit on one next week..
My motto is MAKE CYCLING AFFORDABLE AGAIN.
I always ask myself who is buying these expensive bikes?Don't get me wrong i would love to get into this hobby but good lord the prices????I would have to sell my car to get a bike that i like😂
Take a trip to Decathlon or Halfords and check out some of the cheaper bikes, good options from just £300 which get you a really good starter bike to partake in this hobby :)
@davidarthur thank you❤️
I had defy ever，now I have roubaix as my endurance bike. your comment is very accurate among them . I love roubaix with future shock, but it is sometimes too high for the handle bar . However , I will build scott addict rc 2025 as another lightweight climbing bike😅
I guess we know what Chris and Jessie will be talking about next week.
No mention of the new Brompton G-Line........
First like 😃
Can we get this guy some comma’s and full stops
Please. Its like AI took over
Ridley STR budget version speaking loud
David please get on it with it - your making a great video boring.