It’s mid-November, which suggests we’re already approaching the summit of 2024, earlier than you realize it we’ll collectively zip up our jerseys and descend into 2025.
Within the meantime, I discover myself wanting over my shoulder on the 12 months we’re forsaking and the bikes which have carried me by way of it. So which ones can be the “Bike Of The 12 months?” The place would I even start? Seeking a rubric, I turned to the mainstream biking media:
Listed here are the very best highway bikes in numerous classes, although as you may see they’re all just about the identical bike:
However wait, there’s extra!
That’s some finely-sliced categorization:
I’m wondering if sooner or later somebody will work out tips on how to make a highway bike that mixes a lot of the above attributes–you realize, one climbs nicely and sprints nicely and is manufactured from metallic and can also be snug over longer distances.
Nah, it’ll by no means occur.
Oh, wait, sorry, I unnoticed extra highway bike classes:
“Greatest efficiency highway?” Is efficiency not an inexpensive expectation with the others? And why does “Italian” get its personal class? It’s 2024! Aside from the names, there may be nothing inherently particular about Italian highway bikes anymore. To paraphrase the 4 Questions, why is an Italian bike totally different from all different bikes? Take into account Bianchi, which in 2024 is basically nothing greater than a shade:
And what about gravel bikes?
No less than there’s not a class for “Greatest Italian Gravel bike.”
Oh, wait, sure there may be:
“I’m out there for an Italian gravel bike” is a phrase you hear solely barely extra usually than “I’m searching for a Saudi Arabian microbrew.” And when the hell did cyclocross get folded into gravel?!? That’s simply insulting. Cyclocross bikes are your complete purpose gravel bikes exist. Folks generally say that gravel bikes are simply ’90s mountain bikes, however they’re actually simply cyclocross bikes that bought dumbed down with disc brakes. However now in fact the cyclocross bikes have disc brakes too, so it’s all mainly meaningless.
And I’m not even going to handle mountain bikes, as a result of I don’t think about these bikes anymore:
I’m sorry, the place’s the “regular bike with out a bunch of shit on it” class? That is simply miserable. For those who’re going to divide mountain bikes into eleven (!) totally different classes (sure, eleven, one among them bought reduce off within the screenshot) and also you’re not going embrace a Jones in any one among them, then I’ve no selection however to utterly disregard your complete enterprise.
As for BSNYC/RTMS/Tan Tenovo Enterprises, Ltd. Bike of the 12 months for 2024, at this level I’d slim it down to 3 finalists. I’m not saying they’re the “greatest,” however they’re the bikes which have most captured my creativeness and using time over the previous 12 months. (They’re additionally the bikes which have come to me most just lately, which can have one thing to do with it.) Right here they’re:
Greatest Highway Bike That’s Additionally a Gravel Bike That’s A Singlespeed However You Can Additionally Set It Up As A Double Or A Triple And Additionally It’s Actually Comfy And It’s Metal And It Has Lugs
I’m actually not saying it’s a must to be previous to like this bike, however I’m saying that is the right bike for the ageing singlespeeder. Positive, I suppose placing a triple crank in your singlespeed is a little bit like placing a bunch of handrails within the toilet. However what’s cooler? Sustaining these “clear traces?” Or with the ability to get off the bathroom?
Greatest Over-The-Prime Early 21th Century Highway Bike From A “Boutique” Model That’s Actually Simply One other Bike From A Large Bike Firm
Whereas I embrace and espouse the traditional metal ethos, as a recovering roadie of a sure age, there’s an simple pleasure in using the unique bikes that have been nicely past your attain once you have been in your “prime.” It appears like I’ve lastly arrived–20 years later, and at a spot the place no person else needs to be anymore, however higher late than by no means, proper?
Greatest Bike I At all times Dismissed As A Rolling Joke However Is Really Surprisingly Enjoyable And Attention-grabbing
I’m nonetheless ready for Exterior to publish my newest column through which I share what I realized from one of many Trek engineers who designed this factor. (I actually ought to begin a weblog the place I can publish stuff at any time when I would like.) However what I’ll say in regards to the Y-Ferl is that, whereas superficially it’s the antithesis of every little thing I stand for, additionally it is one of many few bikes that takes true benefit of The Crabon, and for that it has earned my respect. The LeMond is half-crabon, however aside from being a little bit lighter and looking out cool (if you happen to’re into that kind of factor) there’s actually no purpose for the crabon–and even the titanium for that matter, and I believe I’d take pleasure in using one among its metal contemporaries simply as a lot. The Y-Foil nevertheless makes use of crabon to create a really distinctive body that may be roughly unattainable in some other materials and nets the rider not solely aero advantages however a delicate suspension impact that I have to admit is slightly enchanting. In fact you will get a lot the identical impact from a pair of higher-volume tires, and lately I don’t experience almost quick sufficient to comprehend any of the aero advantages, however within the context of a late-90s race bike I give Trek credit score for pulling off what it got down to do, and it’s a enjoyable bike to experience simply so long as you’re ready to simply accept the power to hold just one water bottle, in addition to the truth that if it’s even a little bit moist out that water bottle will likely be completely coated in highway grit because of the lack of a seat tube.
So which is able to win? I dunno, however I’m going to go out for a experience on one among them now, which is able to hopefully convey me nearer to a last choice.
