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AND THE WINNER IS...
Specialized S-Works FSR $4,880
Bike designers have pursued full suspension that soaks up bumps—but locks out for hard pedaling—as if it were the Holy Grail. Folks, Specialized has its hand on the chalice.
Why It's Cool: The Brain, a new shock developed jointly by Specialized and Fox, controls rear suspension with an inertia valve—an early-20th-century invention brilliantly reimagined here. When you're just tooling along, the valve locks out the shock. Hit a good bump and the Brain activates the suspension. The result? The FSR climbs with the rock-solid response of a hardtail, but the rear dances over abusive downhills. >> Up front, the supple, air-sprung RockShox SID World Cup fork features a lockout lever; though not automatic, it's still effective. >> The S-Works is dressed with Shimano's freshly revamped, top-of-the-line XTR parts.
Hmmm... It doesn't have the all-around cushy ride dualies are known for, especially on small bumps. Adding some adjustability to the inertia valve would help tons, and we bet that's already being planned for next year.
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Kona Kona $899
As mountain bikes blossomed in the past decade, the sub-$1,000 road bike was almost left for dead. But lightweight machines like this one are reinvigorating the category with fly-down-the-road speed.
Why It's Cool: Though I'm not a weight weenie, I had to throw the Kona on a scale to confirm my suspicions: It weighs in at a very svelte 22 pounds, five ounces. Bikes that cost two to three times as much weigh only a pound or two less. Credit the lack of heft to the aluminum frame and carbon-fiber fork, which make for a sprightly ride. >> Kona recognizes that "road bike" does not necessarily equal "race bike." The 24-speed gearing, with the bail-out third chainring, lets you inch your way up the toughest grades. Likewise, the saddle is soft enough for tender butts but narrow enough not to chafe. >> Even friendlier is the fit: The 3T stem angles upward to put the handlebars within comfortable reach.
Hmmm... The toeclip pedals demand a clipless upgrade, and though the Kona is sold as a sport bike, the frame doesn't offer clearance for fenders or racks, should you want to load up for a tour. |
Bianchi Giro $1,500
While the Bianchi name evokes images of racers scaling Dolomite passes, the Giro brings the marque to the everyday rider. It combines 100 years of Italian bike building with space-age technology.
Why It's Cool: Aluminum frames can be very light and stiff, but they can also mean a rough ride. The Giro uses aluminum throughout to cut weight but adds carbon fiber at the seatstays—the composite tail damps road vibration, so the rider feels less rattled. Credit also the carbon-fiber fork, which steers with deft precision but didn't shake my fillings loose. >> A full array of Shimano 105 parts worked smartly—they're probably the best value going for nonracing roadies. I appreciated the generous 39-by-26 bottom gear on several steep climbs into a headwind. For those seeking even lower gears, a triple-ring crankset is available for no additional charge. >> The Giro is a bike that you can grow with: a high-end frame ($850 by itself) that's worthy, should you later want to move to race-grade.
Hmmm... The WTB clipless pedals are cheap Shimano SPD clones. Our advice: Negotiate for the real thing at the cash register. |
Cannondale R1000 $1,900
Cannondale refines the art of the fat-tube aluminum bike, bringing more comfort than ever to a race-worthy ride.
Why It's Cool: Cannondale road bikes of yore represented the best and worst of aluminum: an incredibly rock-solid ride, stiff to the point of being abusive. But the designers have taken the bite out of their frames with shaped tubes, like the S-curve seatstays. The bends and flares help cushion the rider while still keeping the bike nearly inflexible laterally; the tube manipulations also shave precious grams. >> Eight sizes are available—a few more than typical. >> Out of the box, the bike is ready for the starting line: I sliced through the air on the Mavic Ksyrium wheels, which use 18-bladed spokes (20 rear) to save weight and reduce drag. The mainly Shimano 105 parts get spec'd up to Ultegra at the hard-working rear derailleur and cranks, so everything purrs perfectly. >> Most other parts are premium brands, like the Continental Grand Prix tires and Ritchey headset. Cannondale builds its own seatpost and stem for the R1000, but unlike some firms' house-name parts, these are top quality.
Hmmm... The Fi'zi:k saddle is squishier than many performance-oriented riders (myself included) prefer. >> Expect to tack on $125 for pedals worthy of this bike's pedigree. |
Trek 5500 $3,400
Lance Armstrong won the Tour de France on a virtually identical setup—only wheels and a few minor parts differ. Rest assured: It's all the bike you'll ever need.
Why It's Cool: The 5500 is hewn from carbon fiber, which means nice, flowing tube junctions. On the road, the fiber gives a quiet ride that drinks up buzzy pavement, but it doesn't squirm under thrashing, out-of-the-saddle sprints. Plus, the material won't rust or corrode and is almost immune to metal fatigue—meaning you might wear out before the frame does. >> Shimano's top road parts, Dura-Ace, work to utter perfection. Fire through all 18 gears without a hiccup; squeeze the brakes and feel glassy-smooth action. The parts combo results in a stunningly light package: 17 pounds seven ounces. >> The carbon-fiber Treks are popular high-end bikes and have been around for a decade, so Trek created the Project One program to make yours stand out on the racks. For an additional charge, starting at $150, you can pick custom paint (Holstein, anyone?) and optional components.
Hmmm... Trek's carbon-fiber fork uses a bonded-aluminum steerer tube, whereas most high-end two-prongers these days are all carbon fiber. >> Remember this: Pedals are not included with this bike. |
Schwinn Moab DS2 $749
With plush suspension and stop-on-a-dime disc brakes, this is the most fun you can buy for less than a grand.
Why It's Cool: Schwinn distilled costly rear-suspension technology to create a relatively simple linkage system dubbed Iso-Drive. There's minimal bob under hard pedaling; it's highly compliant over bumps. The 3.5 inches of travel out back danced over six-inch deadwood. Credit also goes to the Manitou Six Sport fork, with four inches of travel. >> The Hayes disc brakes breed downhill confidence: With an inch of snow on the ground, I was the only one in my posse who wasn't doing a panic squeeze to burn off speed.
Hmmm... Components are a mixed bag. Cheers to Hayes brakes, TruVativ cranks, and Shimano clipless pedals, but generic hubs and 24-speed Shimano Alivio shifting will leave you itching for an upgrade. |
Gary Fisher Sugar 293 $1,869
Gary's second-generation big-wheel bike rides like no other.
Why It's Cool: The name is derived from the wheel diameter—29 inches, three larger than the standard. What's the point? Bigger wheels roll right over obstacles instead of into them. While atop the 293—the follow-up to last year's Mt. Tam—you're less apt to stall on slow obstacle-strewn stretches, while high-speed bumps are conquered with reduced thump-and-thwack. >> The top tube is longer than normal and the handlebar stem shorter, which moves your weight farther behind the front axle. On hairball descents, you're less likely to launch over the bars. >> The suspension is easily tuned for rider weight and terrain. Likewise, a bolt on the rear swingarm adjusts travel between 3.1 and 4.6 inches.
Hmmm... Big knobbies are harder to find than conventional 26-inch tires—and they'll be even harder to source should Fisher's 29er obsession wane. |
Giant VT Two $2,000
If you love bombing down hills and flying over boulders and logs, the VT2 will tempt you to let go of the brake levers.
Why It's Cool: The aluminum frame incorporates a variable travel option: Swap a bolt between pivot holes and you switch travel between—get this—five and 5.75 inches. Point the VT2 down the trail and lap up the nasties. >> Front-suspension travel is equally tweakable: Crank a knob atop the RockShox Psylo XC fork and adjust travel from three to five inches. Like the rear, it lets you dial in the bike to the day's conditions. >> The counterpart to the go-fast setup is Avid disc brakes, which bring you to a tire-scrubbing halt with a gentle tug. They're cable-actuated for easy adjustment.
Hmmm... It weighs a piggish 32 pounds, which borders on unacceptable for a bike that costs two grand. |
Raleigh M80 $549
The M80 sharply lowers the price of admission to singletrack with components that stand up to the dirt.
Why It's Cool: I'm leery of generic parts on lower-priced bikes, so I was pleased to learn that the M80 uses Shimano LX from front to back—a grade found on some $2,000 bikes. Shimano RapidFire shifters invited me to click through the 27 gears with abandon, including a bottom 22-by-32-tooth combo that spun me past companions on a steep pitch. >> You pedal in a relaxed, upright position, thanks to riser handlebars and an up-sloped stem. Newbies will find the stance reassuring. >> The aluminum frame has mounts for disc brakes and a beefy, oval down tube for a firm, stout ride.
Hmmm... The RockShox Judy TT fork uses a coil-spring-and-elastomer combo—which stiffened in cold weather; I could eke out only about half of the promised 80 millimeters of travel. |
Jamis Dakota XC $1,400
Yes, it's a $1,400 hardtail, a rarity in the age of the dualie. But simplicity and nimble climbing manners make the dakota worth the dough.
Why It's Cool: The frame is made from Reynolds 631 steel—a time-honored breed of tubing. The material is practically extinct in cycling, which makes us shed a nostalgic tear, as the ride is so creamy-smooth. >> The Dakota XC comes with smart inclusions like Mavic's tubeless CrossRoc rims and Hutchinson tires, which I rode at a squishy 20 psi for unparalleled traction. Time Alium clipless pedals also worked great in the slick stuff, never once packing up with muck. >> Fit is a big Jamis focus: Crank length is proportional to frame size; the Ritchey stem can be flipped to position the bars higher or lower, and the Thomson seatpost lets you adjust your saddle angle.
Hmmm... Tubeless tires can't pinch-flat, but they're more expensive than traditional rubber, require more frequent inflation, and—if you do end up with a puncture—are trickier to fix. |
Fuji Cross $1,200
Fat or skinny tires, mud or pavement: This one's for those who want an all-in-one bike for all-in-one rides.
Why It's Cool: Here's what I did on the Cross: zinged down pavement way quicker than a mountain bike, then headed onto trails beyond the reach of a roadie. The Cross's particulars give it the split personality. Fuji uses more stable steering geometry than a road bike, so the Cross isn't squirrelly when the going gets sketchy, but drop bars let you tuck low in the wind. On the ground, 32mm Ritchey tires with light knobs bite the dirt but don't buzz on asphalt like fatties. >> Despite its niche spot in the market, this cyclocross bike is pure value, with a mix of Shimano 105 and Ritchey parts on a feathery aluminum frame. There are no weak links in the lineup, other than the need to supply pedals.
Hmmm... The carbon-fiber front fork, while light and stiff, won't accept a fender, reducing the bike's versatility. Ditto for the Ritchey crankset, which won't take a third chainring—lower gearing means an expensive parts swap. |
Marin Mill Valley $799
Have you been pedaling your mountain bike on asphalt? Hop on the Mill Valley and see what you've been missing: speed.
Why It's Cool: With about 20 percent less weight than a dirt bike, and narrow 100-psi tires that don't waste energy like knobbies, it's like switching from hiking boots to trail runners—you've dropped the baggage you don't need. Give a push to the pedals and the Mill Valley launches without the mushy feel of off-road tires and shocks. >> This isn't just a road bike with a cockpit change. Medium-width 28mm Hutchinson tires have more give over choppy pavement than superskinny road tires but still roll faster than knobbies. Likewise, the sloping top tube gives ample clearance, should you need to dismount quickly.
Hmmm... Your hands and wrists may cry out for more positions than the limited options offered by a flat bar, which is why most road bikes have drop bars. Included bar ends do alleviate the problem, tho. |
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