- 17/06/2025
Over the past 12 months, a hoard of new super lightweight road bikes has hit the market, most notably, the sub six kilo Scott Addict RC. So, now that light weight road bikes are once again available with familiar mod cons such as electronic gears and hydraulic disc brakes, these feathery beasts are more usable than ever. In this video we have featured the best climbing bikes from the likes of Scott, Wilier, Bianchi, Specialized, Giant Factor and Canyon.
Category
🥇
SportsTranscript
00:00Climbing bikes, by their very nature, are built to do one thing.
00:04Go uphill fast.
00:06That means they need to be stiff, agile, and most importantly, lightweight.
00:11However, it's that last quality which means that climbing bikes will also be rather expensive.
00:17So while I'm sure most of us won't be looking to buy one anytime soon,
00:22we don't think there's anything wrong with gawking and enjoying the sight of seven of the best climbing bikes we believe are currently available.
00:29So, let's get into them.
00:35First on the list, our new kid on the block is the Scott Addict.
00:40The Addict has a reputation for being a lightweight climbing bike,
00:43and now, in its fourth generation, Scott has looked to cement this title by releasing what it claims to be the lightest production road bike in the world.
00:52Coming in at a claimed 5.9 kilos for the Addict RC Ultimate build, this bike really is feathery light out of the box.
01:02Scott achieved this by stripping as much weight out of the frameset components as possible.
01:07This meant designing an all-new, super-efficient carbon layup and redesigning components to ditch weight wherever possible.
01:15Scott even had its in-house component brand Syncros design a new set of wheels to keep weight as low as possible.
01:21However, the Addict RC Ultimate carries a trick up its sleeve to help shed weight, and that's the tyres the bike is shod with.
01:28New Schwalb Aerithan tyres have been fitted to really help drop weight.
01:32These tyres are yet to officially hit the market, but I've no doubt they'll be a popular choice amongst hill climbers.
01:38A lightweight bike is all well and good, but if it doesn't handle well, then it'll leave you feeling nervous on descents.
01:46But, we can happily say that the new Scott Addict does not disappoint here.
01:51Its planted, confidence-inspiring handling, and ability to change direction quickly without feeling skittish makes going downhill even more fun than going up it.
02:02Priced just shy of £12,800 here in the UK, it's certainly mixing with some of the most expensive models on the market.
02:10But, that should be of no surprise to anyone when it carries such a big claim.
02:14Next up, we have a bike that was launched just ahead of the 2024 Tour de France, the Villiers Verticale SLR.
02:27As the name suggests, this bike is designed to operate on one axis, either up or down.
02:33The Verticale replaced Villiers Zero SLR and is claimed to have a 10% lighter frame, a new integrated handlebar, 32mm tyre clearance, and a slightly updated geometry, which has seen reach be reduced on the smallest sizes and increased on the biggest sizes.
02:51One of the biggest features Villiers was shouting about is the new V-Bar, which has flared drops.
02:56The extra 30mm of width will likely aid more stable and controlled handling when descending, while still allowing riders to stay aerodynamic when in the hoods.
03:07It's clear that this bike is going to suit those that want a slightly more controlled and stable ride on the descents, thanks to its slacker-than-most head angle.
03:16But, if that confidence and bike control ultimately helps you ride faster, or just feel more safe, then the result is a positive one.
03:25We love the eye-catching bright green colourway that can be seen on its top-end Dura-Ace build.
03:31If you're after something a little bit different and will be easier to ride than other bikes on this list, then the Verticale SLR could be worth taking a look at.
03:46Sticking with another Italian brand, we have the Bianchi Specialissima.
03:50Still, in its early product lifecycle, the Specialissima boasts a UCI illegal claimed weight of 6.6kg for a size 55cm.
04:00What makes that weight even more impressive is that this bike does feature an assortment of aerodynamic features.
04:07This isn't just an out-and-out climbing bike.
04:10Bianchi hasn't gone quite so far as to lead with a one-bike-to-rule-them-all policy.
04:15Of course, it still offers the very aero, ultra model.
04:19So, while the Specialissima has always been the brand's climbing bike and still very much is,
04:24the slightly deeper tubes, sculpted shapes and drop-seat stays do at least mean this bike should also perform well on shallower gradients,
04:32or, dare I say it, even in a sprint.
04:35The looks of this bike might be slightly more polarising than others, as it plays with tube shapes in a way not often seen.
04:42And, the Rapato Course logo on the non-drive side downtube may really turn some people off.
04:49But, we do think it holds your eye a little longer than others, and it clearly doesn't fit into the cookie-cutter road bike shape.
04:56As expected, the Dura-Ace Di2 model is unashamedly punchy in its pricing, coming in at €12,749,
05:05but you may find yourself wanting to change the slightly sketchy Pirelli TT tyres that come as stock for something a little more grippy,
05:14like a pair of Continental GP5000s.
05:17All considered, the Specialissima will be as fast in the mountains as it will be off them,
05:22so, would suit the kind of rider who enjoys a lot of variety in their riding.
05:32A stalwart of the climbing category, the Specialised Athos is a bike which is garnered somewhat of a cult following.
05:39With a super-light sub-600g frame, rounded tubes and a classic double diamond shape,
05:45the Athos can be found at the heart of some truly awe-inspiring custom builds.
05:50That said, even the stock builds that Specialised offers still impress.
05:55We would love to see Specialised update this now iconic bike,
05:59but it's hard to know where it could actually make drastic improvements.
06:03We love how the bike rides, how easy it is to handle, and even the externally routed cables at the cockpit.
06:10It's as though Specialised created a modern-day version of a classic road bike, taking a,
06:15if it ain't broke, don't fix mentality to the project.
06:18The ease of maintenance and lightweight are both strong reasons to love the Athos,
06:23but do not underestimate how versatile it is too.
06:27Long distances, short climbs, fast chain gang loops and town sign sprints are all well within the capabilities of the Athos.
06:35It brings understated fun to the market and stands as a challenge to what we expect bike manufacturers to make.
06:41The entire range of Athos stock builds rank very well for specification versus weight,
06:46meaning they're often the lightest bike you can get in most price bands.
06:51But if you're a true weight weenie, it will be hard to look past the S-Works model with the SRAM RED groupset,
06:58since this comes in at a claimed 6.34 kilos.
07:02Just make sure your pockets are deep enough, as it will cost £12,000.
07:07Launched back in March, the world's biggest bike manufacturer, Giant, released the update to its much-loved TCR.
07:19Of course, it landed with all the expected claims of being lighter, stiffer and the fastest TCR yet,
07:26but we have little reason to doubt these claims.
07:29When we tested the bike earlier this year, we dubbed it the best climbing bike of 2024.
07:35We loved the exceptional frameset quality, the razor-sharp race bike handling
07:40and thought the small aero improvements helped the bike keep pace when being ridden on a range of different terrains.
07:47The new bike was slightly stiffer.
07:49It was also 10% lighter than the outgoing model, and the short rear end makes the bike handle with the utmost intent.
07:56For a bike that's in its 10th generation, nobody should be surprised that Giant has got it so right.
08:02It's clear that the brand has been honing in on the secret sauce recipe for some time now, and the latest version of the TCR is clear evidence of that.
08:11We will be the first to say that this bike does feature an integrated seatpost, so a bike fit really is a must.
08:18Of course, this may make some people hesitant about buying into a platform which may be slightly harder to sell on than others,
08:25but Giant has done its best to make this as easy as possible by providing buyers a small amount of adaptability to add height back in if needed.
08:34While still sitting right in the premium echelons of bike pricing, the nearly £12,000 price tag won't sting quite as much when considering the sheer amount of performance you'll be able to enjoy.
08:51Another bike to feature an integrated seatpost with the aim of shedding unnecessary grams is the Factor O2 van.
08:59This bike looks almost skeletal in appearance, with its surgically thin seat stays and almost non-existent top tube.
09:06Coming in at a claimed 6.3kg, it certainly is very light, and it's able to achieve such a remarkably low weight thanks to Factor's in-house component brand, Black Ink.
09:17With use of its wheels and cockpit, the British brand is able to have complete control over the final product.
09:24The wheels stand up on their own merits, though.
09:27With a 28mm deep front wheel and a 33mm deep rear wheel, Factor is able to balance aerodynamics with light weight, resulting in a wheelset coming in at a claimed 1,146g.
09:41The frame has clearance for 32mm tyres, so if you do want to fit something a little wider for more grip and comfort, then you're certainly able to.
09:50When we rode the bike, we loved the stiffer head tube, which gave the bike a confident feeling when climbing and descending.
09:57However, since this bike is so clearly tailored for going either up or down, we found it did suffer on the flats.
10:05But, in a video about the best climbing bikes, that's not something we're going to complain about here.
10:12Last, but certainly not least, is the Canyon Ultimate.
10:20It's the only bike on this list to be offered in its full-fap CFR SRAM Red spec and come in under £10,000.
10:28And the German brand isn't cutting any corners.
10:32Thanks to its direct-to-consumer business model, Canyon is able to save middleman costs and pass those savings on to the customer.
10:40That results in its top-spec build coming in at £9,749 while tipping the scales at a fairly competitive and just about UCI illegal claimed weight of 6.74kg.
10:54When launched, the Ultimate was given a number of small improvements.
10:58One being the adoption of a new geometry, which matches that of its aero brother, the Aeroad.
11:04This means the Ultimate feels racy, dynamic, fast handling and agile on all sorts of terrains.
11:11The much-loved CP18 cockpit means it's easy to play around with bike setup and allows for riders to get more aero by reducing handlebar width.
11:20There really is a lot to love with this bike and it somewhat provides a breath of fresh air with its four-figure price tag.
11:27But let us know, if money were no object, then what would you love to have at your disposal?
Recommended
9:14
|
Up next
8:04
10:35
9:09
9:12
9:12
11:46
9:12
2:31
0:51
0:58
2:58
10:24
10:00
9:52
4:58