We present the top rides in our favorite categories to get you ripping down singletrack, grinding gravel, chewing up pavement, and just going about your business.
Women’s Mountain (pictured above)
Liv Pique Advanced Pro 29
Women-specific brand Liv crafted the geometry of this do-it-all, full-carbon mountain bike to both fit the female form and provide race-ready handling out on the trails. That’s not just marketing speak: Liv amassed thousands of data points about women’s anatomy, sizing variations, and muscle energy and outputs to dial in the Maestro suspension so that the bike responds with precision on both grueling climbs and fun descents. $12,300–$5,350; liv-cycling.com
Men’s Road
Giant TCR Advanced Pro 1 Disc
Meet the perfect Colorado road ride. The composite-frame TCR Advanced Pro 1 Disc is still and supple enough to tear up big climbs and feel stable on ripping descents—and you can bomb down with confidence thanks to the the disc composite wheel system. All that versatility tallies up at a decent price for such a high-performance ride. $5,400; giant-bicycles.com
Women’s Road
Canyon Endurance WMN AL Disc 7.0
Tipping the scales at a mere 2 pounds, 12 ounces this aluminum-frame, women-specific machine offers up race-ready performance without breaking the bank. Aksium Elite Disc wheels keep you safe on hairy descents and the Shimano 105 groupset componentry proves reliable on big rides far from home. $1,699; canyon.com
Men’s Mountain
Salsa Spearfish Carbon GX Eagle
Salsa’s Horsethief trail bike won an EO Peak Gear Award and it’s XC cousin the Spearfish is just as impressive and even better when it comes to tackling grueling climbs. The key to this 12-speed 29er’s ability to suck up descents and still motor uphill is the Split Pivot suspension, which allows for smooth pedaling without much bounce.
$5,199; salsacycles.com
Commuting
Priority Classic Plus Gotham Edition
The beauty of a belt drive is that you just don’t have to worry about it when you are busy trying to get to work—no grease and no breakdowns. Tipping the scales at just 26 pounds this Gates Carbon Belt Drive-powered ride spins smooth and steady on the path and rings in at a very nice price. $549; prioritybikes.com
E-bike Commuting
Stromer ST 1
Swiss brand Stromer revamped its flagship ride to deliver smooth pedal-assisted power up to 28 m.p.h. on the street with a range of 55 miles on a battery charge and the ability to stretch that as far as miles thanks to regenerative breaking, which puts energy back into the battery. Plus, a Bluetooth system allows you to lock and find the bike from your phone. $4,500; stromerbike.com
E-bike Mountain
Greyp G6.1
An absolute beast out on dirt roads and trails where it’s legally allowed, the G6.1 eats up gnarly climbs thanks to a componentry package that includes SRAM, Crank Brothers, and RockShox. But the real revolution here is the connectivity: The bike connects to the Internet via T-Mobil and includes built-in video cameras and a USB port. $7,999; greyp.com
Gravel
REEB Lickskillet
Lyons, Colorado-based Reeb wowed us with this svelte gravel grinder that’s just the ticket for the Front Range’s labyrinth of dirt roads and double-track. Available in a steel or titanium frame, the bike can be spec-ed with a ride range of options to suit your riding and racing needs and budget. $4,699–$7,699; reebcycles.com
Cyclocross and Beyond
Diamondback Haanjo
7C Carbon
This multi-tasker of a ride can handle anything from a casual cyclocross race to a training ride to a day-long spin up into the hills. The carbon frame and fork are light, tough, and puts you in the perfect position to comfortably hammer out long miles on pavement, gravel, and dirt. Endurance geometry and a relaxed headtube angle make it easy to spend long hours cranking this steed and a componentry package that includes HED Tomcat tubeless rims that can handle a range of tires make it even more versatile. $3,000; diamondback.com
Pack It Away
Montague Allston
This easy-to-pack foldable bike is no slouch once it’s assembled. The combination of Gates Carbon Belt Drive and a Shimano Alfine 11 internal gear hub deliver easy power on the bike path or street without the worry of breakdowns or a mess. $1,895; montaguebikes.com
