The Hit List
Our review team’s best bike buys of 2022 so far…
Road bikes
Four fantastic flyers for road riding and racing
Giant Defy Advanced 0 £2,899 Issue 394
● A very special frameset with a superb level of kit and fantastic wireless gearing. The latest Defy is very, very hard to fault.
Cube Attain GTC SL £2,499 Issue 394
● Great handling, great comfort, great value – the Attain GTC SL is a value-packed mile muncher worth serious consideration.
Lapierre Xelius SL 9.0 £6,999 Issue 393
● Maximise your speed on this fasthandling and great-value road bike with high-spec kit and distinctive geometry.
Vitus Vitesse Evo CR Rival AXS £3,199.99 Issue 389
● Vitus once again kills it on performance and value with a stunning combo boasting fantastic handling and great specification.
Gravel bikes
This capable quartet will help you head off the tarmac
Giant Revolt Advanced Pro 0 £4,999 Issue 393
● A clever flip-chip drop-out at the rear on our 2022 Bike of the Year allows you to extend the wheelbase and fit wider tyres.
Vielo V+1 Strato SRAM Rival £5,299 Issue 393
● A great choice for racing, this Vielo manages to blend racy geometry and great handling with plenty of compliance.
Cervélo Aspero Rival XPLR Etap AXS 1 disc £5,499 Issue 393
● This one has slightly narrower tyres and more road-bike-like geometry than some.
Cube Nuroad C:62 Pro £2,499 Issue 393
● Influenced by gravel tourers, the speedy Nuroad would work well for commuting as well as for less-technical gravel.
Budget bikes
A great-value trio that won’t break the bank
Boardman ADV8.9 £1,150 Issue 393
● This aluminium bike with carbon fork boasts an excellent spec, including Shimano’s GRX 400 10-speed gravel kit.
Triban RC500 £649.99 Issue 393
● Decathlon’s great-value own-brand bike is versatile enough to work on gravel or even do a spot of touring or bikepacking.
Giant Contend 1 £949 Issue 393
● You’ll get a Shimano Sora groupset, vibration-damping seatpost and carbon fork plus tubeless-ready wheels and tyres.