In a time-trial race, every millisecond counts. To shave off time, bicycle designers have poured hours of research into crafting racing road bikes with aerodynamic tubes, lightweight components and high levels of precision control. With so many options on the market, the choices can be confusing. Thankfully, bicycle review critics have picked some of 2010 and 2011's best road bikes made for racing. With your skill and the bike's high quality, the pavement and the clock have nothing on you.
Wilier Triestina Imperiale
You'll ride like royalty on the Imperiale, which won a 2010 editors' choice award from "Bicycling" magazine in the road race category. "The frame," reports the magazine, "is shaped in an effort to achieve the ideal." For example, the down tube of the carbon fiber frame is edged so that the air from the front wheel is quickly streamed away, making for aerodynamic speeds. Everything is designed to minimize air drag and improve racing speeds, even down to how the individual cables cross each other on the frame.
Canyon Speedmax CF 9.0
The Canyon Speedmax road bike won a perfect five stars out of five from BikeRadar.com, the only racing cycle to do so in 2010. The reviewing editor from "Triathlon Plus" magazine calls it a "top-line" bike with "outstanding power delivery" and exceptional comfort and handling. Features include fully internal cable routing, so there's minimal risk of either air drag or getting snagged on your wires, and bladed seat stays, which help minimize turbulence when you're flying at high speeds.
Pinarello FP7 Dura-Ace
In the racing road bike category, the editors of "Bicycling" magazine gave the Pinarello cycle an editors' choice award in 2010. "Buy it," the magazine summarizes, "if you want to feel fast, cool and smart all at once." Standout futures include a full carbon frame down to the fork, which strictly minimizes weight and also leads to a plusher feel on the pavement. Plus, the bike comes with high-end components like Shimano brake levers, which the magazine says will help to give you "superb" handling.
Felt B2
Despite its name, there's nothing soft about Felt's racing bike, which garnered 4.5 stars out of five to become BikeRadar.com's highest rated racing cycle in 2011, as of February 2011. It's an "absolute bliss to ride" and gives you a "blistering pace," summarizes the reviewing editor from "Triathlon Plus" magazine. Features include a high-modulus frame, which means the frame comes with higher concentrations of carbon fiber and less resin. This helps dramatically cut the weight while the rider still experiences high levels of strength and riding stiffness. Additional features include wheel huggers, which help cut drag, plus internal cable routing.
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