00:00 Aerobikes are all about raw speed, and they just keep getting faster.
00:05 Today we're going to have a look at the bikes that we think are going to be the ones
00:08 to beat in 2024, both in the WorldTour and the Townsend Sprint, and there are plenty
00:15 to choose from.
00:16 With the UCI removing the 3-to-1 regulation, which prevented tubes from being more than
00:21 three times deeper than their width, engineers have quite literally gone deeper in the pursuit
00:26 of speed, and that has resulted in some really exciting bikes.
00:30 While we might not have seen a huge number of new aero bikes in 2023, the bikes we do
00:35 have are still undeniably leading the cutting edge and should be the go-to choice for anyone
00:40 seeking pure speed.
00:42 But beware, speed doesn't come cheap.
00:48 We'll start with a bike that stirred up plenty of debate when it launched, and is
00:54 UCI legal, the latest version of the Trek Madone.
00:58 In the case of the Madone, the cam-tail tube shapes were overshadowed by the bike's eye-catching
01:03 Isoflow technology.
01:05 We think the majority of people are now pretty used to seeing the Isoflow hull out in the
01:09 wild, but what does it actually do?
01:12 Well, Trek claim that by removing the adjustable Isospeed system of the last Madone, the bike
01:18 became both simpler and lighter.
01:20 Combined with the use of 800-series OCLV carbon, the new frame weighs 300g less than
01:27 the previous model.
01:28 But of course, the cut-out section was also created with aerodynamics in mind.
01:33 Trek say it's a way to direct some high-energy flow into a low-energy region of the bike.
01:38 What that means is the seat tube area creates a disproportionate amount of drag, and the
01:43 hull helps dissipate this by adding what Trek call a jet of fast-moving air.
01:49 The new frame is claimed to be almost 20 watts faster than the last generation, which equates
01:54 to 60 seconds per hour when ridden at 45km/h.
01:57 And that's a lot.
02:01 When we tested the bike this year, we gave it our best aero bike award, thanks in large
02:05 part to the frame technology and how it rides, but also because of the thought and effort
02:11 that Trek put into making the handlebars work for every size of rider.
02:15 Meaning, whomever climbs aboard this bike has the opportunity to be the best they can
02:19 be.
02:26 The Cervelo S5 is the bike the all-conquering Jumbo-Visma have been racking up many of their
02:31 victories on, and when you look at the bike, you can see why the S5 may have helped.
02:36 The frame has typically deep aero profiles, a product of the relaxing of the UCI regulations.
02:42 This is most notable at the headtube and the bottom bracket area.
02:46 Elsewhere, the trailing edges of the tubes are aggressively shaped, while the rear dropouts
02:51 have been simplified a little due to the frame being only compatible with electronic groupsets.
02:57 It comes with new reserve wheels that have differential rim profiles and save over 5
03:01 watts compared to the wheels previously found on the old S5.
03:06 The front end has a funky handlebar that, despite the radical Y-shape without a conventional
03:10 stem, also has the benefit of reducing the system weight by a little over 50 grams.
03:17 When we tested the bike, we really liked it, which is why it rolled away with our overall
03:21 race bike of the year award.
03:23 We loved how the bike handled in the corners, the sheer smoothness in ride quality and the
03:28 undeniable straight line speed.
03:31 It all came together, resulting in a bike which can do everything, everywhere, and do
03:35 it fast.
03:42 Having been out for around two years, the Scott foil still boasts some pretty impressive
03:46 numbers.
03:48 Scott claims the foil is 20% faster, 10% more comfortable and 9% lighter than the outgoing
03:54 version.
03:55 Of course, like the other manufacturers, Scott took advantage of the UCI rule change and
04:00 redeveloped the new foil, pushing right up to what's legal.
04:04 That meant deeper cross sections for the tubes, as well as the fork crown being a little higher
04:08 up from the front wheel, and the oversized head tube acting as a fairing, according to
04:14 Scott.
04:15 The bottom bracket also has been beefed up, while the seat tube now follows the arc of
04:19 the tyre much more closely, before the seat post itself transitions to shoot straight
04:24 upwards.
04:25 The seat stays are designed to shelter the brake callipers, but they've also been angled
04:29 at 10 degrees to force the steady airflow into the spinning spokes.
04:34 While these changes and claimed improvements in speed, comfort and weight are all very
04:39 impressive, we care more about what the bike is actually like to ride.
04:43 Happily though, when we tested it, we found that the bike was incredibly fast, and held
04:48 its speed beautifully.
04:50 It handled incredibly well, and thanks to the seat post with the D-shaped cutout covered
04:54 by a fairing, comfort and road chatter was greatly reduced.
04:59 It may be slightly on the heavier side, but when considering that the foil was built to
05:03 shine on flat roads, the extra few grams won't weigh heavy on the rider's mind.
05:15 Like the new Czech Madone, and many other bikes on this list, the Giant Propel Advanced
05:19 SL is claimed to be both lighter and faster than ever before.
05:23 However, it's not the increased claims in performance which make the Propel shine, because
05:28 for us, it's the value of the bike that really makes it stand out.
05:32 Compared to all the other bikes on this list, the Propel can be obtained for thousands less,
05:38 but you still get to enjoy many of the same performance features across the entirety of
05:43 the range.
05:44 It's no surprise why the Propel went on to win our 'Best Value' category in Race
05:49 Bike of the Year, thanks to the bang for buck that this bike delivers.
05:53 But putting cost aside, the performance metrics of the bike alone are still worth paying attention
05:58 to.
05:59 The Giants say the Propel is 225g lighter than its predecessor, with the new Advanced
06:05 SL frame weighing 845g, with the complete frameset claimed to be almost 14% lighter
06:11 than the previous model.
06:13 To make the Propel faster, Giant used a combination of airflow simulation software, wind tunnel
06:18 testing and real-world application.
06:21 The resulting 'aero-system' shaping led to what Giant described as truncated ellipse
06:27 airfoil shapes across the downtube, seat tube and seat stays, as well as a redesigned frontal
06:32 area – an area, of course, which is crucial to the reduction of drag.
06:37 The result is a bike that Giants say is 27 seconds faster over 40km at 40km/h, thanks
06:45 to a reduction in drag by more than 6 watts.
06:48 But we think the cost savings this bike represents against its rivals might be even more impressive
06:54 to the masses.
06:58 Lastly, we want to give a special mention to the Specialized Tarmac SL8.
07:05 It's famously not an aero bike, but is an all-rounder, since Specialized decided that
07:12 separate aero and climbing bikes aren't necessary.
07:15 But when it was released, the SL8 was claimed to be faster than the brand's previous aero
07:20 bike, the Venge.
07:22 So it stands to claim that the SL8 could be seen as being a better version of an aero
07:27 bike.
07:28 If it really is as fast, or faster, while combining lightweight and performance features,
07:33 in theory, it should be providing everything the customer of an aero bike is actually after,
07:38 apart from maybe a really wacky looking and eye-catching frame.
07:45 Let us know down in the comments below.
07:46 Which of these bikes would you choose if money were no object?
07:50 If you enjoyed the video, then please do drop it a like.
07:52 Subscribe to the channel for more content, and we will see you again very soon.
07:57 [MUSIC PLAYING]
08:00 (whooshing)
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