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
00:49the lightest production road bike in the world.
00:52Coming in at a claimed 5.9 kilos for the Addict RC Ultimate build,
00:57this 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,
01:18design 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,
01:25and 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,
01:35but I've no doubt they'll be a popular choice amongst hill climbers.
01:38A lightweight bike is all well and good,
01:41but if it doesn't handle well,
01:43then 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,
01:54and ability to change direction quickly without feeling skittish
01:58makes going downhill even more fun than going up it.
02:02Priced just shy of £12,800 here in the UK,
02:05it'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.
02:19Next up, we have a bike that was launched just ahead of the 2024 Tour de France,
02:25the Villiers Verticale SLR.
02:27As the name suggests, this bike is designed to operate on one axis,
02:32either up or down.
02:33The Verticale replaced Villiers Zero SLR,
02:37and is claimed to have a 10% lighter frame,
02:39a new integrated handlebar,
02:4132mm tyre clearance,
02:43and a slightly updated geometry,
02:45which has seen reach be reduced on the smallest sizes,
02:49and increased on the biggest sizes.
02:51One of the biggest features Villiers was shouting about
02:53is the new V-Bar,
02:55which has flared drops.
02:56The extra 30mm of width will likely aid more stable and controlled handling when descending,
03:03while 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,
03:13thanks to its slacker-than-most head angle.
03:15But, if that confidence and bike control ultimately helps you ride faster,
03:20or just feel more safe,
03:22then the result is a positive one.
03:26We love the eye-catching bright green colourway that can be seen on its top Endura race build.
03:31If you're after something a little bit different,
03:34and will be easier to ride than other bikes on this list,
03:37then the Verticale SLR could be worth taking a look at.
03:41Sticking with another Italian brand,
03:48we have the Bianchi Specialissima.
03:50Still in its early product life cycle,
03:53the Specialissima boasts a UCI illegal claimed weight of 6.6kg for a size 55cm.
04:01What makes that weight even more impressive
04:03is 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, Ultre model.
04:19So, while the Specialissima has always been the brand's climbing bike,
04:23and still very much is,
04:25the slightly deeper tubes, sculpted shapes, and drop-seat stays
04:28do at least mean this bike should also perform well on shallower gradients,
04:32or, dare I say it, even in a sprint.
04:36The looks of this bike might be slightly more polarising than others,
04:39as it plays with tube shapes in a way not often seen.
04:43And, the Rapato Course logo on the non-drive-side downtube may really turn some people off.
04:50But, we do think it holds your eye a little longer than others,
04:53and it clearly doesn't fit into the cookie-cutter road bike shape.
04:57As expected, the Dura-Ace Di2 model is unashamedly punchy in its pricing,
05:02coming in at €12,749.
05:05But, you may find yourself wanting to change the slightly sketchy Pirelli TT tyres
05:10that 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.
05:32As stalwarts of the climbing category,
05:34the Specialised Athos is a bike which is garnered somewhat of a cult following.
05:39With a super-light sub-600g frame,
05:43rounded tubes,
05:44and a classic double-diamond shape,
05:45the Athos can be found at the heart of some truly awe-inspiring custom builds.
05:51That said, even the stock builds that Specialised offers still impress.
05:56We would love to see Specialised update this now iconic bike,
06:00but, it's hard to know where it could actually make drastic improvements.
06:04We love how the bike rides,
06:06how easy it is to handle,
06:07and even the externally-rooted cables at the cockpit.
06:10It's as though Specialised created a modern-day version of a classic road bike,
06:14taking a, if it ain't broke, don't fix mentality to the project.
06:19The 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,
06:30and town sign sprints are all well within the capabilities of the Athos.
06:35It brings understated fun to the market,
06:37and 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,
06:47meaning they're often the lightest bike you can get in most price bands.
06:51But, if you're a true weight weenie,
06:54it 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.
07:11Launched back in March, the world's biggest bike manufacturer,
07:15Giant, released the update to its much-loved TCR.
07:19Of course, it landed with all the expected claims of being lighter,
07:23stiffer, and the fastest TCR yet,
07:26but we have little reason to doubt these claims.
07:29When we tested the bike earlier this year,
07:32we dubbed it the best climbing bike of 2024.
07:35We loved the exceptional frameset quality,
07:38the razor-sharp race bike handling,
07:41and thought the small aero improvements
07:43helped 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,
07:52and the short rear end makes the bike handle with the utmost intent.
07:56For a bike that's in its 10th generation,
07:58nobody 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,
08:07and 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,
08:15so a bike fit really is a must.
08:18Of course, this may make some people hesitant about buying into a platform
08:23which may be slightly harder to sell on than others.
08:26But Giant has done its best to make this as easy as possible
08:29by providing buyers a small amount of adaptability to add height back in if needed.
08:35While still sitting right in the premium echelons of bike pricing,
08:38the nearly £12,000 price tag won't sting quite as much
08:43when considering the sheer amount of performance you'll be able to enjoy.
08:46Another bike to feature an integrated seatpost with the aim of shedding unnecessary grams
08:56is the Factor O2 van.
08:59This bike looks almost skeletal in appearance,
09:02with its surgically thin seat stays and almost non-existent top tube.
09:06Coming in at a claimed 6.3 kilos, it certainly is very light,
09:11and it's able to achieve such a remarkably low weight
09:14thanks to Factor's in-house component brand, Black Ink.
09:18With use of its wheels and cockpit,
09:20the British brand is able to have complete control over the final product.
09:25The wheels stand up on their own merits though.
09:27With a 28mm deep front wheel and a 33mm deep rear wheel,
09:33Factor is able to balance aerodynamics with light weight,
09:36resulting in a wheel set coming in at a claimed 1,146 grams.
09:42The frame has clearance for 32mm tyres,
09:44so if you do want to fit something a little wider for more grip and comfort,
09:49then you're certainly able to.
09:51When we rode the bike, we loved the stiffer head tube,
09:54which gave the bike a confident feeling when climbing and descending.
09:58However, since this bike is so clearly tailored for going either up or down,
10:02we found it did suffer on the flats.
10:06But in a video about the best climbing bikes,
10:09that's not something we're going to complain about here.
10:16Last 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
10:25and come in under £10,000.
10:28And the German brand isn't cutting any corners.
10:31Thanks to its direct-to-consumer business model,
10:35Canyon 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
10:45while tipping the scales at a fairly competitive
10:48and just-about-UCI-illegal claimed weight of 6.74 kilos.
10:54When launched, the Ultimate was given a number of small improvements,
10:57one being the adoption of a new geometry,
11:00which 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
11:15and allows for riders to get more aero by reducing handlebar width.
11:20There really is a lot to love with this bike
11:23and it somewhat provides a breath of fresh air with its four-figure price tag.
11:27But let us know, if money were no object,
11:32then what would you love to have at your disposal?
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