If you enjoy clocking up big miles in the saddle, then an endurance road bike could be the right choice for you. These bikes are built to go the distance and engineered to keep you comfortable, however far you choose to ride.
We’ve put together a list to show you some of the best endurance road bikes on the market today, and to steer you in the right direction. Here’s what we’ll cover:
- How we chose the best endurance road bikes
- The best endurance road bikes
How did we choose the best endurance road bikes?
There are a lot of ways to interpret ‘best’, so let us run you through the logic we used to arrive at these bikes.
We worked with a few criteria:
- Price point: We’ve included bikes at various price points to make cater to a wide range of budgets
- Components: A bike is the sum of its parts, meaning that quality components play a big role in performance and ride quality. These bikes represent the best cross-section of engineering and components
- Brand: While the brand isn’t everything, certain brands achieve prestige for a reason. The names in this list are known for delivering quality time and again, so you’re in safe hands
- Geometry: A big part of the appeal of an endurance road bike is the more relaxed geometry that makes riding longer distances less physically demanding
- Engineering: Bike design is ever-evolving, and the best endurance bikes are those which incorporate the latest performance design features
The 10 best endurance road bikes in 2023
Now we’ve seen what determines the best, let’s see the bikes. The ten endurance road bikes below are hand-picked by the Sigma Sports team.
Trek Domane AL 2 Disc Road Bike 2022
Retail price - £698
Kicking off our list is a serious contender from Trek: an endurance bike built to offer fantastic value for money. The Domane AL 2 embodies everything we’d expect from Trek, with refined engineering, a smattering of high-quality components, and a buttery smooth ride.
- This a fantastic entry-level bike for those wanting to enter the world of road cycling
- Trek 100 Series Alpha Aluminium frame keeps weight down
- Cables concealed within the frame provide incremental improvements to aerodynamics and improve the lifespan of the cables
- Clearance for tyres up to 38c gives you the option to switch out the stock tyres for something a bit wider to increase comfort
- An 8-speed Shimano Claris drivetrain provides a wide range of gears for undulating terrain
Shop the Trek Domane AL 2 Disc Road Bike
Cannondale Synapse Aluminium Sora Disc Womens Road Bike 2022
Retail price - £848
You’ll frequently see Cannondale bikes out on the road, and for good reason. These guys are renowned for delivering endurance road bikes capable of tackling the toughest and longest rides. This Synapse has been designed for women with carefully chosen components.
- A well-engineered aluminium frame with geometry designed for comfort makes this bike ideal for women wanting to take their riding to the next level
- Micro-suspension for comfort and control on your rides
- Shimano Sora drivetrain makes shifting up and down your gears easy and reliable
- The addition of cable-actuated disc brakes offers greater stopping power and reliability than rim brakes
Shop the Cannondale Synapse Aluminium Sora Disc Womens Road Bike
Orbea Avant H30-D Disc Road Bike 2022
Retail price - £1,399
The Orbea Avant H30-D is a great option for those looking to upgrade from an entry-level road bike. The Avant H30-D is a bike that will deliver comfort and performance, whatever the distance.
- The Avant uses a hydroformed aluminium frame for a stable ride, attractive looks and low weight
- A carbon fork reduces the weight at the front end while ensuring precise handling
- Cables are routed through the frame to keep them out of your way and protect them against grime
- Shimano 105 11-speed groupset ensures responsive gear shifting
- Hydraulic disc brakes deliver smooth stopping power
Shop the Orbea Avant H30-D Disc Road Bike
Cannondale Synapse Carbon 4 Disc Road Bike 2023
Retail price from - £2,400
Not the first Cannondale Synapse we’ve seen in this list, which is a testament to the enduring dominance of this manufacturer in general, and this range of bikes specifically. The Synapse 4 pulls together everything that exemplifies this model and lifts it to the next level.
- Frame geometry and construction are identical to other, higher-priced Synapse models
- In-frame cable routing offers subtle aerodynamic enhancements
- SmartSense compatible design
- Shimano Tiagra 10-speed groupset gives seamless shifting and a wide range of movement
- Clearance in the frame for up to 35mm road tyres
Shop the Cannondale Synapse Carbon 4 Disc Road Bike 2023
Cannondale Synapse Carbon 2 RL Disc Road Bike 2023
Retail price from - £4,000
Built on the foundations laid by the previous Synapse, the Synapse 2 offers refinements and improvements to Cannondale's winning formula. This bike combines a carbon frame with choice components to lay the groundwork for a rewarding, enjoyable, high-performance ride.
- SmartSense battery and integrated lights act as your eyes and ears, adjusting your visibility based on real-time road conditions
- Subtle aerodynamic touches on the frame offer enhanced performance over the Synapse
- Inbuilt radar system, a collaboration with Garmin, can detect vehicles up to 140m away and issue a Brake Alert function
- Shimano Ultegra 11-speed gears offer responsive shifting
- Hydraulic Shimano disc brakes give you peace of mind that you can come to a quick, controlled stop in any conditions
Shop the Cannondale Synapse Carbon 2 RL Disc Road Bike
BMC Roadmachine X TWO Disc Road bike 2022
Retail price - £3,115
Some bikes deserve to be noticed, and the BMC Roadmachine X TWO rightfully demands attention with its bold orange paintwork. This is no shallow peacocking, though: look closer and you’ll find a bike replete with high-performance components that stands ready to ride with you whatever the distance.
- Based on BMC’s popular and successful Roadmachine model, with enhanced components and engineering to appeal to the more discerning rider
- Tuned Compliance Concept Endurance tech empowers the BMC Roadmachine X Premium Carbon frame and fork to be comfortable, lightweight and high-performance
- 33mm wheel clearance so you can switch out for wider tyres where the terrain demands it
- SRAM 1x Rival/XPLR wireless groupset consigns misshifts to history, offering instead seamless gear shifts with no cables to fray or stretch
- SRAM Rival HRD hydraulic disc brakes make stopping easy in any weather
Shop the BMC Roadmachine X TWO Disc Road bike
Bianchi Infinito CV Rival eTap AXS Disc Road Bike 2022
Retail price - £4,099
On a sportive where you'll spend hours in the saddle, you want a bike that provides reliable comfort, so you can push hard for every mile. The Bianchi Infinito CV Rival eTap is engineered to do exactly that: this bike delivers performance at every push of the pedal.
- Precision frame geometry in the form of the Countervail carbon layup design keeps vibrations away, reducing physical fatigue throughout your ride
- 32mm tyre clearance in case you need to switch the svelte road tyres for something that can handle slightly rougher terrain
- Wireless SRAM 12-speed drivetrain does away with cables, instead offering near-instant gear shifting at the flick of your finger
- A 46/33 chainset and 10-36 cassette combine to make this bike ready for any terrain you plan to throw at it
Shop the Bianchi Infinito CV Rival eTap AXS Disc Road Bike
BMC Roadmachine FOUR Disc Road Bike
Retail price - £4,800
As with the Roadmachine X TWO, this endurance bike combines SRAM components with a BMC frameset to achieve a comfortable and commanding ride. When you're on the saddle of the BMC Roadmachine FOUR you'll feel the responsiveness and refinement come together, and watch the miles continue to fly by.
- BMC's Tuned Compliance Concept Endurance carbon layup technology ensures comfort and performance
- Internal cable routing keeps things looking slick and offers micro improvements to your performance by reducing drag
- 33mm wheel clearance so you can switch out for wider tyres where the terrain demands it
- SRAM's electronic Rival eTap AXS groupset gives effortless and precise gear shifts to keep you moving smoothly
Shop the BMC Roadmachine FOUR Disc Road Bike
Trek Domane SL 7 Disc Road Bike 2022
Retail price - £4,930
Trek features in many lists of the best bikes in any category, for the simple reason that they deliver again and again. The Domane SL is another home run: a lightweight bike with excellent components, forgiving geometry and IsoSpeed compliance all of which distill down into a high-performance bike that's a pleasure to ride.
- Lightweight 500 series OCLV carbon frame with IsoSpeed keeps the ride comfortable to prioritise performance
- A Bontrager integrated downtube offers internal storage space for tools, snacks and other riding necessities: a subtle feature, but one which we love
- The Shimano Ultegra Di2 groupset delivers seamless gear shifting and can be customised through the E-Tube Project app
- Tubeless-ready Bontrager Aeolus Pro 3v carbon wheels offer blistering acceleration potential and a smooth, stable ride
Shop the Trek Domane SL 7 Disc Road Bike
Cervelo Caledonia-5 Ultegra Di2 Disc Road Bike 2022
Retail price - £6,299
Sometimes we ride a bike which embodies everything we love about the sport. Speed, comfort and convenience align into a neat, perfectly engineered package, and the Cervelo Caledonia-5 Ultegra Di2 is a fine example. This endurance road bike is for the discerning cyclist who's ready to step to the front of the pack.
- Cervelo Caledonia-5 carbon frame and fork deliver race-ready speed and nimbleness without sacrificing an ounce of comfort
- Excellent responsiveness thanks to the Shimano Ultegra Di2 8100 12-speed electronic groupset, which conveys gear changes wirelessly to the derailleurs from your shifters
- 40/44mm carbon wheels on DT Swiss 370 hubs are sleek and performance-ready, whether you use tubes or tubeless tyres
- Hidden mudguard mounts for year-round useability
Shop the Cervelo Caledonia-5 Ultegra Di2 Disc Road Bike
The best endurance bikes: Ride on
As you can see, there are plenty of high-quality mountain bikes available at this price point, offering something for everyone regardless of discipline and skill level.
The beautiful thing about the cycling industry nowadays is that quality bikes exist at all price points, meaning that anyone can try their hand at any style of riding. Whether you’re a first time endurance rider looking for a bike to ease you into the discipline or a seasoned contender with multiple sportives under your belt, this list of the best endurance road bikes will have something to fit your riding style.
To find out more about our endurance road bikes, check out our endurance road bike selection. You can also get in touch with our team: we’ll be happy to run through your requirements and get you paired up with the perfect bike.