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10 Most Popular Bikes In The World (Among Pro Cyclists)

Saying something is the best in the world can often be a very wide-ranging discussion, with plenty of opinions going around whenever the debate comes around. However, looking at what bikes the top cyclists in the world uses, is one of the most reliable measurements to get the answer.

In this short article, I will be counting down the most popular bikes among pro cyclists, looking at aspects such as their components, who rides them, and the level of success the bikes have enjoyed during the most recent road season.  

These are the 10 most popular bikes among pro cyclists:

  • Cube Lightning C68X
  • Canyon Aeroad CFR
  • Giant TCR Advanced
  • Lapierre Xelius SL3
  • Specialized S-Works Tarmac SL7
  • Scott Addict RC
  • Trek Emonda SLR
  • Colnago V3Rs
  • Cervelo R5 Disc
  • Pinarello Dogma F 

We are going to rank them from the “worst” to the very best bike in the world.

10. Cube Lightning C68X

  • Used By: Intermarche – Wanty Gobert 

The first bike on our list is the Cube Lightning C68X, this bike was used by the Intermarche – Wanty Gobert and contributed much to their improvement during the season just gone by. The bike itself features a top-of-the-range Shimano Dura Ace group set (like many bikes in the WorldTour), as well as a set of Newman advanced wheels. 

The bike is of German origin and is designed to be fully aerodynamic and incredibly lightweight. This makes it an excellent choice for climbers and punchuers, of which Intermarche has one of the best in Biniam Girmay. 

As for what the team achieved whilst riding the Cube Lightning, it was a season to remember for the Belgian outfit as they took 10th place in the UCI WorldTour team rankings in their first spell at the top of the cycling tree.

In terms of specific victories, the Cube Lightning powered Girmay to a historic win at Gent – Wevelgem where he became the first black African rider to win a spring classic. 

9. Canyon Aeroad CFR

  • Used By: Movistar Team 

Up next is the Canyon Aeroad, used by the Movistar team. The bike is produced by US-based brand Canyon and is another bike designed to be completely aerodynamic, with the aim of it being a bike that Grand Tour winners will ride. This didn’t come to happen for Canyon or Movistar, but the bike is superb, nonetheless. 

The Canyon Aeroad features an SRAM group set, which is the main competitor to Shimano. Alongside this, there is a reduced chain stay measurement that makes the handling of the bike much better than many others on this list.

I must also mention that the color of Movistar’s bikes is the best in the entire peloton. 

Success was hard to come by at points in this season for the Spanish team, which means the Canyon Aeroad only takes 9th. They did take overall wins at the Tour of Britain and the Tour du Limousin which helped them to 12th place in the rankings. 

8. Giant TCR Advanced

  • Used By: Bike Exchange – Jayco 

Next up on our list is the Giant TCR Advanced that has been used by the Bike Exchange – Jayco team during the course of this season.

This is actually one of the cheapest professionally used bikes that is available on the open market, with consumers able to pick one up for around $4,000. 

Giant pride its flagship model on its stiffness-to-weight ratio, which is among the best in the world. The features of this bike are far from budget either, with the TCR Advanced featuring the classic Shimano Dura Ace group set and Shimano Dura Ace wheels. 

In terms of success for this bike, the Australian team delivered some in the form of stage wins at both the Tour de France and Vuelta a Espana thanks to their excellent sprinters Dylan Groenewegen and Kaden Groves. 

7. Lapierre Xelius SL3

  • Used By: Groupama – FDJ 

A French team riding a French brand bike seems right, with the premier French outfit Groupama – FDJ riding the Lapierre Xelius SL3. French brands pride themselves on being sleek and stylish, with the Xelius epitomizing this. 

The bike features a full carbon fiber frame that is super lightweight and fast. In terms of technical components, the Xelius features the Shimano Dura Ace group set and wheels much like the previous bike in this list.

The Xelius is branded as a climbing bike, given its lightweight nature, this is not a surprise. The Groupama – FDJ team is primarily a GC team, so they wanted a bike that matched these objectives. 

It was a pretty average season for the French outfit as they finished 7th in the rankings. The team took multiple stage wins at the Giro d’Italia as well as a success towards the end of the season as Arnaud Démare crossed the line first at Paris – Tours. 

6. Specialized S-Works Tarmac SL7

  • Used By: Bora – Hansgrohe and Quickstep – Alpha Vinyl 

This bike being in 6th place may seem like a surprise, with many claiming it to be the best in the peloton at the moment.

It was used by both Bora – Hansgrohe and Quickstep – Alpha Vinyl in 2022 and provided both with a good helping of victories. Despite this, it only takes the 6th spot on our list. 

The Specialized S-Works Tarmac SL7 is the best sprinting bike in the world, with this being the major reason that arguably the two best sprinting teams have used it this season.

The bike is lightweight and durable, making it an obvious choice for sprinters. The Tarmac SL7 features the Shimano Dura Ace group set (surprised yet?) as well as Roval wheels. 

Wins came around all over the place for the Tarmac SL7, with sprinters Mark Cavendish, Fabio Jakobsen, and Sam Bennett all tasting success onboard the bike for their respective teams.

If Cavendish had gone to the Tour de France, it may have been a record-breaking bike too. 

5. Scott Addict RC

  • Used By: Team DSM 

This has been a model that Scott has long promoted as their flagship bike, and for good reason! The bike is currently used by the German-based Team DSM and is one of the finest in production right now.

The latest edition of the Addict features a completely integrated cable routing system that makes the bike look sleek and does not have any impact on the rider’s ability to shift between gears. 

Alongside this impressive innovation, the Addict has both Shimano Dura Ace wheels and group set. 

It was a very poor year for the German team, with them taking just 10 victories in total throughout the whole of the 2022 season.

This did include an overall win at the Tour of Norway and two Grand Tour stage wins though, these wins helped the avoid relegation from the UCI WorldTour where they finished 16th in the final standings. 

4. Trek Emonda SLR

  • Used By: Trek – Segafredo 

An American bike takes 4th place, with it of course being used by the largest US-based team in the sport, Trek – Segafredo.

Like many on this list, Trek promotes their flagship bike as lightweight and superfast as it features a specially designed top tube shape that is optimized for aerodynamic performance.

Unlike most of the bikes we have mentioned today, the Emonda features an SRAM group set and Bontrager wheels.

According to the in-house experts at Trek, their latest Emonda variant is the best yet, with it being 60 seconds per hour faster on flat roads and 18 seconds per hour faster on a road with an 8% average gradient. The bike has also shed 182 grams of weight when compared to previous iterations. 

In terms of success for the Emonda, the men’s side of the Trek – Segafredo team had a pretty good season as they took a stage win at the Tour de France alongside three wins at the Vuelta a Espana. 

3. Colnago V3Rs

  • Used By: UAE Team Emirates 

The bike of the great Tadej Pogačar takes the first podium place on our list, and what a bike it is. The Colnago brand oozes class, and this bike really does show why the Italian brand are so well revered in the cycling world. 

This V3Rs is the only bike in the men’s peloton to feature both Campagnolo group sets and wheels, making it exclusive in its own right.

The frame is handcrafted by Colnago engineers and is one of the lightest in the peloton, making it perfect for climbing the highest peaks in the world of cycling. The bike also used a new form of carbon fiber that makes the frame more rigid. 

It wasn’t the year that UAE Team Emirates wanted this time around, with them only managing second place in the Tour de France. Pogačar did deliver a monument to the team though, with him finishing his season with a second win at Il Lombardia. 

2. Cervelo R5 Disc

  • Used By: Jumbo – Visma 

The bike used by the winner of the Tour de France simply has to be included in a list such as this, and the Cervelo R5 Disc takes the second spot today. The bike features the Shimano Dura Ace group set as well as the Shimano Dura Ace wheels, which are quickly becoming the industry standard for professional teams. 

The name ‘Disc’ indicates that the bike features disc brakes, which again are becoming more common in the UCI WorldTour when compared to just 5 seasons ago. The R5 Disc is primarily a bike made for climbing but is also one of the best bikes for descenders.

Cervelo prioritized handling for this iteration of the R5, claiming that the best climbers must also have a bike that descends well, and they were right. 

As we have already mentioned, Jonas Vingegaard won the 2022 Tour de France whilst onboarding the Cervelo R5 Disc. His team, Jumbo – Visma took the top spot in the UCI WorldTour team rankings partially thanks to their win in France. 

1. Pinarello Dogma F 

  • Used By: INEOS Grenadiers

It may seem like a sacrilege to not put the bike of the Tour de France winner top of our list, but when in the face of a legendary bike you cannot ignore that the Pinarello Dogma is simply the best bike in the world.

The latest variation of the Dogma range has been used by the INEOS Grenadiers team in 2022 (the team has been partnered with the classy Italian brand for some time now). The Dogma has the Shimano Dura Ace group set and wheels attached to it but is more famous for its history than anything else. 

The Dogma is now the most successful Grand Tour bike of all time, with various iterations of the bike being ridden by legends such as Chris Froome, Geraint Thomas, and Egan Bernal to take Grand Tour wins. 

Truly a legendary bike.