Readers' choice 2021: Over a period of several weeks, you - our readers - voted for the most exciting bikes of the 2021 season. Over 3.600 votes came together and we have now evaluated every single one of them. The results were also extremely exciting for us - among the drop-bar bikes there are gravel bikes as well as racing bikes of various types.
The Velomotion readers' choice took place between December 15, 2020 and January 15, 2021. You have selected your favorites from a total of 17 bike categories. After the evaluation, we don't want to withhold the results from you and present you with the respective top 3.
Here you will find an overview of all categories and their respective winners:
[blog specific=“144862″]Gravel bikes: These are your favorites for 2021
Gravel bikes are now so popular mainly thanks to their enormous versatility - for sporty gravel racers as well as for bikepackers or commuters. This is exactly what the three top bikes you chose reflect: the Rose Backroad is a prime example of versatility right at the top of the podium. With the appropriate equipment, thanks to its balanced geometry and light carbon frame, it is just as suitable for hunting seconds as it is as an everyday bike - but here with a hub dynamo, mudguards and luggage rack. The other two podium bikes, the Storck Grix and the Specialized Diverge, strike a similar note – with the nimble Grix and the comfortable Diverge placing even more emphasis on multi-day tours and bikepacking.
Even with the original Backroad, direct mailer Rose set its own Gravel bar quite high a few years ago. However, the successor can easily fill the big footsteps: low weight? Check! Comfort? Top! assembly points? The next adventure can come! And Rose wouldn't be Rose if the price weren't right too: for less than 3.000 euros you can get a well-equipped, versatile high-end gravel bike weighing less than 9 kilograms.
Price: 2.599 euros – 3.799 euros
With the Gravel debut Grix, Storck caused quite a stir when it was launched. Here, sporty, lively geometry meets countless mounting points and a versatile concept. With mountain bike tires and 12-speed drive, the Grix is an extremely agile off-road fun machine, classic wheels and two chainrings transform it into a great long-distance companion. With fenders and luggage rack, it is even prepared for everyday use. Chapeau!
Price: 2.499 euros – 5.999 Euro
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With the Diverge, Specialized already had a gravel bike in its range before the bike category even existed. The current model can meet the correspondingly high expectations: With its extremely progressive geometry and the Future Shock suspension system at the front, it is made for long days on endless gravel roads. In its integrated storage compartment, the most important items can be stored on short trips, but thanks to the numerous items, it is also prepared for adventures lasting several days.
Price: 2999 Euro – 11.999 Euro
[blog specific=“128459″]Beginner road bikes: These are your favorites for 2021
Not everyone can or wants to put several thousand euros on the table for a new hit. But you don't have to do that - a look at the entry-level racing bikes you have chosen for the 2021 season shows. Just look at the winner, the Corratec Corones: Light, very nicely finished aluminum frame, light carbon fork and a Absolutely solid 105 group including disc brakes - for just under 1.700 euros. Especially since the Corratec has more dealer support than the other two bikes in the top 3 – the Canyon Endurace AL Disc and the Pro SL Disc from Rose are both only available directly from the manufacturer – which of course doesn’t make them a worse choice.
The Corratec Corones has been a hot tip for those looking for an affordable, sporty road bike at an attractive price for many years. Nothing will change this year either – now equipped with disc brakes in both variants, the racer from Upper Bavaria can continue to score with its high-quality frame and the very comfortable carbon fork. The latter also visually sets the Corones apart from the crowd.
Price: 1.699 euros – 1.999 Euro
The Endurace AL Disc is a strong overall package. Here, a light, powerful aluminum frame meets solid to high-quality components - and all for well under 2.000 euros. The geometry is subtly sporty; so that it does not scare off road bike beginners, but should also appeal to “old hands”. Extremely positive: With six frame sizes and dedicated women's models, there is a suitable bike for almost every requirement.
Price: 1.299 euros – 1.599 euros
Challenge: Weighing less than 1.400g, the aluminum frame of the new entry-level road bike is not only close to its carbon counterparts in terms of weight. Thanks to the smooth seams, it can hardly be distinguished visually from its carbon fiber colleagues. With its rather sporty geometry, consistently high-quality components and a total weight of less than 9 kilograms, it is perfect for ambitious beginners - at an extremely fair price.
Price: 1.599 euros – 1.899 euros
Carbon road bikes: These are your favorites for 2021
The feather-light Specialized Aethos is able to put a damper on the aero trend of recent years in high-end racing bikes: With classic tube and frame shapes, it resembles traditional racing bikes more than the flat aero bikes, which of course are still extremely popular are - this is shown by the choice for the Storck Aerfast 3 and the Canyon Aeroad CFR in second and third place.
New production methods lead to the absolute minimum weight in the 2021 top model from Specialized. With fork, headset, thru-axles and all the small parts, the size 56 top frame set in the S-Works class weighs one kilogram and 20 grams; this is how you can build what is probably the lightest road bike with disc brakes. Even the more modest version, which uses slightly simpler carbon fibers, is extremely light. Specialized offers the frame sets for self-assembly, as well as several complete bikes, all equipped with electronic shifting systems.
Prices: 5.799 – 12.999 Euro
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The fast Storck combines proven aero elements - a flat down tube and a grooved seat tube - with modern elements, including improved comfort despite the aero post and the wide fork. The latter should also provide more comfort and also aerodynamically "decouple" the fork legs and front wheel. Typical for Storck is the extremely sporty seat geometry with a strong elevation of the saddle and handlebars. The restrained pricing is remarkable: even the cheapest model is equipped with a high-quality handlebar-stem unit made of carbon.
Prices: 3.499 – 6.898 euros
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The innovative manufacturer from Koblenz confidently describes the Aeroad CFR as the "fastest racing bike on the market". In any case, it is extremely aerodynamic; This is supported by details such as the flat down tube, the grooved seat tube and the wing-like seat post. Suitable for different driver profiles with a somewhat relaxed seat geometry, the CFR has well thought-out details such as the width-adjustable carbon cockpit, which invisibly guides brake lines and shifter cables into the frame interior. The top model is only equipped with the best component groups from the three major suppliers.
Prices: 7.499 – 8.999 Euro
E-gravel bikes: These are your favorites for 2021
E-bikes with racing handlebars have felt like they are on the verge of breaking through to the masses for a number of years now. Ultimately, it could be the ongoing gravel boom that gives the decisive boost: In contrast to e-racing bikes, where the 25km/h limit severely restricts the area of use, gravel racers can take full advantage of the advantages of the e-drive. Many manufacturers therefore take a two-pronged approach and offer both gravel and road bikes on one platform. This also applies to two of your three favorites - only the Grail:ON from Canyon is a genuine e-gravel bike that also comes with a full-fledged MTB motor.
With the Gain, the Basques from Orbea had an e-gravel bike in their range long before the competition. The concept of a compact and light hub motor and a small battery still has its appeal for sporty e-gravel bikers today. It is not visually recognizable as an e-bike and even the inexpensive entry-level model with an aluminum frame remains well under 15 kilograms. The fact that the engine "only" delivers 40 Nm should be bearable in view of the other key data.
Price: 2.439 euros – 8.779 euros
With the Grail:ON, Canyon is fully committed to comfort, but as usual, it goes its own way. At the front, the optically polarizing Hover Bar handlebar absorbs vibrations noticeably, at the rear the in-house VCLS support does this job. Together with the rather relaxed geometry, long days in the saddle are no problem; With the Bosch CX, one of the currently most powerful mid-engines is responsible for e-power. The 500 Wh battery in the down tube of the carbon frame enables long ranges.
Price: 4999 Euro – 6.199 euros
With the Creo SL, Specialized is consistently continuing along the path that the Californians had already taken with their other e-bikes. A self-developed motor is also used here: The compact and light unit is located on the bottom bracket and delivers up to 35 Nm. That's less than the competition, but raw power isn't what should characterize the bike either: low weight and a balanced riding experience are in the foreground here. The perfect bike for sporty gravel racers - with built-in tailwind.
Price: 5.499 euros – 12.499 euros
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