Ask the experts

We answer your burning bike-related questions

- 

IS THERE A LIGHT AERO ENDURANCE BIKE OUT THERE?

“Can you encourage the bike brands to make an aero endurance bike that doesn’t weigh a ton? A good example would be a Specialized Tarmac SL8 or Cervélo S5 with a high stack height and short reach – essentially an endurance race bike that isn’t ugly.”

Lifesurfer001, via email

Cervélo Áspero-5 that Marianne Vos ran at the UCI Gravel World Championships in the Netherlands in October might be what you’re looking for. It does away with the V Stem and has clearance for voluminous 45mm rubber (but ships with 42mm Vittoria Corsa Pro Control tyres, which are currently only available on this bike).

The Áspero-5 might be a better bet for you than the S5 because it doesn’t rely on a proprietary front end, so you can more readily experiment with the position. Plus, it doubles as a gravel bike to boot.

Beyond that, you could look at bikes such as the Giant Defy, Cannondale Synapse or Canyon Endurace, all of which we’ve rated highly in tests.

Bear in mind that if you’re chasing aero gains, they’ll often come at the expense of a few extra grams. Of course, weight isn’t the most important factor in the grand scheme of things. And, if you have the budget to spend on them, most aero-derived bikes are pretty light in their top-model guises anyway.

CAN YOU SUGGEST A COMFORTABLE GRAVEL BIKE?

“Could you describe the differences between the BMC URS 01 Four and the Mondraker Arid Carbon in a few sentences? I’m currently riding a 2019 Cannondale Topstone AL and looking for a worthy successor. The new Topstone seems a bit short for me. I’m after comfort and good suspension performance.”

Piotr Dąbrowski, via email