Best road bikes for triathlon racing and training in 2025

A road bike is essential for any triathlete. Even if you have a dedicated triathlon bike, you’ll still want a road bike for training, but you can also use it for racing.

In fact, it may even be preferable for hilly rides or technical bike courses with lots of tight turns.

This guide features bikes to suit every triathlete, and all have been tested by the team at 220 or by our colleagues at BikeRadar.

Best road bikes for triathlon in 2025

1. Van Rysel RCR Rival AXS

Price	$4,999 / £3,900
Weight	7.8kg (size L)
Spec	SRAM Rival eTap AXS, Zipp 303s wheels

Decathlon developed the Van Rysel RCR for its men’s WorldTour cycling, Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale, who have had plenty of success on the Pro version of the all-round race bike.

The frame of the RCR Rival AXS model I tested is just 40g heavier and has a less premium, but very impressive, spec bringing the cost down by £5,000.

You get a full SRAM Rival eTap AXS groupset including a single-sided Quarq power meter, carbon Deda handlebar and stem, Zipp 303s mid-section carbon wheels and fast-rolling Michelin Power Cup tyres. Such a component list is almost unheard of these days at just below 4K. 

Van Rysel says the frame is slightly less stiff than the Pro layup, but the RCR Rival AXS remains unflinchingly rigid under power. Handling is race-bike fast and the RCR descends like a dream thanks to its aero-optimised tube shapes. 

Read my full Van Rysel RCR Rival AXS review for more.

2. Ribble Ultra-Aero SL R Enthusiast 

Price	$9,999 / £7,999
Weight	8.5kg (L)
Spec	Frame Toray T1000 and T800 carbon fibre, Shimano Ultegra Di2 groupset, Zipp 454 carbon tubeless wheels

The Ribble Ultra SL R Enthusiast is a road bike built for speed, developed with extensive wind-tunnel testing and real-world input from pro cyclists.

Its aerodynamic design features truncated aerofoil tubing, an aggressive geometry, and unique aero handlebars designed to reduce drag. The Shimano Ultegra Di2 groupset and Zipp 454 carbon tubeless wheels ensure smooth shifting and rapid acceleration.

This bike is designed for all-out performance, excelling in flat-out speed and descending stability. However, its stiff frame and deep aero tubes mean it’s less forgiving on rough roads.

The lack of handlebar tape improves aerodynamics but may feel unfamiliar in wet conditions. Additionally, the unconventional handlebar shape prevents the use of clip-on aero bars, which may be a drawback for triathletes.

While Ribble’s heritage and innovation shine through, the Ultra SL R is best suited for road cyclists prioritizing aerodynamics over comfort.

If you seek a pure speed machine and can handle its aggressive setup, this bike delivers exceptional performance. However, those looking for a more versatile or long-distance-friendly ride may find its extreme focus on aerodynamics limiting.

Ultimately, the Ultra SL R is a high-performance road bike for riders who live for speed.

Read our full review of the Ribble Ultra-Aero SL R Enthusiast here.

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3. Specialized Tarmac SL7 S-Works

Price	$14,250 / £13,250
Weight	7kg (56)
Spec	SRAM Red eTap AXS groupset, Roval Rapide CLX wheels

The Tarmac S-Works is Specialized’ flagship road racer, both aero-optimised and bang on the 6.8kg UCI limit. Our reviewer described it as extremely direct and stiff, urging you on with every pedal stroke.

A proprietary cockpit means you’re limited with fitting tri bars, but if you’re an age-grouper dabbling in draft-legal or a competitive cyclist, the Tarmac is arguably the pinnacle of modern road bike design. It also starts from $6,000/£5,500 if this is beyond your budget.

4. Giant Contend SL Disc 1

Price	$2,199 / £1,699
Weight	9kg (S)
Spec	Shimano 105 R7170 Di2 groupset, Giant P-R2 Disc wheels

The relaxed handling and smooth ride of the Contend will be ideal for triathletes just starting out who want something easy to get on with, yet fun to ride.

Our reviewer described it as a well-equipped entry into performance riding, with Giant’s D-Fuse seatpost and handlebar improving comfort.

Triathletes aiming for the top half of the results sheet may want to upgrade wheels and tyres, but for training and year-round riding the Contend is an excellent option.

5. Scott Addict 30

Price	$3,799.99 / £2,349
Weight	8.2kg
Spec	Shimano 105 R7000 groupset, Syncros RP2.0 Disc wheels

The Addict 30 is an endurance bike with a sensible spec. It would be ideal for a triathlete targeting long course who’d prefer a road bike and clip-ons for extra comfort and help on the hills.

Our reviewer described the ride as racy for an endurance bike, but the 32mm tyres deliver plenty of bump-taming comfort.

The fully integrated frameset is also ripe for upgrades if you want to add carbon wheels before your big race.

6. Liv EnviLiv Advanced 1

Price	$5,808 / £4,499
Weight	8.6kg (S)
Spec	SRAM Rival eTap AXS groupset, Giant SLR 2 50 Carbon Disc wheels

If you need a speedy women’s road bike, the EnviLiv takes some beating. It’s race-ready with carbon wheels set up tubeless, 12-speed electronic gears from SRAM and fully internal cable routing.

Our reviewer said it struck a great balance between speed and comfort, springing to life on flats and rolling roads.

This would be an excellent bike for a budding elite triathlete or an experienced one looking to upgrade. It’s ready to go and very fast.

7. Canyon Aeroad CF SLX 7 AXS

Price	£3,949 / $4,649
Weight	8.01kg (M)
Spec	SRAM Rival eTap AXS groupset, DT Swiss ARC 1600 carbon wheels

Canyon’s Aeroad is a truly modern take on aero road bike design; super-fast, but also light enough to tame climbs and with a remarkably smooth ride compared to its predecessor, said our reviewer.

The spec is impressive, with deep carbon wheels and electronic shifting. The proprietary handlebars won’t take tri bars, but if you’re an elite or competitive short-course racer and dabble in road racing, the Aeroad is ready to go with all mod cons.

8. Triban RC 500

Price	$799 / £649.99
Weight	10.5kg
Spec	Shimano Sora groupset, Triban Tubeless-Ready 6061 aluminium wheels

If you’re just getting into triathlon and aren’t chasing podiums, the Triban RC 500 is a great place to start.

Geometry is easy-going, ideal for those just getting used to building up mileage on the tarmac, and the spec inspires confidence with disc brakes, 28mm tyres and reliable Shimano Sora 9-speed shifting.

While it lacks razor-sharp handling and speed, the Triban makes up for it in day-long comfort and reliability, which is ideal for first-time triathletes.

9. Cube Axial WS Race

Price	$1,999 / £1,699
Weight	9.7kg
Spec	Shimano 105 R7000 groupset, Cube RA 1.9 Aero Disc wheels

This women-specific bike comes with Cube’s ‘high performance alloy’ frame, carbon fork and a decent finishing kit, with hydraulic disc brakes and 11-speed shifting.

Our reviewer praised the comfortable ride and relaxed geometry (contradicting ‘Race’ in the name somewhat) and wide gearing, with a 11/34t cassette to get up steep climbs. You also get 28mm tyres for extra comfort.

This is a great bike if you have a little more to spend on a first road bike.

How we tested

Most of the road bikes we’ve reviewed over the years have been tested by former 220 Triathlon staff writer Jack Sexty and former editor James Witts.

Jack has been testing bikes for a decade and has been racing triathlon competitively for even longer. He’s also editor of Road.cc, so it’s fair to say he knows his stuff.

James has been testing all things bikes and triathlon tech since the 80s, and is a bike specialist journalist and four-time author.

Every bike reviewed here has been tested with a substantial amount of riding, including long rides of several hours.

Our testing and scoring takes into account key criteria such as fit (and how adjustable the bike is), comfort, stiffness, integrated storage and, of course, speed.

Our ratings take all of the above into account. Anything over 90% is considered a genuine class leader, 80-89% is still one of the best you can buy, while 70-79% is represents a bike that is still a decent performer.

What to look for in a road bike for triathlon

Even the pros have been known to use road bikes with clip-on aero bars added for races with considerable elevation, and a road bike is almost always the best choice for beginner triathletes getting used to riding on the road. So, what makes a good road bike for triathlon? That depends, and luckily there are numerous road bike sub-genres for multiple multisport scenarios.

For beginners

If you’re just starting out, look for bikes intended for endurance rather than more aggressive, aero road bikes. Endurance or sportive bikes allow for more upright, relaxed positions and are designed for comfort – ideal for training rides to build mileage and not wreck your back when you’re ready to start running off the bike.

Wheels

That’s not to say endurance bikes can’t be fast. Adding deep-section wheels could provide significant aero gains. These wheels have deeper rims that cut through the air more efficiently when cycling. They perform best in non-windy conditions, look for a pair that’s lightweight and compliant.

Tri-bars

Tri bars will make the bike much more aerodynamically efficient, while still affording you more comfort for longer triathlons like Ironman. You can add clip-on tri bars (also called aerobars) to your normal road bike for an easy win when it comes to making your bike more tri-ready.

Carbon-fibre

Simply want to go fast or targeting draft-legal triathlons? Look for a road bike that is aerodynamic, ideally with deeper carbon wheels and integrated cable routing. A carbon-fibre bike is lightweight and stiff, providing good power transfer when riding and minimising weight for hilly courses.

The ride will be stiffer and not as forgiving as endurance bikes, but if you’re flexible and have high ambitions then a thoroughbred triathlon racing bike may serve you best.

We have a more in-depth guide on how to turn your road bike into a triathlon bike for more tips.