
Best Men's Race Bike
For the second year in a row, the S-Works Tarmac SL4 is “simply the best in a field of transcendent bikes.” According to the experts who tested a field of 30 finalists, the Tarmac once again blew away the competition. Beyond the handling, stiffness, and ride quality that a top-tier bike should offer, some riders get even more from their bikes because, as one tester remarked, “The Tarmac made me feel like a better rider.”

Best Women's Race Bike
No stranger to winning, the Amira SL4 Pro is this year's Editors' Choice for Best Women's Race Bike. The Amira has the same racing pedigree as the Tarmac, but with geometry, weight, and touch-points all designed specifically for a female rider. Though still light and stiff enough to “climb like a mountain goat,” according to the Bicycling Testers, the Amira “felt the most female friendly,” of all the bikes tested.

Best Full Suspension XC Race Bike
Back-to-back wins for the S-Works Epic 29. What makes the Epic unique is the proprietary BRAIN-equipped suspension which reads the terrain for the perfect ride–whether sprinting uphill or descending at speed on rocky trails. The world’s only full suspension 29er world champion and Gold Medal winner is the bike of choice for “screaming across rutted single track, while still climbing and accelerating as fast as a hardtail.”

Best Endurance Bike
The S-Works Roubaix SL4 is the leader in endurance racing technology and won the 2013 VeloNews Endurance Bike Test Award. The Roubaix has mastered the unforgiving roads of Europe and is stiff enough to fly into sprints and out of turns as well as any bike on the course. “For the rider looking to maximize performance while taking the edge off of everything from chip-sealed pavement to dirt roads, the Roubaix is the clear choice."

Best Aluminum Bike
The Specialized Allez Race Rival just threw down against the top aluminum race bikes. According to Road Bike Action, the Allez was the break-away favorite. The ride of the Allez offers, "The best blend of comfort and stiffness." And about the Specialized Smartweld technology, "It's really something new in the bike industry, yielding a stiff front end that handles impeccably and offers clean aesthetics to boot."