The best all-road bikes look to provide on-road performance paired with a dash of off-road capability, letting you make good progress on tarmac but also navigate light gravel or dirt – the best of both worlds.
All-road bikes sit in a somewhat rarefied niche, somewhere between the best endurance road bikes (which might be an endangered species as road race bikes get ever more competent) and the fast, racy end of the best gravel bikes. Expect to see an increasing range of bikes marketed as all-road as brands seek to position their machines as capable both on-road and off.
This guide rounds up in-depth reviews of our favourite all-road bikes, along with deals. Keep reading to the end for a full run-down of the features to look for in an all-road bike.
Reviews of the best all-road bikes
- Swift Univox GR: RRP €2,890 – Read our full review
- Sonder Colibri Ti Chorus: RRP £3,649 – Read our full review
- Lapierre Pulsium SAT Allroad 6.0: RRP £3,399 – Read our full review
- Fara F/AR: RRP £3,737 – Read our full review
- Mason Definition: RRP £3,665 – Read our full review
- Mason Resolution: RRP £3,820 – Read our full review
- Fairlight Strael 3.0: RRP £4,204 – Read our full review
- Specialized Roubaix SL8 Expert: RRP £6,000 – Read our full review
- BMC Roadmachine X One: RRP £6,200 – Read our full review
- J.Laverack J.Ack III Di2: RRP £8,385 – Read our full review
- Canyon Endurace CFR: RRP £8,999 – Read our full review
- Trek Domane SLR 7: RRP £9,700 – Read our full review
- Pinarello Dogma X: RRP £13,300 – Read our full review
- Colnago C68 Allroad: RRP £14,000 – Read our full review
This list is arranged roughly in order of price, but there are of course numerous spec options for each bike.
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Why you can trust our advice
At Cyclist, our team of reviewers, led by long-time tech editor Sam Challis has huge experience of reviewing and writing about an enormous range of bikes and cycling tech.
We’ve ridden and provided our judgement on everything from pro-level road race bikes to budget entry-level options. We’ve also taken a keen interest in gravel bikes right from when they first emerged as a separate category, so the best all-road bikes are a natural fit into our purview, as they cross the boundary between road and gravel.
Best all-road bikes reviewed by Cyclist
Swift Univox GR
€2,890 | View offer
- Road and gravel specs available
- More road-going geometry and handling
The Swift Univox is designed as an endurance bike with gravel capabilities, so it slots well into the all-road category. There are Evo and GR specs each with an emphasis on different terrain, although the geometry is more road than gravel. The bike has features including a variable setback seatpost design that allows you to fine-tune your ride position for different uses.
Although we reviewed the gravel spec, we found it a bit twitchy on technical off-road and the 40mm clearance is narrow for gravel. We liked the quality of the frameset though, and reckon that the Evo build would be a better bet than the GR gravel build, as it offers higher gearing from its 2× groupset for faster rides on road.
- Read our full Swift Univox GR review
Sonder Colibri Ti Chorus
£3,649 | View offer
- Well-priced titanium frameset with 36mm tyre clearance
- Good range of spec options available when ordering
The Sonder Colibri comes from the in-house brand of outdoor retailer Alpkit and offers a titanium frameset at what, in the current day, is a bargain price. It's not butted, but deals well with road buzz and carries a 10-year guarantee. It will accept tyres up to 36mm wide or 32mm with mudguards; our test bike was fitted with 32mm Panaracer GravelKing SS TLC tyres. You can choose component specs such as bar width and stem length and a range of extras at purchase.
The 12-speed Campagnolo Chorus build offers excellent braking and something different from the usual Shimano and SRAM - although the Colibri Ti is available with these too. We'd swap out the quite heavy wheelset, which disguises some of the bike's potential.
- Read our full Sonder Colibri Ti Chorus review
Lapierre Pulsium SAT Allroad 6.0
From £2,194.98 (RRP £3,191.47) | View offer
- Capable handling on technical light gravel
- Gravel-going GRX groupset/WTB tyres with endurance bike geometry
Standing for Shock Absorption Technology, Lapierre's SAT elastomer sits in a continuation of the seat stays and is designed to help reduce road vibrations. The geometry remains more endurance bike-like, but the latest Allroad version of the Pulsium is equipped with off-road ready finishing kit: a 2x Shimano GRX groupset, flared bars and 32mm WTB Expanse gravel tyres.
The spec sets the bike up for light gravel use, it copes with more technical ground well and its handling is assured on road too, if a little sedate. What the Pulsium Allroad lacks, however, is mounts for mudguards or extra bottles or bags. Lapierre describes the bike as "gravel light" and says that it has omitted the extra mounts to keep it light.
- Read our full Lapierre Pulsium SAT Allroad 6.0 review
Fara F/AR
From £3,203 (RRP: £3737) | View offer
- Road-going geometry and spec
- Up to 38mm tyre clearance allows you to take in gravel sections on your ride
A road bike at heart, the Norwegian direct-to-consumer Fara F/AR has the 38mm tyre clearance that allows you to head off for some light gravel action. You can choose the spec to meet your riding aims, whether that be fast group rides or light gravel bikepacking. There are enough hidden mounts to kit the bike out for any adventure.
The geometry is firmly in the endurance road range, but the slightly longer wheelbase and slacker head tube angle add to the tyre clearance and off-road stability. That makes for comfortable, relaxed riding on road but allows you to head off-road mid-route. Although the frame is stiffer than some all-road bikes, the tyre and wheel choice help to temper this.
- Read our full Fara F/AR review
Mason Definition
£2,900 | View offer
- Quality Italian-built alloy frameset
- Hits the sweet spot between on-road speed and off-road capabilities
Mason Cycles was one of the pioneers of all-road bikes and the alloy Definition offers 35mm tyre clearance and a relaxed geometry for on/off road adventures. The made-in-Italy frame has smooth welds and other features include an oversized bottom bracket shell, which allows internal cable routing.
There’s good power transfer and responsiveness from the stiff frame, but any tendency to harshness is tempered by the wide tyres. We reckon that the geometry is spot-on for an all-road bike as well. The price now feels mid-range, particularly for a low production volume bike from a smaller brand.
- Read our full Mason Definition review
Mason Resolution
£3,300 | View offer
- Stiff but lively steel frameset and bespoke build options
- Enough room for 35mm tyres
Another entry from Mason Cycles, showing the brand’s forward thinking on all-road bikes, the Resolution has a steel frame rather than alloy. Like the Definition, this is hand built in Italy, in this case from Columbus Spirit and Life tubing. Mason says that it’s chosen steel for its vibration damping and lively ride feel.
As with the Definition, the frame is stiff, but that’s tempered by wider 32mm tyres, with 35mm clearance in the frame. Despite the steel frame, weight is kept down to 8.6kg in our Campagnolo Ekar build, although you can choose an alternative spec to suit your preferences.
- Read our full Mason Resolution review
Fairlight Strael 3.0
£4,204 (frameset £1,399) | View offer
- Quality steel frameset with modern features
- Wide range of size and fit options
With high grade Reynolds 853 steel main frame tubes, the third generation of the Strael is said by UK brand Fairlight to be a four-seasons road bike. Its 36mm clearance marks it out as a bike that can do more than traverse tarmacked roads though.
The design has retro touches like external cabling and skinny steel looks, while there are mudguards and rack mounts and even the option to fit a dynamo hub. The 9kg weight is competitive for a steel framed bike.
Our build included Shimano Ultegra Di2 and a Chris King headset, which placed it towards the top of the price range, but cheaper builds come in at around £2.5k, which we reckon is good value for such a capable bike. There are five sizes and two head tube length options for each size, so there’s a lot of choice to ensure that the Strael 3.0 will fit you.
- Read our full Fairlight Strael 3.0 review
Specialized Roubaix SL8 Expert
£5,500 | View offer
- Superb comfort from updated Future Shock 3.0
- Stiff, responsive frameset
The new Roubaix SL8 moves Specialized's endurance road bike firmly into the all-road category. It now has clearance for 40mm tyres, a third bottle mount, a top tube feed bag mount and the previously lacking mudguard eyes.
Despite these nods to increased versatility, frame weight drops by 50g and the Roubaix retains the 20mm Future Shock front suspension and damped rear of its predecessor. That leads to a ride that smooths road imperfections superbly if you stick to tarmac, but should with the right tyres take you far off-road as well. That's something we've yet to test on a longer acquaintance than our first ride review.
- Read our full Specialized Roubaix SL8 Expert review
BMC Roadmachine X One
£3,429.05 BMC Roadmachine X TWO (RRP: £4,800) | View offer
- 33mm tyre clearance with 32mm gravel tyres fitted
- Great ride on road and the capability to stray onto light gravel
The X in the BMC’s name marks it out as a bike in the brand’s range that doesn’t need to stick to tarmac. Based on the standard Roadmachine frame with its angular looks and dropped seatstays, the Roadmachine X has 33mm clearance, a 1× groupset and 32mm WTB gravel tyres fitted.
BMC says that the bike is designed for 50:50 road/light gravel riding and it copes well with this, although if you enjoy 'underbiking', the Roadmachine X can stray further into the wilderness.
The Roadmachine X is at its heart a road bike with a sublime ride on tarmac, although with a decent amount of compliance to handle gravel. We’d have liked to see a 2× set-up to exploit its on/off-road potential though, as it’s neither high geared enough for fast road, nor low geared enough for trickier gravel and actually has a higher lowest ratio than BMC’s road-going Roadmachines.
- Read our full BMC Roadmachine X One review
J.Laverack J.Ack III Di2 review
£1000 deposit | View offer
- Superb looks and ride quality
- Custom frame options, with a bike fit as part of the buying process
The J.Laverack J.Ack III is a titanium framed bike that helps smooth the roughest road surfaces. The J.Ack III has space for 38mm tyres, but it proved supremely comfortable with the fitted 32mm tubeless Contis.
We loved the classy traditional looks and the way everything worked perfectly, from the seamless shifting of the Dura-Ace groupset right down to the rub-free wheels and creak-free bottom bracket. At 8.2kg, the bike is no slouch on climbs either.
The buying experience includes a bike fit at the brand’s Rutland HQ and there’s a modestly priced custom frame geometry option if needed.
- Read our full J.Laverack J.Ack III Di2 review
Canyon Endurace CFR
£8,349 (RRP £8,999) | View offer
- 35mm tyre clearance and Canyon's split seatpost
- Tool sleeve under hatch in top tube
The Canyon Endurace has followed the trend towards more all-road orientation, and the range now includes this top spec CFR, with tyre width increased to 35mm for greater all-surface comfort and capability. The bike has the same adjustable width one-piece cockpit as seem on the Aeroad and Canyon claims watt savings from the new design.
Comfort is enhanced by the split seatpost, while Canyon fits mismatched 30mm front and 32mm rear tyres. We noted the rear end comfort on offer on disrupted road surfaces, although the front of the bike remains more taut.
The Endurace is available in eight sizes, with the smallest two running on 650b wheels to ensure more uniform handling across the size range. We lamented the absence of mudguard/fender mounts though and wondered if the cheaper Endurace SLX range represented a better buy.
- Read our Canyon Endurace CFR review
Trek Domane SLR 7
£7,980 (RRP £9,700) | View offer
- Added comfort from rear IsoSpeed and wide tyres
- Geometry provides a planted, stable ride feel
The fourth generation Trek Domane has lost its front IsoSpeed decoupler, in the process losing 300g in weight, although it retains the rear one. It also keeps the wide tyre clearance of 38mm, so even without the front damping there's plenty of ride comfort. The tube profiles are now more aero too.
Also retained from the old model is the down tube cubbyhole for tools or a rescue gel and mudguard mounts. The bar and stem are separate rather than one piece, so you can dial in your fit. Trek offers a large bottom bracket drop that gives a planted feel when cornering and a long trail for stability on descents.
The comfort and handling are attractive, but we felt that IsoSpeed was almost superfluous on UK roads and it does contribute significantly to the 8.2kg weight.
- Read our full Trek Domane SLR review
Pinarello Dogma X
£13,300 | View offer
- Clearance for 35mm tyres
- X-shaped seatstays add comfort at the rear, although the front remains stiff
The novel feature of Pinarello's high spec allroad/endurance bike is its skinny seatstays with their X-shaped bridge and double connection to the seat tube. They're designed to boost comfort, although the front end remains race bike stiff. The bike also has a more relaxed geometry than the Dogma F and clearance for wider 35mm tyres.
The Dogma X is made from the same top tier Toray carbon fibre as the Dogma F and has the same asymmetric frame design and integrated cockpit. It's available in 11 different sizes. It's a bike that copes well with light gravel, but without bobbing, thanks in large part to the seatstays. There are no extra mounts for mudguards or luggage though.
- Read our full Pinarello Dogma X review
Colnago C68 Allroad
£5,999 frameset, £14,000 as tested | View offer
- 35mm tyre clearance rather than the C68 Road's 32mm
- Best suited to long backroad rides and smoother off-road
Colnago's Italian-made C bike family has now grown to five models, once you include the C68 rim brake, with the Allroad sitting between the C68 Road and C68 Gravel in its offroadiness. It shares those bikes' internal hoses and electronic-only shifting, but although the geometry is very similar to the C68 Road, the frameset accommodates 35mm tyres in place of the C68 Road's 32mm.
We reckon that the C68 Allroad is the best C-series bike for typical UK tarmac, with composed handling and descending and would be ideal for long days out at home or abroad. If you venture off-road, the C68 Allroad's firm ride and 38mm width handlebars make the bike best suited to smoother surfaces though.
- Read our full Colnago C68 Allroad review
What is an all-road bike? Here are the features that count
If you thought gravel bike was a loosely defined term, 'all-road' is just as vague. All-road bikes are road bikes with drop handlebars that aim to offer you the best of all worlds: the option to keep to tarmac and enjoy a ride that’s as capable as a regular road bike, but also the chance to ride less technical gravel terrain if you’re looking for a little variety in your rides.
As with all riding niches, the boundaries are not clearly defined, but here are the features that qualify a bike as all-road-capable in our eyes.
1. Wide clearances and larger tyres
All-road bikes will typically accept at least a 32mm-wide tyre, and perhaps as wide as 35mm or even larger, which would have been considered enormous for a road bike just a few years ago.
While you can certainly ride gentle trails on tyres as narrow as 28mm, 30mm or larger is a better choice for comfort and puncture-resistance.
Bikes with larger clearance can accept quite wide knobbly gravel bike tyres to increase the bike’s performance off-road in wetter, dirtier, more technical conditions. But if it’s dry and not too bumpy you can get a long way on a 35mm road tyre run at the lower pressure that this width allows.
2. Wide, tubeless-compatible rims
Wider tyres perform best on wider rims so pay attention to internal rim width. If you're planning to run 30mm or wider tyres, an internal rim width of at least 21mm is a good choice.
While many bikes are still sold with inner tubes, going tubeless is a good idea if you're venturing off-tarmac. This lets you run lower tyre pressures for comfort and increased grip without risking pinch flats. Any all-road bike worth its salt will come with tubeless-compatible rims, and preferably tubeless-compatible tyres too so you don't have to spend extra to make the leap.
3. Generous gearing
You're likely to want lower gears off-road than you would on a pure road bike, because you'll need them for climbing on rough, steep terrain.
Some all-road bikes come with gravel-focussed gearing for this reason, but it's not necessarily essential. There's no real consensus about 1× vs. 2× for all-road riding either.
Brands aiming for a gravel aesthetic may opt for the relative simplicity of 1× and it's easy to see the appeal, but do consider whether you're getting the actual range of gears your riding demands. For enjoyable riding on- and off-road with nicely spaced gears, 2× still has its place.
4. Relaxed geometry
All-road bike geometry is another area where there's no real consensus, but a less aggressive riding position and handling that's more stable than darty are desirable characteristics.
If you're dabbling off-road you may not want a huge amount of saddle-to-bar drop, so look for fit numbers closer to an endurance (or 'sportive') riding position. As well as more stack and less reach, that might mean a slightly longer wheelbase, slightly higher trail figure and a slightly slacker head angle than your standard racy road bike.
More of a gravel rider? Check out our guide to the best gravel bikes.
