Cyclists are always looking for the latest and greatest when it comes to technology and performance. This might mean fancy recovery products promising an extra edge, or wearable tech to monitor just about every metric you can imagine.
And when we think of the best of the best, naturally the Tour de France comes to mind. Riders have every imaginable resource at their fingertips, and many brands will unveil some of their new prototypes that haven't even hit the market yet.
This 21-day race is essentially a rolling smorgasbord for cyclists who nerd out on electronic groupsets, carbon wheels and disc brakes—drool included.
But how much would it cost to actually buy a bike the riders are using in the Tour? Just as the same roads and routes are available to amateur cyclists, eventually this tech will be released and found at your local bike shop (likely for special order).
While you may be able to buy Peter Sagan's or Chris Froome's bike, it doesn't mean you're going to sprint or climb like either of them. But at the very least, you'll look about as pro as possible the next time you roll up to your Sunday shop ride. Plus, not only will your new bike save you weight, but your wallet will be considerably lighter, too. #grams
Below we've gathered three top-shelf bikes actually ridden in the Tour de France that are attainable for the average Joe.
Cannondale SystemSix Hi-Mod Dura-Ace Di2
$11,500Cannondale has been racking up accolades for decades, and its newest high-performance offering, the SystemSix, is no exception. Crowned the 2019 Race Bike of the Year by BikeRadar, and the fastest bike tested by Tour Magazine, it's no wonder Cannondale has been a Tour de France mainstay. This year, it's once again the bike sponsor for Slipstream Sports (with a new title sponsor EF Education First), and this SystemSix has been praised by the likes of Rigobero Uran, Taylor Phinney and Lachlan Morton.
Of course, each rider customizes his bike depending on the conditions and his own preferences, but let's take a look at the components and features included in the consumer model that add up to the whopping $11,500 price tag.
Frameset: SystemSix, BallisTec Hi-MOD Carbon
Drivetrain: Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 Hydro Disc, 11-Speed
Crank: Cannondale HollowGram SiSL2 w/ power2max NG Eco Power Meter, Vision rings, 52/36
Wheelset: Cannondale HollowGram KNØT64, Carbon
Tires: Vittoria Rubino Pro Speed
Components: Cannondale KNØT SystemBar; SystemSix Seatpost with Prologo Dimension NACK Saddle
Learn more about the Cannondale SystemSix
Specialized S-Works Venge Disc — SRAM ETAP
$12,500Specialized might arguably be the most recognizable name in cycling, period. Not only does it dominate the U.S. market, but it's available in most bike shops and offers a wide range of models for every type of cyclist. It's just about everywhere you look in the Tour de France, too, and this American brand cleaned house with seven wins in the 2018 edition of the race (the next closest was Bianchi with three wins). Specialized sponsors not one but two Tour de France teams, and last year Fernando Gaviria and Julian Alaphilippe (Quick-Step Floors) combined for four wins, and Peter Sagan (Bora-Hansgrohe) came away with three.
The Specialized S-Works Venge was ridden by all three at different points during the 21-stage race, and it's no surprise. The bike is super light, stiff and aero while being surprisingly compliant—perfect for maximizing efficiency on back-to-back long days in the saddle.
Frameset: S-Works FACT 11r carbon, Rider-First Engineered™, Win Tunnel Engineered, internal electric only cable routing, OSBB, 12x142mm thru-axle, flat-mount disc
Drivetrain: SRAM RED eTAP AXS, 12-speed
Crank: SRAM RED AXS Power Meter, 48/35T
Wheelset: Roval CLX 64 Disc, carbon, tubeless-ready, Win Tunnel Engineered, 64mm depth, CeramicSpeed bearings, 21h
Tires: Turbo Cotton, 320 TPI, 700x26mm
Components: Venge integrated stem, 6-degree; S-Works Aerofly II handlebars, 80mm reach x 130mm drop; 2019 S-Works Venge aero seatpost, FACT carbon, Di2-compatible
Learn more about the Specialized Venge
Canyon Ultimate CF SLX Disc 9.0
$9,000While the previous two bikes were the aero offerings from two major American brands, we mixed it up a bit with this last inclusion. Canyon, a relative newcomer to the cycling scene, has disrupted the cycling scene in a big way. This German brand sells its bikes direct-to-consumer, which means it bypasses the middleman (a.k.a. bike shops) and sells its bikes online to ship directly to the customer. This allows it to sell at a considerably cheaper price point (yes, even at $9,000).
Like Specialized, Canyon sponsors two WorldTour teams in the Tour de France—Katusha-Alpecin and Movistar. It offers an aero road bike, too, but here we've included its flagship do-it-all model—appropriately named the "Ultimate." This model has several victories at the Tour de France, but it now dons the rainbow stripes after Movistar's Alejandro Valverde won the Road World Championship in 2018.
Here's what you'll get for a cool $9,000:
Frameset: Canyon Ultimate CF SLX Disc, Carbon
Drivetrain: Campagnolo Super Record EPS SS
Crank: Campagnolo Super Record
Wheelset: Campagnolo Bora One 50 Disc Brake C12
Tires: Continental Grand Prix 4000 S II
Components: Canyon CP10 Aerocockpit CF; Fizik Antares R3 saddle; Canyon S13 VCLS CF seatpost
Learn more about the Canyon Ultimate
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