After thousands of test miles logged on dozens of bikes, our sister title Cycling Plus magazine has crowned the Cannondale CAAD12 105 as its Bike of the Year 2016.
What’s even more impressive is that it was the least expensive bike on a shortlist of four category winners: up to £1500, £1500-2000, £2000-2750 and £2750 and above.
The test team, led by Warren Rossiter, described it as “fast and light, extremely comfortable, it climbs as well as machines far pricier, is an exciting descender and suited to every kind of riding.”
Bike of the year winner 2016
'A revelation'
The teams added that the CAAD12 105 is “a bike to put your prejudices aside for and simply get on and ride. It’s a revelation – proving that price isn’t everything, aluminium is a match for carbon and rim brakes can still cut it. In short, it’s a very special machine.”
The full shortlist – and price point winners - also includes:
- Best Bike £2750 & above: Bianchi’s Specialissima: “One of the most enthralling rides we’ve ever experienced.”
- Best Bike £2000-2750: The Wilier GTR SL: “Looks the part and has the ride quality to back it up.”
- Best Bike £1500-2000: BMC’s SLR02: “Almost as quick as its pro team looks suggest, with superb ride quality and great comfort.”
Stay tuned for extended reviews of these exceptional rides on BikeRadar over the coming weeks.
Tough task
Rob Spedding, Cycling Plus editor-in-chief, said: “Choosing Bike of the Year is an incredibly tough task – there are just so many brilliant road bikes on the market.
"The winner has to be exceptional and this year's certainly is. The Cannondale CAAD12 105 is a bike that punches well above its weight. It delivers a fast, precise and comfortable ride, is really affordable and, best of all, it's a huge amount of fun."
The 2016 Bike of the Year Awards appears in issue 313 of Cycling Plus Magazine – the UK’s biggest selling cycling magazine – on sale today, March 31.
