As we all know progress is fast within the bike industry, and while road bike models come and go, there are few that stand the test of time and can be regarded as classics.
No doubt some of you will say that most modern bikes are all much of a muchness, but we think there are a few that stand out from the crowd and have a good chance of becoming modern day classics themselves.
So, in no particular order, here are five bikes that we think could become items of desire in years to come.
1. Original Specialized Venge
There were aero road bikes before, but we think the original Specialized Venge – which broke cover in early 2011 – was the bike that finally thrust aero into the mainstream.
The organic lines of the frame made for a truly striking silhouette, and even though it took people a while to get used to the contemporary design, it soon became an incredibly popular bike for anyone serious about getting aero.
Pros loved it too, with riders such as Mark Cavendish and Tom Boonen winning big on the original Venge, which only adds to its classic status. As does the fact that the original range famously included a model built in collaboration with McLaren F1
It was also one of the first bikes that really made it cool to think about the aero performance of your bike. The knock on effect has meant that we now ride bikes far faster, lighter and more comfortable than the original Venge.
Specialized even claims its latest Tarmac is more aero than the original Venge, and that’s a climbing bike!
2. Cannondale SuperSix EVO
While the latest and greatest Cannondale Supersix EVO is more aero, more optimised, and more integrated than ever, we suspect it will never become a classic, looking too similar to the rest of the current crop of modern day, dropped seatstay road bikes.
However, we think the previous generation could already be well on its way to classic status.
Why? First up is weight. The previous SuperSix is still one of the lightest road bike frames ever made, and if you like climbing, that can only be a good thing.
Second has to be looks. That latest generation of dropped seatstay, aero optimised road bikes may be fast, but we think they’ve lost some of the old school soul that more traditionally shaped bikes, such as the last gen SuperSix, had.
Finally, it was available with rim brakes, again making for some of the lightest road bikes of the modern age.
Could the previous SuperSix EVO be one of the last great, double diamond, superlight road bikes? We certainly think so, but let us know what you think in the comments.
3. Pinarello Dogma F10
From looking at the comments on our videos, Pinarello seems to be a polarising brand. Some people love them, and some people think the premium price and unique looks are just too hard to stomach.
We suspect the Italian brand's latest offering, the F12, will be a tour de force of optimised aero tubing, assymetry and marketing buzzwords. However, when it came to creating a potential future classic, we’d wager its previous model, the F10, was where Pinarello really hit the nail on the head
The performance of the F10 is unquestionable, it won plenty of the world’s biggest races with some of the world’s best riders. But where it really wins for us is that in recent years it’s one of the more normal looking bikes Pinarello has made, with relatively subdued tube shapes.
So, perhaps the F10 will be the sort of bike collectors will lust after in years to come?
4. Specialized Allez Sprint
We’ve put the Specialized Allez Sprint in at number 4, but the Cannondale CAAD 12 and Trek Emonda ALR are equally as important.
As you may have guessed, they’re all connected by being high performance aluminium road bikes, and we think any one of them could become a modern day classic.
Nowadays, aluminium – a one time wonder material in the same way that carbon fibre composite is today – is an overlooked material for building high performance road bikes, but from our experience they usually give their carbon counterparts a real run for their money when it comes to ride quality.
It’s also more affordable and, for us, that can only be a good thing.
Finally, there’s also something about the look of certain aluminium bikes, which means we think they’ll stand the test of time better than their carbon counterparts, an essential part of one day becoming a classic.
5. Canyon Grail
Our final choice will no doubt be a controversial one, but at least hear us out before passing judgement.
For starters, the Canyon Grail is a gravel bike, not a road bike. However, we’re pretty sure that gravel riding, as a genre, is more of a gateway for roadies into off-road riding, rather than mountain bikers into road riding. (Not that the latter is a bad thing – the more the merrier!)
And, plenty of gravel bikes spend a lot of time on the roads, whether that’s riding to the wilderness, the daily commute or a trip to the pub.
Why do we think it could be a modern day classic? Well, just look at it.
The weird and, let's face it, it does look weird, double-decker Hover bar makes for a bike that divides opinion, probably like no other. And often it’s bikes that polarise at the time that go on to become classic or collectors' items in the future.
What do you think of our list? Did we get it right? Or should we have picked something else?
As always, let us know in the comments, and don’t forget to like and subscribe to our YouTube channel so that every time we upload a video you get a notification.
