12 Road Bikes We Predict Will be Updated in 2025 – Outside Magazine

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It’s time to put the kettle on, brew a fresh one, and gaze into those tea leaves in a bid to see which new road bikes could be released this year.With oversupply massively impacting the industry over the past 12+ months, we’d hope that models that perhaps should have been updated in 2024, will finally see the light of day in 2025. There are still heaps of heavily discounted bikes around though, so many manufacturers may hold off the launch of their new road bikes until deeper into the year, though i’m sure we’ll see several of these arrive before the 2025 Tour de France Départ leaves Lille on July 5th.Still, we don’t foresee any mind-blowing changes to occur, aside from some of the smaller technical advancements that Josh and Alvin alluded to in their 2025 Predictions article. Specifically, more options to run 30mm tires, and a growing preference for shorter cranks – if 165mm is good enough for Pogačar…For those who aren’t familiar with the process, bike companies typically refresh a model every three years or so, which means that compiling this list is as scientific as going through the archives and looking at the bikes that haven’t been updated in a few years. There have been also a few teasers released, with intent or inadvertently, over the last few months, as athletes have tried out the new bikes ahead of their official launch.Keep in mind that this list focuses on updates or revisions to existing models – there may well be completely new bikes in the works, too.Specialized’s lightest road bike, the Aethos, is rather long in the tooth, having last been updated in 2021. That said, there is very little about this bike that gives away its age. It is still one of the lightest production road frames money can buy – the 56cm painted S-Works frame weighs just 585 grams. One might be easily convinced it has reached its lowest weight, but I wouldn’t put it past Specialized’s carbon engineers to go one better.If the Aethos is to be updated this year, I imagine it will move to integrated cable routing, perhaps with use of the Roval Alpinist SL cockpit. Some may lament that fact, having appreciated the easier maintenance that comes with a standard cockpit, while others will be happy to tuck those unsightly cables out of the way of lights, computer mounts, and other accoutrements.We predict that any new iteration of the Aethos will see a more upright geometry by virtue of a longer head tube, perhaps with a slight increase in tire clearance to 38mm to bring the option of improved comfort to this well established race bike. Cervélo’s classic road bike, the R5, was last updated in 2021. Since then, it has seen immense success under Jonas Vingegaard, who has ridden it and the brand’s more aero-optimized road bike, the S5, to win the 2022 and the 2023 Tour de France. Clearly, there’s not a lot wrong with it. But, capitalism demands more things for us all to want, so chances are Cervélo have something on the way that is at least 0.001% faster.Any evolution of this climbing-oriented bike will likely see some tube profile changes to improve aerodynamics, but we think this will be very subtle, and unlikely to come at any great expense to the frame weight.Cannondale’s endurance road bike was last updated in 2022. The refresh brought improved aerodynamics and increased tire clearance, as well as the brand’s proprietary SmartSense technology with a radar safety feature and integrated system of lights. As well as the capacity to run 35mm tires, Cannondale further boosted comfort with a frame said to be 8% more compliant.Aside from the fact that a threshold amount of time has passed since the last update, we have seen a much stronger indicator that a new Synapse is in the works. That came in the form of Lachlan Morton’s Around Australia Record Attempt, during which he rode an as-of-yet unreleased bike from Cannondale. A girthier downtube (frame storage, perhaps), a D-shaped seat post, narrower stays and the addition of reflective elements on the stays and fork indicate this is a new bike optimized for comfort over long distances. We wouldn’t be surprised if tire clearance is boosted even further, perhaps going as wide as 40mm.While the SmartSense technology was well-received, we’d predict that any new version of the Synapse will be sans SmartSense, purely because the decision to take on the associated weight penalty should, realistically, be left to the consumer.The SystemSix was last updated in 2019, which does make us wonder whether Cannondale have quietly taken the decision to can it. The current frame presented a huge leap in aero performance, but still i’d say Cannondale are yet to take full advantage of the updated UCI regulations (the abolition of the 3:1 rule).We’d expect any new iteration to go deeper at the downtube and headtube, with the adoption of Cannondale’s Delta (v-shaped) steerer tube. That would free up space inside the headtube to run cables either side of the steerer, allowing use of a full internal cockpit setup and a headtube profile more akin to that seen on the SuperSix EVO.Cannondale’s aluminum road race bike last saw an overhaul in 2019, where we saw its overall shape change dramatically with the introduction of a sloping top tube and dropped seat stays. Over the years, its evolution has fallen in line with the SuperSix EVO, giving it a not dissimilar silhouette to that premium carbon offering.We had hoped the CAAD would be updated 2024 but it wasn’t to be. Arguably, the appetite for aluminum road race bikes from the big brands is diminishing; as more affordable catalog frames have increased in quality and reduced in weight, it seems consumers have found justifying the spend on an aluminum bike from more well-established manufacturers trickier. The reduced daylight between the price point of a premium aluminum frame and equivalent carbon models won’t be helping matters either. It’s entirely possible that Cannondale will hold off another year or so for those reasons.However, if they do bring the CAAD 14 to market, we expect it to go the way of the SuperSix EVO, just as the Specialized Allez mirrors the Tarmac SL8. That would mean the move to a narrower seat post, a slightly more aerodynamically favorable tubeset, and a modest increase in tire clearance.Though Cannondale has kept the CAAD models to a press fit bottom bracket for around two decades, 2025 could be the year that changes to a threaded option. The SuperSix EVO road race bike, the latest Synapse and the Topstone Carbon now benefit from a threaded BB, and we’d expect a new CAAD go the same way.The Specialized Allez Sprint was last updated in 2022, with a new aluminum construction that took the SmartWeld technology up a notch, improving comfort along the way. The frame also gained a few grams as its stiffness was increased to match that of the Tarmac SL7, while improving on the power transfer over the predecessor with a lower bottom bracket.We predict that it will continue to mirror the Tarmac, switching to a narrower seat post. Despite having increased in weight over the years, Specialized maintain that the Allez Sprint is the fastest aluminum road bike money can buy. Whether that is true or not, I imagine that to maintain an air of authenticity in that department, it will need to stop gaining weight, and perhaps start losing a gram or two.The Team Machine SLR was very well received when its fourth generation was introduced for 2021. At that time, BMC dropped the disc brake option, and brought new more aerodynamically favorable tube shapes to make this thoroughbred road racing bike a little more well rounded alongside its contemporaries in the peloton. Since then, the Swiss brand has brought in a dedicated aero road bike; the Team Machine R, later updating their true lightweight climbing bike, the Road Machine. If the Team Machine SLR is to be updated in 2025, its likely the brand will not want it to step on the toes of either of the aforementioned. For that reason, I don’t foresee BMC pressing on with further aero optimization of this frame, but I’ll eat my hat if they don’t try to make it a little lighter.A painted 54cm frame weighs a claimed 820 grams. There are a number of lighter frames occupying this section of the market, so BMC will need t shave a few grams to keep their offering relevant and competitive on that front.The Canyon Ultimate was last updated in September 2022, so we may see a new one towards the end of 2025, but it could well fall into 2026. It’s already competitively light, weighing a claimed 762 g in a medium size with paint and hardware, despite the most recent iteration actually gaining weight as Canyon went after certain stiffness and aero properties. I imagine any new version of the Ultimate would look to maintain those properties while shaving a few grams.Ultimately (scoff), we don’t see any major updates coming for this bike. We expect (and hope) they will start using T25 bolts everywhere to improve usability, and we expect adoption of the modular PACE bar that allows brake hoses to be routed under the bar (instead of inside it), making it easier for riders to swap out the bar for the alternate shape (classic or flared), without having to disconnect hoses and re-bleed brakes. It was a well-received addition to the Aeroad when it was updated in 2024, bringing a level of customization that will i’m sure be appreciated across the board. It has to be said, the Orbea Orca isn’t one of the most aesthetically pleasing aero road bikes that money can buy. Much of that can be attributed to its under downtube storage compartment that makes it look as though it is about to self-propagate. The bike was last updated in 2021, and is thus due a refresh.Chances are, Orbea will look to improve on its aero efficiency further, but my guess is that they will remove the storage compartment on the downtube. Hopefully, they will be able to make it a good bit lighter in the process; the incumbent weighs 1,150 grams, making it one of the heavier aero-optimized road bikes on the market.Glancing at the above, it may surprise you to learn that the Filante SLR is supposed to be Wilier’s aero road bike. It lacks the deep section tubes of it competitors, largely because it has not been overhauled since the UCI changed their technical regulations to abolish the 3:1 rule on tube shapes. In fact, it was as far back as 2019 that the Filante SLR was subject to any meaningful changes.Despite having lost Astana for this year, Wilier still sponsor Groupama FDJ, a team deserves a modern aero road bike. The Verticale is well-established as the brand’s lightweight climbing bike, leaving plenty of space for the Filante SLR to spread its wings and go all-in on aero optimization.The Reacto is well overdue a refresh, having not been updated since 2019. As such, Merida are yet to take advantage of the latest UCI regulations on equipment – specifically, the removal of the 3:1 ratio for tube shapes. Thus, there is great scope for the Reacto frameset to morph into something a little more aerodynamically friendly than the incumbent with deeper sections at the headtube, downtube and seat tube.Ribble Cycles’ aero road race bike was last updated in 2021. Aside from the fact that we’re well past the standard 3 year product cycle, there’s one other indication that a new version is about to drop very soon. A gander at the UCI list of approved frames reveals that on January 14th, the Ribble Ultra Race was added – such a frame is not currently advertised on the Ribble website. It was added alongside frames like the Argon 18 E117, and the Ridley Noah Fast, both of which were renewed very recently.Furthermore, while the current Ribble Ultra is only available in sizes XS-XL, the UCI approved list of frames shows sizes XXS-XL. Finally, the incumbent is subject to heavy discounts just now, another indication a new model will be vying for your hard earned cash imminently. As compared to other modern aero road bikes, the Ultra is a little on the heavy side at a claimed 1,200g in a size medium. We expect Ribble to take a reasonable chunk out of that with any new iteration. We also reckon they will push on with the polarizing Ultra Aero carbon bars – said to “disrupt the airflow, creating a wake for the rider’s legs to sit within, manipulating vortexes around the rider to further enhance airflow”, according to the marketing copy on the Ribble website. Hopefully any new iteration of that integrated bar is a little more pleasing to the eye.© 2025 Outside Interactive, Inc

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