What place does an endurance road bike still have in today’s market?

Is an endurance road bike exactly what the average hobby cyclist needs?

Let me start with an unpopular opinion. The vast majority of people who crave an aero road frame and 60 mm rims don’t actually need an aero road frame and 60 mm rims.

As the happy owner of an endurance “razor” for several years now, I’ll try to explain why this type of bike should be the go-to choice for the average recreational cyclist.

An endurance bike covers a wide range of rides

For several years, I’ve been riding an endurance Superior X-ROAD Team Issue in a slightly modified version. At the time I bought it, I hadn’t even heard a whisper about the differences between road bike frames. I simply liked the design, the colour, and the sleek “fairing.” 🙂

But as the kilometres accumulated, I became increasingly convinced that it was definitely the right choice.


This time, however, I won’t be analysing the bike in terms of its equipment or components. Lately, though, I’ve had the feeling that endurance road bikes are somehow losing popularity among cyclists, and unfairly so.

We have to admit that social media does endurance road bikes no favours. Almost everyone seems to be showing off oversized frame tubes and deep-section wheels.

But when was the last time you saw a beautiful endurance bike on Instagram?

First and foremost, I should define myself as a rider, because what suits me may not suit someone else. Simply put, the longer the route, the better. High average speeds, however, still tend to elude me. 🙂

I’m actually doing a fairly good job of disproving the stereotype that every road cyclist should constantly be pushing 300 watts, breathing through clenched teeth, and averaging well over 30 km/h on every ride.


So why am I writing all this? Because I believe the vast majority of us—especially those considering their first road bike—are exactly the same. How do you resist the temptation to spend a fortune on a highly efficient aero bike when an endurance bike can do almost everything it can, just a little slower?

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Comfort, comfort, and more comfort

The greatest strength of endurance bikes is the comfort they provide, and they achieve it in several ways.

Let’s start with the frame itself. Anyone serious about cycling—and not interested in garage builds or aluminium legends such as the CAAD series—will likely gravitate toward carbon. Once again, I’ll refer to the differences in frame materials, because not all carbon is created equal.

In short, the way carbon fibres are laid, their orientation, and their thickness allow manufacturers to achieve specific frame characteristics.

A frame can be highly efficient at transferring power but feel more like a jackhammer (high-modulus carbon), or it can sacrifice some stiffness in favour of greater compliance and vibration damping (mid-modulus carbon).


Once again, the question is simple: if I’m not racing, do I really need an ultra-stiff frame? Is saving a few seconds worth more than enjoying greater comfort on every ride?

The second way the frame contributes to comfort is through its geometry. Endurance bikes offer a more upright riding position. A longer wheelbase, higher stack, longer head tube, and slacker head angle all mean you won’t be riding in an overly aggressive position.

If you’re not accustomed to such a posture, your back won’t start protesting after just a few dozen kilometres. Instead, the bike will feel more stable and provide more material capable of absorbing road vibrations. Once again, we come back to the same point.


The third way an endurance bike delivers greater comfort is through its wheels and tires.

Sticking with the frame for a moment, endurance bikes generally offer more generous tire clearance. Although I have an older Superior frame, it should theoretically accommodate tires up to 40 mm wide.

Today, however, it’s common for manufacturers to design endurance frames around 32C tires and wider. While the trend toward wider tires continues to grow even in professional cycling, the aerodynamic efficiency of the overall system still plays an important role.

Greater tire clearance also enables another clever solution. Since bikes are often sold with aluminium wheelsets, you can always invest in a carbon wheelset fitted with narrower tires for smooth roads, while mounting wider tires—up to the frame’s maximum clearance—on the original wheels.

This effectively gives you a true all-round machine that can comfortably handle the occasional shortcut over rougher roads.

What about gravel?

The obvious question that may have crossed your mind is: “Okay, but wouldn’t it make more sense to buy a race-oriented gravel bike instead?” Believe me, I’ve asked myself that question many times. But there are still several factors worth considering.

The first is simple: why should I buy a gravel bike when I primarily ride on the road? 🙂 Wider tires are undoubtedly excellent, but the occasional gravel shortcut still represents only a tiny fraction of the kilometres I ride. And if I happen to include several such sections on a ride, the wheel-swapping solution mentioned earlier works perfectly well.

The second factor is gearing. Single-chainring setups are becoming increasingly popular, and I would recommend them if you mostly ride on flat terrain.

However, once you spend more time in the hills, a single chainring inevitably becomes a compromise—either on the climbs or on the descents. Yes, a double chainring can partially solve this issue with the right gearing choices.

But that brings us to the third—and perhaps most important—factor.


And that is price.

No matter how I looked at it, a gravel bike in a comparable weight category always cost more. A BMC Kaius is undoubtedly a rocket, and the same can be said for a Pinarello Dogma GR. Likewise, the new Superior I tested in Belgium genuinely impressed me. But once you see the price tag, the enthusiasm tends to fade rather quickly. 🙂

The point is that while you won’t be blasting through fields on an endurance bike—unless you’re a professional masochist—it can still offer many of the benefits associated with race-oriented gravel bikes. And often at a fraction of the price.

Final verdict

I don’t want to come across as a hater of aero bikes or climbing specialists. They absolutely have their place in cycling—especially when we’re talking about racing, whether professional or amateur, maintaining average speeds well above 30 km/h, or dealing with strong winds.

In the end, however, we always return to the same uncomfortable question: should I buy something that looks impressive but serves little practical purpose for my needs, simply because it follows social media trends, the WorldTour peloton, and the cult of the slammed stem? Or should I choose a less flashy but far more practical alternative?

The answer is up to each of us.