Introduction
The mountains are the ultimate playground for road cyclists. Mythical passes, breathtaking landscapes, pure effort: the mountains reveal the true cyclist. Here are the best road bikes for climbing in 2025.
Criteria for a good climbing bike
- Weight: every gram counts on climbs. Aim for under 7 kg
- Stiffness: efficient power transfer is essential on steep gradients
- Geometry: a balanced bike for long ascents
- Gearing: a small chainring (34 teeth) and a large cassette (32 teeth)
Best climbing bikes 2025
Ultralight (under 6.5 kg)
- Specialized S-Works Aethos: the lightest on the market, 4.9 kg (€12,000)
- Trek Émonda SLR 9: ultralight, excellent for climbing (€10,000)
- Pinarello Dogma F: light and stiff, the choice of champions (€12,000)
High-end (6.5-7.5 kg)
- Colnago C68: Italian craftsmanship, excellent for climbing (€8,000)
- BMC Teammachine SLR01: Swiss stiffness and lightness (€7,000)
Accessible (7.5-8.5 kg)
- Canyon Ultimate CF SLX 8: excellent value for money (€3,500)
- Trek Émonda SL 6: light and accessible (€3,000)
Conclusion
A good climbing bike means watts saved on every climb. And when you return from the mountains, your bike awaits you on its David & Clément stand.