There’s no better way to close out the year than by treating yourself to a flippin’ nice bike. That way, when the new year comes, you can start fresh and motivated thanks to your shiny new rig. To help you out, I picked the best bikes in our inventory worth blowing a holiday bonus check on. Each bike on this list has managed to capture my heart. Hopefully, one captures yours, and encourages you to splurge a little. You deserve it!
Road bikes
Trek Domane SLR 7 Project One - $6,999.99
Road cycling is changing. To explore beyond the confines of glass-smooth pavement, riders need endurance bikes with more comfort and tire clearance. The Trek Domane is perfect for this with IsoSpeed decouplers and clearance for big 38mm slicks. This Project One version is even perfect-er because the custom bass boat paint will outshine the sun on bright days.
Pegoretti Somebody - $6,399.99
Nothing beats a handbuilt Italian bike (except maybe handbuilt American?). The late Dario Pegoretti is one of my favorites thanks to his beautiful bespoke paint jobs and history of building bikes for legends like Miguel Induráin. This build is molto italiano with a Campagnolo Record group, Campy wheels, and a Deda cockpit.
Bianchi Specialissima Pantani 20th Anniversary - $7,999.99
Mamma Mia, another Italian bike, but this one is just so special. It commemorates Marco Pantani’s historic Giro-Tour double in 1998, a feat that only seven riders have achieved. Even if you can’t climb like Il Pirata himself, you’ll definitely look the part with the Bianchi Specialissima’s ultralight frame and a special Team Mercatone Uno-Bianchi paint job.
Gravel bikes
The American-made Allied Able first caught my eye when it won both the men’s and women’s events at the 2019 edition of Unbound Gravel 200. This Strickland Special Edition might be the hottest Able I’ve ever seen. It celebrates Unbound winner Colin Strickland, who shocked everyone when he powered the Able away from a stacked group of WorldTour pros.
I love going to The Radavist to ogle beautiful bikes crafted by small builders. But I never see myself owning one because I’m not patient enough to sit on waitlists. Well, this steel DeSalvo Gravel could change that. It was built for Grinduro California and was featured on The Radavist back in October. Now it’s here. If it weren’t slightly too big, it’d be in my garage right now.
MASH SF has a special place in my heart because I started cycling as a simple fixie kid back in college. This collaboration with Santa Cruz combines one of my favorite fixie brands with one of my favorite MTB brands, and the amazing result is this color-blocked Stigmata gravel bike that kind of looks like one of my favorite cars, the Golf harlequin.
Mountain bikes
I’ve been on the hunt for a new XC bike for months and I think the Salsa Spearfish might be it. You see, I don’t want something too racey. Instead, I’m more interested in this goofy new thing people keep talking about: “Downcountry” bikes. The Spearfish is a perfect example. The paint looks amazing, there is room for two bottles, and it was even ridden to victory in the Colorado Trail race.
It’s probably obvious at this point that I love special edition bikes. Who doesn't? They look amazing! This 30th Anniversary Edition Yeti SB6c recalls the Yeti colors of the ‘90s and includes plenty of anodized turquoise components. It belongs in a museum, but the SB6c is also an EWS championship-winning machine that deserves to be ridden hard.
Enduro bikes are becoming more and more like mini downhill bikes, and I’m all for it. Nothing epitomizes this trend like the latest Specialized Enduro, with 170mm of travel and an ultra-slack 63.9-degree head angle. We have a few other Enduros in our inventory, but none look as classy as this S-Works model with satin raspberry paint and bronze foil lettering.
E-bikes
I had to include this Specialized S-Works Kenevo SL because it’s the most expensive bike currently on our site. E-Bikes have come a long way, and the Kenevo SL is one of the most advanced ever designed. It has a peppy 240 watt motor but only weighs 40 pounds. Yeah it costs as much as a car, but a car doesn’t help you get up the hill for endless downhill laps. (Well, okay maybe if you're shuttling it does.)
New E-road bikes like this Orbea Gain look shockingly normal. A small motor is hidden in the rear hub and a slender battery is tucked away in the down tube. It has just enough power to give riders a boost for summiting big climbs or keeping up with faster riders. I want to buy one for my wife, sister, and dad, so we can all ride together as a speedy, happy famil-E.
Triathlon bike
Did you think I forgot about you triathletes? Well, no one will be able to forget you after you fly by them on this Cervélo PX-Series. To make the most aerodynamically efficient bike possible, Cervélo essentially built a bike from the future. This one already has a Pioneer power meter and CeramicSpeed OSPW installed too, so it’s ready to win at Kona if you can. Just add race wheels.
So what bike am I blowing my bonus on? That’s a tough choice, and the Pantani 20th Anniversary Bianchi Specialissima, Strickland Edition Allied Able, and 30th Anniversary Edition SB6c are all very special, and very tempting. But if I can only pick one, I’ll probably go the more practical route and choose the Salsa Spearfish. It's a bike that I’ll be able to ride every day and race hard on the weekend, exactly what I need.
What is your favorite bike here? Or is there something else you want to spend your holiday bonus on instead? Let me know in the comments!
