There is a bewildering number of road bikes available on the market, which is a blessing and a curse as while choice is great, working out what is the best option for you might not be straightforward.
The good news is that if you're looking for the best road bike, there are plenty of options to go around, with women-specific options from Liv Cycling to unisex bikes with women-specific contact points from several other brands, like Specialized, Scott, Canyon, and more.
Quick list
A race-ready bike benefiting from Liv's women's specific geometry. It's lightweight and fast.
Offers a great road feel, with plenty of tyre clearance and comfortable fit.
Quality alloy road bike at affordable prices and a great first bike for new road riders.
Offers plenty of adjustability, which is ideal if you want a narrower bar fit.
A smooth ride and good value, with the durability and charm of steel
A great spec bike without a huge price tag.
Best women's road bikes
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Best for racing
✅ You want a performance road bike: A great option for those looking for a combination of speed, aero, and light weight.
✅ You want a women-specific geometry: All Liv's bikes are made just for women.
❌ You want an entry-level bike: This is a performance road bike.
❌ You are a tall rider: If you are 180cm or over, you likely will not find the M size ample enough and are better off going for a unisex bike.
The Liv Langma Advanced Pro 0 is an aggressive road racer which is made for speed. It was ridden by the Liv ALUla Jayco team at the Giro d'Italia Women last year, with a handful of top-ten finishes by Mavi Garcia helping to secure the overall team victory.
This is the third generation of the Liv Langma range. The bike features truncated ellipse tube shapes, a new internal cable routing design, and up to 33mm tyre clearance means it is versatile enough for UK road riding whatever the weather.
Built around Liv's women-specific geometry, the sizing comes up small in the same way as the Avail listed above, with XS, S and M frames on offer.
What makes the Langma Advanced Pro 0 a good choice is, it combines smaller geometry with top-class speed and performance. With exceptional handling, high responsiveness, despite being a performance bike, we reckon it would do well being ridden for hundreds of kilometres.
The Langma is a popular range, and we reviewed an older model a few years back, which got top marks. Read our Liv Langma Advanced 1+ Disc review.
Best for endurance
✅ You want an endurance road bike: A great option for those looking for a combination of speed, comfort, and light weight.
✅ You want a women-specific geometry: All Liv's bikes are made just for women.
❌ You want an entry-level bike: This is a performance road bike with a price to match it.
If the Langma above is too aggressive and racy for you, then you might prefer the Avail range, which is Liv's endurance road bike. Featuring the same women's specific engineering, the Avail's geometry is relaxed and comfortable, making it a bike to be ridden all day long.
The Avail Advanced Pro 1 is built around Liv's Advanced-Grade Composite frame with OverDrive Aero steerer, it sports a Shimano 105 groupset and 32c tyres, with clearance for up to 38mm.
From her brief experience of riding the first version of the Avail Advanced Pro 1 in Provence back when it was launched, contributor Mildred Locke confirms that it rides like a dream, with super comfortable geometry, plush vibration damping from the thicker tyres, and smooth acceleration.
Another point to mention is that the Avail does come in a size L in the UK. unlike the Langma.
Best for budget
✅ You want a robust starter bike: The Allez is still the quintessential first road bike.
✅ You want modern specs: The latest iteration offers wide clearance and disc brakes.
❌ You want women-specific geometry: While the bike comes in a wide array of sizing, you may be more suited to a Liv.
❌ You want a racier position: The Allez geometry is quite upright.
The Specialised Allez is a favourite first 'proper' drop bar bike for new road riders for good reason, it offers modern specs for a good price.
Having evolved since its inception in 2023, the latest model features an alloy frameset with disc brakes and clearance to fit 35mm tyres. Along with mudguard mounts, which reduce to 32mm the space for tyres, and internal cable routing, it's a modern spec, although maintenance costs should be kept down by the straightforward design.
The Allez range stretches only to the entry-level bike fitted with Shimano Claris 8-speed and mechanical disc brakes and the Allez Sport which has 10-speed Shimano Tiagra and hydraulic disc brakes. The Allez Sprint is a more racy bike with a different frameset.
Despite not having women-specific geometry, the Allez comes in a wide range of sizes, which should suit all heights of riders. For a first road bike, you can't go far wrong with the Allez range.
Read our full review of the Specialized Allez Sport for more on our ride impressions.
Best adjustability
✅ You want to experiment with bar width: If you want to try a narrower bar width, changing is free with the Endurace.
✅ You want frame storage: Canyon's internal storage allows you to keep your pockets free of tools.
❌ You want mudguards: Canyon doesn't provide mudguard mounting points on the Endurace.
❌ You want more tyre clearance: The 35mm clearance isn't great for a modern endurance bike.
Hitting the top spec endurance mark with great adjustability is the Canyon CFR, the brand's endurance road bike.
It offers neat handling, low weight at 7.3kg, 32mm tyre clearance, and top spec components with Shimano Dura-Ace electronic shifting with a power meter.
But where it could really stand out for women is in its adjustability. The Endurace CFR shares the adjustable width handlebars with hidden hose routing of the Aeroad and Ultimate, allowing you to alter bar width by 40mm, allowing you to make the bike fit you, rather than the other way around. Handlebar width is a key area where women riders often have to make changes compared to men as, typically, our shoulders aren't as wide.
Also new is the tool roll packed into a cavity in the top tube, so you don't have to fill your jersey pockets with gear to fix a flat or mechanical, an added bonus.
Read our Canyon Endurace CFR Di2 review for more.
Best steel road bike
✅ You are a taller rider: The Strael will confidently suit taller women.
✅ You want a durable bike: The steel frame is easy to maintain and upgrade.
❌ You are a shorter rider: The sizing does not cater to smaller riders.
❌ You want it now: Fairlight's build-to-order model means a wait for your bike.
A steel bike is a thing of beauty, not least because of its looks and ride quality, but it also should last forever and for me that is a huge plus point when investing in a bike.
In the case of the Fairlight Strael, which is made from Reynolds 853 steel, the bike offers classic road bike looks and geometry. There's a wide range of frame sizes and you can choose a Tall frame if your dimensions require, but I should say this is not a bike for smaller riders. I'm over 180cm, so selfishly I can glide along with glee on this bike.
Fairlight builds the Strael to order, which allows you to choose your spec, choices including four different Shimano groupsets, a wide range of wheels and tyres and different cockpit dimensions. This is particularly good for women so you don't get stuck with stock handlebars, which in my experience are regularly too wide.
With the demand for the Strael, this does mean a delay in getting your bike after ordering though.
Despite the fairly modest price, reviewer Will reckoned that the Strael was the best bike he'd ridden, with sublime handling, sharp cornering and stiffness that encourages long seated efforts. There's huge upgrade potential and the Strael should be easy to maintain for years to come.
Read our full Fairlight Strael 3.0 review for more details of why Will says it's a bike he would buy.
Best budget race
✅ You want great value: Whether you're spending £2,500/$3,000 or four times that, the Ultimate range has great specs.
✅ You want versatility: With 32mm tyre clearance and aero features, the Ultimate can be an all-road or a race bike.
❌ You want more stable handling: The Ultimate isn't the easiest to pilot downhill.
❌ You want a dedicated aero bike: The Canyon Aeroad is also great value, has the same geometry but is more aero.
While Canyon is phasing out its WMN range, it is still putting a lot of effort into including huge size ranges and variable contact points on its unisex bikes so that there's something for everyone.
The Canyon Ultimate CF 7 is a classic carbon road race bike at a great price. It's highly specced, a great climber, thanks to the low weight and stiff frame, and rides nicely on the flat too.
The size range goes all the way down to 2XS, and up to 2XL, so anyone who sits on either extreme of the height spectrum should be able to get a model to fit them properly.
It's worth looking at the whole Ultimate range too as Canyon builds the Ultimate in three different frame grades: CF, CF SLX and the pro level CFR and a current range of 10 specs, so there's a depth of choice with prices that start at £2,500/$3,000 and top out at £9,750/$10,500.
You can read more in our review of the Canyon Ultimate CF SLX 8.
Best for comfort
✅ You want great value: The Synapse offers a great budget road bike in a neat package.
✅ You want versatility and comfort: With 32mm tyre clearance and aero features, the Synapse can work for plenty of terrains.
❌ You want women-specific geometry: While the bike comes in a wide array of sizing, you may be more suited to a Liv.
❌ You want a racier position: The Synapse geometry is quite upright.
The aluminium Cannondale Synapse is an impressively versatile bike with mudguard mounting points and 32mm tyre clearance.
Of note is the impressive range of sizes from 44-61cm which should cater for all sizes. This is the sort of bike you might start with and help you fall in love with cycling, as that's exactly what it did for a great friend of mine.
A nice touch is that the Synapse benefits from special endcaps to make it compatible with wheel-on turbo trainers. A well-thought-out feature to make this low-budget bike work with less expensive training accessories.
That said, this isn't a fancy performance bike as the spec is slightly limited with only the older mechanical Shimano option available, and the overall weight is heavier. For better performance, you might want to look at the Synapse Carbon range, which was updated in May 2025, although the smallest frame size is 48cm.
For a disc brake bike that comes in a huge range of sizes to fit any rider, this is a good value bike that is suitable for a lot of different riders and riding types.
Best aero
✅ You want a racy and aero bike: The Madone prioritises speed.
✅ You want top performance: This is a highly specced, top-level bike for serious riders.
❌ You want women-specific geometry: While the bike comes in a wide array of sizing, you may be more suited to a Liv.
❌ You are new to cycling: You'd be better off with the entry-level bikes listed in this guide.
A seriously impressive aero bike, the Trek Madone SLR 9 AXS Gen 8 is Trek's top spec bike in its Madone range. Ridden by WorldTour Lidl-Trek team riders, including top sprinter Elisa Balsamo, the Madone Gen 8 is made for riding fast.
With a hefty price tag, it's certainly an investment, but when it comes to a beautiful combination of lightweight and aerodynamic speed, this is a bike which has really nailed it.
At 7kg, it's just above UCI weight limit, and features a ton of aero features including a Trek Aero RSL one-piece carbon bar/stem, and RSL Aero Bottles and Cages for more drag reduction.
The bike also comes fitted with a top-level SRAM RED AXS drivetrain with a power meter and Bontrager Aeolus RSL 50 carbon wheels, aimed at keeping weight down and speed up.
A downside is it only comes in sizes XS to XL which means if you sit outside of those brackets, it may not work for you.
If you are after a lightning-fast descent-crushing bike, this could be a great option.
Best all-rounder race bike
✅ You want a pro-level ride: The Tarmac has been top of the pro game for years.
✅ You want low weight: The SL8 has shaved weight from its predecessor and improved ride comfort.
❌ You want to choose your geometry: You can't choose spec items such as bar width or crank length.
❌ You want lower prices: All specs of the Tarmac are expensive.
We reckon that the Tarmac is the best lightweight all-rounder race bike out there. The SL8 is both lighter and more aero than the SL7 and, although it came out mid-pack in our wind tunnel tests without a rider was the third most aero of 11 superbikes we tested with a rider aboard.
The front end has been beefed up from the SL7, but the rear of the frame has been made more slender and more comfortable, so it's a great place to rack up the miles.
The top-spec S-Works bikes come with a pro-level price tag, but there are more affordable specs available, although not with the range depth of some competitors such as the Giant Propel. There's a decent range of sizes, from 44 to 61cm, but you can't choose your dimensions such as stem length, bar width and crank length, so you can't fully tailor the bike to your needs.
You can read our S-Works Tarmac SL8 review for more details.
Best women's all-road bike
✅ You're into on/off-road riding: The 42mm tyre clearance allows you to set up for a range of riding conditions.
✅ You want speed as well as versatility: The Grifn RS feels racy both on and off tarmac.
❌ You need a smaller size: Ridley's bikes come up large, so check the geo chart carefully to make sure that the Grifn RS will fit.
❌ You want narrower bars: The stock bars are a little wide, particularly for road use.
The Grifn RS is a great choice for riders who want to mix in some off-road action, without going for a dedicated off-road gravel bike. Ridley allows you to choose specs for the Grifn RS and the lower-priced Grifn that suit your ride style, so you can choose a road-oriented 2x or a more off-road 1x groupset. The 42mm clearance allows you to choose tyres to match.
There's a wide range of groupsets and wheels to choose from and you can spec your own preferred stem length and handlebar width via Ridley's configurator or choose a stock configuration. Be careful on sizing though, as Ridley frames run large.
Read our Ridley Grifn RS first ride review to learn more.
How to choose the best women's road bike
There are a few things to think about when choosing the best women's road bike for your needs. Here, we'll run through some key considerations.
- Does it fit? A crucial question, particularly if you're a shorter rider, as some brands don't make smaller frame sizes. A bike fit will ensure that you know the optimum frame and component sizes for you.
- Is it the right type of bike for my riding style? Check our guide to the types of road bikes available if you're not sure if you want a race bike or an all-road bike, or one of the other bike types like best women’s hybrid bikes and gravel bikes.
- Does it have a women's saddle? Women's saddles are shaped differently to men's. You may be fine with a men's saddle, but if not you may need to budget for a replacement.
- How narrow are the handlebars? Again, you might prefer a different spec to that fitted to the bike, which means another component swap.
- Is the gearing right? If you're riding somewhere hilly, you might prefer lower gears and a wider spread than if your rides are usually fairly flat.
- Does it fit in my budget? You can buy bikes at any price, from sub-£1,000/$1,000 to well over £10,000.$10,000, so deciding how much you want to spend is crucial.
- Do I need to buy other parts? Bikes are typically sold with basic flat pedals or without pedals, as there are so many different systems, so you need to budget for these. You may need to buy bottle cages and may want to add lights or other parts, which all add up.
- Will I need to upgrade any components? Bike brands don't always fit parts that fully match a bike's price. Wheels are a common place to economise to hit a price point. If you want the best bike wheels, an aftermarket purchase can be expensive. A swap to the best bar tape will be relatively inexpensive though.
- How much will maintenance and part replacement cost? Parts including chains and gears need replacing regularly and top-spec parts can be very expensive. Likewise, if you break or damage a component or if you want to choose a different saddle, handlebar or other parts. Make sure you've budgeted for down-the-road costs.
Best women's road bikes: Frequently asked questions
Do you need a women's specific road bike?
We've answered this in detail in Can women ride men's bikes? but to summarise, you can ride whatever bike fits you best.
Many brands have moved away from gendered frames, and are instead offering more size ranges and multiple options for contact points, like adding one of the best women's road bike saddles.
Cycling is, at a performance level, a power-to-weight game, and for petite riders, the bike makes up a greater proportion of system weight than it does for a larger rider. For a 50kg rider, for instance the difference between having a 10kg bike over an 8kg bike is an increase of 3 per cent - not insignificant, but also not the be-all and end-all. Unless every ounce of performance needs to be wrung out, we'd go for comfort over light weight.
For taller women, some of the women's specific frames will simply be too small, as many come in limited-size runs, and recommend the men's or unisex version for taller women. If you are buying in person at a shop and fall into this category, work with the shop staff to swap out the finishing kit (handlebars, stem, saddle) for women's versions, and don't be scared to barter.
What size bike do I need?
Much like when you buy clothes, when it comes to sizing, it can be a minefield navigating the differences between bike brands. A 49cm in one brand can be the equivalent of a 51cm or a 47cm in another.
This is because the measurement is based on the size of the seat tube, and the angle is not homogeneous across the brands. So a 50cm seat tube which is truly vertical on one bike is not the same as a 50cm seat tube at a five-degree angle.
Some brands provide height recommendations and customer service departments are always there to help with size queries. If you have a bike already, check the stack and reach figures of your current model and use these as the all-important reference point on the geometry chart of your next bike.
If you're not sure, check out our comprehensive bike size guide.
How can I make sure a unisex bike fits me properly?
If you're buying a unisex bike, you can make tweaks to suit your individual body dimensions. When it comes to opting for the finishing touchpoints, you want your bars to roughly be your shoulder width and your saddle should be matched to the width of your sit bones - which can be measured in most bike shops.
When looking at different saddle pricing, often the prices go up based on weight (carbon elements, etc.) over the fit, so we recommend if you are trying a new saddle it might be wise to go entry-level first, to make sure it's comfortable before you invest in the more expensive model.
Another less discussed finishing point is the crank arm length. Generally, cranks come in 165, 170, 172.5 and 175mm lengths, and a shorter crank arm means the circumference of the circle of the pedal stroke is smaller. If you are on an XS or S sized frame, a 165mm crank is probably best, and likewise, for a 58cm frame or larger you probably want a 175mm crank.
How we test
You'll see from the above and from the detailed reviews that we'll call in bikes and expect to ride them over a variety of terrain and in all weather, usually over several months, to get a clear understanding of their capabilities and limits.
We'll keep a detailed score sheet for each bike across a number of factors, as documented in more detail in our guide to how we test.
