{"id":751474,"date":"2026-08-27T14:20:15","date_gmt":"2026-08-27T14:20:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/751474\/"},"modified":"2026-08-27T14:20:15","modified_gmt":"2026-08-27T14:20:15","slug":"the-ridley-kanzo-fast-2-0-is-our-2026-bike-of-the-year-why-ive-chosen-ridleys-go-fast-gravel-bike-as-this-years-overall-champion","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/751474\/","title":{"rendered":"The Ridley Kanzo Fast 2.0 is our 2026 Bike of the Year: why I’ve chosen Ridley’s go-fast gravel bike as this year’s overall champion"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Ridley Kanzo Fast 2.0 is our 2026 Bike of the Year: a gravel bike that\u2019s equal parts racing rig, versatile adventurer and practical all-year machine \u2013 and wow, it’s a blast to ride fast.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

After months of testing, we\u2019ve arrived at our winners across our three drop-bar categories, with Eddy Merckx\u2019s radical 525R taking the Race Bike of the Year title, while Canyon’s practical but high-performance Canyon Endurace CF SLX earns the Endurance Bike of the Year crown.<\/p>\n

The third in our category-winning trio and the Gravel Bike of the Year is the newly launched Ridley Kanzo Fast 2.0, and it’s the Ridley that also earns the top prize as our overall winner for 2026.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s a gravel bike that combines aero-race bike speed, off-road handling chops, and year-round practicality and versatility in a single package. It’s also a machine that shows how the gravel race bike has truly come of age, against some seriously stiff competition in 2026.<\/p>\n

Read more on Bike of the Year 2026<\/p>\n

Introducing our 2026 Bike of the Year winners
\n\"RidleyThe Ridley Kanzo Fast 2.0 is race-bike responsive yet comfortable and composed off-road. It’s our Gravel Bike of the Year and overall champion. Scott Windsor<\/p>\n

Our 2026 Bike of the Year shortlist comprises 21 bikes across three categories \u2013 keep reading for the full shortlist. <\/p>\n

Every bike has been tested by the BikeRadar team over the past 12 months and subsequently been deemed worthy of inclusion in our annual Bike of the Year showcase.<\/p>\n

The best three bikes were then selected from each category to form the podium, with our senior technical editor, Warren Rossiter<\/a>, pitting the bikes head-to-head to determine the category winner. <\/p>\n

Overall winner and Gravel Bike of the Year \u2013 Ridley Kanzo Fast 2.0
\nRace Bike of the Year \u2013 Eddy Merckx 525R
\nEndurance Bike of the Year \u2013 Canyon Endurace CF SLX 8 Di2<\/p>\n

We’ll be revealing more about each category \u2013 including the runners-up and why we’ve chosen each winner \u2013 in the coming days, so stay tuned to BikeRadar.<\/p>\n

We’ll also be revealing the winner of our 2026 eMTB of the Year test on Tuesday 1 September.<\/p>\n

A bumper year for bike tech
\n\"\"The Eddy Merckx 525R emerged victorious from our race bike category. Andy Lloyd<\/p>\n

It\u2019s been a strong year for new bikes, with innovations in geometry, larger tyre clearances and increasingly aerodynamic designs across all categories, regardless of whether you’re looking at a race bike, endurance road bike<\/a> or, in the case of the Ridley Kanzo Fast 2.0, a gravel bike<\/a>.<\/p>\n

We\u2019ve also seen a shift in the way lots of these great bikes are being sold. Ridley and Merckx hit the top step of the podium in the gravel and race categories respectively, and both offer online configuration so you can tune the bike\u2019s build to your needs.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s something I certainly want to see more of in the future. Ribble, Vielo, Orbea and Canyon \u2013 all brands represented elsewhere in our test \u2013 also offer good levels of customisation on ordering and deserve the merits of making our shortlists and podiums.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"CanyonThe Canyon Endurace CF SLX 8.0 is a fast-handling yet smooth-riding bike \u2013 and our 2026 Endurance Bike of the Year. Andy Lloyd
\nWhy is the Ridley Kanzo Fast 2.0 our overall Bike of the Year winner for 2026?\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

It\u2019s been a tough year to choose a winner \u2013 in each category, as well as for the coveted overall title.\u202f\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

The Canyon is a smart blend of practical and fun, and the Merckx 525R deserves the highest of praise for taking a new path to race-bike perfection. It’s also a bike that proved you can still be innovative in the very fundamentals of road-bike design, and I applaud the esteemed Belgian brand for taking such an approach.<\/p>\n

The Ridley Kanzo Fast 2.0 goes the whole hog, though. It pushes the aerodynamic boundaries of gravel race bikes, much like Argon 18\u2019s Anti Matter, BMC\u2019s Kaius 01 One and Cerv\u00e9lo\u2019s \u00c1spero 5<\/a>. But it has the edge on all of those when it comes to handling.\u202f\u202f\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

It\u2019s also obvious that the bike has been put together by riders. The tyre clearance of 58mm is one of the largest you\u2019ll find, and Ridley has exploited that further by using huge 55mm tyres from the get-go. Not only has it gone for big volume, but it’s also gone front- and rear-specific \u2013 lower, faster tread on the rear for straight-line speed, and a chunkier heavier tread up front for cornering grip.\u202f<\/p>\n

There are also small but important details that only someone keen to ride gravel all-year round would choose, such as the mudguard\/fender mounts. <\/p>\n

Then there\u2019s the placement of the port for the generous down-tube storage \u2013 positioned low near the bottom bracket to provide a better centre of gravity. It\u2019s also not underneath a bottle cage, so it\u2019ll remain rattle-free because the door won\u2019t have three-quarters of a litre of liquid hanging off it.\u202f\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

During testing, I\u2019ve experimented by putting large-volume road tyres<\/a> on the Kanzo, and it makes for a brilliant 1x road bike, too. In fact, it\u2019s so good that I\u2019m even tempted to downsize my huge collection of road and gravel bikes, and configure a Kanzo Fast with two sets of wheels. It could be all the drop-bar bike I\u2019ll ever need.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

With that in mind, if you\u2019re in the market for a new gravel bike any time soon, ignore the awesome Ridley Kanzo Fast 2.0 Force AXS XPLR at your peril.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

What we’ve tested \u2013 the full 2026 Bike of the Year shortlist
\nRace bikes<\/p>\n

Cannondale SuperSix Evo 3 review<\/a> \u2013 \u00a36,995 \/ $6,999 \/ \u20ac6,499
\nCerv\u00e9lo Soloist Force AXS review<\/a> \u2013 \u00a37,000 \/ $8,500 \/ \u20ac7,499
\nEddy Merckx 525R review<\/a> \u2013 \u00a36,299 \/ \u20ac6,999
\nFactor Monza SRAM Force w\/Power Meter review<\/a> \u2013 \u00a36,799 \/ $7,199 \/ \u20ac8,299
\nGiant Propel Advanced Pro 0-Di2 review<\/a> \u2013 \u00a35,799 \/ \u20ac6,600
\nMerida Reacto 10K review<\/a> \u2013 \u00a39,500 \/ \u20ac10,199
\nRose Shave FFX Red AXS review<\/a> \u2013 \u20ac8,500
\nWilier Filante SLR ID2 Dura-Ace Di2 review<\/a> \u2013 \u00a39,500 \/ $12,900 \/ \u20ac10,900<\/p>\n

Endurance bikes<\/p>\n

Canyon Endurace CF SLX 8 Di2 review<\/a> \u2013 \u00a34,299 \/ $5,999 \/ \u20ac4,499
\nCerv\u00e9lo Caledonia Force AXS (review coming soon) \u2013 \u00a35,250 \/ $6,500 \/ \u20ac6,499
\nFairlight Strael 4.0 review<\/a> (custom build) \u2013 \u00a33,909
\nRibble Ultra-Road 105 Di2 Aero review<\/a> \u2013 \u00a33,799 \/ $5,215 \/ \u20ac4,880
\nVielo R+1 Campagnolo Record review<\/a> \u2013 \u00a37,999<\/p>\n

Gravel bikes<\/p>\n

Argon 18 Anti Matter Force AXS XPLR review<\/a> \u2013 \u00a37,495 \/ $8,995 \/ \u20ac8,495
\nArgon 18 Dark Matter SRAM Rival XPLR AXS review<\/a> \u2013 \u00a34,500 \/ $4,650 \/ \u20ac5,095
\nBMC Kaius 01 One review<\/a> \u2013 \u00a39,999 \/ $12,999 \/ \u20ac10,999
\nGiant Revolt Advanced SL 0 review<\/a> \u2013 \u00a39,999 \/ $12,000 \/ \u20ac9,999
\nOrbea Terra M21e Team 1x review<\/a> \u2013 \u00a35,299 \/ $6,299 \/ \u20ac5,999
\nRidley Kanzo Fast 2.0 \u2013 \u00a36,299 \/ \u20ac6,999
\nSingular Pterodactyl review<\/a> (rolling chassis) \u2013 \u00a33,490 \/ $3,959 \/ \u20ac3,429.95
\nTrek Checkpoint ALR 5 Gen 3 review<\/a> \u2013 \u00a31,700 \/ $2,099 \/ \u20ac1,999<\/p>\n

Previous Bike of the Year winners (2009-2025)<\/p>\n

Our Bike of the Year test has been running since 2009, with past winners including some of cycling\u2019s biggest names alongside breakthrough brands that have earned their place at the top table.<\/p>\n

2025: Cannondale Synapse Carbon 2 SmartSense
\n2024: Giant Defy Advanced Pro 2
\n2023: Vitus Venon Evo RS Aero
\n2022: Giant Revolt Advanced Pro 0
\n2021: Boardman SLR 9.4 AXS
\n2020: Cannondale SuperSix EVO
\n2019: Rondo HVRT CF0
\n2018: Giant TCR Advanced 2
\n2017: Specialized Roubaix Comp
\n2016: Cannondale CAAD12 105
\n2015: BMC GF01 Disc 105
\n2014: Cannondale Synapse 5 105
\n2013: Giant Defy Advanced 2
\n2012: Focus Izalco Pro 3.0
\n2011: Storck Scenero
\n2010: Cannondale Six Carbon 105
\n2009: Giant TCR Advanced 3<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The Ridley Kanzo Fast 2.0 is our 2026 Bike of the Year: a gravel bike that\u2019s equal parts…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":751475,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[59,86,56,54,55],"class_list":["post-751474","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-technology","tag-gb","tag-technology","tag-uk","tag-united-kingdom","tag-unitedkingdom"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/751474","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=751474"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/751474\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/751475"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=751474"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=751474"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=751474"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}