It’s mid-November, which implies we’re already approaching the summit of 2024, earlier than it we’ll collectively zip up our jerseys and descend into 2025.

Within the meantime, I discover myself trying over my shoulder on the yr we’re abandoning and the bikes which have carried me by means of it. So which ones could be the “Bike Of The Yr?” The place would I even start? Searching for a rubric, I turned to the mainstream biking media:

Listed here are the very best street bikes in varied classes, although as you possibly can see they’re all just about the identical bike:

However wait, there’s extra!

That’s some finely-sliced categorization:

I’m wondering if someday somebody will work out tips on how to make a street bike that mixes many of the above attributes–, one climbs properly and sprints properly and is manufactured from steel and can be snug over longer distances.

Nah, it’ll by no means occur.

Oh, wait, sorry, I not noted extra street bike classes:

“Greatest efficiency street?” Is efficiency not an affordable expectation with the others? And why does “Italian” get its personal class? It’s 2024! Aside from the names, there may be nothing inherently particular about Italian street bikes anymore. To paraphrase the 4 Questions, why is an Italian bike completely different from all different bikes? Contemplate Bianchi, which in 2024 is de facto nothing greater than a coloration:

And what about gravel bikes?

At the very least there’s not a class for “Greatest Italian Gravel bike.”

Oh, wait, sure there may be:

“I’m out there for an Italian gravel bike” is a phrase you hear solely barely extra typically than “I’m in search of a Saudi Arabian microbrew.” And when the hell did cyclocross get folded into gravel?!? That’s simply insulting. Cyclocross bikes are all the purpose gravel bikes exist. Folks generally say that gravel bikes are simply ’90s mountain bikes, however they’re actually simply cyclocross bikes that received dumbed down with disc brakes. However now after all the cyclocross bikes have disc brakes too, so it’s all mainly meaningless.

And I’m not even going to deal with mountain bikes, as a result of I don’t take into account these bikes anymore:

I’m sorry, the place’s the “regular bike with out a bunch of shit on it” class? That is simply miserable. If you happen to’re going to divide mountain bikes into eleven (!) completely different classes (sure, eleven, considered one of them received minimize off within the screenshot) and also you’re not going embrace a Jones in any considered one of them, then I’ve no selection however to fully disregard all the enterprise.

As for BSNYC/RTMS/Tan Tenovo Enterprises, Ltd. Bike of the Yr for 2024, at this level I’d slender it down to a few finalists. I’m not saying they’re the “greatest,” however they’re the bikes which have most captured my creativeness and driving time over the previous yr. (They’re additionally the bikes which have come to me most not too long ago, which can have one thing to do with it.) Right here they’re:

Greatest Street Bike That’s Additionally a Gravel Bike That’s A Singlespeed However You Can Additionally Set It Up As A Double Or A Triple And Additionally It’s Actually Snug And It’s Metal And It Has Lugs

I’m definitely not saying you must be previous to like this bike, however I’m saying that is the proper bike for the getting older singlespeeder. Certain, I suppose placing a triple crank in your singlespeed is somewhat like placing a bunch of handrails within the lavatory. However what’s cooler? Sustaining these “clear traces?” Or having the ability to get off the bathroom?

Greatest Over-The-Prime Early 21th Century Street Bike From A “Boutique” Model That’s Actually Simply One other Bike From A Enormous Bike Firm

Whereas I embrace and espouse the basic metal ethos, as a recovering roadie of a sure age, there’s an simple pleasure in driving the unique bikes that have been properly past your attain if you have been in your “prime.” It looks like I’ve lastly arrived–20 years later, and at a spot the place no one else needs to be anymore, however higher late than by no means, proper?

Greatest Bike I At all times Dismissed As A Rolling Joke However Is Really Surprisingly Enjoyable And Attention-grabbing

I’m nonetheless ready for Exterior to publish my newest column wherein I share what I realized from one of many Trek engineers who designed this factor. (I actually ought to begin a weblog the place I can publish stuff every time I need.) However what I’ll say in regards to the Y-Ferl is that, whereas superficially it’s the antithesis of all the pieces I stand for, additionally it is one of many few bikes that takes true benefit of The Crabon, and for that it has earned my respect. The LeMond is half-crabon, however other than being somewhat lighter and searching cool (when you’re into that kind of factor) there’s actually no purpose for the crabon–and even the titanium for that matter, and I think I’d get pleasure from driving considered one of its metal contemporaries simply as a lot. The Y-Foil nonetheless makes use of crabon to create a very distinctive body that may be kind of unattainable in every other materials and nets the rider not solely aero advantages however a delicate suspension impact that I need to admit is somewhat enchanting. In fact you will get a lot the identical impact from a pair of higher-volume tires, and today I don’t experience almost quick sufficient to understand any of the aero advantages, however within the context of a late-90s race bike I give Trek credit score for pulling off what it got down to do, and it’s a enjoyable bike to experience simply so long as you’re ready to just accept the flexibility to hold just one water bottle, in addition to the truth that if it’s even somewhat moist out that water bottle will likely be completely coated in street grit as a result of lack of a seat tube.

So which can win? I dunno, however I’m going to go out for a experience on considered one of them now, which can hopefully deliver me nearer to a remaining determination.