Once again, our annual Bike of the Year mega-test has proven itself a mighty task, with our expert reviewers whittling a dauntingly long list of bikes down to 24 candidates before crowning the Giant Defy Advanced Pro 2 as our overall winner.In 2024 the 16th instalment of Bike of the Year weve seen a richly varied offering across our endurance, race, gravel, budget and urban ebike categories.The bikes on test cost from 800 to 8,000. Some are new versions of familiar names, with the Domane, Defy and Roubaix all present and correct. Elsewhere, a swift look at the Handsling A1R0evo and Lauf thald will highlight innovative designs from the newer kids on the block.Its time to reveal our 2024 winnersThe Giant Defy Advanced Pro 2 is a class leader. - Scott Windsor / Our MediaAs last year, when the Vitus Venon Evo took the top honours, our 2024 overall road bike winner comes from the endurance bike category.The Giant Defy Advanced Pro 2 is, in the words of BikeRadars Warren Rossiter, a class leader, delivering exceptional performance while also keeping a close eye on value for money.Check out our in-depth review of the Giant Defy Advanced Pro 2 to find out why we think its the best road bike in 2024.Elsewhere, weve got worthy winners across the rest of our categories and will be publishing reviews of those, and every bike in the test, over the next month. You can find everything in our 2024 Bike of the Year hub.Overall and Endurance Bike of the Year Giant Defy Advanced Pro 2Race Bike of the Year Focus Izalco Max 9.8Gravel Bike of the Year GT Carbon Grade Pro LEBudget Road Bike of the Year Trek Domane AL2 Gen 4Urban Electric Bike of the Year Specialized Turbo Vado SL 5.0 EQMake sure you also go and check out our 2024 Mountain Bike of the Year winners, with categories for trail, enduro, eMTB and budget mountain bikes.What we testedWe tested road and gravel bikes across five categories with a shortlist of 24 bikes. - Steve Sayers / Our MediaThere were five categories in our road and gravel Bike of the Year test this year, with a shortlist of 24 bikes put under the microscope by our experienced test team.While the Giant Defy Advanced Pro 2 emerged with the trophy in our endurance competition, we ran the rule over a wide spectrum of bikes in our other categories.Over the next month or so, youll find expansive reviews of all the leading contenders from top-spec road race machines to entry-level road bikes and motor-assisted urban commuters, via a varied selection of gravel bikes.Everything from established market leaders and newcomers are represented and there should be something in our field of two dozen to suit every budget.Thanks toThanks to our sponsor, MET helmets, for its help in making Bike of the Year 2024 happen.Introducing our Road Bike of the Year, the Giant Defy Advanced Pro 2The Defy Advanced Pro 2 is the fifth Giant bicycle to win our illustrious Bike of the Year award. - Scott Windsor / Our MediaHaving spent more than 1,200 miles in its company, Warren Rossiter, one of BikeRadars senior technical editors and a bike journalist with more than two decades of testing under his belt, emerged deeply enamoured with the Giant Defy Advanced Pro 2. He praised its pure road bike experience, blending performance, value and comfort.The Defy just about saw off the challenge of the almost equally impressive Canyon Endurace CF SLX 8 Di2, but in the end, Warren couldnt look elsewhere.Well leave it to the man himself to tell us why its our overall Bike of the Year winnerWarren Rossiters verdictThe Giant Defy Advanced Pro 2 handles as quickly as a race bike but has the stability and compliance of an endurance bike. - Steve Sayers / Our MediaPoint-to-point, over varied terrain, the latest-generation Defy is about as quick as they come.It handles as quickly as a race bike, but layers on stability and compliance. This translates into ride confidence and, therefore, real-world speed.As an endurance bike focused on the road, it's almost without peer.This light and fast bike is a class leader and outstrips rivals costing much more. If you're seeking your next endurance road bike, I cant think of a better place to start (and finish) looking.Read Warrens full review of the Giant Defy Advanced Pro 2Endurance Bike of the Year contendersWell be bringing you reviews of the other four bikes in our Endurance Bike of the Year category over the next month.Canyon Endurace CF SLX 8 Di2Cinelli Pressure ADR 105di2Giant Defy Advanced Pro 2Lauf Utald ForceSpecialized Roubaix CompMeet the tester | Warren RossiterWarren took charge of the endurance bike category. - Steve Sayers / Our MediaBikeRadar and Cycling Plus veteran Warren rode more than 1,200 miles / 1,931km in testing our five endurance bike contenders.Each bike was given an initial two-hour shakedown ride before being put through its paces over a diverse 82 mile / 132km route in a range of conditions.His verdict came down to an assessment of handling characteristics, how well the bikes are equipped, their value for money and, ultimately, how much fun he had riding them.The best of the restThe Giant Defy Advanced Pro 2 may have claimed the overall victory, while also seeing off four strong contenders to win the endurance bike category, but there are four other category winners deserving of your attention.Race Bike of the Year Focus Izalco Max 9.8The Focus Izalco Max 9.8 is an excellent all-round road racing bike. - Scott Windsor / Our MediaThe Focus Izalco Max 9.8 is the winner of our Race Bike of the Year category.Our tester, Simon von Bromley, described the Izalco Max 9.8 as an excellent all-round road racing bike, finding little to criticise and hailing its elegant design, great handling and impressive spec.Well be publishing full reviews of the other bikes in this category over the next month.Our review of the Focus Izalco Max 9.8 will be published on Saturday 11 MayRace Bike of the Year contendersCanyon Ultimate CF SL 8 AeroFocus Izalco Max 9.8Handsling A1RTO Ultegra Di2Specialized Tarmac SL8 ProMeet the tester | Simon von BromleyEx-racer Simon led testing for the race bike category. - Scott Windsor / Our MediaWhether youre sprinting for town signs or finish lines, the ideal road racing bike needs to be fast on all terrain with responsive yet predictable handling.To put this years race Bike of the Year contenders through their paces, Simon, BikeRadars senior technical writer, rode them back-to-back on the rolling hills of south Bristol.With its rough, twisty roads, this terrain shows which bikes have what it takes to match your competitive ambitions.Beyond pure performance, Simon also considered the value proposition presented by each bike. Most amateur racers must pay for their own equipment, after all.The bikes in this category all feature high-end builds with electronic groupsets and components designed to elicit maximum performance from each frameset.Gravel Bike of the Year GT Carbon Grade Pro LEThe GT Grade Carbon Pro LE wins our 2024 Gravel Bike of the Year award. - Scott Windsor / Our MediaThe popularity of gravel bikes shows no sign of abating and once again this proved a fiercely competitive category.After some vigorous and varied off-road testing, Warren eventually plumped for the GT Carbon Grade Pro LE, giving this singletrack ripper, dressed in Lycra a 4.5-star rating.Youll find full reviews of every bike in the gravel category on the site in the coming weeks.Our review of the GT Carbon Grade Pro LE will be published on Sunday 12 MayGravel Bike of the Year contendersCanyon Grail CF SLXGT Carbon Grade Pro LEMerida Silex 7000Orbea Terra M41E Team IX MyOSanta Cruz StigmataMeet the tester | Warren RossiterWarren has been testing gravel bikes since the category was first established. - Russell Burton / Our MediaOur ever-busy senior technical editor once again ran our gravel category in 2024, putting a competitive field through more than 800 miles / 1,280km of demanding riding.Warren kicked off with a shakedown ride of 20 miles / 32km, taking in towpaths, light gravel roads, singletrack and a technical woodland trail descent.He then got down to business on one of his favoured test loops, a 50-mile / 80km route spanning tarmac, towpaths, trails, wooded and sheep track singletrack, plus gravel and doubletrack forest roads.This test route was designed to represent the widest variety of gravel riding possible, in search of a true all-rounder capable of tackling almost anything in front of it and putting a smile on your face at the same time.Budget Road Bike of the Year Trek Domane AL2 Gen 4The Trek Domane AL 2 Gen 4 is adaptable and cost-effective, making it a deserving Bike of the Year winner. - Steve Sayers / Our MediaTester Ashley Quinlan, senior technical editor on BikeRadar, described the winner of our budget category as one of the best budget bikes you can buy for 1,000 today.Ash found the aluminium Domane to be adaptable, cost-effective and with plenty of room for upgrades, making it a tremendous first road bike and a deserving Bike of the Year victor.Reviews of each bike in the Budget Bike of the Year test will appear on site in the following weeks.Our review of the Trek Domane AL2 Gen 4 will be published on Monday 13 MayBudget Road Bike of the Year contendersCube Attain ProPinnacle Laterite 2Specialized AllezTrek Domane AL2 Gen 4Vitus Razor Disc VRMeet the tester | Ashley QuinlanSenior technical editor Ash put each of our budget bikes through their paces. - Steve Sayers / Our MediaSeasoned journalist and roadie Ash took charge of our Budget Bike of the Year cohort, setting the price point at 800-1,200.Each bike was subjected to the same test routes Ash undertakes for all of his road bike testing, meaning performance was assessed against higher-spec bikes as well as the rest of the field.Recognising that upgrading is part and parcel of the enthusiast cycling experience, he paid attention to how easy it would be to upgrade these bikes to a significantly higher level.Urban Electric Bike of the Year Specialized Turbo Vado SL 5.0 EQThe Specialized Turbo Vado SL 5.0 EQ is our top urban ebike for 2024. - Scott Windsor / Our MediaThis year, weve shone a light on urban mobility by including an urban electric bike category in our Bike of the Year test.We strongly believe that electric bikes have an important part to play in the future of our towns and cities, for both experienced cyclists and newcomers looking to rely less on a car or public transport.The Specialized Turbo Vado SL 5.0 EQ is our no.1 urban ebike for 2024, with ebike veteran Warren enthusing about its near-perfect marriage of practicality and speed.Well be publishing reviews of all of the urban ebike contenders on BikeRadar in the next month or so.Our review of the Specialized Turbo Vado SL 5.0 EQ will be published on Tuesday 14 MayUrban eBike of the Year contendersCannondale Compact NeoMerida E-spressoRidgeback ARCUS 3Specialized Turbo Vado SL 5.0 EQTern NBD S5iMeet the tester | Warren RossiterWarrens third but by no means least important Bike of the Year category saw him test a varied sample of electric commuter bikes.The aim here was to find a bike thats easy to ride, a pleasure to live with and versatile enough to replace a car.Each ebike was used for Warrens commute to the BikeRadar office (on average, 27 miles / 43km each way), as well as for weekly chores in an urban and suburban landscape.The bikes were ridden from 100 per cent battery to empty, to get a proper comparison of their expected range, while their load-carrying capacity also came under scrutiny.Warren switched to everyday clothing for each test, leaving his padded shorts at home, and used the provided flat pedals.Previous Road Bike of the Year winnersThe Vitus Venon Evo won Bike of the Year in 2023. - Steve Sayers / Our MediaThe Giant Defy Advanced Pro 2 joins an illustrious list of Bike of the Year winners.It becomes the fifth Giant bike to take the overall title and the second Defy, after the Advanced 2s victory back in 2013.2023Vitus Venon Evo RS Aero2022Giant Revolt Advanced Pro 02021Boardman SLR 9.4 AXS2020Cannondale SuperSix EVO2019Rondo HVRT CF02018Giant TCR Advanced 22017Specialized Roubaix Comp2016Cannondale CAAD12 1052015BMC GF01 Disc 1052014Cannondale Synapse 5 1052013Giant Defy Advanced 22012Focus Izalco Pro 3.02011Storck Scenero2010Cannondale Six Carbon 1052009Giant TCR Advanced 3Why you can trust BikeRadarBikeRadar has been an authority on bikes and cycling tech since its inception in 2007, delivering the worlds best riding advice.We have experts testing all types of bikes, parts, clothing and accessories, from road, mountain and gravel bikes to commuting, bikepacking and electric bikes.Our reviews are always editorially independent with no exceptions. Our reviewers comprehensively test all products in the real world, always reflecting on performance, value and the wider market when delivering their verdicts and review ratings.We have more than 15,000 product reviews available at your fingertips, as well as expert buying, maintenance, training, skills, health and fitness advice.Our annual Bike of the Year test is an industry benchmark and the BikeRadar team consists of some of the most experienced riders and testers in the business.