A SHOT OF ESPRESSO
This twitchy Italian racer just misses out on being the lightest bike here, but the weight is well spent. Bianchi added extra material along the drivetrain of this full-carbon frame to produce an all-arounder that excels under the heavy loads of climbs and sprints. Handling is tight, thanks to a short wheelbase that’s ideal for criteriums. SRAM’s base-level Rival group takes care of shifts and braking, and the compact crankset helps when the road tilts up. The two-tone graphics point to cycling’s past, but the clear-coat sections of bare carbon place the bike squarely in the present. 16.5 lbs, 56cm; bianchiusa.com