In TOUR 11/2026, the Baldiso Zenith achieves an overall score of 1.3. The magazine calls this a new best mark on its rating scale (TOUR 11/2026, Baldiso Zenith test). The two previously highest-rated road bikes, the Specialized S-Works Tarmac SL9 and the Giant Propel Advanced SL, sit at 1.4.
TOUR uses the German school grading scale, where 1.0 is the best possible result and 6.0 the worst. A lower score is therefore better.
The frame, fork, seatpost, the clamping systems and the integrated bar and stem unit were developed and engineered for Baldiso by Simon Bühler, CarbonWorks. The frameset is manufactured by Bike Ahead Composites GmbH in Germany.
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Three bikes currently sit at the top of TOUR's rating scale. All three are uncompromising race bikes, and all three were measured using the same procedure. Each cell shows the sub-score on top and the measured value directly below it.
| Criterion | Baldiso Zenith (CarbonWorks) | Specialized S-Works Tarmac SL9 | Giant Propel Advanced SL |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall score* | 1.3 1.275 | 1.4 1.440 | 1.4 1.430 |
| Complete bike weight | 1.0 6,190 g | 1.3 6,490 g | 1.3 6,434 g |
| Aerodynamics | 1.0 194 W | 1.3 205 W | 1.7 209 W |
| Power transfer, bottom bracket stiffness (higher is better) | 1.0 73.9 N/mm | 1.0 61.1 N/mm | 1.0 76.2 N/mm |
| Handling stability (higher is better) | 1.3 8.7 N/mm | 1.0 9.2 N/mm | 1.0 9.5 N/mm |
| Comfort, rear (lower is better) | 2.3 147 N/mm | 2.3 160 N/mm | 1.7 109 N/mm |
| Comfort, front (lower is better) | 2.3 87 N/mm | 3.7 122 N/mm | 2.7 96.5 N/mm |
* Exact overall score before rounding, calculated from the sub-scores published by TOUR and their weighting. TOUR publishes the overall score rounded to one decimal place. The gap between the bikes is larger than the rounded scores suggest.
All values come from the TOUR tests for model year 2026 and can be verified on TOUR's model pages, see the sources at the end. The sub-scores carry different weights in the overall result: weight and aerodynamic drag 25 per cent each, power transfer, handling stability and rear comfort 10 per cent each, front comfort 5 per cent. The remaining 15 per cent cover the components, split evenly between brakes, drivetrain and tyres at 5 per cent each.
What the measured values mean
Most values in this table are given in newtons per millimetre. The unit describes how much force is needed to deflect a part by one millimetre. So roughly 74 N/mm means that a force of 74 newtons, equivalent to the weight of around 7.5 kilograms, deflects the frame at the bottom bracket by one millimetre.
What matters is that the unit is good in opposite directions depending on the criterion.
Power transfer and bottom bracket stiffness: here a high value is good. The more force it takes to deflect the frame, the less power disappears into the deformation of the frame instead of reaching the road. A bike at 76 N/mm gives way less under the same force than one at 61 N/mm.
Handling stability: a measurement procedure of TOUR's own. Here, too, a high value is good: more stiffness in the steering assembly has a positive effect on handling, and the bike runs more calmly and predictably at high speed.
Comfort at the rear and at the front: here a low value is good. Comfort comes from the frame giving way. 147 N/mm at the rear means that a force of 147 newtons, around 15 kilograms, lets the saddle area deflect by one millimetre. A bike at 109 N/mm therefore deflects considerably further under the same load and is rated more comfortable. A worked example for 147 N/mm: a force of 736 newtons, equivalent to a weight of 75 kilograms, gives around 5 millimetres of deflection. In practice only part of the rider's weight rests on the saddle, so the actual deflection is smaller.
Aerodynamics is measured in the wind tunnel as the power required at 45 km/h, with a pedalling leg dummy and a bottle. The fewer watts a bike needs at that speed, the faster it is for the same pedalling effort. The leg dummy is decisive: without it, the turbulence a pedalling rider creates is missing, and the figures come out far more favourable than they would ever be on the road. Not included are the aerodynamic drag of the upper body and friction, which together account for another 110 to 120 watts (own measurements). Leaving out the upper body increases measurement accuracy and therefore the comparability of different bicycles.
Weight is the weight of the complete bike ready to ride, not of the frame.
This also shows why a strong overall score is so rare: the criteria work against each other. A frame stiff enough for a top power transfer score is rarely compliant enough for a good comfort figure. And aerodynamic profiles add volume, which costs weight. The choice of components plays a part as well. TOUR rates the components separately, however, which is why a single chainring, for example, incurs deductions that offset its advantage.
Strengths and weaknesses according to TOUR
For the Zenith, the test names the aerodynamic performance, the low weight, the finish and the German manufacturing as strengths. As weaknesses it lists the three available frame sizes only, the limited gear range of the test build and the price. The test bike costs 15,700 euros, and in return the frameset is manufactured in full by Bike Ahead Composites GmbH, a manufacturer known in the industry for its precision and surface quality.
Sources and further links
- TOUR test result and measured values, Baldiso Zenith: model page at tour-magazin.de. The full test appears in TOUR 11/2026, pages 20 to 25.
- TOUR measured values, Specialized S-Works Tarmac SL9: model page at tour-magazin.de
- TOUR measured values, Giant Propel Advanced SL: model page at tour-magazin.de
- The bike at the manufacturer: Baldiso GmbH, Zenith
- Manufacturing of the frameset: Bike Ahead Composites GmbH
- Development and engineering: CarbonWorks Engineering