Devising a list of pro bike racing's most iconic bikes is a tall task. Much depends on one's preference for aesthetics over technology or vice versa. For example, there was little sex appeal to the bike Greg LeMond rode on the final day of the 1989 Tour de France. But the fact that it was equipped with aero bars, which ended up being the difference in the race and helped usher in the age of chasing aerodynamic efficiency, gives it unmistakable cache.

The same can be said of Trek's OCLV frames. Though pedestrian in appearance by today's design standards, these carbon fiber steeds helped the now-infamous Lance Armstrong win seven consecutive Tour titles, and harkened the beginning of an era when composite was the material of choice for both top level racers and the mass market.

Far more elegant was the Pinarello Sword ridden to countless victories by Spanish great Miguel Indurain. Even today, this stealthy machine looks like something out of a sci-fi movie, which was in part the reason the UCI banned the swoopy-shaped frame. The same was true for the Lotus Bike, which was piloted to an Olympic gold medal and world record time by Brit Chris Boardman at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics.

Check out this video for a more detailed look at these bikes, plus six more which are some of the most iconic two-wheelers pro cycling has ever seen.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PthWFfPz6fQ&feature=youtu.be

Video courtesy: Global Cycling Network