Importantly, these are not custom one-off bicycles that use obscure components. They are all stock gravel bike models you might find in a bicycle shop near you!

How Did These Become The Lightest Gravel Bikes?

Bike manufacturers use different methods to hit their weight targets.

Some start with an ultralight carbon frameset, while others fit obnoxiously light carbon wheels and components. That said, it’s likely a combination of weight savings that will get your bike model on the lightest gravel bikes list.

The frameset weight is one way we can understand how a bike manufacturer went about hitting their weight targets. That’s the combined frame and fork weight usually without small parts like bearings and bolts. When you start with a light frameset, you get a big head start on the components.

The lightest gravel frameset amongst bikes on this list is 1,125 grams and the heaviest is 1,625 grams. When we average out all frameset weights on this list we arrive at 1,396 grams, which typically breaks down to under 1000 grams for the frame and a bit over 400 grams for the fork.

The wheelset weight is another important data point as they are often a bike’s heaviest component. That means they usually have the most weight to lose!

All wheelsets on this list are made from carbon fibre, and the rim depths vary. In some cases, bike manufacturers have traded off some weight for better aerodynamics to create the fastest bikes possible.

Even amongst lightweight gravel bikes on this list, there is over 400 grams of variation between wheelsets. The lightest wheels are just 1230 grams and the heaviest are 1643 grams. When we tally everything up, we find that the average wheels tip the scales at 1425 grams.

Why Bike Weight Is Not About Speed

If you’ve been reading CYCLINGABOUT for a while, you’ll know that bike weight is not that important in terms of speed. This is because a one or two-kilogram weight saving is actually a tiny reduction from your overall total body+bike+gear+water weight.

Spending big money to save one kilogram will not make you as fast as you think. When I run a computer simulation, shaving one kilogram off a bike only saves around one minute on a hilly 4+ hour ride, although it can be as much as two minutes if you’re a lighter and less powerful rider.

The biggest advantage of a lightweight gravel bike is the way it feels underneath you. The bikes listed below offer the sensation of quick acceleration and will feel highly responsive to your pedal inputs. They will undoubtedly encourage you to put the hammer down at any moment.

Weight Corrections

I’ve made a weight correction to the following bikes to level out the playing field.

I’ve deducted weight from bikes with heavier tyres and added weight to bikes using lighter tyres. This is to ensure that bikes that come with wider and/or more durable tyres do not incur a significant weight penalty.

The average tyre weight across all bikes on this list is 480 grams, which is a reasonable weight for a 45mm gravel race tyre. Any tyre above this weight I’ve subtracted from the bike weight, and any tyre below this weight has been added to the bike.

For example: If a bike comes with 580-gram tyres, I’ve made a weight reduction of 200 grams (as there are two tyres) to standardise the bike weights. And if the bike comes with 380 grams tyres, I’ve simply added 200 grams to a bike’s weight. You’ll find the stock tyre weights listed below.

Right, it’s time to inspect the lightest gravel bikes in the world!

Scott Addict Gravel RC (7.92kg or 17.5lbs)

• Frameset weight: 930+395 grams – 96 grams lighter than average
• Wheelset weight: 1490 grams – 65 grams heavier than average
• Tyre weight: 485 grams
• Tyre clearance: 45 mm
• Price: US $9,999

The heaviest-lightest gravel bike is the Scott Addict Gravel RC!

This top-of-the-line model features one of the lighter framesets and builds up into a very capable gravel race bike. Tour Magazin has tested the lateral frame stiffness to be higher than many bikes here, which will make it feel extra responsive underneath you.

In addition, the fork legs will flex back and forth over bumps more than typical, providing additional ride comfort for your hands and upper body.

There has been no expense has been spared on the components here. A SRAM Red AXS drivetrain and Syncros carbon components help to keep the bike under the 8kg (18lbs) mark.

The Addict RC is only one of two gravel bikes on this list with a 2X drivetrain. This allows for closer steps between each gear, making the bike extra suitable for road bike use if you were to fit some narrow slick tyres.

Factor Ostro Gravel (7.90kg or 17.4lbs)

• Frameset weight: 899+425 grams – 97 grams lighter than average
• Wheelset weight: 1632 grams – 207 grams heavier than average
• Tyre weight: 480 grams
• Tyre clearance: 45 mm
• Price: €9799

The Factor Ostro Gravel has more aerodynamic features than your typical gravel bike.

The deeper and more truncated head tube profile, tight integration between the fork crown and frame, dropped seat stays, aero seatpost, and rear wheel cutout will undoubtedly make for a quick gravel race bike in the wind.

But despite all these aero features, the Ostro Gravel is the 6th lightest frameset of this list.

That said, the Factor also has the lowest frame stiffness of any bike here (according to Tour Magazin lab testing). It’s over 20% less stiff at the head tube and bottom bracket than competing products. This will not be a big deal for lighter and less powerful riders, but for heavier riders who can put more power through the frame – it might be a dealbreaker.

The Ostro Gravel has a solid race build. It’s equipped with a SRAM Force AXS wireless drivetrain, SRAM brakes and some fast-rolling Good Year tyres. While the wheels on this bike are surprisingly heavy for their depth, hopefully, this translates to high overall strength and durability.

Vitus Venon EVO-GR (7.88kg or 17.4lbs)

• Frameset weight: 1000+450 grams – 54 grams heavier than average
• Wheelset weight: 1545 grams – 120 grams heavier than average
• Tyre weight: 490 grams
• Tyre clearance: 45 mm
• Price: £4,299

The Vitus Venon EVO-GR is a lightweight gravel bike that offers a raft of aero features. This will make it one of the faster bikes on a gravel race course.

While it doesn’t have the lightest frameset or wheelset, it’s a great overall package that undercuts plenty of rivals on price when you consider the high-grade specification (SRAM Force AXS plus plenty of carbon components!).

One thing to note is that it has a lower torsional frame stiffness than most gravel bikes here, in fact, it has similar stiffness values to the Factor Ostro Gravel. Again, this will be fine for lighter and less powerful riders but might not be appropriate for heavier and more powerful riders.

Allied Echo Red AXS (7.85kg or 17.3lbs)

• Frameset weight: 950+380 grams – 66 grams lighter than average
• Wheelset weight: 1355 grams – 70 grams lighter than average
• Tyre weight: 453 grams
• Tyre clearance: 40 mm
• Price: US $11,355

The Allied Echo is billed as a two-in-one road and gravel bike.

The magic of it is the integrated flip chips at the fork and rear dropouts, which not only change the wheelbase length but also the bottom bracket drop – important when you’re changing the overall wheel+tyre diameter.

When the flip chips are in the “road mode” position, the wheelbase length and BB drop is reduced, making for a more compact layout that gives the bike a more responsive and agile feel. When the flip chips are in the “gravel mode” position, the wheelbase length is extended, making the bike more stable and forgiving on gravel.

Some of the pros of the bike include its quick and easy geometry conversion, excellent stiffness, and notable ride quality. Some of the cons of the bike include its compromised gravel mode geometry, narrow maximum tyre width, quirky stem design, and slack seat tube angle in the smaller frame sizes. It also uses gear ratios better suited to the road rather than the gravel.

Overall, the Allied Echo is a very capable bike that is suitable for a wide range of riders. It is a great option for those who are looking for a single bike that will ride well on both gravel and tarmac surfaces.

Mondraker Arid Carbon RR SL (7.81kg or 17.2lbs)

• Frameset weight: 1250+435 grams – 289 grams heavier than average
• Wheelset weight: 1642 grams – 217 grams heavier than average
• Tyre weight: 525 grams
• Tyre clearance: 50 mm
• Price: €9499

Lauf Seigla Ultimate (7.69kg or 17lbs)

• Frameset weight: 1030+435 grams – 69 grams heavier than average
• Wheelset weight: 1400 grams – 25 grams lighter than average
• Tyre weight: 632 grams
• Tyre clearance: 57 mm or 2.25″
• Price: US $6,290

The Lauf Seigla is the lightest gravel bike with the ability to fit 2.25″ wide mountain bike tyres, which will allow it to handle the roughest gravel roads. The frame has also been designed in a way that allows it to flex vertically, smoothing out bumpy terrain.

This is the first bike we’ve seen without fully integrated cables, and this makes bike maintenance easier and allows you to change the handlebar and stem dimensions with ease.

The Seigla Ultimate is equipped with some lightweight carbon wheels that will make the bike feel fast and agile, and a tough SRAM Red XPLR wireless groupset. Given the Red XPLR groupset retails for around US $4000, this makes the Seigla one of the best-value lightweight gravel bikes!

I’ve made a correction of over 300 grams to this bike as the Lauf comes standard with some wider-than-average tyres with good puncture production. Expect it to weigh under 7.7kg with some gravel race tyres.

Rose Backroad FF Red XPLR (7.67kg or 16.9lbs)

• Frameset weight: 1020+420 grams – 44 grams heavier than average
• Wheelset weight: 1550 grams – 125 grams heavier than average
• Tyre weight: 445 grams
• Tyre clearance: 45mm
• Price: €6999

Specialized Crux Pro (7.67kg or 16.9lbs)

• Frameset weight: 825+400 grams – 171 grams lighter than average
• Wheelset weight: 1408 grams – 17 grams lighter than average
• Tyre weight: 480 grams
• Tyre clearance: 47 mm
• Price: US $7500

The Specialized Crux Pro starts with a sizeable headstart over other gravel bikes, as the frameset is just 1225 grams. This makes it the second-lightest gravel frameset here.

The Crux Pro is a rather traditional gravel bike that will best suit those who ride in a non-competitive sense. There are no fully integrated cables, aero frame sections, or one-piece bar/stems to be found. This not only saves weight, but makes bike maintenance easier, and allows you to dial in your bike fit.

The Crux is equipped with lighter-than-average wheels that will spin up quickly, and one of my favourite components is the Roval Terra Carbon seatpost that flexes vertically with ease and will smooth out the bumpiest gravel roads.

The Specialized Crux Pro is finished with a SRAM Force wireless groupset and fast-rolling Specialized Pathfinder tyres.

Ridley ASTR RS (7.62kg or 16.8lbs)

• Frameset weight: 891+420 grams – 85 grams lighter than average
• Wheelset weight: 1643 grams – 218 grams heavier than average
• Tyre weight: 575 grams
• Tyre clearance: 52 mm or 2.1″
• Price: €11,699

Ridley makes one thing clear: the ASTR RS is a thoroughbred gravel race bike aiming for the podium. The frameset, integrated bar-stem, and wheels are all aero-optimised to create the fastest gravel bike possible.

In fact, the ASTR RS has the deepest and heaviest wheels of any bike on this list. While the DT Swiss wheels are over 200 grams heavier than average, the time savings at 35km/h (22mph) will undoubtedly make up for the minor weight penalty.

This bike has notably wide tyre clearance for a gravel bike (52 mm or 2.1″), allowing you to fit the appropriate tyres required to handle rougher courses.

The new Forza NIMBUS Pro one-piece handlebar and stem measures 360 mm wide at the hoods (to keep your frontal area smaller) but becomes significantly wider in the drops thanks to a generous flare. This should give you ample control over technical descents.

Trek Checkmate SLR 9 (7.61kg or 16.8lbs)

• Frameset weight: 1223+415 grams – 242 grams heavier than average
• Wheelset weight: 1355 grams – 70 grams lighter than average
• Tyre weight: 450 grams
• Tyre clearance: 45 mm
• Price: US $12,000

The Checkmate SLR 9 is a newer, lighter and faster gravel race bike from Trek.

It’s clearly aero-optimised with its large tube profiles, reasonably deep carbon wheels, and one-piece Aero RSL bar/stem (identical to that found on their road race bike, the Madone). The bars are 30mm narrower at the hoods than the drops, which will put your body in a more aerodynamically efficient ride position.

The Checkmate uses what Trek calls its new ‘Gravel Race’ geometry, offering a lower and shorter-reach position than the outgoing Checkpoint SLR. That said, it’s not as low as many bikes on this list.

A top-tier SRAM Red XLPR gravel groupset and moderately deep Bontrager carbon wheels assist in keeping this bike as light and fast as possible.

The Checkmate also employs Trek’s IsoSpeed technology, a decoupler at the intersection between the top tube and the seat tube that assists the saddle/post in smoothing imperfections on the road or trail.

Canyon Grail CFR XPLR (7.55kg or 16.6lbs)

Frameset weight: 1030+372 grams – 7 grams heavier than average

Wheelset weight: 1452 grams – 27 grams heavier than average

Tyre weight: 455 grams

Tyre clearance: 45 mm

Price: €8,499

Schmolke Gravel Infinity (7.55kg or 16.6lbs)

• Frameset weight: 1100+460 grams – 164 grams heavier than average
• Wheelset weight: 1375 grams – 50 grams lighter than average
• Tyre weight: 457 grams
• Tyre clearance: 40 mm
• Price: €8250

Schmolke are carbon manufacturing specialists from Germany who are best known for their ultra-lightweight bike components. But Schmolke doesn’t just make carbon handlebars and seatposts in their Lake Constance factory – they make framesets too!

When compared to the competition, the Schmolke framesets are not anywhere near as lightweight. But their ultralight components more than make up the difference, helping this bike to sit amongst the top 10 lightest gravel bikes available.

This gravel bike is a bit more traditional than most, with its external cable routing, two-piece bar and stem setup and mechanical drivetrain. The Gravel Infinity uses Campagnolos Ekar 13-speed drivetrain, which yields a gear range of 470% – wider than most on this list here.

The cost is kept quite reasonable for a made-in-Europe bike thanks to their direct-to-consumer business model.

Cube Nuroad C:62 SLT (7.49kg or 16.5lbs)

• Frameset weight: 1150+415 grams – 169 grams heavier than average
• Wheelset weight: 1230 grams – 195 grams lighter than average
• Tyre weight: 485 grams
• Tyre clearance: 50 mm
• Price: €5999

The Cube Nuroad C:62 SLT is a great bike for gravel racing, and with 50mm tyre clearance, it’s also a good option for anyone who wants an efficient bike that can handle a variety of terrain.

The frame is made using Cube’s C:62 carbon fibre layup, which is reinforced with nanoparticles to make it stronger, lighter, and more durable. Tour Magazin lab testing suggests it’s one of the stiffest and most responsive framesets on this list, and the fork tests as one of the more comfortable models available.

The Nuroad is also among the cheapest here, in fact, the SRAM Red XPLR drivetrain, brakes and shifters retail for €4,465 by itself. When you factor in the frameset and wheels (which are the lightest here btw), I’m not sure how Cube make any money on this bike!

Overall, the Cube Nuroad C:62 SLT is a very well-equipped bike that offers the highest value for money on this list. It’s light, efficient, and versatile, and should be perfect for gravel racing or simply exploring the countryside.

Superior XR 9.9 GR LTD (7.47kg or 16.5lbs)

• Frameset weight: 827+420 grams – 149 grams lighter than average
• Wheelset weight: 1567 grams – 142 grams heavier than average
• Tyre weight: 445 grams
• Tyre clearance: 45 mm
• Price: €7500

Superior is a Czech brand that offers very high-performance bikes for a reasonable price… well, relative to others here. Superior starts with the third lightest frameset, and goes on to build the fifth lightest gravel bike.

The impressive part is that it has been equipped with one of the most aerodynamic wheelsets featured on this list. If it were to use the same wheelset as the Cube Nuroad, the bike would slot into second place!

You can find aero features throughout the frameset and cockpit, and there is no expense spared on the components – notably the DT Swiss wheels and SRAM Red XPLR drivetrain.

BMC Kaius 01 One (7.40kg or 16.3lbs)

• Frameset weight: 910+400 grams – 86 grams lighter than average
• Wheelset weight: 1355 grams – 70 grams lighter than average
• Tyre weight: 480 grams
• Tyre clearance: 44 mm
• Price: US $12,000

The BMC Kaius is the lightest gravel bike I could find with fully integrated cables.

The Kaius 01 features the fourth lightest frameset (despite having one of the stiffest frames according to Tour Magazin testing) and has been equipped with the fourth lightest wheels too.

This frame has clearly been given the aero treatment with larger truncated frame tubes, dropped seat stays, and a cutout on the lower seat tube to shield the rear wheel. The handlebar also has a small frontal area and aerodynamic shape to save further watts.

A top-tier SRAM Red XPLR 1X drivetrain completes this speedy gravel bike.

Parapera Anemos Masterpiece (7.2kg or 15.9lbs)

• Frameset weight: 1175+450 grams – 229 grams heavier than average
• Wheelset weight: 1485 grams – 60 grams heavier than average
• Tyre weight: 480 grams
• Tyre clearance: 45 mm
• Price: €5999

The Parapera Anemos is the third lightest gravel bike on this list, despite having a heavier-than-average frameset… and wheelset! This means it’s the components where Parapera has really focussed on their weight savings.

At 150 grams, the Schmolke Carbon handlebar is one of the lightest of its kind. As is the 95-gram Selle Italia saddle, and 95-gram Schmolke Carbon seatpost. It’s all these small things that really keep the weight of this bike in check.

The cables are routed externally for quick accessibility during maintenance and a small reduction in frame weight. The classic handlebar/stem setup also offers maximum customizability in terms of length and width.

The Anemos Masterpiece uses Campagnolo’s Ekar drivetrain. This 1X system consists of a chainring with 40 teeth and a cassette with 13 sprockets from 9 to 42 teeth. With a gear range of just under 470%, all speed ranges are largely covered, and even steeper climbs are easy to tackle thanks to the reduction in first gear.

The carbon wheels from Campagnolo are a solid choice. While they are not the lightest, with an inner rim width of 25mm, they are perfectly suited to the 40mm Schwalbe G-One R tyres.

Gunsha SLX Gravel 3.1 (7.15kg or 15.8lbs)

• Frameset weight: 1050+460 grams – 114 grams heavier than average
• Wheelset weight: 1272 grams – 153 grams lighter than average
• Tyre weight: 370 grams
• Tyre clearance: 44 mm
• Price: €5455

You probably haven’t heard of Gunsha before, but this German bike shop and online store stocks a bunch of ultralight wheels and components, as well as complete bikes.

The frameset is heavier than average, so Gunsha has equipped this bike with the third lightest gravel wheels here and has made significant weight savings on components like the brake rotors, handlebar, stem, seatpost and saddle.

Gunsha has also fitted some super light 370 gram tyres to this bike. This would have made it the equal lightest bike if I hadn’t added a weight correction to even the playing field.

While their Shimano GRX drivetrain isn’t as fancy as most, this helps to keep the cost down. In fact, you’re looking at the second-lightest gravel bike with one of the lowest costs here. That’s quite impressive.

S-Works Crux SRAM RED XPLR (6.93kg or 15.3lbs)

• Frameset weight: 725+400 grams – 271 grams lighter than average
• Wheelset weight: 1250 grams – 175 grams lighter than average
• Tyre weight: 480 grams
• Tyre clearance: 47 mm
• Price: US $12,000

The S-Works Crux holds the title for the lightest gravel frameset, and it’s been paired with one of the lightest wheelsets too. It’s no wonder it’s the lightest gravel bike here.

The Crux frameset is around 20% lighter than average, which is a seriously impressive margin to hold over the competition. It’s even more impressive considering that Tour Magazin has measured the frame stiffness and found it to be 30% stiffer than the Factor and Vitus at the head tube.

You can expect the Crux to climb like a dream, float over bumpy terrain, and accelerate faster than any gravel bike before it.

What I like about this bike is that it puts function before everything else. There are no fully integrated cables, aero frame sections, or one-piece handlebar and stem. This undoubtedly makes it a slower bike than the gravel racing competition (eg. Ridley ASTR RS) but it’s also lighter, easier to work on, and easier to perfect the handlebar width and stem length for a rider’s needs.

With top-of-the-line components and even a special carbon layup – this bike is expensive. If you’d like a more wallet-friendly version with similar DNA, check out the Specialized Crux Pro. It’s still in the top-10 lightest gravel bikes but some US $5000 cheaper.

It’s worth noting the S-Works Crux framesets also custom build into even lighter gravel bikes. Take some inspiration from this 5.64 kg (12 lbs) Twisted Wheels build HERE.

Summary

The post The 15 Lightest Gravel Bikes In The World For 2025 (Sub-7kg) appeared first on CYCLINGABOUT.com.

In this article, I’ll examine the best gravel bikes currently available.

I’ve selected these bikes based on many factors, including outstanding overall design, high attention to detail, well-selected components, and excellent value for performance.

I’ll be picking bikes from different sub-categories, and I should note I’ve made these choices through a bikepacking lens.

If you aren’t sure what bikepacking is, it’s essentially a single or multi-night, self-sufficient bike trip with a minimalist setup. The tent, sleeping bag, and cooking pots are all put in bags and strapped to the bike.

The cool thing is that my criteria unearths great commuter and recreational bikes too.

If you want to cover rougher and more technical terrain, you’ll find a better bike in my off-road bike article HERE.

Narrowing Down The Best Gravel Bikes

The four criteria I’ve used to pick the best gravel bikes include:

• An upright frame design with stable handling
• Low climbing gear ratios
• Clearance for wide tyres
• Ample mounts for luggage and fenders

I’ve used my Bikepacking Bike Buyer’s Guide to find the models that best match this criteria.

If you haven’t seen my guide yet, it teaches you what to look out for in a gravel bike, as well as how to properly compare over 150 different gravel bikes found at the back of the book. The best bit is that my guides are updated yearly, for free, so you’ll always have the latest copy.

Frame Geometry and Sizing

A gravel bike needs to be comfortable over long distances and for multiple days in a row. That’s why the first thing I look out for on the frame geometry charts is a notably upright riding position.

Unfortunately, many gravel frames are inspired by the world of racing, and that means you’re forced into lower and more aggressive ride positions. This is great for going fast, but it also compromises your ride comfort.

With a taller handlebar, expect less hand numbness, and reduced strain on your neck and back.

I’m looking for size large frames (sometimes marked 56 or 57cm) with a stack height of more than 600 mm. In comparison, race-oriented gravel bikes in these sizes usually have a stack height of ~575 mm.

Upright gravel bikes also allow you to comfortably use the drop section of the handlebar. This position is the best place to access the brakes, better in headwinds, and a nice change from the hoods.

Some might argue that an upright ride position is too slow. But if speed is your aim, make sure to fit some aero bars to your gravel bike. They are undoubtedly the best way to improve your aerodynamics AND take the strain off your hands and wrists.

Low Climbing Gear Ratios

When a bikepacking bike is loaded with gear, food, and water – it’s heavy. To combat the extra weight, a bike should use lower gear ratios than usual. Adequately low gears allow you to repeatedly ride up hills without overexerting yourself.

I use a unit of measurement called ‘gear inches’ to compare the low climbing gear ratios of different bikes. This is the front chainring size minus the rear cog size, and multiplied by the wheel diameter.

Don’t worry, we never have to convert gear inches into anything – the two-digit numbers are just nice to work with, and you can calculate them on Gear-Calculator.

I’m looking for anything under 25 gear inches for gravel, but ideally, it’s at the 22-gear-inch mark.

Tyre Clearance

There are almost no downsides to using gravel bikes with clearance for wide tyres, so I’ve prioritised bikes that can clear 50 mm or 2.0” wide tyres.

Wide tyres handle rougher terrain, offer more traction, and are extra forgiving to ride.

You might think wide tyres are slow, but interestingly, it’s the rubber compound and sidewall design that largely determine how fast they roll. That’s why some road bike tyres (Schwalbe Pro One TLE Performance at 80 psi) have the same rolling resistance as mountain bike tyres (Continental Race King at 25 psi).

If you still prefer narrower tyres, you can fit them to any of these bikes.

Mounts and Accessories

Most of the bikes here have mounts for all occasions. This is simply to give you every luggage-carrying option possible.

I’ve prioritised bikes that can fit fenders, which keep the water, dirt, and grit on the road, rather than on your bike and body. Fenders allow you to stay dryer when the roads are damp, and your bike will experience less drivetrain wear too. The penalty is just 500 grams or less than one bottle of water.

Value for Performance

I’ve made sure to pick bikes that offer great value. This doesn’t mean the prices are low across the board, but rather – the more expensive choices I’ve made will offer something that improves your ride experience.

If these bikes are still too expensive for you, I’d recommend using the knowledge from this article and purchasing a similar bike second-hand.

Right, it’s time to look at the cheapest bike on this list, the Salsa Journeyer.

Salsa Journeyer Advent

US $999 — 11.8kg — 26” Climbing Gear — 50 mm Tyre Clearance — 598 mm Stack

People often think you need to spend thousands on a well-designed gravel bike with a smart component selection, but the Salsa Journeyer proves that’s not the case. The Journeyer ticks so many boxes, and scored 19/20 in my recent article about the best budget gravel bikes (under $1000).

It has a perfectly upright frame geometry for long days, clearance for wide tyres, tubeless compatibility (which is quite uncommon at this price), all the mounts, and reliable and user-serviceable components.

It gets better though; you can choose your wheel size! One model has larger 700C wheels that are faster on the pavement, and another has smaller 27.5” wheels that trade some speed for better comfort, grip, and control.

The Journeyer has a notably low standover height, giving you more confidence if you need to stop quickly. The low top tube also helps get smaller riders onto gravel bikes (142cm / 4ft8), who are highly underserved in the bike industry.

The only downside to the Journeyer is the climbing gear ratio that’s not particularly low, however, this is an easy mod. You can either reduce the front chainring size to 36 teeth or increase the size of the rear cassette up to 46 teeth.

If you’d like to learn more about the Journeyer, check out my best budget gravel bikes article HERE.

Canyon Grizl 7

US $1999 — 10.7kg — 25” Climbing Gear — 50 mm Tyre Clearance — 605 mm Stack

If you’re after something a bit more refined, it’s hard to go past the Canyon Grizl 7. This aluminium bike comes with a lightweight carbon fork and a carbon seatpost that’s been tuned to flex 5-10 mm vertically, providing a silky-smooth ride.

Canyon offers some of the broadest size ranges of any bike company, so you’ll find eight sizes to suit people of all heights (although the Grizl doesn’t quite get as small as the Journeyer).

The Grizl 7 has been specced with the latest 2X12 drivetrain that will work very well over rolling terrain, it has a decent climbing gear ratio, and the brakes are hydraulic, which is a big upgrade over almost anything cheaper.

Canyon also includes some nice DT Swiss wheels wrapped in 45 mm tubeless tyres. If you’re seeking more comfort, make sure to fit 50 mm tyres down the line.

Fairlight Faran 2.5

£1999 — 11.0kg — 23” Climbing Gear — 50 mm Tyre Clearance — 610 mm Stack

If you have a preference for steel bikes, the Fairlight Faran from the UK is my top pick, and you’ll quickly realise why.

The attention to detail of these frames is unparalleled for the price. For example, the top and down tubes have been ovalized just for Fairlight, providing the equivalent lateral stiffness of a bigger tube but without the added weight. The cable guides are interchangeable depending on your derailleur and brake setup, the rear dropouts are modular, and there are stainless washer plates up the back so your rack bolts don’t scuff your paint.

The Faran is not only available in five frame sizes, but each size is offered in a ‘regular’ or ‘tall’, which is the next best thing to a tailor-made frame. This sizing distinction essentially determines the height of your handlebars in relation to the saddle, and can be useful for riders who have long torsos and short legs (where a regular frame is best), or short torsos and long legs (where a tall frame is best).

The Faran will fit 700C x 50 mm or 27.5 x 2.35” tyres, which is the widest of any bike on this list. It can also be configured around your needs – choose between 1X and 2X drivetrains, and 700C or 27.5” wheels, or go wild with the myriad of component upgrades.

GT Grade Carbon Pro

US $2900 — 9.5kg — 24” Climbing Gear — 50 mm Tyre Clearance — 603 mm Stack

The 9.5kg GT Grade Carbon Pro is not only light and capable, but it’s incredibly comfortable too.

The signature design feature on this bike is the seatstays that extend from the top tube to the rear dropouts without attaching to the seat tube at all. This allows the frame and seatpost to flex up to 30 mm vertically, absorbing bumps and impacts while you ride along.

Our vibration tests (on the previous version) show that GT’s floating seat stay design can damp more vibration than an Ergon leaf-spring seatpost on fast gravel roads, which is quite a feat.

The innovation doesn’t stop there. GT employs what’s known as a ‘progressive’ frame geometry.

The frame reach is longer than most gravel bikes, which puts the front wheel further in front of the rider providing more stability at speed, and making it harder to pitch over the handlebars. To compensate for the long reach, the stem is short (60 mm), resulting in a more direct steering feel.

The Grade is light enough to be a decent road bike with narrow slick tyres, but capable enough for bumpy forest roads with grippy 50 mm tyres. There are Shimano hydraulic brakes to pull you up on a dime, a 2X drivetrain that’s great for rolling hills, and plenty of mounts for bikepacking accessories. The bike has been designed to accommodate a suspension fork too.

Unlike many carbon bikes in this category, the gear cables do not route through the headset, which is ideal for adventure riding as it makes for less gear cable friction and easier cable changes.

Propain Terrel CF

US $4999 — 8.0kg — 25” Climbing Gear — 50 mm Tyre Clearance — 608 mm Stack

If you want an ultralight gravel bike without breaking the bank, you won’t do better than the Propain Terrel CF. This bike is shockingly good value when compared to all other bikes at the 8 kg (17 lbs) or below mark.

This carbon gravel bike comes with a SRAM 1X wireless drivetrain, DT Swiss carbon wheels, lots of carbon components, and some fast-rolling Continental Terra Speed tyres.

Just because it’s light doesn’t mean it’s less capable. Like the GT, it employs a progressive frame geometry, it has clearance for 50 mm tyres, and it’s compatible with a suspension fork.

In terms of features, the Terrel is thoroughly modern. It features a UDH hanger for SRAM Transmission drivetrains, an oversized T47 bottom bracket, frame storage, a direct mount frame pack, and lots of eyelets for luggage and fenders.

The cables do route through the headset, but as the derailleur is wireless, shift performance isn’t compromised. Thankfully, the cables also run underneath the stem, so you can still change the stem length without needing to re-route the cables.

You can configure the Terrel how you like, with a choice of colours, decals, and bar and stem widths. There are lots of part upgrades available too, including a suspension fork.

YT Szepter Core 2

US $2499 — 10.8kg — 22” Climbing Gear — 45 mm Tyre Clearance — 611 mm Stack

My front suspension gravel bike pick is the YT Szepter Core 2.

The topic of suspension on gravel bikes is quite polarising. Every time I discuss it some people are like “Get a mountain bike”, and others are like “This works awesome”.

For gravel riders who split their time between the pavement, smooth dirt roads, and rugged 4×4 tracks, a bit of suspension keeps your front tyre patch glued to the ground, and it allows you to carry more speed over bumps. It also removes some of the fatigue from riding over rough terrain.

The Szepter is designed by mountain bikers and it shows. It has a progressive frame geometry, a big front rotor for maximum stopping power, a Shimano 1X wide-range drivetrain, and a 40 mm travel Suntour suspension fork. There are even two built-in fenders to minimise the debris on your face and backside, and the direct frame pack mounts are a very neat touch.

Even with all these features, the bike is under 11 kg, has one of the lowest climbing gear ratios here, is cheaper than a GT Grade, and comes in a broad range of frame sizes.

BMC URS LT TWO

€6499 — 9.5kg — 20” Climbing Gear — 45mm Tyre Clearance — 603 mm Stack

The BMC URS LT is a unique full-suspension gravel bike with hidden suspension elements in the carbon fork and rear frame triangle. This makes it the most expensive bike on this list, however, when you consider the riding experience on offer – the price is somewhat justified.

The suspension fork features 20 mm of damped travel that can both remove unwanted shock and vibration coming up from the road and keep your front tyre planted to the ground. Compared to a gravel bike with a rigid fork (Open Wide), we’ve tested the URS front end to reduce vibration by 39% after a big hit, which is huge.

At the rear seat stays are two elastomer springs that generate 10 mm of vertical travel to save your lower back from harsh impacts, and this is combined with a carbon seatpost that provides a further 10 mm of travel. In our vibration test, this combination achieved the same level of vibration damping as the best-performing suspension seatpost (Redshift ShockStop Pro Race), which is seriously impressive.

The amazing thing is that the URS LT is light, stiff, and fast enough to keep up with more pavement-focused gravel bikes, and it has a super low climbing gear ratio too. It’s quite the package; make sure to read our full review HERE.

If you’ve read some of my articles and decided that a gearbox and belt drivetrain is right for you, here are my picks.

Priority Gemini

US $3499 — 12.0 kg — 17” Climbing Gear — 50 mm Tyre Clearance — 600 mm Stack

The Priority Gemini is a tough, low-maintenance, and easy-to-use gravel bike that will conquer the steepest roads.

It’s built around a weather-sealed 12-speed Pinion gearbox that can electronically shift your gears in just 0.2 of a second. The gearbox will change your gears under load, while coasting, and even while stationary at the traffic lights.

Compared to derailleurs, gearbox drivetrains are less susceptible to damage, don’t require any tuning or adjustment, reduce bicycle maintenance significantly, and are unlikely ever to wear out. The only maintenance is the 6,000-mile oil change.

The Gemini comes with a belt drive too, which is cleaner, quieter, and longer lasting than a chain. Through my real-world tests, I’ve ridden belt drivetrains over 30,000 km before my sprockets have worn out, which is 3-4X longer than I expect from a chain.

To round out the Gemini, it features hydraulic brakes, a stable geometry, and an unbelievably low climbing gear ratio. It’s available with a titanium or aluminium frame and it will clear 700C x 50 mm tyres.

If you’d like to know more, check out my in-depth article on the Priority Gemini HERE.

Avaghon Grave

€4499 — 12.5 kg — 20″ Climbing Gear — 50 mm Tyre Clearance — 628 mm Stack

If you’ve read my articles about Rohloff hubs and decided these ultra-reliable, weather-sealed, and surprisingly efficient 14-speed gear systems are for you, you might like the Avaghon Grave.

Avaghon is a company based out of a tiny bicycle shop in the Netherlands. But despite their size, they have come up with a steel bikepacking bike with a tall bar height, and 50 mm tyre clearance, which is designed around a low-maintenance Rohloff hub and belt drivetrain.

This gear hub is lighter than a Pinion gearbox, with smaller gear steps, and a higher drive efficiency. If you’d like the fastest possible gearbox bike – a Rohloff hub is undoubtedly the way to go.

The only downside is that the lever throw is quite long, and the shift speed is quite slow compared to the Pinion electronic shifters. Unfortunately, you can’t have it all.

It’s worth noting Avaghon also builds the Grave with flat bars and a regular twist shifter.

Hudski Doggler

US $1600 — 11.0kg — 20” Climbing Gear — 50 mm Tyre Clearance — 606 mm Stack

Speaking of flat bars, the Hudski Doggler is a gravel bike that’s virtually impossible to find flaws in.

It’s well priced, under 11kg, and has a 20″ climbing gear ratio, full carbon fork, 12-speed drivetrain, and a bigger-than-usual front rotor for quick deceleration.

The Doggler leans heavily into mountain bike design principles. The long wheelbase and slack head tube angle create a super stable ride, and the steep seat tube angle puts your weight further forward for cycling up steep roads.

The Doggler comes standard with a tall handlebar with large grip angle (27 degrees) and less reach than a typical flat bar. This results in a relaxed, upright pedaling position for all-day rides.

Summary

That concludes the best gravel bikes for this year! I hope you can appreciate some of the excellent designs and details that have gone into each of these bikes.

This is just the tip of the iceberg in terms of what’s available, in fact, for each sub-category here, there are multiple bikes in my buyer’s guide that could’ve won.

I’d recommend checking out the Bikepacking Bike Buyer’s Guide if you’d like to see and compare all the bikes available.

The post The 10 Best Gravel Bikes For Bikepacking In 2024 appeared first on CYCLINGABOUT.com.

If you haven’t heard of them before, a Pinion gearbox is a fully-sealed oil bath of cogs located at the crankset that usually offers 12 different gear ratios.

Compared to derailleurs, Pinion gearboxes are less susceptible to damage, they don’t require any tuning or adjustment, they reduce bicycle maintenance, and they are unlikely to ever wear out. The only maintenance is the 6,000-mile oil change which takes no more than 15 minutes to complete.

A great thing about a Pinion gearbox is that you can achieve a 30-40% lower climbing gear ratio than most gravel bikes with derailleurs. This allows you to ride up the steepest hills with minimal effort. The gear range is very wide too (600%) so you will still achieve a fast top-end speed (40 mph+).

Pinion gearboxes pair very well with belt drivetrains. Belts are notably clean, silent, and long-lasting compared to chains. Through our real-world tests, we’ve found they typically last 3-4 times longer than a chain (that’s almost 20,000 miles).

Belt drive is designed to very effectively shed mud and grit, which makes it better than chain drive when the weather conditions have turned bad. While belt drivetrains don’t technically require any grease or lubrication, in dry and dusty conditions I recommend a few drops of silicone to keep the belt quiet.

Right, let’s take a look at North America’s best gravel and commuter bikes with Pinion gearboxes.

Note: We may earn a commission when you purchase a bike through our links. This directly supports CYCLINGABOUT.com and allows us to continue providing high-quality cycling information to you.

The Best Pinion Gearbox Gravel Bikes & Commuter Bikes

Priority 600 – $2,499

The Best Pinion Gearbox Commuter Bike For A Lower Budget

Priority is a relative newcomer to the market but they are bringing a lot of excitement with their stylish yet functional bikes. Based in NYC, Priority specializes in bikes that are equipped with low-maintenance components and an easy-to-use design. The best bit is that they can ship their bikes directly to your home for $30.

The Priority 600 is the ultimate low-fuss commuter bike that’s ready to hit the streets. It comes loaded with all the essential upgrades for city riding, including dynamo lights, fenders, tubeless wheels, hydraulic disc brakes, and a convenient kickstand. The Priority 600 has been designed to make your daily commute a breeze.

Don’t let its affordability fool you; this bike offers top-notch performance without breaking the bank. It’s equipped with a C1.12 Pinion Gearbox, 27.5″ tubeless-ready wheels, and fast-rolling 1.9″ wide slick tires. The aluminum frame is available in three sizes to accommodate riders from 5’4″ to 6’5″.

You can order the 600 directly from Priority Cycles HERE.

Priority Gemini Aluminium – $3,499

The Best Pinion Smart Shift Gravel Gearbox Bike

REASONS TO BUY

1. The Pinion gearbox electronic shifting is exceptional
2. Incredible value-for-performance
3. Wide tire clearance

The Priority Gemini is North America’s first readily available gravel bike with Pinion “Smart Shift”.

The new Pinion C1.12i gearbox features electronic shifting that can change your gears in just 0.2 of a second! The gearbox will shift gears under a full pedal load, while coasting, and even while stationary at the traffic lights.

The Gemini’s geometry is designed for all-day comfort, and the four frame sizes will accommodate riders from 5’2” to 6’4”. The frame clears 700C x 50mm tires, which is a width that an ever-growing number of gravel bikes are available with. It also comes with a full carbon fork and seat post which takes chatter out of the road.

The Priority Gemini is offered with an Aluminum or a Titanium frame, depending on your budget, and your ride preferences.

Right now, Priority is offering a sizeable discount on pre-orders of the Gemini, and their bikes often sell out months in advance! If you want to know more about this bike make sure to read our in-depth article HERE.

Alternatively, you can order the Gemini Aluminium or Titanium directly from Priority Cycles HERE.

Carver Ti All Road Pinion – $5,764

The Best Pinion Gearbox Gravel Bike in Titanium

The Carver Ti All-Road Pinion was designed for those who want to travel quickly and comfortably. This titanium frame has a relaxed and stable geometry that’s intended for both commuting and long days in the saddle (on paved or unpaved roads).

The part specification of the All-Road can be configured to suit your needs. You can choose between different wheel sizes, brakes, handlebars, forks, seats, seatposts, tires – the list of options is seemingly endless!

Carver has also integrated many thoughtful touches on the All-Road. There are rack mounts, fender mounts, and three water bottle mounts for both bike adventures and commuting. With 11 standard frame sizes ranging from 44 cm to 64 cm, there should be an All-Road Pinion for nearly every height rider.

If this all sounds good, but you want to customize your frame even more, you can also add frame splitters (couplers), rim brakes – or any other feature your heart desires.

You can order the All-Road Pinion directly from Carver HERE.

Co-Motion Klatch Pinion – $8,495

The Best Full Custom Pinion Gearbox Gravel Bike

Co-Motion has been building tandems and touring bikes that can withstand the rigors of hard riding since the 1980s. Every bike is handmade in the USA with completely customizable geometry, accessories, and paint options.

The Co-Motion Klatch is the company’s first gravel bike. It offers much more versatility than a road bike but is still very fast and efficient. The Klatch comes with a Pinion 12-speed gearbox, belt drive, Rolf Prima tubeless wheels (made in USA), 45 mm wide tires, and a steel or carbon fibre fork.

Co-Motion also offers upgrades like adding S&S Travel couplers, stainless steel polished dropouts, or a fancy head tube badge that reflects the Oregon coast where they are from.

You can also customize your paint in hundreds of ways to ensure the bike is exactly how you want it! The Co-Motion Klatch is undoubtedly a “forever bike”.

You can order the Klatch Pinion directly from Co-Motion HERE.

Tout Terrain Scrambler Xplore GT II – $5,664

The Best Pinion Gearbox Gravel Bike in Steel

The Tout Terrain Scrambler Xplore GT is ready for any adventure, whether that’s an after-work ride or a week-long tour down the Continental Divide. It’d also make a versatile commuter bike with the right accessories fitted.

Tout Terrain is a German brand known for its very high attention to detail. High-quality steel tubes are used across the frame, there is a very neat belt tensioner at the gearbox, and you’ll find an integrated steering limiter near the stem. These frames are also built especially stiff so that they can still track straight after you’ve loaded them up with luggage.

The Scrambler employs a stable frame geometry and has notably long chainstays (455 mm) that provide ample heel clearance for rear panniers. Fit up some 2.0″ / 50 mm wide tires and the Scrambler would provide a very high level of comfort while barely slowing you down.

The Scrambler comes with a carbon touring fork with plenty of cargo mounts, and internal cable routing for a dynamo light. There are also numerous mounting options on the frame for luggage racks, panniers, and more – the Scrambler is built for adventures.

You can order the Scrambler directly from Tout Terrain HERE.

Tout Terrain Tribeca Xpress – $5,334

The Best Pinion Gearbox Gravel Bike With A Flat Bar

The Tout Terrain Tribeca Xpress is similar to the Scrambler but with a greater focus on commuting.

Thanks to the use of flat bars, you can enjoy a more upright riding position compared to other bikes on this list, as well as more effortless steering and control. Navigating through city traffic has never been easier.

The Tribeca Xpress comes with lots of accessories for commuting. Of note is the incredibly neat fender and rack system that will keep you dry on wet days. You’ll also never have to think about recharging bike lights again – the included dynamo lights will keep shining bright, mile after mile.

You can order the Tribeca Xpress directly from Tout Terrain HERE.

Tout Terrain Tribeca Xpress GT – $5,774

The Best Pinion Gearbox Commuter Bike

If you like the idea of the commuter-specific Tribeca Xpress, but prefer drop bars – you’re in luck! Thanks to Tout Terrain’s collaboration with TRP, the Shift:R box was born, which offers a mechanical shifting solution for drop bar bikes.

The Tribeca Xpress GT has the same frame geometry and features as the flat bar model. This means it comes with neat fenders, an integrated rack, and dynamo lights. The bike is ready for adventures of all types, whether that’s around town or a week away.

If you live in the Tucson, Arizona area you can now test ride one before you buy at their North America flagship store. Make sure to check the Tout Terrain website, as they are currently adding more regional dealers in the United States.

You can order the Tribeca Xpress GT directly from Tout Terrain HERE.

The Pros and Cons of Pinion Gearboxes

The Advantages of Using A Pinion Gearbox

Wide Gear range – One of the major benefits of Pinion is the unparalleled gear range, the C1.12 has a 600% gear range. Compared to almost any other drivetrain, you’ll have easier gears for the steep mountain roads (3 mph) while also having harder gears for the high-speed descents (40 mph+).

Maintenance – Pinion gearboxes have few parts that are susceptible to wear, they stay in tune by design, and they eliminate the most fragile part of any bike, the rear derailleur. Plus, with the annual maintenance consisting of a simple oil change, they can last a lifetime.

Sealed Gearbox – If you spend a lot of time riding in harsh conditions, a Pinion gearbox may just be your savior. These gearboxes are weather-sealed from water, mud, grit, dust, snow, and sand, allowing them to last a lifetime.

Shifting – A very handy feature is that you can shift gears anytime with a Pinion gearbox – including while stationary. This means you can quickly shift to the perfect take-off gear while waiting at the traffic lights. You can also shift 5-6 gears at once, thanks to the Pinion gearbox twist shifter.

The Disadvantages of Using A Pinion Gearbox

Weight – With a gearbox, there is no question that you are making a weight sacrifice. The components required to build up a Pinion C1.12 gearbox drivetrain result in a weight penalty of around 3.3 lbs (1.5 kg) compared to a top-of-the-line SRAM Eagle derailleur drivetrain.

Price – Pinion gearboxes are more expensive than derailleur drivetrains. You can somewhat justify the cost of buying a bike with a Pinion gearbox knowing that you won’t need to replace anywhere near as many cassettes/chains/chainrings – but you’ll have to ride your bike for many years to get that payoff. Luckily, the gearbox will probably last as long as you do!

Drive Efficiency – Pinion gearboxes have a higher drive resistance when compared to a clean and well-lubricated derailleur drivetrain. We’ve estimated it to lose 3-4 minutes per 100km when compared to a Rohloff hub or derailleur gear system. You can read our full analysis HERE.

Gear Steps – The Pinion C1.12 gearboxes have larger gear steps than most derailleur drivetrains. This essentially means that the change between each gear ratio is more pronounced. This is not a big problem in practice, but something you may notice on flatter terrain.

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This gravel bike is built around a weather-sealed 12-speed Pinion Smart Shift gearbox that can electronically shift your gears in just 0.2 of a second. The gearbox will change your gears under a full pedal load*, while coasting, and even while stationary at the traffic lights.

This bike will be best suited to bikepackers, commuters, and gravel riders who want the lowest-maintenance, and most easy-to-use bike.

*There is an input torque limit of 250Nm, which can be surpassed under low RPM pedalling situations. When 250Nm is exceeded, the system will delay the shift until it is safe to do so. But keep in mind, the standard, non Smart Shift Pinion gearboxes cannot shift under a 250Nm+ load either.

How is the Priority Pinion Gravel Bike So Cheap?

Priority is a direct-to-consumer bike brand that specialises in bicycles with gearboxes, internal gear hubs, and belt drivetrains. As they sell their gearbox bikes in such large quantities, they can be significantly cheaper than the competition!

The Priority Gemini is available with an aluminium frame for US $3499, and a titanium frame for $5499. This is an amazing price given the Pinion 12-speed gearbox alone is valued at more than $2000. Should you live overseas, Priority can also ship internationally via DHL for an additional $850.

Note: We may earn a commission should you purchase a bike through our links. This directly supports CYCLINGABOUT.com and allows us to continue providing high-quality cycling information to you.

Why We Love The Pinion Gearbox With Electronic Shifting

The new Pinion C1.12i gearbox with electronic shifting could be the best available gear system for bicycles.

Compared to derailleurs, gearboxes are less susceptible to damage, they don’t require any tuning or adjustment, they reduce bicycle maintenance significantly, and they are unlikely to ever wear out. The only maintenance is the 6,000-mile oil change, which takes no more than 15 minutes to complete.

Thanks to the Pinion gearbox, the Priority Gemini features a 30-40% lower climbing gear ratio than most gravel bikes with derailleurs. This allows you to ride up the steepest hills with the least effort.

The gear range is very wide too (600%) so you will still achieve a fast top-end speed. This is the equivalent of using a 1X drivetrain with a 40-tooth front ring and an 10-60T rear cassette!

The 2024 Pinion Gearbox Is A Derailleur Killer (Shift Under Load, No More Gripshift)

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Why We Love Belt Drive

Belt drivetrains are clean, silent, and long-lasting. Through my real-world tests, I’ve found they typically last 3-4 times longer than a chain (that’s over 30,000km).

Belt drive is designed to very effectively shed mud and grit, which makes it better than chain drive when the weather conditions have turned bad. While belt drivetrains don’t technically require any grease or lubrication, in dry and dusty conditions I recommend a few drops of silicone to keep the belt quiet.

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Should You Choose A Priority Gemini In Aluminium or Titanium?

The Priority Gemini is offered with two different frame materials, depending on your budget.

Priority has made a name for itself by building its frames using reliable 6061 aluminium. These frames don’t have advanced tube shapes, fancy welding, or special paint. Instead, they are engineered to be tough and durable at the best possible price.

I would recommend the aluminium frame to anyone who wants the best price-to-performance possible.

You can see more pictures of the Priority Gemini Aluminium HERE.

Priority has more recently started building frames using 3AL-2.5V titanium tubes. Titanium frames are often 30% lighter than steel frames, they do not rust, and any scratches can easily be buffed out. These characteristics allow titanium frames to look great after many years of use.

Titanium frames can also be engineered to have slightly more side-to-side flex than aluminium when accelerating, giving them the ‘springy’ or ‘lively’ feel that many people wax lyrical about.

I would recommend titanium to those wanting a gravel bike with a timeless look, those seeking the ‘lively’ ride feel, or those wanting a ‘forever bike’ that’s high cost can be justified over the long term.

You can see more pictures of the Priority Gemini Titanium HERE.

What Are The Priority Gemini Frame Specs?

The Priority Gemini frame has characteristics typical of most modern gravel bikes.

The steering speed is stable, the frame geometry is designed for all-day comfort, and the four frame sizes will accommodate riders from 5’2” to 6’4” (157 to 193 cm).

You can find the frame geometry details, as well as recommended leg inseam lengths on the Priority website.

The Priority Gemini frame clears 700 x 50mm tyres, which is a width that an ever-growing number of gravel bikes are available with. Should you wish to use full-length fenders, the frame will still clear 40mm wide tyres.

The wheelbase of the Gemini is slightly longer than some gravel bikes. This is in part due to the new mounting plate for the Pinion gearbox, which requires slightly longer chain stays. The good news is that a gravel bike with a longer wheelbase is more stable at high speeds.

The rear sliding dropouts are designed to easily tension the belt. These dropouts feature an integrated bolt that will make very fine adjustments to the belt tension, suiting your power output and riding style.

You will find rear rack mounts on the Gemini, along with four bottle cage mounts above, below, and inside the frame triangle.

What Components Does The Priority Gemini Use?

Both Priority Gemini bikes utilise identical part specifications.

The Pinion C1.12i gearbox is paired with TRP Hywire electronic shifters and fully-sealed hydraulic brakes. The small integrated battery for the shifters will make 10,000 shifts before needing a recharge (about 100 riding hours).

The wheelset is lightweight and tubeless compatible. It features WTB KOM Team rims, laced with Sapim stainless steel spokes onto sealed bearing hubs. Both hubs are standard thru-axle (12 x 100 and 12 x 142mm) and the rear hub has a notably high number of engagement points.

The wheels are wrapped in WTB Vulpine 40mm tires for a fast-rolling setup. If you’d prefer even more comfort and speed, Krzysztof over at the Comfort Lab has found the Soma Cazadero in a 50mm width is the best available.

Both Priority Gemini models employ a full carbon rigid fork to keep the overall weight in check. Should you want a bit more comfort from the front of the bike, I would recommend a suspension stem by Redshift, Vecnum, or Kinekt.

The seatpost is made from carbon fibre which should take some buzz out of the road. That said, the diameter of this seatpost is quite large and it will likely be stiffer than most. If you’d like to maximise your ride comfort on this bike we like short-travel suspension seatposts like the Redshift ShockStop Pro or carbon flex seatposts like the Ergon AllRoad Pro.

You can see the full spec list over at Priority Bikes.

What is the Priority Gemini Bike Weight?

The weight of the Priority Gemini Aluminium is 26.5 lb (12.0 kg), and the Priority Gemini Titanium is a touch lighter at 25.3 lb (11.5 kg).

Gearboxes incur a small weight penalty compared to derailleur drivetrains. When we add up the required components to build an entire drivetrain, a top-tier SRAM 1X wireless derailleur setup works out to be about 2.9 lb (1.3 kg) lighter than a Pinion C1.12i gearbox.

This might sound like a lot, but my real-world testing, along with the numbers from the mathematical models suggest that a kilogram of extra weight adds 1-2 minutes on a hilly 100km bike ride. And on a flat route, a kilogram is likely worth 10 or 20 seconds over 100km. It’s not that much.

When is the Priority Gemini Available?

If you’re interested in the Priority Gemini, you can get one sooner and cheaper by pre-ordering. Priority offers a sizeable discount on pre-orders ($500), and the bikes often sell out months in advance.

The aluminium bike will first ship June 30th 2024 and the titanium bike will ship July 31st 2024.

Pre-order your Priority Gemini Titanium for $5499 HERE
Pre-order your Priority Gemini Aluminium for $3499 HERE

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Gravel bikes can handle the same uneven bike paths, cobblestone streets, and rough dirt tracks as mountain bikes – the key difference is their faster and more efficient riding position. And should you install some narrow slick tyres, you’ll even find them keeping up with road bikes. They are a true all-rounder.

In this article, I want to discuss four reasons why gravel bikes are about to get much better.

We’ll be looking at some new derailleur drivetrains, we’ll inspect the latest in tyre widths, we’ll talk about something a bit controversial (but it really shouldn’t be), gravel suspension forks, and finally, we’ll discuss some upcoming bike models with weather-sealed gearboxes and carbon drive belts.

Let’s start with the latest in derailleur drivetrains.

New Derailleur Drivetrains Will Make Hills Easier

A few years ago, I made a video that stated that hills are not harder than the flat. This statement sounds crazy, but you really can maintain the same power, cadence, and heart rate on both flat roads and steep hills – provided your bike has appropriately low gear ratios.

That’s the problem though. When you inspect most gravel drivetrains, and you calculate the maximum gradients the average person could comfortably ride up with that ratio – you quickly realise that gravel bikes are completely over-geared.

We can do the maths on this one. Most gravel drivetrains currently use a 1:1 climbing gear. Let’s say the average cyclist is 80kg/176lb and can output 150 watts of power for a sustained period. At a slow 60RPM cadence, the maximum gradient our cyclist can comfortably ride up is just 6.6%. Gravel roads regularly exceed this gradient, so it’s no wonder most people find hills hard!

The good news is that gravel bike drivetrains in 2024 are finally available with suitably low gear ratios. On a bike fitted with a SRAM Apex Eagle drivetrain, and a 38T front chainring, our average 80kg/176lb rider can now comfortably ride up 9.4% gradient – which is a massive 30% increase in grade.

The latest Shimano GRX 1X drivetrain is not far off. With a similarly large rear cassette and 38t chainring, our rider can climb up a 9.2% grade.

When it comes to 2X drivetrains, Microshift has you covered with their new Sword groupset. The crankset offers a 29-tooth front chainring, and the cassette maxes out at 38-tooth. This would get our rider up an 8.9% hill, which is a 25% increase in grade over what current gravel drivetrains offer.

Another big gravel bike improvement is the changes to tyre clearance.

New Tyre Widths Will Provide More Comfort and Control

Gravel bike tyre clearances are currently increasing. It was not long ago when 40mm wide tyres were the maximum size you could fit in most gravel bikes. Nowadays, 50mm is popular, and some bikes will clear as wide as 60mm (2.4”).

Wider tyres are an improvement because they afford more comfort, grip, and control over narrower ones, as well as being less susceptible to pinch flats. They also allow you to experience significantly less body fatigue on longer rides.

When comparing 42 and 50mm wide Soma Cazadero tyres on a fast gravel road, our tests found a 9% reduction in vibrations at the handlebar with the wider tyre. The difference to a Rene Herse 44mm tyre was even greater – we found a 23% reduction in vibrations!

Wide tyres with the right rubber composition will undoubtedly keep you comfortable, but wait – don’t they have a lot of rolling resistance?

The fascinating thing is that when you move to wider tyre sizes, the rolling resistance doesn’t increase as much as you’d think. This is because it’s the rubber compound and sidewall design of a tyre that are usually the biggest factors when it comes to rolling speed.

By conducting rolling resistance tests outside and on special measurement rigs, we can find 37mm wide touring tyres that have more rolling resistance than 100mm wide fat bike tyres. Yes, you heard that right!

The fastest tyres use thin sidewall casings constructed with compounds that have what is known as a low ‘hysteresis’. A tyre with a low hysteresis compound will deform and go back to its original shape with very little energy loss.

A “super ball” is an example of a product with low hysteresis – when you drop it from a given height it will bounce almost as high as it loses little energy with each bounce. Tyre compounds work very similarly.

Of course, there is an aerodynamic argument against using wider tyres. But YouTuber Dylan Johnson has gone to the wind tunnel and shown that it’s only 2-3 watts more resistance per 5mm extra width at 35kph/22mph. That’s almost certainly a penalty worth taking if you’re primarily riding on gravel.

Another improvement to gravel bikes is suspension fork compatibility.

New Suspension Fork Options Will Improve Performance

Gravel bikes are perhaps the only vehicle designed for off-road terrain without some sort of suspension element. But that’s about to change, as new bike models are becoming available with suspension forks – right now there are 18 of them in the Bikepacking Bike Buyer’s Guide, and the number is growing.

The biggest advantage of a suspension fork is the improved front tyre traction, which not only helps with cornering grip but also braking performance. This will ultimately give you more confidence and control on rougher roads.

In addition, you can expect less hand fatigue and a comfort improvement too. We measured 6 to 11% less vibration at the handlebar in our comparison tests between a HiRide 20mm suspension fork and an Open WI.DE rigid carbon fork – that’s over obstacles that simulate riding on fast gravel roads, and over edgy rocks.

Keep in mind that vibration exposure is greater on longer rides, so the more time you spend on your bike, the more comfort you have to gain with a suspension fork.

You might even go faster too. Geoff Kabush conducted some suspension fork testing on his gravel bike and found his speeds increased by 4.0 to 4.7% over a rigid fork when pushing the same power output. While these tests are not super scientific (and ultimately funded by Fox suspension) it’s feasible to see these kinds of speed increases on rougher roads.

The downsides of suspension forks include around 800 grams of added weight, the necessity for regular servicing intervals, a less aerodynamic design, and arguably worse bike aesthetics.

That said, a fork like the HiRide Sterra hides the hydraulic damper in the head tube away from the elements, which not only increases service interval lengths, but maintains good aerodynamics and the sleek gravel bike look. And when you don’t need the suspension travel, you can simply press the lock-out button and make it rigid.

Even if you don’t care for suspension, bike designers are currently decreasing the head tube lengths of their frames, while simultaneously increasing the rigid fork lengths. This allows one frame to suit both fork types; all you need to do is choose what you like best.

New Gearbox Options Will Reduce Bike Wear and Maintainance

Let’s finish this article with the latest in gearbox and belt drive gravel bikes. This is another fast-growing subcategory in my buyer’s guides and will be beneficial to many cyclists.

Gearboxes and internal gear hubs are weather-sealed from the elements, resulting in a super long-lasting, and ultra-low maintenance drivetrain. Pair them with a belt drive, and you won’t need to degrease or lubricate a chain again.

These gear systems are much less susceptible to damage than a derailleur, they never have to be tuned or adjusted, and will usually last a lifetime too – one Rohloff hub owner has famously exceeded half a million kilometres on his hub!

In addition, the gear range is wider than any gravel drivetrain, and the gear shifts can be made anytime, including while stationary.

The gearbox pick of the bunch on a gravel bike might just be the new Pinion Smart Shift system, which uses electronic drop bar shifters to ensure quick and easy gear shifting.

The coolest thing about this drivetrain is that it times your gear shifts so that you never have to back off on your pedal power when you change gears. It can also be configured to automatically change your gears based on your speed, which will always ensure you’re pedalling at the perfect cadence.

The downside to gearbox gravel bikes is the weight penalty of 1.0 to 1.5kg, the high price, and a reduction in drive efficiency of between 2-6%, depending on the gearbox or gear hub model.

If these drivetrains have piqued your interest, you can find in-depth information about gearboxes, internal gear hubs, and belt drivetrains on my YouTube channel or in the Bicycle Drivetrains category of this website.

Summary

Due to several recent advancements, gravel bikes are about to get much better.

Expect to see gear ratios that are better suited to steeper terrain, wider tyres for more comfort and control, compatibility with high-performance suspension forks, and models with ultra-low maintenance gearbox drivetrains.

If you’d like to learn more about gravel bikes, see all the current models available, and compare them side-by-side, make sure to check out my Bikepacking Bike Buyer’s Guide.

The post Here’s Why Gravel Bikes Will Get Much Better In 2025 appeared first on CYCLINGABOUT.com.

• Best Budget Gravel Bike Overall: State 4130 All Road
• Best Budget Gravel Bike With Aluminum Frame: Salsa Journeyer Altus
• Best Budget Gravel Bike For Rough Roads: Poseidon Redwood
• Best Budget Gravel Bike With Upright Geometry: Breezer Radar Cafe
• Best Aluminum Budget Gravel Bike: Marin DSX 1
• Best Budget Gravel Bike Ready For Commuting: Kona Dew Deluxe
• Best Budget Gravel Bike Price-to-Weight Ratio: Posideon X Ambition
• Best Budget Gravel Bike With Step-Through: Cannondale Quick Disc 3
• Best Budget Gravel Bike for Tall Riders: Surly Preamble

The Long Version

Finding the best flat bar gravel bikes under $1,000 can be a daunting task, especially if this is your first bike purchase.

The good news is all of the flat bar gravel bikes on this list have been selected through our objective, data-driven rankings, which have been optimized based on years of working in the bike industry.

We have combed through hundreds of gravel bikes to find the best handling models, with broad size ranges, great features, adequate tire widths, suitable gear ratios, in the lightest possible package, and all from great online retailers.

All you have to do is decide on the features that best suit your needs.

We’ve made this buyer’s guide your one-stop shop for finding the best budget gravel bike.

Accompanying the bike descriptions and score sheets are sizing charts that will help you pick the right size. We have even placed direct links to shops where you can buy these bikes, and have listed the shipping cost.

We have intentionally picked bikes that can be easily obtained in the USA (that’s most of you) and can be shipped directly to your door.

The author of this website has worked in the bike industry for over 20 years and has traveled the world by bicycle for over a decade. He has written multiple bicycle buyer’s guides that round up the best bikepacking and touring bikes.

All of this experience means that you can’t go wrong with any bike featured here.

Note: We may earn a commission when you purchase a bike through our links. This directly supports CYCLINGABOUT.com and allows us to continue providing high-quality cycling information to you.

Need To Know What To Look Out For?

To learn about the characteristics of a flat bar gravel bike and for full details of our scoring system, please check out the buying advice at the bottom of the article.

Jump to Buying Advice

The Best Flat Bar Gravel Bikes For 2025

State 4130 All Road – 19/20

The best budget gravel bike overall is the State 4130 All-Road.

This $999 steel bike is ready for off-road adventures. It has ample tire clearance and lots of bag/rack mounts. The notably upright riding position will allow you to ride all day comfortably should you put the bikepacking mounts to good use.

The 4130 has a 1×12-speed drivetrain, tubeless compatible wheels, generous 2.4” tire clearance, and hydraulic disc brake calipers. State also has a plethora of budget-friendly upgrades to make this your dream bike (brakes, forks, gears, wheels) although those will put you over $1,000.

In addition, State Bicycle Co frequently releases special editions, so this bike is usually available in several fun paint designs.

The State only lost points when it came to steering speed; it’s a bit quicker than other bikes here, making it feel a bit twitchy at high speed. That said, if you added some weight to the front of the bike (in the form of bikepacking bags), the slightly twitchy steering will be dulled, and it will handle high speeds well.

We recommend choosing smaller 650B/27.5” wheels if you’re primarily cycling on dirt roads, and 700C/29” wheels if you spend most of your time on pavement.

Determine your State 4130 All Road frame size in sizing recommendations.

	State 4130 Tan	State 4130 Lilac	State 4130 Raw
$45 Shipping Cost	See Price	See Price	See Price

Salsa Journeyer Altus – 19/20

The best budget gravel bike with an aluminum frame is the Salsa Journeyer.

Salsa has put a huge amount of research and development into its Journeyer gravel bike range. The attention to detail shines through in the bike’s overall design – it offers a choice of wheel sizes, exceptional tire clearance, stable steering, mounts for different luggage setups, ample bottle cage mounts, fender compatibility, and size-proportionate handlebar widths.

The Journeyer is just 26lb (11.8kg) thanks to its lightweight aluminum frame and fork. It features a reliable microSHIFT 1×9 drivetrain and can fit wide 2.2-2.3” tires for rough dirt roads. The bike has a particularly low standover height so it’s great for riders down to 4ft8 (142cm) who are looking for a perfectly fitting bike.

The only thing that kept the Journeyer from achieving a perfect score in our rating is the climbing gear is a bit high. This means that if you live in a very hilly area, you might find yourself wanting an even lower gear ratio.

We recommend smaller 650B/27.5” wheels if you’re primarily cycling on dirt roads, and 700C/29” wheels if you spend most of your time on pavement.

Determine your Salsa Journeyer frame size in the sizing recommendations.

	Characteristic	Numerical Data	Score
Steering Stability	Stable	77mm Trail	3/3
Low Climbing Gear	Moderately Low	24 Gear Inches	2/3
High-Speed Gear	High	114 Gear Inches	3/3
Maximum Tyre Width	Very Wide	55mm (2.2”)	3/3
Tubeless Compatibility	Tubeless Compatible	–	3/3
Value For Money	Great	$899	3/3
Weight Category	Lightest	11.8kg (24.9lb)	3/3
Riding Position	Normal/Sporty	582mm Stack Average	–
TOTAL SCORE			19/20
	Salsa Journeyer with 650B Wheels	Salsa Journeyer with 700C Wheels	Shipping Cost
	See Price	See Price	$100
	See Price	See Price	$150

Poseidon Redwood – 17/20

The best budget gravel bike for rough roads is the Poseidon Redwood.

The Redwood shines though as Poseidon’s proper bikepacking gravel bike, that is ready to take on any adventure. It employs a tough aluminum frame and fork with plenty of rack and accessory mounts. The drivetrain is a steadfast 1×10 model from microSHIFT.

The number one reason to choose this bike is the strong wheels and wide tires. The Redwood comes standard with 2.35” wide tires but it can fit 2.6” tires if you need! The 650B/27.5” wheels are connected with stiff thru-axles, and the rims are tubeless compatible.

The Redwood also has notably low climbing gears for a gravel bike, which is great for riding up steeper hills, especially with a bikepacking load.

While the bike is adventure-ready, it does have a few drawbacks.

It’s heavier than the rest at 29 lbs (13.15 kg). It also has a large-diameter alloy seatpost that rides very firmly (although the wide tires should regain most of that comfort). Lastly, the XL and XXL frames are not very tall at the front, resulting in a lower handlebar than similarly sized gravel bikes – tall riders take note.

Determine your Poseidon Redwood frame size in sizing recommendations.

	Characteristic	Numerical Data	Score
Steering Speed	Stable	70mm Trail	3/3
Low Climbing Gear	Very Low	22 Gear Inches	3/3
High-Speed Gear	Moderately High	96 Gear Inches	1/2
Max Tyre	Very Wide	60mm (2.4″)	3/3
Tubeless	Tubeless Compatible	–	3/3
Value For Money	Great	$999	3/3
Weight Category	Above Average	13.2kg (29.1lb)	1/3
Riding Position	Normal/Sporty	569mm Stack Average	–
TOTAL SCORE			17/20
	Poseidon Redwood	Shipping Cost	Pick-Up
	See Price	Free	Free

Breezer Radar Cafe – 16/20

The Breezer Radar Cafe Flat is the best budget gravel bike with an upright geometry.

This is a vintage-inspired gravel bike that will be as comfortable zipping around town as it is off-road riding. It has a comfortable, upright geometry making it perfect for long or relaxed days in the saddle.

The Breezer Cafe is a steel gravel bike with a Shimano 1×10 drivetrain, and it weighs 27.73 lbs (12.59 kg). The bike has been thoughtfully spec’d by the product managers, with hydraulic disk brakes, tubeless compatible rims, and clearance for 700c x 45mm tires.

In addition to the big ticket component upgrades, it also has thoughtful touches like a chain keeper on the front so your chain won’t fall off, and a sleek steel blue paint job that will turn heads.

In our rankings, the Breezer lost points for its weight and gear ratios. Since it’s a steel bike it will be heavier than others on this list, and while the climbing gear is a touch high, it will be low enough for most terrain.

Determine your Breezer Radar frame size in sizing recommendations.

	Characteristic	Numerical Data	Score
Steering Speed	Stable	73mm Trail	3/3
Low Climbing Gear	Moderately Low	25 Gear Inches	2/3
High-Speed Gear	Somewhat High	97 Gear Inches	1/2
Max Tyre	Wide	48mm (1.9”)	3/3
Tubeless	Tubeless Compatible	–	3/3
Value For Money	Great	$899	3/3
Weight Category	Average	12.6 kg (27.8 lbs)	2/3
Riding Position	Upright/Relaxed	615mm Stack Average	–
TOTAL SCORE			16/20
	Breezer Radar Cafe	Shipping Cost	Pick-Up
	See Price	Varies with location	Yes (VT)

Marin DSX 1 – 16/20

The best aluminum budget gravel bike is the Marin DSX 1.

This flat bar bike is a lightweight and versatile gravel bike that has a whole slew of great features making it ready for your next adventure.

This aluminum bike with a weight-shedding carbon fork weighs in at just 25.26 lbs (11.46 kg). This great build at a budget price includes a Shimano Deore 1×11 drivetrain, hydraulic disc brakes, and thru-axles for the wheels. The DSX 1 also has clearance for rather wide 700c x 53mm (29 x 2.1”) tires.

The DSX 1 has a classic and clean look thanks to its simple colorway and internal cable routing. It features tons of mounting points that can accommodate a variety of bag types from bikepacking cargo cage bags through to full-sized panniers. It’s a great bike for those seeking performance and comfort on mixed terrain.

The only metric that the Marin lost points in was tubeless compatibility. While tubeless compatibility is a great feature, if you are just starting in the cycling world, you may not have the proper tools for a tubeless setup, so this might not be too important to you.

Determine your Marin DSX 1 frame size in sizing recommendations.

	Characteristic	Numerical Data	Score
Steering Speed	Stable	80mm Trail	3/3
Low Climbing Gear	Moderately Low	23 Gear Inches	2/3
High-Speed Gear	Very High	105 Gear Inches	2/2
Max Tyre	Wide	53mm (2.1”)	3/3
Tubeless	Not Tubeless Compatible		0/3
Value For Money	Great	$999	3/3
Weight Category	Lightest	11.5kg (25.35 lbs)	3/3
Riding Position	Normal/Sporty	587mm Stack Average	–
TOTAL SCORE			16/20
	Marin DSX 1	Shipping Cost	Pick-up
	See Price	$85	Free
	See Bike	–	Free

Surly Preamble – 15/20

The best budget gravel bike for tall riders is the Surly Preamble.

Surly’s new entry-level bike is your “gateway drug” into cycling (their words, not mine). This fun and versatile bike will surely draw you into some dirt road cycling adventures.

Surly offers height-inclusive frame geometry, meaning the XS and S have sloped top tubes for extra frame standover, and the XL accommodates very tall riders (6ft7). In keeping with Surly’s size-inclusive geometry, the XS and S bikes come with smaller 650B wheels, while M through XL bikes come with 700C wheels.

The Preamble Flat bar is a steel bike so you’re sacrificing comfort for a bit of weight, but it still only weighs 12.3 kg (27 lbs). The bike comes with a 1×9 Shimano CUES drivetrain and hydraulic disc brakes as standard.

Downsides to the bike include a narrow tire width compared to some, higher climbing gear than we’d like, and a heavier-than-average weight.

Determine your Surly Preamble frame size in sizing recommendations.

	Characteristic	Numerical Data	Score
Steering Speed	Somewhat Stable	66mm Trail	2/3
Low Climbing Gear	Somewhat Low	26 Gear Inches	2/3
High-Speed Gear	Moderately High	100 Gear Inches	2/2
Max Tyre	Somewhat Wide	41mm (1.65”)	1/3
Tubeless	Tubeless Ready	–	3/3
Value For Money	Great	$999	3/3
Weight Category	Average	12.3kg (27.0 lbs)	2/3
Riding Position	Sporty/Average	573mm Stack Average	–
TOTAL SCORE			15/20
	Surly Preamble	Shipping Cost	Pick-up
	See Price	$100	Yes (AZ)
	See Price	$150	Yes (MN)
	See Price	Varies with location	No

Kona Dew Deluxe – 15/20

The best budget gravel bike for commuting is the Kona Dew Deluxe.

This isn’t just a gravel bike; it’s a commuter’s dream that can effortlessly transition between weekends away and urban commutes. It comes stock with a kickstand, so you can easily park your bike while running errands, and fenders to keep you dry when the conditions turn on you. 

The Dew Deluxe boasts hydraulic disc brakes, Shimano Deore 11-speed gears, and 650b/27.5” wheels with lots of clearance (55mm or 2.2″). It also has the most upright riding position of any bike on this list, which is ideal for both commuting and long days in the saddle.

The biggest downside is this bike is a bit heavy, especially for an aluminum bike, weighing in at 29.76 lbs (13.5 kg). If you remove the fenders and kickstand though it is about 2 lbs (1 kg) lighter. However, fenders and a kickstand are great for bikepacking too, so you might find you appreciate them.

Determine your Kona Dew Deluxe frame size in sizing recommendations.

	Characteristic	Numerical Data	Score
Steering Speed	Stable	70mm Trail	3/3
Low Climbing Gear	Very Low	20 Gear Inches	3/3
High-Speed Gear	Not Very High	91 Gear Inches	1/2
Max Tyre	Wide	55mm (2.2”)	3/3
Tubeless	Not Tubeless Ready		0/3
Value For Money	Great	$949	3/3
Weight Category	Above Average	12.5 kg (27.6 lbs)	2/3
Riding Position	Very upright	626mm Stack Average	–
TOTAL SCORE			15/20
	Kona Dew Deluxe White	Kona Dew Deluxe Blue	Shipping
	See Price	See Price	$119 (Home) or $80 (Bike Shop)

Poseidon X Ambition – 15/20

The best budget gravel bike for price and weight is the Poseidon X Ambition.

This is the speedy sibling of the Redwood. Every part of the X Ambition has been built for riding fast – it features 700C wheels that carry speed well, and a full carbon fork that saves about 1 lb (450 grams) compared to an aluminum or steel fork.

Poseidon didn’t just have speed in mind for the X Ambition though. It features an excellent low climbing gear ratio for steep hills and a notably upright riding position too.

This aluminum bike comes in at a lightweight 25 lbs (11.34 kg). It uses the same microSHIFT 1×10 drivetrain as the Redwood, and simple mechanical disc brakes.

A downside is that the maximum tire size is fairly narrow at 42mm. However, if you’re aiming for speed and only need the bike for light off-road riding – this will be wide enough. It’s also worth noting the standard wheels are not tubeless compatible (but a wheel upgrade kit is available for a few hundred dollars extra).

Determine your Poseidon X frame size in sizing recommendations.

	Characteristic	Numerical Data	Score
Steering Speed	Stable	73mm Trail	3/3
Low Climbing Gear	Very Low	22 Gear Inches	3/3
High-Speed Gear	Moderately High	94 Gear Inches	1/2
Max Tyre	Somewhat Wide	42mm (1.65″)	2/3
Tubeless	Not Tubeless Ready	–	0/3
Value For Money	Great	$899	3/3
Weight Category	Lightest	11.3kg (25.0lb)	3/3
Riding Position	Upright/Relaxed	597mm Stack Average	–
TOTAL SCORE			15/20
	Poseidon X Ambition	Shipping Cost	Pick-Up
	See Price	Free	Free (CA)

Cannondale Quick Disc 5 – 13/20

The best budget gravel bike with a step-through frame is the Cannondale Quick Disc 3.

Cannondale has been in the bike market for decades bringing innovation to bikes whether they are for world-class athletes or budget-minded consumers. The Quick 3 is a lightweight bike that will have you equally zipping through the city or down bumpy gravel roads.

The Quick 3 is an aluminum gravel bike and comes with hydraulic disc brakes and a carbon fork. The bike weighs in at only 25.4 lbs (11.5 kg), and has a broad height range fitting riders 4’10” – 6’9” (the tallest of any bike on our list).

There are also unique accessories included with the bike, for example, a built-in phone mount (compatible with SP phone cases) that allows you to document your rides in conjunction with the sensor in the fork and Cannondale app.

The Quick 3 is the only bike on this list that is offered as a unisex step-through frame. While not common in the US, these low-slung frames are much easier to mount, and a great option if you have limited mobility, or simply need to dismount frequently.

At 42 mm (1.65”) the Quick 3 has a fairly narrow maximum tire width, but this is plenty wide for light gravel roads and bike paths. The only other downside is the low climbing gear, which is higher than some bikes on the list.

Determine your Cannondale Quick frame size in sizing recommendations.

	Characteristic	Numerical Data	Score
Steering Speed	Somewhat Stable	62mm Trail	2/3
Low Climbing Gear	Somewhat Low	26 Gear Inches	2/3
High-Speed Gear	High	105 Gear Inches	2/2
Max Tyre	Somewhat Wide	42 mm / 1.65”	2/3
Tubeless	Not Tubeless Ready	–	0/3
Value For Money	Great	$625	3/3
Weight Category	Lightest	12.1kg (26.7lb)	2/3
Riding Position	Upright/Relaxed	602mm Stack Average	–
TOTAL SCORE			13/20
	Cannondale Quick Disc 5	Cannondale Quick Disc 3	Pick-Up
$85 Shipping Cost	See Price	See Price	Yes

Budget Gravel Bike Buying Advice

Frame Material

Aluminum – This is the most common frame and fork material in this price range. Aluminum provides the best balance between frame stiffness, lightweight performance, and cost-effectiveness.

Steel – People who ride steel bikes are often fanatics about them. They love the side-to-side flex that a steel frame offers, as well as the ability to easily repair the frame, should something break. The downside to this material is that it’s heavier than aluminum, usually by 2 or 3 pounds (1-1.5 kg).

Carbon Fiber – While there aren’t any carbon fiber bikes on this list, a few bikes do feature a carbon fork. Carbon forks shave off a pound of weight and can be more forgiving over bumps. A carbon fork is a great upgrade for those who are looking to squeeze out the most performance.

Drivetrain Type

1X – A single chainring in the front eliminates the front derailleur. These drivetrains are paired with a wide-range cassette at the rear so you can still maintain a broad gear range. The simplicity of a 1X system is appealing to riders who want ease of use, and less mechanical hassle.

2X – A double chainring drivetrain offers a broader range of gear ratios by featuring two front chainrings. This allows for smaller differences between gears on the rear cassette, providing a more consistent cadence (pedalling speed in RPM) across a wider range of speeds, gradients, and terrains. A 2X setup is a great choice for people who will do a lot of paved road riding.

Wheel Size

The choice of wheel size ultimately comes down to personal preference, some companies such as State Bicycle offer a second wheelset for an additional fee, and other companies like Salsa offer the same model in both wheel sizes.

700C (29″) – 700C has been the standard road bike wheel size for decades. Its large diameter allows for a greater rollover capability, so 700C can clear obstacles easily while carrying more momentum. This makes them ideal for riders who prefer to ride faster with greater efficiency.

650B (27.5”) – By reducing the rim size, you can fit higher-volume tires on the same gravel bike frame. Wider tires provide more grip and reduce body fatigue on rough terrain. This wheel size is ideal for those who want to prioritize bike control and ride comfort.

Handlebar Type

There are advantages and disadvantages to drop bars and flat bars, and your choice ultimately boils down to how you want to use your bike. You can read our full pros/cons article about handlebar type HERE.

Drop Bars (Curly Ones) – These bars offer a more aerodynamic riding position that is ideal for long days on the bike. and more hand positions than their flat bar counterparts. Due to their narrower width, they are often better for squeezing between cars and urban obstacles.

Flat Bars (Not Curly Ones) – Flat bars offer extra steering leverage for better bike control, and the ride position they put you in is usually a bit more upright. This makes them a great option for beginners. Our list of the best flat bar gravel bikes (under $1000) is coming soon.

Our Scoring System

Steering Speed

We assign:
3 points to a bike with a trail of 68mm or more
2 points to a bike with a trail between 61 and 68mm
1 point to a bike with a trail 60mm or less.

Steering speed is an important part of our rankings. We use the ‘trail’ measurement, which gives us the best approximation of how a bike’s steering will feel to you the rider. This article on Bike Insights gives a great in-depth analysis of what constitutes trail.

Generally, mountain bikes have the highest trail figure (90-130mm), resulting in a slow steering feel. This keeps them extremely stable at high speeds, especially when combined with a wide flat handlebar and short stem.

On the opposite end, road bikes generally have the lowest trail figure (50-70mm), resulting in a quick steering feel that best suits the characteristics of a narrow drop bar and longer stem.

Low Climbing Gear

We assign:
3 points to a bike with a climbing gear of below 24 gear inches
2 points to a bike with a climbing gear between 24 and 28 gear inches
1 point to a bike with a climbing gear above 28 gear inches

We measure the lowest and highest gears on a gravel bike using “gear inches”. They are calculated using the diameter of your wheel, multiplied by the front sprocket, and divided by your rear cog. That gives us a convenient two or three-digit number to compare bikes that use different wheel sizes and tire widths.

The good news is that you don’t have to calculate the gear inches manually, websites like Gear-Calculator work them out for you.

On a gravel bike, the ideal climbing gear is generally 24 gear inches or below as this gear allows you to pedal comfortably up a steep hill at 7kph/4mph. 24 to 28 gear inches is generally acceptable on moderately steep terrain, and 28 or above is better suited to milder gradients.

High-Speed Gear

We assign:
2 points to a bike with a high-speed gear above 100 gear inches
1 points to a bike with a high-speed gear below 100 gear inches

At the other end of the scale, the ideal high gear is somewhere over 100 gear inches. This will give you enough gears to pedal down a hill at 48kph/30mph. Stepping up to 125 gear inches for your high-speed gear, and you can still pedal at 60kph/37mph.

Maximum Tire Size

We assign:
3 points to a maximum tire width of 47mm or wider
2 points to a max tire width of 42 to 47mm
1 point to a max tire width of 42mm or narrower

The maximum tire width is determined by frame and fork clearance. Bikepackers typically choose the widest tire available, as the wider the tire the more varied the terrain you can ride. This is why bikes with a larger tire clearance received higher scores in our rankings.

Wider tires have a larger contact patch with the ground. This gives you more grip as you navigate challenging terrain. A wider tire can also absorb vibrations and impacts more effectively, providing a smoother overall ride.

The good news is that wider tires won’t slow you down much because it’s the tire’s rubber compound that primarily (~80%) determines rolling resistance. In fact, some wide/nobby mountain bike tires roll much faster than slick road bike tires!

Tubeless Compatibility

We assign:
3 points to a bike that has tubeless compatible wheels
0 points to a bike that has tube-only wheels

Tubeless – A tubeless setup has a reduced risk of flats due to the latex-based sealant inside. The sealant is to self-seal small punctures caused by thorns or debris.

A tubeless setup also allows riders to run lower tire pressure for a more cushioned ride without the risk of pinch flats. To run a tubeless setup, both the rim and tires need to be tubeless compatible. The initial setup requires a bit of familiarity with putting sealant into tires and seating the tire on the rim.

The ranking system we use places a lot of emphasis on bikes with tubeless compatibility, as it is such great convenience.

Tubes – Tires with tubes are easier to install and more straightforward for most users. It’s worth noting that all tubeless wheels can fit tubes.

Value For Money

We assign:
3 points to a very good value bike
2 points to a good value bike
1 point to a bike of ok value-for-money

Admittedly, this metric is rather subjective, however, we have a good sense of the quality of the frame, fork, and components and whether they match the asking price of the bike.

Weight

We assign:
3 points to a bike under 12kg (26.5lb)
2 points for a bike between 12-13kg (26.5-28.7lb)
1 point for a bike over 13kg and over (28.7lb)

Weight is one of the easiest things to measure on a bicycle, so it is often the emphasis. However, it’s our opinion that bike weight matters much less than you think. This is because a 1kg (2.2lbs) heavier bike usually only results in a one or two-minute time penalty over a 100km (62mi) hilly ride.

Nonetheless, a lightweight gravel bike often uses higher-quality components and materials, so this is still an important metric.

Riding Position

We use the average stack height of all frame sizes to determine whether a bike has a ‘sporty’ or ‘relaxed’ riding position. This metric gives us an idea of how high the handlebar is relative to your saddle height.

Normal/Sporty means the bike’s handlebar is a typical height compared to other gravel bikes. A bike is considered sporty when the average stack is under 590mm.

Upright/Relaxed means the bike’s handlebar is higher than average compared to other gravel bikes. A bike is considered ‘relaxed’ when the average stack is 590mm or taller.

It’s worth noting that you can turn a ‘sporty’ bike into a ‘relaxed’ bike by increasing a bike’s handlebar height using a riser stem or steerer tube extender. These products normally add 25 to 75mm (1-3″) of bar height.

Sizing Recommendations

Simply find your height and inseam on these charts to determine the size(s) that will fit you.

If you’re on the boundary between two sizes, those with a long inseam often prefer the taller handlebar height of the bigger frame size. Conversely, if you’d like a lower handlebar height for a performance-oriented riding position, simply choose the smaller size.

The frame standover is the measurement from the ground to the top tube (50mm/2.0″ in front of the bottom bracket). Ideally, this measurement is less than your inseam so that your crotch has clearance over the bike frame.

Salsa Journeyer

	Salsa Journeyer with 650B Wheels	Salsa Journeyer with 700C Wheels	Shipping Cost
	See Price	See Price	$100
	See Price	See Price	$150

State 4130 All-Road

What State 4130 All Road Frame Size Should You Buy?

	State 4130 Tan	State 4130 Lilac	State 4130 Raw
$45 Shipping Cost	See Price	See Price	See Price

Poseidon Redwood

What Poseidon Redwood Frame Size Should You Buy?

	Poseidon Redwood	Shipping Cost	Pick-Up
	See Price	Free	Free

Breezer Radar Cafe

	Breezer Radar Cafe	Shipping Cost	Pick-Up
	See Price	Varies with location	Yes (VT)

Marin DSX 1

	Marin DSX 1	Shipping Cost	Pick-up
	See Price	$85	Free
	See Bike	–	Free

Kona Dew Deluxe

	Kona Dew Deluxe White	Kona Dew Deluxe Blue	Shipping
	See Price	See Price	$119 (Home) or $80 (Bike Shop)

Poseidon X Ambition

	Poseidon X Ambition	Shipping Cost	Pick-Up
	See Price	Free	Free

Cannondale Quick Disc 3

	Cannondale Quick Disc 5	Cannondale Quick Disc 3	Pick-Up
	See Price	See Price	Yes

Surly Preamble

	Surly Preamble	Shipping Cost	Pick-up
	See Price	$100	Yes (AZ)
	See Price	$150	Yes (MN)
	See Price	Varies with location	No

The post The 9 Best Budget Gravel Bikes With Flat Bars (Under $1000) appeared first on CYCLINGABOUT.com.

• Best Budget Gravel Bike Overall: State 4130 All-Road
• Best Aluminum Gravel Bike: Salsa Journeyer Advent
• Best Gravel Bike With Modern Features: Polygon Tambora G4
• Best For Rough Roads: Poseidon Redwood
• Best For Road Biking: Diamondback Haanjo 2
• Best Price to Weight: Poseidon X Ambition
• Best Classic Design: Marin Nicasio

The Long Version

Finding the best budget gravel bikes under $1,000 can be a daunting task, especially if this is your first bike purchase.

The good news is all of the gravel bikes on this list have been selected through our objective, data-driven rankings, which have been optimized based on our years working in the bike industry.

We have combed through hundreds of gravel bikes to find the best handling models, with broad size ranges, great features, adequate tire widths, suitable gear ratios, and all in the lightest possible package.

All you have to do is decide on the features that best suit your needs.

We’ve made this buyer’s guide your one-stop shop for finding the best budget gravel bike.

Accompanying the bike descriptions and score sheets are sizing charts that will help you pick the right size. We have even placed direct links to shops where you can buy these bikes, and have listed the shipping cost.

We have intentionally picked bikes that can be easily obtained in the USA (that’s most of you) and can be shipped directly to your door.

The author of this website has worked in the bike industry for over 20 years and has traveled the world by bicycle for over a decade. He has written multiple bicycle buyer’s guides that round up the best bikepacking and touring bikes.

All of this experience means that you can’t go wrong with any bike featured here.

Note: We may earn a commission when you purchase a bike through our links. This directly supports CYCLINGABOUT.com and allows us to continue providing high-quality cycling information to you.

Need To Know What To Look Out For?

To learn about the characteristics of a gravel bike and for full details of our scoring system, please check out the buying advice at the bottom of the article.

Jump to Buying Advice

The Best Budget Gravel Bikes in 2025

State 4130 All Road – 19/20

	State 4130 Tan	State 4130 Lilac	State 4130 Raw
$45 Shipping Cost	Check Price HERE	Check Price HERE	Check Price HERE

The best budget gravel bike overall is the State 4130 All-Road.

This steel-framed gravel bike is ready for fun. It has huge tire clearance and many bag/rack mounts making it well-suited for off-road adventures. The notably upright riding position will allow you to ride all day comfortably should you put the bikepacking mounts to good use.

The 4130 has a 1×12-speed drivetrain, tubeless compatible wheels, generous 2.4” tire clearance (650B wheels), and hydraulic disc brake calipers. State also has many budget-friendly upgrades to make this your dream bike (brakes, forks, gears, wheels) although those will put you over $1,000.

In addition, this bike is usually available in several fun paint designs.

The State 4130 All-Road only lost points regarding steering speed; it’s a bit quicker than other bikes here, making it feel a bit twitchy at high speed. That said, if you add some weight to the front of the bike (in the form of bikepacking bags), the slightly twitchy steering will be dulled, and it will handle high speeds well.

We recommend choosing smaller 650B wheels if you’re primarily cycling on dirt roads, and 700C wheels if you spend most of your time on pavement.

Determine your State 4130 All Road frame size in sizing recommendations.

Salsa Journeyer Advent – 19/20

	Salsa Journeyer 650B	Salsa Journeyer 700C	Shipping Cost
	Check Price HERE	Check Price HERE	$150
	Check Price HERE	Check Price HERE	$100
	Check Price HERE	Check Price HERE	$85

The best budget gravel bike with an aluminum frame is the Salsa Journeyer.

Salsa has put a huge amount of research and development into its Journeyer budget gravel bike range. The attention to detail shines through in the bike’s overall design – it offers a choice of wheel sizes, exceptional tire clearance, stable steering, mounts for different luggage setups, ample bottle cage mounts, fender compatibility, and size-proportionate handlebar widths.

The Journeyer is just 26lb (11.8kg) thanks to its lightweight aluminum frame and fork. It features a reliable microSHIFT 1×9 drivetrain and can fit wide 650B x 2.3” tires (or 700C x 2.2”) for rough dirt roads. The bike has a particularly low standover height so it’s great for riders down to 4ft8 (142cm) who are looking for a perfectly fitting bike.

The only thing that kept the Journeyer from achieving a perfect score in our rating is the climbing gear that’s a bit high. If you live in a very hilly area, you might find yourself wanting an even lower gear (which is possible with a new front chain ring). That said, the standard gear ratio should be plenty low for most people.

We recommend smaller 650B wheels if you’re primarily cycling on dirt roads, and 700C wheels if you spend most of your time on pavement.

Determine your Salsa Journeyer frame size in the sizing recommendations.

Polygon Tambora G4 – 18/20

The best budget gravel bike with modern features is the Polygon Tambora G4.

The Tambora is a thoroughly modern bikepacking gravel bike with features usually found on more expensive bikes. It employs a uniquely shaped aluminum frame with an array of mounts for racks, fenders, water bottles, pumps, and frame packs. There’s a carbon fiber fork up front to add comfort, and the drivetrain is a solid 1×10 model from microSHIFT.

This bike has a flip-chip system at both the front and rear axles, which allows you to change the bike’s handling characteristics. By flipping the eccentric metal chips, you can make the bike handle slow and stable for gravel roads, or fast and responsive for paved roads.

This virtually makes the Tambora a two-in-one bike!

The Tambora has an upright riding position and notably low climbing gears. This bike will be great for riding up steeper hills – especially if you’re planning on carrying some luggage.

Although it does look nice, a downside to the Tambora G4 is the cable routing for the brakes and rear derailleur. They need to go through the headset bearings, which makes fitting new cables a more laborious job than on other bikes. The steering speed is also a bit quicker/twitchier than we’d like to see, although it’s not unreasonable.

Determine your Polygon Tambora frame size in sizing recommendations.

	Characteristic	Numerical Data	Score
Steering Speed	Somewhat Stable	66mm Trail	2/3
Low Climbing Gear	Very Low	23 Gear Inches	3/3
High-Speed Gear	High	101 Gear Inches	2/2
Max Tyre	Somewhat Wide	45mm	2/3
Tubeless	Tubeless Compatible	–	3/3
Value For Money	Great	$899	3/3
Weight Category	Below Average	11.8kg (24.9lb)	3/3
Riding Position	Upright/Relaxed	1.56	–
TOTAL SCORE			18/20
	Polygon Tambora G4	Shipping Cost	Pick-Up
	See Price	$79	No

Poseidon Redwood – 17/20

The best budget gravel bike for rough roads is the Poseidon Redwood.

The Redwood shines though as Poseidon’s proper bikepacking gravel bike, that’s ready to take on any adventure. It employs a tough aluminum frame and fork with plenty of rack and accessory mounts. The drivetrain is a steadfast 1×10 model from microSHIFT.

The number one reason to choose this bike is the strong wheels and wide tires. The Redwood comes standard with 2.35” wide tires but it can squeeze in 2.6” tires if you need! The 650B wheels are connected with stiff thru-axles, and the rims are tubeless compatible.

The Redwood also has notably low climbing gears for a gravel bike, which is great for riding up steeper hills, especially with a bikepacking load.

While the bike is adventure-ready, it does have a few drawbacks.

It’s heavier than the rest at 29 lbs (13.15 kg). It also has a large-diameter alloy seatpost that rides very firmly (although the wide tires should regain most of that comfort). Lastly, the XL and XXL frames are not very tall at the front, resulting in a lower handlebar than similarly sized gravel bikes – tall riders take note.

Determine your Poseidon Redwood frame size in sizing recommendations.

	Characteristic	Numerical Data	Score
Steering Speed	Stable	70mm Trail	3/3
Low Climbing Gear	Very Low	22 Gear Inches	3/3
High-Speed Gear	Moderately High	96 Gear Inches	1/2
Max Tyre	Very Wide	60mm (2.4″)	3/3
Tubeless	Tubeless Compatible	–	3/3
Value For Money	Great	$999	3/3
Weight Category	Above Average	13.2kg (29.1lb)	1/3
Riding Position	Normal/Sporty	1.49	–
TOTAL SCORE			17/20
	Poseidon Redwood	Shipping Cost	Pick-Up
	See Price	Free	Free

Diamondback Haanjo 2 – 17/20

The best budget gravel bike for pavement riding is the Diamondback Haanjo.

When you hear of Diamondback bikes you might think of budget bikes at big box stores. Nowadays, they sell their high-quality bikes at budget prices direct-to-consumer, and they feature lots of thoughtful details.

The Haanjo is an all-purpose aluminum gravel bike with a modern road bike aesthetic. It weighs in at 26 lbs (11.79 kg). The bike employs the Shimano Claris 2×8 drivetrain and mechanical disc brakes.

The 2X drivetrain is perfect if you envision riding on a lot of paved roads, as it has smaller ‘steps’ when you change gears, and a great high-speed gear for long descents. That said, you might find yourself needing a lower climbing gear if you plan on riding in particularly hilly areas.

The Haanjo also features several smart component choices, such as size-specific handlebar widths. Depending on the bike size, the handlebars range from 38 to 46 cm wide. This means the shortest riders will have handlebars 8 cm narrower than the tallest riders, which better suits their body proportions. This is a notable feature as other bikes save money by ordering a one-size-fits-all handlebar.

You also receive a free toolkit with purchase, and Diamondback has a 30-day no-hassle return policy.

Determine your Diamondback Haanjo frame size in sizing recommendations.

	Characteristic	Numerical Data	Score
Steering Speed	Stable	72mm Trail	3/3
Low Climbing Gear	Not Very Low	29 Gear Inches	1/3
High-Speed Gear	Very High	115 Gear Inches	2/2
Max Tyre	Somewhat Wide	42mm (1.7″)	2/3
Tubeless	Tubeless Compatible	–	3/3
Value For Money	Great	$999	3/3
Weight Category	Lightest	11.8kg (29.1lb)	3/3
Riding Position	Normal/Sporty	1.50	–
TOTAL SCORE			17/20
	Diamondback Haanjo 2	Shipping Cost	Store Pick-Up
	See Price	$85	Free

Poseidon X Ambition – 15/20

The best budget gravel bike for its weight is the Poseidon X Ambition.

The X Ambition is the speedy sibling of the Redwood. Every part of the X Ambition has been built for riding fast – it features 700C wheels that carry speed well, and a full carbon fork that saves about 1 lb (450 grams) compared to an aluminum or steel fork.

Poseidon didn’t just have speed in mind for the X Ambition though. It features an excellent low climbing gear ratio for steep hills and a notably upright riding position too.

This aluminum framed bike comes in at a lightweight 25 lbs. (11.34 kg). It uses the same microSHIFT 1×10 drivetrain as the Redwood and mechanical disc brakes finish off a great bike.

A downside is that the maximum tire size is fairly narrow at 42mm, however, if you’re aiming for speed and only need the bike for light off-road riding – that is plenty of clearance. It’s also worth noting the standard wheels are not tubeless compatible (but a wheel upgrade kit is available for a few hundred dollars extra).

Determine your Poseidon X frame size in sizing recommendations.

	Characteristic	Numerical Data	Score
Steering Speed	Stable	73mm Trail	3/3
Low Climbing Gear	Very Low	22 Gear Inches	3/3
High-Speed Gear	Moderately High	94 Gear Inches	1/2
Max Tyre	Somewhat Wide	42mm (1.7″)	2/3
Tubeless	Not Tubeless Ready	–	0/3
Value For Money	Great	$899	3/3
Weight Category	Lightest	11.3kg (25.0lb)	3/3
Riding Position	Upright/Relaxed	1.57	–
TOTAL SCORE			15/20
	Poseidon X Ambition	Shipping Cost	Pick-Up (CA)
	See Price	Free	Free

Marin Nicasio – 9/20

The best budget gravel bike with a classic design is the Marin Nicasio.

The Nicasio is a steel bike with a classic look but modern features such as mechanical disc brakes and internal cable routing.

This bike has a geometry that blends on-road handling while providing extra stability for off-road use. Its upright riding position, low standover height, and steel comfort make it a top choice for all riders.

The Nicasio is available in two great colors and has plenty of mounting points for any adventure that you have planned. The Shimano Claris 2×8 drivetrain is a bit more suited to flatter, paved roads as it has high-speed gears for descending. The bike is a bit heavier than most at 27.62 lbs (12.53 kg) but it’s not at all unreasonable.

This bike has the narrowest tire clearance of all of the gravel bikes on this list at 700C x 40mm. This is usually enough for gravel riding but could be a bit narrow if you plan on riding in muddy or sandy conditions.

Determine your Marin Nicasio frame size in sizing recommendations.

	Characteristic	Numerical Data	Score
Steering Speed	Somewhat Stable	60mm Trail	1/3
Low Climbing Gear	Not Very Low	29 Gear Inches	1/3
High-Speed Gear	Very High	125 Gear Inches	2/2
Max Tyre	Somewhat Wide	40mm (1.6″)	1/3
Tubeless	Not Tubeless Ready	–	0/3
Value For Money	Great	$899	3/3
Weight Category	Above Average	13.0kg (28.7lb)	1/3
Riding Position	Normal/Sporty	1.53	–
TOTAL SCORE			9/20
	Marin Nicasio	Shipping Cost	Pick-Up
	See Price	$85	Free
	See Price	–	Free

Budget Gravel Bike Buying Advice

Frame Material

Aluminum – This is the most common frame and fork material in this price range. Aluminum provides the best balance between frame stiffness, lightweight performance, and cost-effectiveness.

Steel – People who ride steel bikes are often fanatics about them. They love the side-to-side flex that a steel frame offers, as well as the ability to easily repair the frame, should something break. The downside to this material is that it’s heavier than aluminum, usually by 2 or 3 pounds (1-1.5 kg).

Carbon Fiber – While there aren’t any carbon fiber bikes on this list, a few bikes do feature a carbon fork. Carbon forks shave off a pound of weight and can be more forgiving over bumps. A carbon fork is a great upgrade for those who are looking to squeeze out the most performance.

Drivetrain Type

1X – A single chainring in the front eliminates the front derailleur. These drivetrains are paired with a wide-range cassette at the rear so you can still maintain a broad gear range. The simplicity of a 1X system is appealing to riders who want ease of use, and less mechanical hassle.

2X – A double chainring drivetrain offers a broader range of gear ratios by featuring two front chainrings. This allows for smaller differences between gears on the rear cassette, providing a more consistent cadence (pedalling speed in RPM) across a wider range of speeds, gradients, and terrains. A 2X setup is a great choice for people who will do a lot of paved road riding.

Wheel Size

The choice of wheel size ultimately comes down to personal preference, some companies such as State Bicycle offer a second wheelset for an additional fee, and other companies like Salsa offer the same model in both wheel sizes.

700C (29″) – 700C has been the standard road bike wheel size for decades. Its large diameter allows for a greater rollover capability, so 700C can clear obstacles easily while carrying more momentum. This makes them ideal for riders who prefer to ride faster with greater efficiency.

650B (27.5”) – By reducing the rim size, you can fit higher-volume tires on the same gravel bike frame. Wider tires provide more grip and reduce body fatigue on rough terrain. This wheel size is ideal for those who want to prioritize bike control and ride comfort.

Handlebar Type

There are advantages and disadvantages to drop bars and flat bars, and your choice ultimately boils down to how you want to use your bike. You can read our full pros/cons article about handlebar type HERE.

Drop Bars (Curly Ones) – These bars offer a more aerodynamic riding position that is ideal for long days on the bike. and more hand positions than their flat bar counterparts. Due to their narrower width, they are often better for squeezing between cars and urban obstacles.

Flat Bars (Not Curly Ones) – Flat bars offer extra steering leverage for better bike control, and the ride position they put you in is usually a bit more upright. This makes them a great option for beginners. Our list of the best flat bar gravel bikes (under $1000) is coming soon.

The CYCLINGABOUT Scoring System

Steering Speed

We assign:
3 points to a bike with a trail of 68mm or more
2 points to a bike with a trail between 61 and 68mm
1 point to a bike with a trail 60mm or less.

Steering speed is an important part of our rankings. We use the ‘trail’ measurement, which gives us the best approximation of how a bike’s steering will feel to you the rider. This article on Bike Insights gives a great in-depth analysis of what constitutes trail.

Generally, mountain bikes have the highest trail figure (90-130mm), resulting in a slow steering feel. This keeps them extremely stable at high speeds, especially when combined with a wide flat handlebar and short stem.

On the opposite end, road bikes generally have the lowest trail figure (50-70mm), resulting in a quick steering feel that best suits the characteristics of a narrow drop bar and longer stem.

Low Climbing Gear

We assign:
3 points to a bike with a climbing gear of below 24 gear inches
2 points to a bike with a climbing gear between 24 and 28 gear inches
1 point to a bike with a climbing gear above 28 gear inches

We measure the lowest and highest gears on a gravel bike using “gear inches”. They are calculated using the diameter of your wheel, multiplied by the front sprocket, and divided by your rear cog. That gives us a convenient two or three-digit number to compare bikes that use different wheel sizes and tire widths.

The good news is that you don’t have to calculate the gear inches manually, websites like Gear-Calculator work them out for you.

On a gravel bike, the ideal climbing gear is generally 24 gear inches or below as this gear allows you to pedal comfortably up a steep hill at 7kph/4mph. 24 to 28 gear inches is generally acceptable on moderately steep terrain, and 28 or above is better suited to milder gradients.

High-Speed Gear

We assign:
2 points to a bike with a high-speed gear above 100 gear inches
1 points to a bike with a high-speed gear below 100 gear inches

At the other end of the scale, the ideal high gear is somewhere over 100 gear inches. This will give you enough gears to pedal down a hill at 48kph/30mph. Stepping up to 125 gear inches for your high-speed gear, and you can still pedal at 60kph/37mph.

Maximum Tire Size

We assign:
3 points to a maximum tire width of 47mm or wider
2 points to a max tire width of 42 to 47mm
1 point to a max tire width of 42mm or narrower

The maximum tire width is determined by frame and fork clearance. Bikepackers typically choose the widest tire available, as the wider the tire the more varied the terrain you can ride. This is why bikes with a larger tire clearance received higher scores in our rankings.

Wider tires have a larger contact patch with the ground. This gives you more grip as you navigate challenging terrain. A wider tire can also absorb vibrations and impacts more effectively, providing a smoother overall ride.

The good news is that wider tires won’t slow you down much because it’s the tire’s rubber compound that primarily (~80%) determines rolling resistance. In fact, some wide/nobby mountain bike tires roll much faster than slick road bike tires!

Tubeless Compatibility

We assign:
3 points to a bike that has tubeless compatible wheels
0 points to a bike that has tube-only wheels

Tubeless – A tubeless setup has a reduced risk of flats due to the latex-based sealant inside. The sealant is to self-seal small punctures caused by thorns or debris.

A tubeless setup also allows riders to run lower tire pressure for a more cushioned ride without the risk of pinch flats. To run a tubeless setup, both the rim and tires need to be tubeless compatible. The initial setup requires a bit of familiarity with putting sealant into tires and seating the tire on the rim.

The ranking system we use places a lot of emphasis on bikes with tubeless compatibility, as it is such great convenience.

Tubes – Tires with tubes are easier to install and more straightforward for most users. It’s worth noting that all tubeless wheels can fit tubes.

Value For Money

We assign:
3 points to a very good value bike
2 points to a good value bike
1 point to a bike of ok value-for-money

Admittedly, this metric is rather subjective, however, we have a good sense of the quality of the frame, fork, and components and whether they match the asking price of the bike.

Weight

We assign:
3 points to a bike under 12kg (26.5lb)
2 points for a bike between 12-13kg (26.5-28.7lb)
1 point for a bike over 13kg and over (28.7lb)

Weight is one of the easiest things to measure on a bicycle, so it is often the emphasis. However, it’s our opinion that bike weight matters much less than you think. This is because a 1kg (2.2lbs) heavier bike usually only results in a one or two-minute time penalty over a 100km (62mi) hilly ride.

Nonetheless, a lightweight gravel bike often uses higher-quality components and materials, so this is still an important metric.

Riding Position

We use the average stack-to-reach ratio of all frame sizes to determine whether a bike has a ‘sporty’ or ‘relaxed’ riding position. This metric gives us an idea of how high the handlebar is relative to your saddle height.

Normal/Sporty means the bike’s handlebar is a typical height compared to other gravel bikes. A bike is considered sporty when the average stack-to-reach ratio is under 1.55.

Upright/Relaxed means the bike’s handlebar is higher than average compared to other gravel bikes. A bike is considered ‘relaxed’ when the average stack-to-reach ratio is 1.55 or above.

It’s worth noting that you can turn a ‘sporty’ bike into a ‘relaxed’ bike by increasing a bike’s handlebar height using a riser stem or steerer tube extender. These products normally add 25 to 75mm (1-3″) of bar height.

Sizing Recommendations

Simply find your height and inseam on these charts to determine the size(s) that will fit you.

If you’re on the boundary between two sizes, those with a long inseam often prefer the taller handlebar height of the bigger frame size. Conversely, if you’d like a lower handlebar height for a performance-oriented riding position, simply choose the smaller size.

The frame standover is the measurement from the ground to the top tube (50mm/2.0″ in front of the bottom bracket). Ideally, this measurement is less than your inseam so that your crotch has clearance over the bike frame.

State 4130 All-Road

	State 4130 All-Road Tan	State 4130 All-Road Raw	Shipping Cost
	Check Price HERE	Check Price HERE	$45

Salsa Journeyer Advent

	Salsa Journeyer with 650B Wheels	Salsa Journeyer with 700C Wheels	Shipping Cost
	See Price	See Price	$150
	See Price	See Price	$75
	See Price	See Price	$100
	See Price	See Price	$85

Polygon Tambora G4

	Polygon Tambora G4	Shipping Cost	Pick-Up
	See Price	$79	No

Poseidon Redwood

	Poseidon Redwood	Shipping Cost	Pick-Up
	See Price	Free	Free

Diamondback Haanjo 2

	Diamondback Haanjo 2	Shipping Cost	Store Pick-Up
	See Price	$85	Free

Poseidon X Ambition

	Poseidon Redwood	Shipping Cost	Pick-Up
	See Price	Free	Free

Marin Nicasio

	Marin Nicasio	Shipping Cost	Pick-Up
	See Price	$85	Free
	See Price	–	Free

The post The 7 Best Budget Gravel Bikes With Drop Bars (Under $1000) appeared first on CYCLINGABOUT.com.

Wait… aren’t these just hybrids, 1990s mountain bikes and rigid mountain bikes?

You could definitely argue that case, but ultimately, I don’t think it matters. These bikes have the latest bike technology, they are available in shops right now and they are a direct alternative to their drop bar gravel bike brethren.

Right, it’s time to go deep down the flat bar gravel bike rabbit hole…

Don’t miss my article about the BEST gravel bikes under $1000 HERE.

8 Reasons Flat Handlebars Are Great For Gravel

1. You get better bike control thanks to the additional steering leverage (especially with any front luggage).
2. You have much more handgrip while braking on bumpy surfaces.
3. It opens gravel bikes up to MTB-specific components (brakes, shifters, derailleurs, in particular).
4. It’s easier to change/maintain gear and brake cables.
5. Flat bar grips are often more durable than bar tape.
6. Mountain bike parts are usually cheaper, resulting in great value gravel bikes.
7. Mountain bike parts have more suitable gear ratios for dirt roads (can be steep!).
8. There is more space for bikepacking handlebar packs and accessories.

I’ve got an in-depth article on the topic of flat handlebars HERE.

Flat Bar Gravel Bike Frame Geometry

Best practice flat bar gravel geometry is not the same as drop bar gravel geometry.

The most obvious change is the length of the frame. As the grips are closer to your body on a flat bar bike, manufacturers need to increase the length of their frames to ensure your hip, back and arm angles can be maintained.

The difference in frame reach is somewhere between 25mm and 50mm depending on who you ask. Salsa Cycles have a ~50mm difference in ‘reach’ between their frame types, Norco uses ~35mm, Specialized run ~30mm and Marin go with ~25mm.

The bike’s steering speed also requires amendment on a flat bar gravel bike.

To make a flat bar gravel bike feel nice and stable when we ride, we need to adjust the steering geometry of the frameset so that the bike turns slower than a drop bar bike. This is to help counter the additional steering leverage. With both quick steering and lots of leverage, you end up with a very twitchy handling bike (ie. it feels less stable at speed).

Bike designers typically slacken the head tube angle to account for the additional steering leverage.

We can get a good idea of how quickly a bike will steer by measuring the “trail” in millimetres. Less trail means faster steering, and more trail means slower steering. For a flat bar gravel bike, approximately 20% additional trail is enough to counter the higher steering leverage.

You can understand the basics of bicycle frame geometry HERE.
And understand advanced-level steering HERE.

Flat Bar Gravel Bike Conversions

There are a handful of drop bar bikes that could be great candidates for a flat bar conversion (if you don’t like anything below!). This is because they are built with a “progressive” frame geometry that already incorporates a longer frame reach and a slacker head tube angle.

Here are your options: Bjorn Recycled, BMC URS, Canyon Grail, Curve GMX+, Evil Chamois Hager, Fustle Causeway GR1, Knolly Cache, KTM X-Strada, Liteville 4-ONE Mk1, Marin Headlands, Merida Silex, Nukeproof Digger, Rocky Mountain Solo, Saracen Levarg, Whyte Glencoe.

Scoring The Best Flat Bar Gravel Bikes

I have prioritised flat bar frame characteristics in my scoring because I think well-designed flat bar bikes should rise to the top (30% of the score). In particular, this list penalises bikes with short top tubes and quick steering.

Having appropriately low gear ratios is important for the steeper-than-typical gravel ascents – the gravel bike’s weight will also help here (both total 30% of the score). A few more points are up for grabs for frame features, value-for-money and tubeless compatibility (the remaining 40% of the score).

• Frameset Quality (/4) – Based on frame features, fork material, cable routing, mounts and axle type.
• Flat Bar Sizing (/3) – Flat bar frame length is 3 points, a bit longer than normal is 1 point, drop bar geo is 0 points.=
• Steering Speed (/3) – 70mm+ steering is 3 points, 65-70mm steering is 2 points and sub-65mm steering is 0 points.
• Low Gear Ratios (/3) – Sub 23″ is 3 points, 23-26″ is 2 points, 26-28″ is 1 point, 28″+ is 0 points – learn more HERE.
• Bike Weight (/3) – Sub-10kg is 3 points, 10-11kg is 2 points, 11-12.5kg is 1 point, 12.5-15kg is 0 points.
• Value For Money (/3) – A subjective score based on my opinion of the frameset and specification.
• Tubeless-Ready (/1) – An extra point for tubeless tyre compatibility.

TOTAL: /20

If you’d like to learn everything about gravel bikes, check out my in-depth book, The Bikepacking Bike Buyer’s Guide.

Ranking The Best Flat Bar Gravel Bikes

FLAT BAR GEOMETRY GRAVEL BIKES

• Norco Search XR – 19/20 – A killer bike with low gear ratios, modern features and 27.5″ wheels for small sizes.
• Marin DSX 2 – 18/20 – My favourite ‘affordable’ gravel bike. Deore 12-speed, 29×2.1″ clearance, carbon fork.
• Specialized Diverge Expert EVO – 18/20 – The nicest frameset here with an excellent array of components.
  
• Surly Bridge Club – 16/20 – The highest-scoring steel bike, exceptionally low gears, affordable.
• KTM X-Strada 20 FIT – 16/20 – Nice frameset, Shimano GRX 2X drivetrain, internal cable routing.
• Giant Escape Disc – 16/20 – A very compelling $930 option that is available in shops all around the world.
• Priority 600 – 15/20 – A 12-speed Pinion gearbox and belt drivetrain built into a well-priced flat-bar package.
• Kona Dew Deluxe – 15/20 – Another well-priced bike option, with excellent gear ratios and 27.5″ wheels.
  
• Commencal FCB Essential – 14/20 – A 29×2.0″ gravel bike that’s light enough, with all of the modern frame features.
• Marin Muirwoods – 14/20
• Salsa Journeyman Sora – 14/20
• Whyte Portabello V3 – 14/20
• Stevens C12 Lite – 14/20

DROP BAR GEOMETRY FLAT BAR BIKES

• Specialized Sirrus X 5.0 – 16/20 – A best-kept secret, exceptionally well priced, 20mm of suspension, sub-10kg.
• Rose Backroad Multicross – 16/20 – Super lightweight (8.7kg!), fully internal cables, nice GRX components.
• Cube SL Road Race – 14/20 – Shimano GRX 2×11, hydro brakes, carbon fork, very well priced.
• Focus Atlas 6.6 EQP – 14/20 – Nice frameset, Shimano GRX, lots of touring accessories included.
• Poseidon Flatbar X – 13/20 – Cheapest bike on the list ($749!), 10-speed components, carbon fork.
• Octane One Gridd Flat – 13/20
• State Bicycle 4130 Flat – 10/20

Flat Bar Gravel Bikes (Flat Bar Geometry)

2022 Norco Search XR Flat Bar – Global – $1299

19/20 – Excellent frameset with all of the modern features, great flat bar geometry, 650B wheels in the smaller bike sizes and perfect climbing gears. The 42mm maximum tyre size will be limiting for people heading into rougher terrain, so this will be more suitable on smoother gravel roads.

• Frameset Quality (4/4) – Lightweight aluminium frame, carbon fork, thru-axles.
• Flat Bar Sizing (3/3) – Dedicated flat bar frame.
• Steering Speed (3/3) – 77mm trail is appropriate.
• Low Gear Ratios (3/3) – 21.4″ climbing gear is fantastic.
• Value For Money (3/3) – Excellent value build with all of the right features.
• Bike Weight (2/3) – Approximately 10.9kg without pedals.
• Tubeless-Ready (1/1) – Tubeless compatible.

2022 Marin DSX 2 – Global – $1349

18/20 – My favourite affordable gravel bike, Deore 12-speed, huge 29×2.1″ clearance, carbon fork. There is a $979 model too which ranks equally well.

• Frameset Quality (4/4) – Lightweight aluminium frame, carbon fork, thru-axles, 29×2.1″ clearance.
• Flat Bar Sizing (3/3) – Dedicated flat bar frame.
• Steering Speed (3/3) – 81mm trail is appropriate.
• Low Gear Ratios (3/3) – 22.9″ climbing gear is great.
• Value For Money (3/3) – Exceptional value for a Deore 12-speed build.
• Bike Weight (2/3) – Approximately 10.9kg without pedals.
• Tubeless-Ready (0/1) – Tubes only.

2022 Specialized Diverge EVO – Global – US $2700

18/20 – This is the bike that solidified the flat bar gravel category. It offers the nicest frame and fork here along with an excellent array of components. The front suspension, frame features and geometry make this a great pick, despite its price.

• Frameset Quality (4/4) – Top-tier aluminium frame, carbon fork, 20mm of suspension, thru-axles, lots of mounts.
• Flat Bar Sizing (3/3) – Dedicated flat bar frame.
• Steering Speed (3/3) – 70mm trail is appropriate.
• Low Gear Ratios (3/3) – 21.2″ climbing gear.
• Bike Weight (2/3) – 10.7kg without pedals.
• Value For Money (2/3) – Exceptional components and frameset quality, price is expensive but not unreasonable.
• Tubeless-Ready (1/1) – Tubeless compatible.

2022 Surly Bridge Club – Global – $1399

16/20 – One of only a few steel bikes on this list, insanely low climbing gears, 47mm tyre clearance, hydraulic brakes and a great geometry for flat bar gravel riding. If you don’t mind a bit of extra weight the Bridge Club will make a really nice gravel rig.

• Frameset Quality (2/4) – Sturdy steel frame and fork, quick-release axles, lots of mounts.
• Flat Bar Sizing (3/3) – Dedicated flat bar frame.
• Steering Speed (3/3) – 77mm trail is appropriate.
• Low Gear Ratios (3/3) – 17.5″ climbing gear is insanely low (ride up anything!).
• Value For Money (3/3) – Great value for a Deore 11-speed build and decent frameset.
• Bike Weight (1/3) – 12.4kg without pedals.
• Tubeless-Ready (1/1) – Tubeless compatible.

2022 KTM X-Strada 20 FIT – Europe – €1599

16/20 – The latest KTM X-Strada has a lovely aluminium frame and carbon fork, it’s lightweight, tubeless compatible and runs reasonably low gear ratios for most climbs.

• Frameset Quality (4/4) – Lightweight aluminium frame, carbon fork, thru-axles.
• Flat Bar Sizing (3/3) – Dedicated flat bar frame.
• Steering Speed (2/3) – 67mm trail is a touch quick.
• Low Gear Ratios (2/3) – 23.2″ climbing gear.
• Bike Weight (2/3) – 10.9kg without pedals.
• Value For Money (2/3) – A decent Shimano GRX 10-speed build with hydro brakes.
• Tubeless-Ready (1/1) –Tubeless compatible.

2022 Giant Escape 1 Disc – Global – $930

16/20 – A very compelling $930 option that is available in shops all around the world. The gear ratios are low enough and the components have all of the modern tech, including tubeless compatibility.

• • Frameset Quality (3/4) – Decent aluminium frame, carbon fork, flex seatpost, quick-release axles.
  • Flat Bar Sizing (3/3) – Dedicated flat bar frame.
  • Steering Speed (2/3) – 69mm trail is a touch quick.
  • Low Gear Ratios (3/3) – 22.8″ climbing gear.
  • Bike Weight (1/3) – Approximately 11.9kg without pedals.
  • Value For Money (3/3) – One of the cheapest bikes here, yet still with nice frame features.
  • Tubeless-Ready (1/1) – Tubeless compatible.

2022 Priority 600 – North America – $2499

15/20 – This bike is different to many others because it has a Pinion 12-speed gearbox built into the crankset along with a belt drivetrain. This results in a silent, maintenance-free drivetrain (no lubricant or degreasers required) that will last as long as you will – ok, belts typically last around 30,000km. The only thing you need to do is change the gearbox oil every 10,000km.

• Frameset Quality (2/4) – Aluminium frame and fork, quick-release axles.
• Flat Bar Sizing (3/3) – Dedicated flat bar frame.
• Steering Speed (3/3) – 87mm trail is great.
• Low Gear Ratios (3/3) – 16.0″ climbing gear is crazy low (ride up anything!).
• Bike Weight (0/3) – Approximately 13.0kg without pedals, fenders and the kickstand.
• Value For Money (3/3) – Amazing price for a gearbox/belt drive bike including dynamo light, fenders & kickstand.
• Tubeless-Ready (1/1) – Tubeless compatible.

2022 Kona Dew Deluxe – Global – $1099

15/20 – Another great ‘affordable’ bike option, with excellent gear ratios, 27.5″ wheels and Shimano Deore 11-speed.

• Frameset Quality (2/4) – Aluminium frame and fork, quick-release axles.
• Flat Bar Sizing (3/3) – Dedicated flat bar frame.
• Steering Speed (3/3) – 72mm trail is appropriate.
• Low Gear Ratios (3/3) – 20.0″ climbing gear is super low.
• Bike Weight (1/3) – Approximately 11.9kg without pedals, fenders and the kickstand.
• Value For Money (3/3) – Amazing price for Shimano Deore 11-speed, hydro brakes and a bunch of accessories!
• Tubeless-Ready (0/1) – Tubes only.

2022 Commencal FCB Essential – Global – $1999

14/20 – A 29×2.0″ gravel bike that’s light enough, with excellent frame geometry and all of the modern frame features.

• • Frameset Quality (2/4) – Lightweight aluminium frame and fork
  • Flat Bar Sizing (3/3) – Dedicated flat bar frame.
  • Steering Speed (3/3) – 75mm trail is appropriate.
  • Low Gear Ratios (2/3) – 23.6″ climbing gear.
  • Bike Weight (2/3) – 10.9kg without pedals.
  • Value For Money (2/3) – SRAM GX 12-speed, hydro brakes and nice wheels for the price.
  • Tubeless-Ready (1/1) – Tubeless compatible.

2022 Marin Muirwoods – Global – $999

14/20

• Frameset Quality (2/4) – Sturdy steel frame and fork, quick-release axles, lots of mounts.
• Flat Bar Sizing (3/3) – Dedicated flat bar frame.
• Steering Speed (3/3) – 99mm trail is great.
• Low Gear Ratios (3/3) – 20.8″ climbing gear.
• Bike Weight (0/3) – 12.8kg without pedals.
• Value For Money (3/3) – The Muirwoods offers exceptional value for money!
• Tubeless-Ready (0/1) – Tubes only.

2022 Salsa Journeyman Sora – Global – $1199

14/20

• Frameset Quality (3/4) – Nice aluminium frame, carbon fork, quick-release axles.
• Flat Bar Sizing (3/3) – Dedicated flat bar frame.
• Steering Speed (2/3) – 69mm trail is pretty good.
• Low Gear Ratios (2/3) – 24.1″ climbing gear.
• Bike Weight (1/3) – 11.3kg without pedals.
• Value For Money (2/3) – A decent frameset and reasonable spec for the price.
• Tubeless-Ready (1/1) – Tubeless compatible.

2022 Whyte Portobello V3 – Global – £850

14/20

• Frameset Quality (3/4) – Decent aluminium frame and fork, thru-axles.
• Flat Bar Sizing (3/3) – Dedicated flat bar frame.
• Steering Speed (3/3) – 72mm trail is appropriate.
• Low Gear Ratios (1/3) – 26.8″ climbing gear is too high.
• Bike Weight (1/3) – Approximately 11.5kg without pedals.
• Value For Money (2/3) – Quite a well-priced package.
• Tubeless-Ready (1/1) – Tubeless compatible.

2022 Stevens C12 Lite – Europe – €3099

14/20 – This is another low-maintenance Pinion 12-speed gearbox bike that runs on a silent belt drivetrain. It’s a bit more expensive than the Priority 600, but it’s available across Europe.

• Frameset Quality (3/4) – Hydroformed aluminium frame and fork, thru-axles.
• Flat Bar Sizing (3/3) – Dedicated flat bar frame.
• Steering Speed (3/3) – 80mm trail is great.
• Low Gear Ratios (3/3) – 17.5″ climbing gear is crazy low.
• Bike Weight (0/3) – Approximately 13.5kg without pedals, fenders and the kickstand.
• Value For Money (2/3) – Excellent price for a gearbox/belt drive bike including dynamo lights, fenders, rack & kickstand.
• Tubeless-Ready (0/1) – Tubes only.

Flat Bar Gravel Bikes (Drop Bar Geometry)

2022 Specialized Sirrus X 5.0 – Global – $2250

16/20 – Here is an industry secret: hybrid bikes aren’t as marketable as gravel bikes, so by choosing the Sirrus X, you can get 90% of the Diverge EVO for substantially less money. Just like the Diverge EVO, it has 20mm of suspension, lots of nice parts and all in a package that’s sub-10kg. The only downside is that the frame is a bit shorter than it should be (drop bar geometry).

• Frameset Quality (4/4) – Lightweight carbon frame and fork, 20mm of suspension, thru-axles.
• Flat Bar Sizing (0/3) – Drop bar frame with a flat bar installed.
• Steering Speed (2/3) – 66mm trail is a bit quick.
• Low Gear Ratios (3/3) – 21.6″ climbing gear.
• Bike Weight (3/3) – 9.6kg without pedals.
• Value For Money (3/3) – Amazing value for a carbon bike, with suspension and Shimano SLX gearing.
• Tubeless-Ready (1/1) – Tubeless compatible.

2022 Rose Backroad Multicross – Europe – €2399

16/20 – Despite losing 3 points for using drop bar bike sizing, the Rose scored incredibly well thanks to the nice frameset and spec, including a flex seatpost. The Multicross is ultra-light, has decent gear ratios and includes all of the modern gravel features.

• Frameset Quality (4/4) – Ultralight carbon frame, full carbon fork, full internal cable routing, flex post, thru-axles.
• Flat Bar Sizing (0/3) – Drop bar frame with a flat bar installed.
• Steering Speed (3/3) – 71mm trail is great.
• Low Gear Ratios (2/3) – 24.9″ climbing gear.
• Bike Weight (3/3) – 8.7kg without pedals, lightest bike here.
• Value For Money (3/3) – Expensive but very good value when you consider the quality of everything.
• Tubeless-Ready (1/1) – Tubeless compatible.

2022 Cube SL Road Race – Europe – €1149

14/20 – The Cube SL Road Race represents amazing value for money, offering the same high-end equipment as many other bikes but at half the price.

• Frameset Quality (4/4) – Ultralight aluminium frame, full carbon fork, internal cables, thru-axles.
• Flat Bar Sizing (0/3) – Drop bar frame with a flat bar installed.
• Steering Speed (2/3) – 68mm trail is ok.
• Low Gear Ratios (2/3) – 24.5″ climbing gear.
• Bike Weight (2/3) – 10.6kg.
• Value For Money (3/3) – Nice frameset, excellent parts, lightweight.
• Tubeless-Ready (1/1) – Tubeless compatible.

2022 Focus Atlas 6.6 EQP – Global – €1599

14/20 – This flat bar version of the popular Focus Atlas gravel bike has a great spec and comes with a whole bunch of accessories for commuting or touring.

• Frameset Quality (4/4) – Top-tier aluminium frame, carbon fork, thru-axles, lots of mounts.
• Flat Bar Sizing (0/3) – Drop bar frame with a flat bar installed.
• Steering Speed (3/3) – 70mm trail is appropriate.
• Low Gear Ratios (2/3) – 24.3″ climbing gear.
• Bike Weight (1/3) – Approximately 11.5kg without the fenders, rack or kickstand.
• Value For Money (3/3) – Exceptional components and frameset quality, dynamo lights, fenders, kickstand and a rack!
• Tubeless-Ready (1/1) – Tubeless compatible.

2022 Poseidon Flatbar X – North America – $749

13/20 – This price almost seems too good to be true. It’s lightweight, uses 1X10 gearing and has some of the lowest gear ratios of all gravel bikes here.

You can see more pictures and the full specification on the Poseidon website HERE.

• Frameset Quality (3/4) – Quite a decent aluminium frame, full carbon fork, quick-release axles.
• Flat Bar Sizing (0/3) – Drop bar frame with a flat bar installed.
• Steering Speed (2/3) – 66mm trail is a touch low.
• Low Gear Ratios (3/3) – 21.5″ climbing gear is excellent.
• Bike Weight (2/3) – 10.9kg without pedals.
• Value For Money (3/3) – It’s almost too good to be true!
• Tubeless-Ready (0/1) – Tubes only.

2022 Octane One Gridd Flat – Global – €949

13/20 – Deore 10-speed, hydro brakes, carbon fork, reasonably light, sub-$1000!

• Frameset Quality (3/4) – Solid aluminium frame, carbon fork, front thru-axle.
• Flat Bar Sizing (0/3) – Drop bar frame with a flat bar installed.
• Steering Speed (3/3) – 74mm trail is great.
• Low Gear Ratios (2/3) – 24.6″ climbing gear.
• Bike Weight (1/3) – Approximately 11kg without pedals.
• Value For Money (3/3) – Decent price for a Shimano Deore 10-speed build with hydro brakes.
• Tubeless-Ready (1/1) – Tubeless compatible.

2022 State Bicycle 4130 Flat Bar – North America – US $899

11/20 – A very well-priced 27.5″ gravel bike that can be ordered with 700C or 27.5″ wheels for under $1000.

• Frameset Quality (3/4) – Sturdy steel frame and fork, thru-axles, lots of mounts.
• Flat Bar Sizing (0/3) – Drop bar frame with a flat bar installed.
• Steering Speed (2/3) – 63mm trail is too quick.
• Low Gear Ratios (1/3) – 27.3″ climbing gear is too high.
• Bike Weight (1/3) – 12.4kg without pedals.
• Value For Money (3/3) – It’s amazing value, a choice of wheel sizes is a big value add.
• Tubeless-Ready (1/1) – Tubeless compatible.

If You’d Like To Learn Everything About Gravel Bikes, Check Out My Book: The Bikepacking Bike Buyer’s Guide

The post The 20 BEST Flat Bar Gravel Bikes For 2022 appeared first on CYCLINGABOUT.com.

But do they actually improve your comfort, speed and rear-wheel traction, or are they just a gimmick?

Today, we’ll be using frame deflection and vibration data to assess the effectiveness of a handful of gravel bike rear suspension designs. I’ll be estimating the spring rate of these frames, and we’ll later compare the comfort of these frames with regular diamond ones.

But first, let’s discuss when suspension is advantageous and when it’s not.

Why You Should Use Suspension

1. To Increase Traction and Bike Control On Rough Surfaces
Suspension provides a noticeable gain in traction on rough surfaces, as even a minor amount of vertical deflection at the rear axle allows the tyre to maintain contact with the ground for longer. In addition, you get more predictable bike handling as the suspension keeps your bike more composed.

2. To Maintain Forward Momentum
Bumps rob energy from your forward momentum to instead bounce your body up and down. With a suitable tyre width and pressure for the terrain, your tyres can deform well over small road irregularities, but there is a limit to what a tyre can do. When it comes to larger step changes, suspension systems allow you to better maintain your forward momentum.

3. To Improve Comfort
Suspension insulates your body from both vibrations and harder jolts coming up from the road, resulting in more rider comfort.

4. To Use Faster Rolling Tyres
Given the improved traction and bike control, you could use narrower, lighter, faster-rolling tyres and achieve the equivalent grip of a more aggressive tyre fitted to a non-suspended frame. This results in a bike that’s suited to a broader range of surfaces.

Why You Shouldn’t Use Suspension

1. You Lose Some of Your Pedal Power on Smooth Surfaces
Although suspension can improve your comfort, traction and even speed, a suspension damper is literally designed to remove energy from the system. This can be a hindrance on smoother surfaces when it bobs up and down, but in the context of a gravel bike with just 10mm of travel, the difference in average speed is unlikely to go noticed.

2. Maintenance
A bigger downside to suspension on a gravel bike could be the maintenance. That said, the designs we will be examining today are incredibly simple compared to a full-suspension gravel bike like the Niner MCR9 (which uses multiple pivot bearings and an air shock that calls for 50-100 hour service intervals). The Niner’s suspension performance is on another level, however, thanks to all that complexity.

Tour Magazin Deflection Test

Tour Magazin has created a standardised frame deflection test, and have over 1000 road and gravel bikes measured (of roughly the same size).

For the rear deflection test, the frame is secured in a jig and a weight is attached to the seatpost. The amount of vertical flex is then measured. The “N/mm” values that we’ll be using are the amount of force (in newtons) required to move the frame and seatpost a vertical millimetre.

Our Four Bikes with Rear Suspension

Bike 1: BMC URS

The BMC “Unrestricted” is a carbon gravel bike that’s using an elastomer-based system that features two pins that slide on self-lubricated bushings. The system provides 10mm of vertical compliance, and there are three elastomer spring rates to choose from.

Two BMC URS bikes were tested by Tour Magazin with BMC D-shape carbon seatposts. On a number of other 56cm BMC bikes, this same seatpost required an average of 123N to flex a millimetre.

In comparison, the 2x BMC URS bikes measured at 86 and 90N/mm. If we take the average of these spring rates (88N/mm) we can say that 28% less force is required to flex the frame module a vertical millimetre than other 56cm BMC bikes with the same seatpost.

Bike 2: Wilier Cento 10NDR

The Cento is a carbon endurance road bike with clearance for 32mm tyres. I wanted to include this bike as it has a neat linkage built into the seat stays, which helps to dampen vibrations with its fitted elastomer. There are three elastomer spring rates to choose between.

Two Wilier Cento bikes were tested with Ritchey Link Flexlogic seatposts. On other 56cm bike examples, these seatposts deflected at an average of 128N/mm.

In comparison, the Centos were measured at 80 and 90N/mm. If we take the average of these spring rates (85N/mm) we can say that 33% less force is required to flex the frame module a vertical millimetre than other 56cm bikes with the same seatpost.

Bike 3: Cannondale Topstone Carbon

Two years ago, Cannondale unveiled this carbon gravel bike with both a suspension fork and a carbon leaf-spring for the rear triangle. This rear suspension system, known as Cannondale Kingpin, is said to offer between 10 to 12mm of movement at the rear axle. This design is very lightweight (1200 gram frame) but unfortunately, there is no way to adjust the spring rate.

Two Cannondale Topstones were tested with Hollowgram SAVE 27.2mm carbon seatposts. This seatpost on other bikes of the same size measured at 110 to 113N/mm – although it’s worth noting that was with 25.4mm seatposts, this larger diameter post likely has a slightly higher spring rate.

In any case, the Topstone samples were measured at 78 and 87N/mm. If we take the average of these spring rates (82.5N/mm) we can say that 27% less force is required to flex the frame module a vertical millimetre than other 56cm bikes with a similar seatpost.

Bike 4: Basso Tera

And finally, the Basso Tera is a low-ish cost aluminium gravel bike (€2099) with a carbon leaf-sprung rear triangle similar to what we’ve just seen on the Topstone. The frame is said to offer 8mm of movement at the axle, and like the Cannondale, there is also no way to adjust the spring rate of this bike.

The Tera was measured with a Microtech aluminium seatpost. While we don’t have the values for this specific post, I have found aluminium seatposts deflect at an average of 175N/mm in 56cm bikes (the deflection range is 130 to 450N/mm).

The Tera achieved approximately 110N/mm, which is 37% less force per millimetre than other 56cm bikes with aluminium seatposts.

Are These Frames Effective At Providing Traction?

As we would have hoped, these soft tail frames have lower spring rates than diamond frames with the same seatpost.

The cool thing is that by knowing the spring rate of various seatposts, we can use the rate of springs in a series equation to approximate how much force might be required to flex these frames a vertical millimetre at the rear axle.

When I put the seatpost deflection numbers into the equation, each of these frames required about 300 newtons of force to flex one vertical millimetre.

We can contrast this to the 8,568 newtons per millimetre of 56cm steel frames that were calculated by students at the University of Brighton using a finite element method. Or the 7158 to 14,316N/mm measured in a handful of steel frames in the 1990s.

That means that these soft tail frames likely require between 24 and 48x less force to flex a vertical millimetre.

As gravity exerts a force of about 9.8 newtons per kilogram of mass, when you simply apply your body weight to one of these soft tail bikes, the rear triangles are likely dipping 2-3mm into their travel. And when you’re on the road or trail, the ground forces will be deflecting the frame even more.

With a frame spring rate this low, the suspension is no gimmick – it will undoubtedly take the sting out of those medium-sized bumps, allowing you to have more traction and carry more forward momentum.

Are Soft Tail Bikes More Comfortable?

In the last decade, component manufacturers have put a lot of research and design into creating seatposts that maximise your ride comfort by offering high levels of vibration damping and vertical deflection.

A question you might be wondering: do the best carbon flex seatposts require less force to deflect a vertical millimetre than a soft tail frame?

Tour Magazin and Microbac Laboratories have some seatpost data for us. Across multiple bikes in the Tour Magazin testing, the Canyon S15 VCLS 2.0 seatpost required 72N/mm on average. Microbac found the same seatpost deflected at 67N/mm, although this was with 2-3cm more exposed seatpost, which we would expect would have more deflection.

Tour Magazin had similarly low numbers (70N/mm) from the new Roval Terra seatpost installed in a 56cm Specialized Diverge.

As these deflection numbers are lower than what has been measured in our soft tail bikes, you can unlock the same or more vertical deflection (comfort) just by selecting the right seatpost for your body weight.

Real-World Comfort Testing

Krzysztof at GravelBikes has conducted outdoor vibration tests on a Cannondale Topstone on both a bumpy forest trail and a fast gravel road. He then compared the levels of vibrations on these surfaces to his titanium bike fitted with a Canyon S15 seatpost.

Unfortunately, his titanium bike was set up using a different tyre and wheelset combination, so the results are not definitive by any measure. But using his titanium bike (diamond frame), he actually found a 9% reduction in vibrations on the bumpy trail, and 4% less on the gravel road.

These are the kind of results we can expect, as the spring rate of the softest spring in a series is always the one that dominates, and the Canyon S15 VCLS 2.0 is as soft as it gets.

Summary

Rear suspension systems on gravel bikes are not a gimmick.

My estimations suggest that they flex vertically with 24 to 48x less force than a typical diamond frame, which results in more traction, more comfort, more control and more forward momentum on rough terrain.

That said, if your priority is seated ride comfort, the data suggests that fitting a carbon flex seatpost (or suspension seatpost) to your diamond frame can yield the same, or possibly even less transmission of vibrations to your body.

Other than for particularly rough terrain, I think a great application for a soft tail frame design is if you use a dropper seatpost. Dropper seatposts are very stiff vertically, so a soft tail frame will play a key role in maintaining your comfort.

The post Is Rear Suspension On Gravel Bikes Genius Or A Gimmick? appeared first on CYCLINGABOUT.com.

In this article, I will be teaching you all about the best gravel bikes under $1000 – everything from the best wheel size to choose, frame materials, gear systems, tubeless tyres and gear ratios.

You can get a decent bike at the $1000 mark, and I have ranked all of my favourite gravel bikes, to make your buying decision as easy as possible.

After reading this article, don’t miss my list of the BEST flat bar gravel bikes HERE.

All About The Best Gravel Bikes

Frame and Fork Material
The frame and fork are the heart of the bike – it’s the frame angles and materials selected that determine how the bike will ‘feel’. In general, aluminium is the most popular material for a low-cost gravel bike because it is very lightweight for its price. Aluminium bikes with carbon forks are usually 1kg to 2kg lighter than a comparable bike made from steel (10-12kg for an aluminium bike, 12-13kg for steel). That said, steel has a bit more lateral compliance, or side-to-side flex, which some people enjoy the feel of. Look out for bikes with “full carbon forks” as they are often more than 500 grams lighter than bikes with a carbon fork using a bonded-in aluminium steerer tube.

Wheel Size – 700C (bigger wheels with narrower tyres) and 650B (smaller wheels with fatter tyres)
The wheel size and tyre width will determine the types of gravel roads you can ride. The rougher the surface, the more a wider tyre can deform to ensure (1) the best grip, (2) the most speed and (3) the most comfortable ride. That said, a narrower 700C wheel is super quick rolling on harder surfaces, and the wheels are often a touch lighter too. I typically recommend 650B if the majority of the time you’re on bumpy gravel roads, and 700C if the gravel roads only make up a smaller percentage of your overall rides.

Gearing – 1X vs 2X
You will find gravel bikes with front and rear shifting (2X) or with just rear shifting (1X). I personally prefer using 2X for gravel because it allows for a smaller ‘jump’ between each gear ratio and a broader overall range of riding speeds. A 1X setup is great for beginners, however, as it’s intuitive to use, plus it’s lighter and has fewer parts to go wrong out in the field.

Tubeless Compatible Wheels
A lot of money has been spent developing tubeless tyre technology and it actually filters down to many entry-level gravel bikes. The advantages are ‘self-healing’ when you get a puncture (sealant rushes in to plug the hole), lower rolling resistance and a lighter weight too. I always recommend investing in high-quality tubeless tyres because you will save a chunk of weight, get higher-performing rubber compounds and be able to ride faster with less effort.

Low Gear Ratios
To make a gravel bike properly versatile, I believe it needs to have low gear ratios. If you ride on steeper terrain, you’ll ideally want your bike to have a low gear ratio under 25-inches. This measurement is simply the tyre rollout, and lower is always better. I have calculated the climbing gear for all gravel bikes so you can find out which gravel bikes will go up the steepest hills.

Upright Factor
I have calculated how tall the frames are for how long they are – or the Upright Factor. This number helps us to understand which gravel bikes are more upright, and which ones are more performance-oriented. The Upright Factor is the “stack” measurement divided by the “reach” – and it is averaged out across all bike sizes. A number under 1.50 is low and performance-oriented, while anything above 1.55 is quite upright and relaxed.

If you’d like to learn everything about gravel bikes, check out my in-depth book, The Bikepacking Bike Buyer’s Guide.

Gravel Bikes and Coronavirus

The bicycle industry has been severely affected by COVID-19. Gravel bike sales are booming, resulting in bike shortages in every country and region! Upon researching this article, I found almost all bikes are out of stock in early-September 2020, but do not fret – the latest bikes should arrive in the next few months.

Scoring The Best Gravel Bikes

Given these gravel bikes are in the budget category, I have placed a strong emphasis on the price to make sure the most expensive bikes aren’t all on top. I have also prioritised the quality of the frameset as it’s easy to upgrade the parts, but much harder (and more expensive) to upgrade the frame.

Please note: the price may be different in different regions. For example, the Triban RC 500 is US $999 in North America but €650 (US $768) in Europe, which will affect the overall scores given the way I have weighted them.

Frameset Quality (/4) – Based on frame features, fork material, cable routing and axle type.
Bike Weight (/3) – 10-11kg is 3 points, 11-12kg is 2 points, 12-13kg is 1 point.
Gearing Quality (/3) – ‘Tiagra’, ‘Microshift’ and ‘Apex’ is 3 points, ‘Sora’ and ‘Sensah’ is 2 points and ‘Claris’ is 1 point.
Low Gear Ratios (/3) – Sub-25″ is 3 points, 25-27″ is 2 points and 27″+ is 1 point.
Price (/6) – Sub-$800 is 6 points, $800-$900 is 4 points, $900-$1000 is 3 points, $1000+ is one point.
Tubeless-Ready (/1) – An extra point for tubeless tyre compatibility.
TOTAL: /20

Ranking The Best Gravel Bikes

700C GRAVEL BIKES
18/20 – Poseidon X – Insanely low price, super low gear ratios, lightweight… but quirky geometry.
15/20 – State Bicycle Co 4130 – Amazing price-to-performance. Nice ‘n upright.
14/20 – Cannondale Topstone 4 – Lightweight gravel bike with quality parts, one of my favourites here.
13/20 – Boardman ADV 8.6 – Cheapest bike with Shimano Sora gearing, decent weight, full carbon fork.
13/20 – Salsa Journeyman Claris – Excellent frameset, upright, great gear ratios, tubeless compatible.
13/20 – Triban RC 500 – Shimano Sora gearing under $1000, decent weight but 36mm maximum tyres.
13/20 – GT Grade Elite – Really nice frameset for the price, tubeless compatible.
13/20 – Giant Revolt 2 – Another of my favourite gravel bikes (10kg!), D-shaped seatpost flexes vertically.
13/20 – Cube Nuroad Pro – Great pricepoint for Shimano Tiagra gearing, lightweight.
12/20 – Breezer Radar Expert – 29×2.2″ mountain bike tyre clearance, low ratios, super upright.
12/20 – Jamis Renegade A1 – Nice frameset and weight, tubeless compatibility.
12/20 – Octane One Gridd 2 – Lightweight, decent quality gear shifting, tubeless wheels – nice overall package.

11/20 – Marin Nicasio 1
11/20 – Diamondback Haanjo 2
11/20 – Pure Cycles Gravel Adventure Pro
11/20 – Felt Broam 60
11/20 – Specialized Diverge Base E5
10/20 – Genesis CDA 10
9/20 – KHS Grit 55
9/20 – Kona Rove AL 700C

KEEP SCROLLING FOR 650B (27.5″) GRAVEL BIKES!
15/20 – Poseidon Redwood – Amazing value, 2.5″ tyre clearance, 1X10 groupset, lots of bikepacking mounts!
14/20 – State Bicycle Co 4130 – Great price-to-performance. Nice ‘n upright.
13/20 – Salsa Journeyman Claris – Excellent quality frameset, upright, great gear ratios, tubeless compatible.

11/20 – Marin Nicasio Plus
9/20 – Kona Rove AL 650B

2021 Poseidon X – North America – $699

18/20 – This price almost seems too good to be true. It’s lightweight, uses 1X10 gearing and has the lowest gear ratios of all gravel bikes here. My main criticism is that the handlebar will be very low for riders above 180cm/5ft11 – especially if you have long legs for your height. The head tube angles also get pretty steep in the bigger sizes compared to most gravel bikes.

You can see more pictures and the full specification on the Poseidon website HERE.

Frameset Quality (3/4) – Quite a decent aluminium frame, full carbon fork, quick-release axles.
Weight (3/3) – 10.89kg without pedals.
Gearing Quality (3/3) – Microshift Advent X 1×10 gearing.
Low Gear Ratios (3/3) – 21.5″ climbing gear.
Price (6/6) – It’s the cheapest bike on the list with many of the best features!
Tubeless-Ready (0/1) – Tubes only.

Upright Factor (manually calculated): 1.47 – very low, it could be worth going up a size to get higher handlebars
S: 160-168cm – M: 170-177cm – L: 180-185cm XL: 188cm+

2021 State Bicycle 4130 All Road – North America – $799

15/20 – Great price-to-performance. Nice ‘n upright. The 4130 All Road is a very compelling gravel bike for the price. It’s built around a hardworking steel frameset that has modern thru-axles and it’s ready for racks or bikepacking bags too. The Sensah gearing is not a typical drivetrain pick, but from all reports, it works quite well and allows State Bicycle Co to deliver a 1X11 bike under $800. The cherry on the top is the tubeless compatibility. This bike is available in North America exclusively.

You can see more pictures and the full specification on the State Bicycle website HERE.

Frameset Quality (3/4) – Quite a decent steel frame and fork, 12mm thru-axles.
Weight (2/3) – 11.96kg without pedals.
Gearing Quality (2/3) – Sensah SRX Pro 1×11 gearing.
Low Gear Ratios (1/3) – 27.7″ climbing gear.
Price (6/6) – It’s one of the cheapest bikes on the list with some of the best features!
Tubeless-Ready (1/1) – Tubeless compatible.

Upright Factor: 1.59 – quite upright to ride
XS: 154-168cm – S: 165-177cm – M: 175-188cm L: 185-196cm

2021 Cannondale Topstone 4 – Global – (Sorry, it’s $1050)

14/20 – A lightweight gravel bike with quality parts, one of my favourites here. I’ve been recommending the entry-level Cannondale Topstone since it was first released. The frame is one of the nicest available at this price point and it’s spec’d with a full carbon fork to keep the weight low. The Microshift drivetrain offers all the low climbing gears you need, so this is a bike that will suit more mountainous roads than most.

Frameset Quality (4/4) – Top-tier aluminium frame, full carbon fork, internal cable routing, 12mm thru axles.
Weight (3/3) – Approximately 10.5kg without pedals.
Gearing Quality (3/3) – Microshift 1×10 gearing.
Low Gear Ratios (3/3) – 22.8″ climbing gear.
Price (1/6) – It’s a bit more expensive, but still competitively priced for a bike of this calibre.
Tubeless-Ready (0/1) – Tubes only.

Upright Factor: 1.50 – on the sporty side
XS: 152-165cm – S: 162-175cm – M: 170-185cm – L: 180-193cm – XL: 190-203cm

2021 Boardman ADV 8.6 – Europe – £700

13/20 – The cheapest bike with Shimano Sora gearing, decent weight, full carbon fork. It’s pretty hard to argue against the ADV 8.6, with its respectable weight, 2X9 drivetrain, good climbing gear and tubeless compatibility. This bike is available throughout Europe.

Frameset Quality (3/4) – Decent aluminium frame, full carbon fork, quick release axles.
Weight (2/3) – Approximately 11.1kg without pedals.
Gearing Quality (2/3) – Shimano Sora 2×9 gearing.
Low Gear Ratios (2/3) – 25.7″ climbing gear.
Price (3/6) – Excellent value for money.
Tubeless-Ready (1/1) – Tubeless compatible.

Upright Factor: 1.50 – on the sporty side
S: 170-179cm – M: 177-183cm L: 181-189cm – XL: 187-195cm

2021 Salsa Journeyman Claris 700C – Global – $949

13/20 – Excellent frameset, upright, great gear ratios, tubeless compatible. I’ve been long recommending the Journeyman thanks to its worldwide availability, upright ride, low gear ratios and high-quality frameset for the price. The size range is also great!

Frameset Quality (3/4) – Decent aluminium frame, carbon fork, internal cable routing, quick release axles.
Weight (2/3) – 11.79kg without pedals.
Gearing Quality (1/3) – Shimano Claris 2×8 gearing.
Low Gear Ratios (3/3) – 24.1″ climbing gear.
Price (3/6) – Excellent value for the frameset quality.
Tubeless-Ready (1/1) – Tubeless compatible.

Upright Factor: 1.56 – quite upright to ride
50: 152-160cm – 52: 157-165cm – 54: 165-175cm – 55.5: 173-183cm – 58: 180-190cm – 59.5: 188-200cm

2021 Triban RC 500 – Global – $999

13/20 – Shimano Sora gearing under $1000, decent weight, but 36mm maximum tyres. Decathlon’s Triban bike brand always offers excellent value for money – a 10.6kg bike under $1000 is exceptional! The RC 500 is a bit more of a road bike, so it’s most at home on hard surfaces but it will handle the smoother gravel roads just fine. Note: this bike is €650 in Europe (~$778) which would see it top the list with a score of 16/20, and you can also get a Shimano 105 2×11 version with hydraulic brakes for $1000 (score would be 14/20).

Frameset Quality (3/4) – Decent aluminium frame, carbon fork, quick release axles.
Weight (3/3) – 10.6kg without pedals.
Gearing Quality (2/3) – Shimano Sora 2×9 gearing.
Low Gear Ratios (1/3) – 28.9″ climbing gear.
Price (3/6) – Great value considering the frameset and Sora gearing, insane value if buying in Europe.
Tubeless-Ready (1/1) – Tubeless compatible.

Upright Factor: 1.51 – on the sporty side
XS: 155-165cm – S: 165-175cm – M: 175-180cm – L: 180-190cm – XL: 190-200cm

2021 GT Grade Elite – Global – $999

13/20 – Really nice frameset for the price, tubeless compatible. The GT Grade is a modern gravel bike with somewhat good climbing gears and a respectable weight for the price.

Frameset Quality (4/4) – Top-tier aluminium frame, full carbon fork, 12mm thru axles.
Weight (2/3) – Approximately 11.3kg without pedals.
Gearing Quality (1/3) – Shimano Claris 2×8 gearing.
Low Gear Ratios (2/3) – 25.7″ climbing gear.
Price (3/6) – Excellent value for the frameset quality.
Tubeless-Ready (1/1) – Tubeless compatible.

Upright Factor: 1.49 – on the sporty side

2021 Giant Revolt 2 – Global – Whoops, it’s $1150

13/20 – Another of my favourite gravel bikes (10kg!), D-shaped seatpost flexes vertically. I think I would be happiest using the Revolt for my gravel exploits. It has a full carbon fork, Shimano Sora gearing, a broad size range, decent brakes, tubeless compatibility and a pretty good climbing gear. It ticks almost all boxes. And for $74, you can upgrade the aluminium flex seatpost to a composite model which will smoothen out the ride even better!

Frameset Quality (4/4) – Top-tier aluminium frame, full carbon fork, internal cable routing, D-Fuse Flex seatpost, 12mm thru-axles.
Weight (3/3) – 10kg without pedals.
Gearing Quality (2/3) – Shimano Sora 2×9 gearing.
Low Gear Ratios (2/3) – 25.7″ climbing gear.
Price (1/6) – It’s a bit more expensive than $1k, but still very competitively priced for a bike of this calibre.
Tubeless-Ready (1/1) – Tubeless compatible.

Upright Factor: 1.51 – on the sporty side
XS: 155-166cm – S: 159-171cm – M: 169-181cm – ML: 174-186cm – L: 179-191cm – XL: 189-200cm

2021 Cube Nuroad Pro – Global – Whoops, it’s $1169

13/20 – An excellent price point for Shimano Tiagra gearing! The Cube may be the most expensive bike here but I really wanted to give you an indication for how much extra you’d need to spend to get Tiagra. The frameset is great, it’s tubeless compatible and the bike is nice and light overall.

Frameset Quality (4/4) – Top-tier aluminium frame, full carbon fork, internal cable routing, 12mm thru axles.
Weight (3/3) – 10.6kg without pedals.
Gearing Quality (3/3) – Shimano Tiagra 2×10 gearing.
Low Gear Ratios (1/3) – 27.3″ climbing gear.
Price (1/6) – A really great value Shimano Tiagra gravel bike.
Tubeless-Ready (1/1) – Tubeless compatible.

Upright Factor: 1.50 – on the sporty side

2021 Breezer Radar Expert – Global – $969

12/20 – 29×2.2″ mountain bike tyre clearance, low ratios, super upright. I’ve been recommending the Radar Expert for years, it’s really hard to beat for the price. It may be a bit heavier than the other options, but it’s in a league of its own in terms of the terrain it can ride – this is thanks to the exceptional tyre clearance. The gear ratios are low for a gravel bike – which will be great for remote mountain roads.

Frameset Quality (2/4) – Somewhat basic steel frame and fork, quick release axles.
Weight (1/3) – 12.6kg without pedals.
Gearing Quality (2/3) – Shimano Sora/Deore 2×9 gearing.
Low Gear Ratios (3/3) – 23.2″ climbing gear.
Price (3/6) – Great value for a Shimano Sora equipped gravel bike.
Tubeless-Ready (1/1) – Tubeless compatible.

Upright Factor: 1.62 – super upright to ride
45: 155-167cm – 48: 167-175cm – 51: 175-180cm – 54: 178-183cm – 57: 183-188cm – 60: 188-196cm

2021 Jamis Renegade A1 – Global – $999

12/20 – Nice frameset and weight, tubeless compatibility. The Renegade looks to be a great gravel bike option this year. It’s running one of the broadest size ranges too.

Frameset Quality (3/4) – Top-tier aluminium frame and fork, internal cable routing, quick release axles.
Weight (3/3) – 10.89kg without pedals.
Gearing Quality (1/3) – Shimano Claris 2×8 gearing.
Low Gear Ratios (1/3) – 27.3″ climbing gear.
Price (3/6) – Decent value for the frameset quality.
Tubeless-Ready (1/1) – Tubeless compatible.

Upright Factor: 1.50 – on the sporty side
44: 147-152cm – 48: 152-160cm – 51: 160-165cm – 54: 165-175cm – 56: 175-180cm – 58: 180-185cm – 61: 185-193cm

2021 Octane One Gridd 2 – Global – Whoops, it’s $1099

12/20 – Lightweight, decent quality gear shifting, tubeless wheels – quite a nice overall package.

Frameset Quality (3/4) – Decent aluminium frame, carbon fork, quick release and thru-axles.
Weight (3/3) – 10.8kg without pedals.
Gearing Quality (3/3) – SRAM Apex 1×10.
Low Gear Ratios (1/3) – 27.3″ climbing gear.
Price (1/6) – Great value considering the frameset and SRAM 1X gearing.
Tubeless-Ready (1/1) – Tubeless compatible

Upright Factor: 1.48 – very low

2021 Marin Nicasio 1 – Global – $759

11/20

Frameset Quality (2/4) – Somewhat basic steel frame and fork, quick release axles.
Weight (1/3) – 12.6kg without pedals.
Gearing Quality (1/3) – Shimano Claris 2×8 gearing.
Low Gear Ratios (1/3) – 28.7″ climbing gear.
Price (6/6) – Second-cheapest bike here!
Tubeless-Ready (0/1) – Tubes only.

Upright Factor: 1.53 – on the sporty side
48: 147-152cm – 50: 152-160cm – 52: 160-167cm – 54: 167-175cm – 56: 175-183cm – 58: 183-188cm – 60: 185-193cm

2021 Diamondback Haanjo 2 – North America – $875

11/20

Frameset Quality (2/4) – Decent aluminium frame, steel fork, quick release axles.
Weight (2/3) – Approximately 11.48kg without pedals.
Gearing Quality (1/3) – Shimano Claris 2×8 gearing.
Low Gear Ratios (2/3) – 29.0″ climbing gear.
Price (4/6) – A solid bike for the price.
Tubeless-Ready (0/1) – Tubes only.

Upright Factor: 1.57 – quite upright to ride
XS: 155-162cm – S: 162-172cm – M: 170-177cm – L: 177-185cm – XL: 185-193cm

2021 Pure Cycles Gravel Adventure Pro – North America – $899

11/20

Frameset Quality (2/4) – Somewhat basic steel frame and fork, quick release axles.
Weight (1/3) – Approximately 12.5kg without pedals.
Gearing Quality (2/3) – Shimano Sora 2×9 gearing.
Low Gear Ratios (2/3) – 25.7″ climbing gear.
Price (4/6) – Great value considering the frameset and Sora gearing.
Tubeless-Ready (0/1) – Tubes only.

Upright Factor: 1.50 – on the sporty side
S: 167-175cm – M: 173-178cm – L: 178-183cm – XL: 183-188cm

2021 Felt Broam 60 – Global – $949

11/20

Frameset Quality (3/4) – Top-tier aluminium frame, carbon fork, internal cable routing, 12mm thru axles.
Weight (2/3) – 11.1kg without pedals.
Gearing Quality (1/3) -Shimano Claris 2×8 gearing.
Low Gear Ratios (1/3) – 27.3″ climbing gear.
Price (3/6) – Excellent value for the frameset quality.
Tubeless-Ready (1/1) – Tubeless compatible.

Upright Factor: 1.56 – quite upright to ride
47: 152-168cm – 51: 168-173cm – 54: 173-178cm – 56: 178-183cm – 58: 183-188cm – 61: 188-196cm

2021 Specialized Diverge Base E5 – Global – Whoops, it’s $1150

11/20

Frameset Quality (4/4) – Top-tier aluminium frame, full carbon fork, internal cable routing, 12mm thru axles.
Weight (3/3) – 10.29kg without pedals.
Gearing Quality (1/3) – Shimano Claris 2×8 gearing.
Low Gear Ratios (1/3) – 27.2″ climbing gear.
Price (1/6) – Similar quality frameset to the Giant Revolt, however, the parts aren’t quite as nice.
Tubeless-Ready (1/1) – Tubeless compatible.

Upright Factor: 1.52 – on the sporty side

2021 Genesis CDA 20 – Europe – £699

10/20

Frameset Quality (2/4) – Basic aluminium frame and steel fork, quick release axles.
Weight (2/3) – 11.68kg without pedals.
Gearing Quality (2/3) – Shimano Sora 2×9 gearing.
Low Gear Ratios (1/3) – 27.3″ climbing gear.
Price (3/6) – Good price for a Shimano Sora build.
Tubeless-Ready (0/1) – Tubes only.

Upright Factor: 1.54 – on the sporty side
XS: 156-164cm – S: 164-172cm – M: 171-179cm – L: 178-186cm – XL: 185-193cm

2021 KHS Grit 55 – Global – $829

9/20

Frameset Quality (2/4) – Somewhat basic steel frame and fork, quick release axles.
Weight (1/3) – Approximately 13kg without pedals.
Gearing Quality (1/3) – Shimano Claris 2×8 gearing.
Low Gear Ratios (1/3) – 29.0″ climbing gear.
Price (4/6) – Priced on the lower end of the specturm.
Tubeless-Ready (0/1) – Tubes only.

Upright Factor: 1.55 – quite upright to ride

2021 Kona Rove AL 700C – Global – $899

9/20

Frameset Quality (2/4) – Decent aluminium frame and fork, internal cable routing, quick release axles.
Weight (1/3) – 12.16kg without pedals.
Gearing Quality (1/3) – Shimano Claris 2×8 gearing.
Low Gear Ratios (1/3) – 27.3″ climbing gear.
Price (4/6) – Decent value for the frameset quality.
Tubeless-Ready (0/1) – Tubes only.

Upright Factor: 1.49 – on the sporty side
48: 152-160cm – 50: 157-170cm – 52: 168-178cm – 54: 175-183cm – 56: 180-188cm – 58: 185-196cm

2021 Poseidon Redwood – North America – $899

15/20 – Amazing value gravel bike with 2.5″ tyre clearance, a 1X10 groupset, modern frame features and lots of bikepacking mounts. The gear ratios are perfect and it’s tubeless-ready too. My only criticism is that the handlebar will be very low for riders above 180cm/5ft11 – especially if you have long legs for your height.

You can see more pictures and the full specification on the Poseidon website HERE.

Frameset Quality (3/4) – Quite a decent aluminium frame and fork, 12mm thru-axles, 2.5″ tyre clearance.
Weight (1/3) – Approximately 12.5kg without pedals.
Gearing Quality (3/3) – Microshift Advent X 1×10 gearing.
Low Gear Ratios (3/3) – 22.3″ climbing gear.
Price (4/6) – Amazing value off-road gravel bike complete with 10-speed gearing.
Tubeless-Ready (1/1) – Tubeless compatible.

Upright Factor: 1.49 – on the sporty side, especially the big sizes.
XXS: 152-160cm – XS: 163-170cm – S: 170-178cm – M: 175-183cm – L: 183-190cm – XL: 190cm+

2021 State Bicycle Co 4130 All-Road 650B – North America – $799

14/20 – Excellent price-to-performance. Nice ‘n upright. The 4130 All Road is a very compelling gravel bike for the price. It’s built around a hardworking steel frameset that has modern thru-axles and it’s ready for racks or bikepacking bags too. The Sensah gearing is not a typical drivetrain pick, but from all reports, it works quite well and allows State Bicycle Co to deliver a 1X11 bike under $800. The cherry on the top is the tubeless compatibility.

You can see more pictures and the full specification on the State Bicycle website HERE.

Frameset Quality (3/4) – Decent steel frame and fork, 12mm thru-axles.
Weight (1/3) – 12.59kg without pedals.
Gearing Quality (2/3) – Sensah SRX Pro 1×11 gearing.
Low Gear Ratios (1/3) – 27.7″ climbing gear.
Price (6/6) – It’s one of the cheapest bikes on the list with some of the best features.
Tubeless-Ready (1/1) – Tubeless compatible.

Upright Factor: 1.59 – quite upright to ride
XS: 154-168cm – S: 165-177cm – M: 175-188cm L: 185-196cm

2021 Salsa Journeyman Claris 650B – Global – $949

13/20 – Excellent frameset, upright, great gear ratios, tubeless compatible. I’ve been long recommending the Journeyman thanks to its worldwide availability, upright ride, low gear ratios and high-quality frameset for the price. The size range is also great!

Frameset Quality (3/4) – Decent aluminium frame, carbon fork, internal cable routing, quick release axles.
Weight (2/3) – 11.99kg without pedals.
Gearing Quality (1/3) – Shimano Claris 2×8 gearing.
Low Gear Ratios (3/3) – 24.4″ climbing gear.
Price (3/6) – Excellent value for the frameset quality.
Tubeless-Ready (1/1) – Tubeless compatible.

Upright Factor: 1.56 – quite upright to ride
50: 152-160cm – 52: 157-165cm – 54: 165-175cm – 55.5: 173-183cm – 58: 180-190cm – 59.5: 188-200cm

2021 Marin Nicacio Plus 650B – Global – $899

11/20

Frameset Quality (2/4) – Somewhat basic steel frame and fork, quick release axles.
Weight (1/3) – 12.6kg without pedals.
Gearing Quality (2/3) – Microshift Advent 1×9 gearing.
Low Gear Ratios (2/3) – 25.2″ climbing gear.
Price (4/6) – Decent value for performance.
Tubeless-Ready (0/1) – Tubes only.

Upright Factor: 1.53 – on the sporty side
48: 147-152cm – 50: 152-160cm – 52: 160-167cm – 54: 167-175cm – 56: 175-183cm – 58: 183-188cm – 60: 185-193cm

2021 Kona Rove AL 650B – Global – $899

9/20

Frameset Quality (2/4) – Decent aluminium frame and fork, internal cable routing, quick release axles.
Weight (1/3) – Approximately 12.5kg without pedals.
Gearing Quality (1/3) – Shimano Claris 2×8 gearing.
Low Gear Ratios (1/3) – 27.5″ climbing gear.
Price (4/6) – Decent value for the frameset quality.
Tubeless-Ready (0/1) – Tubes only.

Upright Factor: 1.49 – quite sporty
48: 152-160cm – 50: 157-170cm – 52: 168-178cm – 54: 175-183cm – 56: 180-188cm – 58: 185-196cm

If You’d Like To Learn Everything About Gravel Bikes, Check Out My Book: The Bikepacking Bike Buyer’s Guide

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