Gravel — Adventure — All-Road Bikes
Gravel bikes combine the best features and functionality of Tourers, ‘cross Bikes, XC Mountain Bikes and the humble Commuter Bike into a range of incredibly versatile and well-equipped do-it-all adventure bikes. Simply put- these are the most versatile bikes you can ride and they are capable of tackling any towpath, track, trail or tour route that you can think of.
There’s an adventure waiting for you every time you throw a leg over one of these great gravel bikes.
Planet X Tempest
On-One Free Ranger
Holdsworth Mystique
Titus Goldrush
- Titanium (1550g)
- SRAM Force 1
- Fulcrum Disc Clincher
Limo smooth, 4×4 capable titanium gravel superbike with lightweight single ring SRAM spec. Tempest is our flowingly fast and comfortably confident titanium gravel bike that gives you the freedom to ride wherever you want. Light yet tirelessly tough frame, powerful disc brakes, large volume tyres, tubeless ready wheels and a full bike packing fixture list. The only thing Tempest doesn't have is limits.
- Approx Bike Weight (Medium) — 9.8kg
- Titanium (1550g)
- SRAM Rival HRD 1X
- Fulcrum Disc Clincher
Limo smooth, 4×4 capable titanium gravel superbike with affordable SRAM spec. Tempest is our flowingly fast and comfortably confident titanium gravel bike that gives you the freedom to ride wherever you want. Light yet tirelessly tough frame, powerful disc brakes, large volume tyres, tubeless ready wheels and a full bike packing fixture list. The only thing Tempest doesn't have is limits.
- Approx Bike Weight (Medium) — 10.1kg
- Titanium
- SRAM Force 1
- Fulcrum Racing 800 Disc
The ROAD RUNNER all-road endurance is a titanium bike with a multitude of talents. A do-it-all bike, capable of turning its hand to a range of terrain and riding disciplines.
Big mileage road rides? The ROAD RUNNER smashes them. Technical gravel descents? Not a problem. Steep, loose surface, hill climbs can be ascended with ease and what about those all day mixed terrain adventures? The ROAD RUNNERs got your back.
- Super proficient all-road geometry
- SELCOF Full carbon big clearance FORK
- Wide range, all-purpose SRAM Force 1 groupset
- Powerful, hydraulic SRAM FORCE 1 disc brakes
- Approx Bike Weight (Medium) — 9.7kg
- Carbon (1360g)
- SRAM Force 1
- Fulcrum Disc Clincher
Pro quality, aero framed, high velocity adventure weapon in super light SRAM spec. We have being selling super fast carbon fibre adventure bikes for years, before the bandwagon even started. We even set an unbeaten, self supported around the world record in the process. We have built all those lessons into the Mystiques Hi Modulus carbon fibre aero frame and fork. We then added tubeless tyres, powerful disc brakes and a full set of bike packing fixtures to make it the perfect partner for further and faster adventures.
- Approx Bike Weight (Medium) — 9.3kg
- Carbon (1360g)
- SRAM Rival HRD 1X
- Fulcrum Disc Clincher
Pro quality, aero framed, high velocity adventure weapon in affordable SRAM spec. We'd being doing super fast carbon fibre adventure bikes for years before the bandwagon started. We even set an unbeaten, self supported around the world record in the process. We've built all those lessons into the Mystiques Hi Modulus carbon fibre aero frame and fork. We then added tubeless tyres, powerful disc brakes and a full set of bike packing fixtures to make it the perfect partner for further and faster adventures.
- Approx Bike Weight (Medium) — 9.45kg
- Titanium (1745g)
- SRAM Force 1
- Fulcrum Racing 800 Disc
The all new Titus Goldrush, the toughest titanium framed gravel adventurer from Titus just got better! Delivering limitless potential with a luxuriously surefooted ride. New adjustable dropouts mean you can switch between the mile crushing stability of a longer wheelbase or the joy inducing agility of a shorter wheelbase. Fittings for three bottle cages, panniers, fork bags, mudguards, plus big tyre room with 650 or 700c wheels make it our most capable adventurer to date.
- Approx Bike Weight (Medium) — 10.6kg
- Carbon
- SRAM Force 1
- Fulcrum Disc Clincher
On-One Free Ranger Force 1 is the latest, fastest, full fixture, fat tyre carbon adventurer from On-One in lightweight 700C SRAM spec. Free Ranger is the latest road rapid, trail tough, expedition ready gravel allrounder. It's evolved carbon frame and fork deliver an agile, responsive ride with large volume 650B or 700c wheel versatility, disc brake control and full bike packing fixtures. Perfect for when you want an epic, fast and enjoyable bike ride.
- Approx Bike Weight (Medium) — 9.25kg
- Carbon
- SRAM Rival HRD 1X
- Fulcrum Rapid Red 900 650B
The Free Ranger is a road rapid, trail tough, expedition ready gravel allrounder from On-One. Its evolved carbon frame and fork deliver an agile, responsive ride with 650B wheel versatility, hydraulic disc brake control and full bike packing fixtures. Perfect for cyclists who want an epic, fast and enjoyable ride.
- Carbon
- SRAM Rival HRD 1
- Fulcrum R900 11-Speed Clincher
The most affordable full fixture, fat tyre carbon adventurer in lightweight 700c SRAM spec from On-One. The Free Ranger is the latest road rapid, trail tough, expedition ready gravel allrounder. It's evolved carbon frame and fork deliver an agile, responsive ride. With large volume 650M or 700c wheel versatility, disc brake control and full bike packing fixtures, the On-One Free Ranger is perfect for when you want an epic ride which is fast, easy and enjoyable.
- Approx Bike Weight (Medium) — 9.4kg
Sorry, we don’t have stock that matches those filters
What is a Gravel Bike?
Gravel bikes or Adventure bikes’ popularity has increased dramatically in recent years. They are the Swiss Army Knife of the cycling world and can take you further than you’d ever imagined. Designed to accommodate mudguards and often panniers, they are serious utility bikes. Taking their geometry cues from the more comfortable road bike designs and sharing drivetrains and hydraulic disk brakes with their mountain bike counterparts they are truly versatile bikes.
While not a new trend Gravel bikes hugely increased popularity has been born out of their go-anywhere nature. Taking cues and elements from Road Bikes, Mountain bikes and Cyclocross they are equally adept on the road or on the trails, canal paths and bridleways. You don’t have to only ride them on gravel.
While the look of many Adventure bikes are similar to their cyclocross brethren there are some key differences that set them apart. These bikes often have a more relaxed geometry and upright riding position which makes them more comfortable to ride, especially on a long-distance ride. Being more upright in the saddle creates less fatigue on your back and shoulders. A more stable riding position which comes in handy if your bike is fitted with bags and luggage. They often come with fittings for racks, panniers and everything to help you take all your kit with you.
What are the differences between a Road Bike and A Gravel Bike?
Gravel bikes tend to be built with larger tyre clearance and more durable and with a more relaxed comfortable geometry to be able to handle rougher terrain and long days in the saddle.
Are Gravel bikes good for commuting?
Gravel bikes are often popular as commuter bikes and they’re ideally placed to handle the worst pothole-strewn roads as well as short cuts along canal paths.
Is a Gravel bike right for me?
If you’re looking for a bike that can go just about anywhere and is equally at home on the morning commute to work or a long weekend day out on or off-road then a gravel bike might just be what you are looking for.
The 25 BEST Gravel Bikes For 2021 – Under $1000
Gravel bikes have well and truly taken off, so it’s time I gave them a bit more attention on CyclingAbout. If you’re new here, I specialise in adventure cycling and want you all to share my adventure joy by riding the best gravel bikes for your budgets!
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 .
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
Типы гравел байков
Гравел байки являются одной из модификаций шоссейных велосипедов. Не смотря на свою относительную новизну, они довольно быстро захватили рынок, приглянувшись велоспортсменам своей многофункциональностью. Модели данного типа позволяют свободно разъезжать по ровным асфальтированным дорогам, при этом они дают возможность с комфортом передвигаться по бездорожью.
Гравийный велосипед является ближайшим родственником циклокроссов и гибридов. Нередко его сравнивают с горным велосипедом, но он уступает данному подразделению шоссейников по многим параметрам. Многим может показаться, что существует только один типаж гравийного байка, но это не так, на деле существует несколько отдельных видов.
Какие варианты гравелов можно встретить в магазинах
Самым распространенным типажом является эндуранс. Его ключевой особенностью является наличие дисковой тормозной системы и повышенный комфорт конструкции. Нередко эндурансы обладают усиленной рамой. Модели отлично подходят под длинные дистанции по асфальтированному покрытию высокого качества. Присутствие только дисковых колес в качестве особенности не сильно обрадовало потребителей, поэтому производители пошли дальше.
Следующий тип — Adventure bike. Можно назвать его шоссейником, подготовленным для приключений. В целом, он напоминает переработанный циклокросс: немного поменяли наклон рамы, установили дисковые тормоза, увеличили ширину резины. Такая модель подходит для быстрого перемещения по грунтовке и некачественному асфальту.
Как правильно выбрать эндуранс
Эндуранс представляет собой узкоспециализированный подвид шоссейных велосипедов, предназначенный для быстрой езды по смешанному типу дорожного покрытия. Конструкция представленных моделей велотранспорта предполагает езду преимущественно по ровной дороге с периодическими съездами на плотную грунтовку.
Требования, предъявляемые к данным велосипедам при выборе по большей части не отличаются от того, что необходимо рассматривать при покупке любого другого шоссейника. Это высота рамы, регулировочные диапазоны руля и сидения. Однако, есть также и моменты, которые имеют отношение именно к данным моделям велосипедов. Так, стоит обратить внимание на особенности установленной на велосипед резины. Учитывая особенности применения транспортного средства, она должна обладать особым рисунком протектора, позволяющим обеспечивать достаточное сцепление и устойчивость на грунтовой дороге.
Стоимость таких моделей начинается от пятидесяти тысяч рублей в качественном исполнении, что делает подобный вид транспорта достаточно доступным не только для профессионалов, но и для любителей.
Подбираем велосипед из категории Adventure bike
Эта модель велосипедов значительно лучше подходит для езды по неровной дороге и сложным грунтовым покрытиям. Для того, чтобы это стало возможным, в конструкции представленной модели предусмотрено несколько важных нюансов.
В первую очередь стоит отметить колеса увеличенной ширины для сохранения устойчивости на мягком грунте. Кроме того, они обладают особым протектором, обеспечивающим надежный зацеп и упрощающим движение по дорогам плохого качества.
Кроме того, для упрощения движения по неровным дорогам передняя вилка на представленных моделях оснащена амортизацией, что значительно повышает уровень комфорта водителя во время поездки. При выборе спортивного снаряда важно внимательно изучить тип вилки, которая на нем установлена. От того, насколько качественные амортизаторы используются в конструкции во многом зависит комфорт на длительной дистанции.
Если планируется путешествие на велосипеде на большое расстояние с неизвестным типом дороги, представленные модели являются оптимальным вариантом, так как в перспективе способны обеспечить своему владельцу больший уровень комфорта.
Какой гравел стоит выбрать?
Выбор оптимального транспортного средства должен отталкиваться от тех условий, в которых он будет эксплуатироваться пользователем. Отсюда можно сделать следующие выводы:
· Быстрая езда и участие в соревнованиях подразумевают покупку классического шоссейника;
· Частое перемещение по асфальту и редкие съезды на некачественную дорогу — лучше купить эндуранс;
· Постоянное движение по разбитому асфальтированному покрытию и грунтовке — выбираем Adventure bike.
Приобрести любой из перечисленных вариантов можно на Fitness Place. Покупателя обрадует огромный ассортимент разнообразных моделей, большая размерная линейка и, конечно, доступные цены. Высокое качество товара гарантировано, так как магазин реализует продукцию от известных брендов.
25 of the best gravel bike tyres — get the right go-anywhere rubber
The best gravel bike tyres combine off-road grip and cushioning with a tread light enough it’s not too slow on Tarmac. Exactly which are the best gravel bike tyres for you will depend on your riding surfaces, weather and ambition, as well as the capacity of your bike; not all will accommodate the latest 45mm and 50mm rubber. This guide brings together a variety of the best gravel bike tyres in 30mm to 50mm widths, designed for tackling mixed terrain with a focus on off-road capability.
Gravel bike tyres have been getting fatter, with 38mm and 40mm tyres replacing the previous ‘standards’ of 33mm and 35mm
There are even 50mm gravel bike tyres, though few bikes will take them and still have room for mud
Tread designs of gravel bike tyres vary between an inverted-tread semi-slick like the Ritchey WCS Alpine JB Stronghold to the almost mountain bike knobbliness of the Maxxis Rambler
For maximum versatility, consider having two sets of wheels, one shod with lighter-tread tyres, the other with knobblies; switching wheels is lots easier than changing tyres
If you really want to go fat, see if your bike can take 650B wheels; the smaller rim size leaves room for the fattest gravel bike tyres
Updated January 13, 2021
Welcome to the latest edition of road.cc’s buyer’s guide to gravel and adventure tyres in which you’ll find everything you need to know to find the right gravel and adventure tyres for you, plus our pick of 25 of the best fat, off-road capable tyres.
25 of the best gravel bike tyres for 2021
All about the adventure
What’s the difference between gravel and adventure? Not much… The two terms are essentially interchangeable. The US has a popular gravel bike racing scene but it’s been slow to catch on in the UK, mainly down to our lack of endless miles of gravel roads, though there are a few new events that are tapping into this appeal such as the Dirty Reiver, the Dorset Gravel Dash and others. What has caught on over here though on is the desire for adventure, with long distance rides over varying terrain and bikepacking becoming increasingly popular. Events like the Transcontinental Race have certainly helped, putting the adventure back into cycling.
Manufacturers have been quick to cotton onto this desire for bikes that offer more capability to expand riding horizons more than regular road bikes allow. Gravel and adventure bikes can accommodate bigger tyres, the geometry is influenced by endurance bikes, they offer the versatility of a touring bike and there are disc brakes for all-weather control. These traits make a gravel and adventure bike perfect for a wide range of riding, including commuting, touring, Audax, winter training and are ideal for beginners. And the bigger more aggressive tyres provide more comfort and make it possible to get away from congested roads and into the sanctuary of the open countryside. They can be ridden anywhere, and they’re adaptable and versatile.
Growing tyre choice
And with the growing bike choice comes a growing tyre choice. The tyre you choose can dictate the sort of riding the bike can be used for. Choosing the right tyre comes down to the style of riding you have in mind. Mostly road? You want a smoother tyre that emphasises low rolling resistance. Want to ride predominantly off-road? A tyre with an aggressive tread pattern to provide grip in dirt, gravel, grass and mud is going to be preferable. And there are many tyres that attempt to bridge these two extremes, with a smooth centre section and bigger shoulder knobs, to provide road and off-road capability. The tyres in this guide lean towards off-road riding where grip on grass, gravel, mud and dirt is important, but most also offer the rolling speed you want for hardpack and tarmac roads, to provide that essential versatility.
How wide you go comes down principally to what your bike will accommodate and how wide you think is right for the riding you’re doing and terrain you’re tackling. At the time of writing a 38-40mm tyre is a very popular width for gravel and adventure riding, but there are many options between 30-34mm if clearance is tight on your bike, and you can go up to 50mm if you have space and want the biggest volume. We’re mostly concentrating on 700c tyres here, but there’s a growing interest in the smaller 650b size, which provides the benefit of a bigger tyre volume with roughly the same outside diameter as a 40mm tyre on a 700c rim.
Let’s take a look at some of your choices.
Maxxis Rambler — £53.99
The Rambler is Maxxis’ first gravel-specific tyre and it comes in 45 and 50mm width options as well as a skinnier 38mm version (£45.38) with a tightly packed tread design, including ramped centre knobs for improved rolling speed when on the smooth. The side knobs have been spaced out more to improve cornering traction in the loose.
The 50mm version pushes the limit of what will fit in most gravel bikes, but if you can accommodate them they’re brilliant.
Off-road and on rougher tracks they’re really fast, with the extra volume giving them the ability to just roll over rocks and rough sections – it’s most noticeable downhill, where the difference compared with narrower tyres really is huge.
While the volume might be the biggest benefit, the tread on the Rambler is key to its performance and control. The design has several different areas and overall the design is quite busy, but it seems to work. The central tread with near-continuous central section is part of the reason why it’s so smooth and why road performance is decent.
Michelin Power Gravel tyre — £32.99
The Power Gravel is Michelin’s answer to the ever-expanding gravel/adventure market, and it has a lot going for it. Durability is good, as is the grip, it offers plenty of puncture protection, and the price is very competitive too.
The Power Gravel follows a similar theme to many other gravel tyres on the market, as in it is covered in small nobbles for grip on loose surfaces without sacrificing overall speed. It’s a format that works, especially when the tracks are dry and dusty.
Thankfully for me, the majority of my local gravel routes are properly laid tracks for moving military traffic around. They don’t change much even in the winter, apart from the odd puddle here and there, so I could get away with using the Michelins all year round.
If you ride on bridleways or tracks in your local woods in winter, you’ll find that the tread isn’t deep enough for grip on wet mud. For these kind of excursions you’ll need something with much deeper knobbly bits.
Continental Terra Speed — £46
The Terra Speed is Continental’s new gravel tyre designed for dry and loose conditions and it certainly works, making the transition between tarmac and gravel barely noticeable. It’s grippy, robust and surprisingly supple for such a tough tyre.
The Terra Speed bears close resemblance to the Schwalbe G-One and the performance is on a par too; the Terra Speed might just take the overall honours by a whisker.
The Terra Speed has similar sized knobbly bits as the G-One Bite (if you want deeper there is the Terra Trail option), and it behaves in exactly the same way.
Teravail Rutland — £50 — £55
When dust turns to mud you need a grippy tyre, and the Teravail Rutland delivers exceptional traction in slippery or loose conditions – without hindering pace on hard tracks and roads. Tubeless installation is easy, it comes in a wide range of sizes (including 650b), and you even get a choice of two casings. It’ll cost you, though.
These tyres proved a godsend once once the dusty gravel tracks and bridleways in my corner of the Cotswolds turned to mush. They give impressive grip in a wide range of situations, with good braking stability and hooligan lean angles possible before the laws of physics kick in.
It’s a tyre you can really push hard on slippery trails, with the confidence it’s going to grip. You can give it the beans through the corners as well, as those angular shoulder blocks do an excellent job of hooking up some lairy lean angles.
I have to link my local tracks and trails with lots of road – mostly quiet country lanes – and thankfully the Rutlands exhibit a good rolling speed with little significant drag. There’s not much buzzing noise either.
Rene Herse Juniper Ridge — £80/£95
The Rene Herse 650×48 Juniper Ridge tyres have a knobbly tread that has been designed to roll well on the road too. We were sceptical, but to be honest they are pretty good, giving a boost to your average speed on those tarmac sections between the tracks and trails.
The Juniper Ridge is one of the new all-road tyres from Rene Herse, the tyre company formerly known as Compass. It might look like a knobbly mountain bike tyre but it’s been designed to work just as well on the road as it does off the beaten track. It has the same tread as the 700×38 Steilacoom, but in a 650x48mm size.
The tread has been designed to place as much rubber on the road as possible and the result is a surprisingly grippy and fast-rolling tyre. There is a little bit of road noise once you get up to speed, but thanks to the soft compound and supple casing, they really do feel like road tyres.
Kenda Alluvium Pro — £34.27
The Kenda Alluvium Pro hits the mark as being both a fast and grippy tyre for gravel adventures and highly capable on the road. Though they struggle a little in the mud, they hold their own on dusty dry tracks and rough, rocky trails. With easy tubeless setup and a price to match the competition, these would be a great choice if you plan some adventure miles this summer.
Goodyear County Ultimate Tubeless — £48.99
The Goodyear County Ultimate gravel tyre, which uses a specially developed Silica4 compound, offers a decent performance across road and light off-road, with good puncture resistance but perhaps a bit less suppleness than the best tyres of this type.
The County is one of two treads developed for use across a range of terrain, together with the more aggressively treaded Connector. The County is best suited for rides that combine tarmac and some light off-road terrain, while the Connector is a little more off-road focused. Both are available in a couple of versions – the Ultimate and the Premium, for a tenner less.
WTB ByWay 650B x 47mm — £38
For exploring the road less travelled WTB’s Byway is a decent choice providing fast rolling speed on road and hardpack gravel. Only wet grass and mud reveal its limits.
The 650B wheel size — a bit smaller than the standard road bike 700C — has become very popular on adventure bikes and it’s easy to see why. The smaller wheel enables a bigger volume tyre without messing around much with the frame design, providing hugely improved cushioning on badly surfaced roads, gravel tracks and dirt paths.
WTB hit the market early with its original Horizon providing stacks of comfort and off-road capability. There’s only so far you can push a slick tyre on dirt and gravel, so WTB took the Horizon and added a meaty shoulder tread pattern to provide a bit more cornering traction when you’re drifting through the bends.
Panaracer GravelKing TLC — £32
The Panaracer GravelKing tyres are excellent all-winter rubber for your road bike; Big Dave Atkinson declared them his new favourite all-purpose winter tyre. They’re pretty light, they’re easy to set up tubeless and they roll really well. Also, they come in a range of natty colours. Well, two. Plus black.
The 32mm version isn’t really a gravel tyre for the UK, but you can get them in 35mm and 38mm widths too, as well as 650B versions up to 48mm wide, so for dirt riding in non-soggy conditions, they’re a light, quick option.
Schwalbe X-One Allround — £24.95 — £41.99
Designed to offer off-road grip in mixed conditions and speed on the road, the Schwalbe X-One Allround is pretty much the perfect tubeless tyre for the privateer cyclo-cross rider. These provide decent grip in slick mud, but roll really well when the course is dry.
Specialized Pathfinder Pro 2Bliss Ready — £45
The Pathfinder Pro is a fast-rolling tyre that is good for tackling rough roads and dry hardpack gravel trails. With its smooth centre section surrounded by tightly packed diamond-shaped blocks, it’s obviously a good choice for lots of road riding. When riding in a straight upright position, that smooth centre line is all that contacts the road, and as a result provides low rolling resistance, allowing you to zip along the road at a decent pace. It really feels little slower than a slick tyre of similar width.
Feel adventurous and want to get off the road and onto some gravel and dirt, and the remainder of the tyre provides good grip. The diamond-shaped tread combined with bigger and spaced out shoulder blocks gives you the capability to let fire into loose gravel or dirty corners, knowing the compound and blocks will find grip. You won’t be tackling any muddy bogs, it’s not quite that capable, but for gravelly surfaced tracks, canal towpaths and dry bridleways, it offers more grip than a slick tyre.
Ritchey WCS Alpine JB Stronghold Tubeless Ready 35mm — £57
Ritchey has gone inverse with the tread on its Alpine JB WCS Stronghold tyres to create a tyre that grips on light gravel and rough sections of broken country lane while also offering a smooth ride if you want to get a shift on on the tarmac. A very impressive all-round tyre choice indeed.
You’ll need room in your frame for 35mm tyres to fit the tubeless version of the Alpine JB WCS Stronghold, as the 30mm version is only available with a conventional casing.
Rene Herse Steilacoom TC — £80/£95
The Rene Herse Steilacoom TC tyre is a fabulously grippy, fast-rolling tyre off-road that displays frankly ridiculous speed on the hard stuff too, from the tyre maker previously known as Compass. The performance comes at a price you’ll forget the moment you hit the first transition from tarmac to gravel.
Schwalbe G-One Bite MicroSkin TL-Easy — £42.99
The G-One Bite is a more off-road orientated version of the acclaimed G-One All-round, with bigger knobbles and a more pronounced shoulder making them more suited to gravel and hardpacked trails. They still roll smoothly on Tarmac but when you get to the gravel or hardpacked trails the fun really begins. We’ve ridden them on 40mph descents and tough climbs and the G-One Bites never put a foot wrong, no matter what type or size of gravel we were riding over.
Kenda Cholla Pro —
Kenda’s Cholla Pro is a supple tubeless-ready mud-conquering tyre for skinnier-framed bikes at a fairly sensible price. If you like it mucky and flat-free, it’s a great option – particularly if you have limited clearance.
The Cholla Pro has a striking squared-off tread profile, with no chance of getting tyre orientation wrong; arrows point forwards folks. Based on «the hooks and barbs of the cholla cactus», says Kenda, this is somewhat ironically not a tyre for the desert – at just under 33mm fitted to a 19mm rim, you’re more likely to dig into soft sand than float over it.
Schwalbe G-One All-Round 40mm — £39.99 | 35mm — £32.99
German tyre company Schwalbe hit a home run when it introduced the G-One. The close-packed circular knobbly tread, round profile and sticky tread compound give them prodigious levels of grip on all sorts of surfaces, and we’ve never had any problems mounting the tubeless version.
Halo Twin Rail — £22.99
The Halo features two central rails (hence the name) along the centre section for fast rolling speed on the straight with raised square blocks of alternating size on either side. They’re directional tyres with a puncture protection system and come in all-black or with tan sidewalls.
Challenge Gravel Grinder — £43.98
Challenge offers a couple of gravel tyres but this one is actually named for the riding it’s intended for. It combines tall and long shoulder knobs for cornering grip and a low profile dimpled centre section for fast rolling speed. It’s available in 33mm, 38mm and 42mm widths.
Donnelly X’Plor MSO — NA
Donnelly (the new name for the tyres formerly known as Clement) has designed the X’Plor MSO for mixed conditions with a smooth rolling centre section and bigger shoulder knobs, but it looks more aggressive overall than the Challenge Gravel Grinder. It comes in 32, 36, 40 and 50mm widths and regular clincher and tubeless varieties.
Prices above are for 36mm and 40mm tubeless variants. The change of name came about when the brand’s licence to Donnelly Sports LLC ended because brand owner Pirelli was returning to the bike tyre sector.
Hutchinson Overide — £32.95
The Overide is a brand new tyre from the French company and is its début into the burgeoning gravel and adventure bike market. It comes in 35 and 38mm widths and Hutchinson has opted for a very smooth tread design with low profile diamond shaped blocks of alternating size. It’s tubeless-ready with a dual compound construction.
Panaracer Gravel King SK — £32.00
Panaracer has been quick to offer a wide range of suitable gravel tyres, and it keeps on adding new options. It offers tyres with a smooth file tread pattern up to more aggressive tread pattern such as the one pictured above, and a wide range of widths from 23 to 43 and 700c and 650b options. It’s recently added the first mud-specific gravel tyre we’ve come across and there are new tubeless options being added this year.
Surly Knard — £26.50 — £58.00
Surly’s Knard has a closely spaced tread pattern for providing speed over varied terrain, and there’s enough grip for loose and slippery trail conditions. The tread pattern comprises aggressive square blocks with only the edge knobs being rectangular to allow for lean and grip in the corners. Surly offers the Knard in a variety of wheel sizes, including 650b, 26 and 29in, and a 700x41mm. The cheaper price gets you a 33 threads-per-inch casing; the spendier version is 127tpi.
Vee Tire Rail — £39.99
Vee Tire is a relatively young tyre company but its Rail gravel tyre has been gaining quite a few fans in the UK. It’s a 40mm wide tyre that the company has said is designed for speed, and it features a low profile tread design with forward pointing arrows and larger shoulder knobs. A dual compound tread construction and tubeless compatibility complete the details.
WTB Riddler 37mm — £38.99 | 45mm — £46.49
WTB has taken its mountain bike tyre of the same name and shrunk it down to 37 and 45mm widths for gravel and adventure bikes. A fast and low profile tread pattern across the top of the tyre should provide good rolling resistance, while aggressive shoulder knobs deliver cornering grip.
Teravail Cannonball — £56
Teravail is a US company, the home of this whole gravel bike explosion, and its Cannonball is one of three gravel tyres it offers. This one is designed for dealing with any “coarse gravel” and features a closely packed tread pattern, with slightly raised bigger centreline block, and more widely spaced and longer blocks on the edge of the tyre. It has a tough construction, is tubeless ready and is available in 42mm width.
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The aim of road.cc buyer’s guides is to give you the most, authoritative, objective and up-to-date buying advice. We continuously update and republish our guides, checking prices, availability and looking for the best deals.
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Do you remember wearing pants? No? That’s OK–we won’t tell anyone.
When you finally decide to ditch the sweats for actual pants, this custom Lezyne belt/buckle will have you looking like it’s 2019 again. The trim-to-fit belt measures 1.75″ x 48″, and is housed in a swanky, CNC-machined storage case.
Flat Pedal Shoe Roundup
In a year that could best be described as a never-ending dumpster fire, 2020 was an unexpected wellspring for flat pedal aficionados in the form of lower prices and refined functionality. Not wanting to miss out on the pedals’ increased popularity, shoe manufacturers responded with more choices for flat-friendly footwear. Is more necessarily better, though? To answer that question, I spent nine months testing flat pedal shoes from Five Ten, Northwave, Pearl iZUMi and Ride Concepts.
No Bad Rides
If there’s one thing that 2020 has taught me, it’s that every ride is a gift. Regardless of distance, speed, or any other metric, every journey has been an opportunity to regain some semblance of control, and experience joy in what’s been an extremely bleak year.
Bandana Giveaway
Tired of wearing the same old face covering, neckerchief, or do-rag? You’re in luck! GRAVELBIKE is giving away four, brand-new bandanas to one lucky winner. These bandanas were promotional items from industry trade shows, so you’re unlikely to see anyone else sporting the same design at the trailhead, grocery store, or your next Zoom meeting.
Friday Photo
Fall is definitely here…
Источники:
https://www.planetx.co.uk/c/q/bikes/gravel-adventure-bikes
https://www.cyclingabout.com/best-gravel-bikes-under-1000/
https://fitness-place.ru/faq/velosipedy/tipy-gravel-baykov/
https://road.cc/content/buyers-guide/25-best-gravel-bike-tyres-221961
https://www.gravelbike.com/