Conclusion: A solid offering in the touring segment
The Machete X positions Bulls as a comfortable touring gravel bike with an upright riding position and plenty of luggage eyelets. A lack of technical bells and whistles keeps the price down, whilst carbon wheels ensure a lively acceleration. With the option to fit a luggage rack and mudguards, it could also be an attractive choice as a stylish everyday bike. - Adrian Kaether, Test & Technology Editor
Bulls has added a new model to its gravel range. Alongside the sporty Machete RX (reviewed here), the Machete X as an adventure gravel bike for long tours and bikepacking. Bulls aims to offer a sporty touring bike at a competitive price. A lightweight carbon frame and even carbon wheelsets on both models ensure a lively ride.
Frame and geometry: Relaxed yet sporty
The most striking feature of the Machete X compared with its sportier sibling is the more upright riding position. Even the Machete RX (reviewed here) It’s not an extreme example in this respect. The Machete X is designed to be easier on the back and neck, with a longer stack, a shorter reach and handlebars with plenty of flare and little drop.
The frame itself is made of carbon – and this applies to both trim levels. Practicality is built right into the Machete X: the frame offers numerous mounting points for bags in the frame triangle, on the top tube and on the fork. Eyelets for a luggage rack and mudguards are also included. So whether you’re out for a sporty ride in the summer or planning a bikepacking tour or a commute in the autumn, you can adapt your bike accordingly.
Ground clearance and payload: plenty in reserve for real adventures
With a tyre clearance of up to 50 millimetres, the Machete X offers the same clearance as the Machete RX, but comes fitted with 50-millimetre tyres as standard (the Machete RX has 45 mm tyres). The only limitation is that, if you fit mudguards, you’ll need to switch to 45-millimetre tyres. So you might almost wish that even wider tyres would fit within the frame. Even so, you still get good comfort and plenty of grip off-road, provided you maintain the correct tyre pressure.
It’s good to see that the Machete X is approved for a total weight of up to 135 kilos. This includes the rider, luggage and accessories, and is a clear advantage over many other gravel bikes, which are often limited to just 120 or 130 kilos. The Machete X is therefore designed not only for lightweight riders, but also for heavier riders carrying luggage.
Vision SC 48 carbon wheels as standard
A real eye-catcher in the spec is the Vision SC 48 carbon wheelset, which is fitted to both versions of the Machete X. They feature a higher rim profile to improve aerodynamics, yet are still lively to accelerate thanks to the carbon construction. The price premium compared to aluminium wheels is considerable, making these high-quality wheels (RRP almost 1,400 euros) a real unique selling point in the 2,500-euro price range.
Two equipment options: Di2 or mechanical?
Bulls offers the Machete X in two versions: the Machete X2, priced at 2,999 euros, features electronic shifting via the GRX Di2. The more affordable Machete X1, priced at €2,499, is fitted with a mechanical GRX 820 groupset. There are no budget aluminium versions or bikes with a double chainring. Both models are equipped with the RX-410 brakes, which are functional but budget-friendly. Both models feature the carbon frame and high-quality carbon wheels. There are no additional features such as a storage compartment or a dynamo-powered charging function, as found on the adventure bikes from Rose or Canyon.
Who is the Machete X designed for?
Touring cyclists and bike packers, who are planning multi-day adventures but don’t want to be weighed down by a heavy frame. The carbon frame makes the bike lighter than comparable steel or aluminium models, without compromising on structural strength.
Commuters and everyday drivers with a taste for sportiness, who also occasionally use their bike for longer weekend trips. The option to fit mudguards and a luggage rack makes the Machete X the perfect companion for many different situations.
Newcomers to the gravel segment, who are prepared to invest a budget of between 2,500 and 3,000 euros, but do not want an extreme, sporty geometry. The upright riding position makes it easier for riders who have previously ridden trekking or touring bikes to take the plunge.
Heavier riders, which, on many carbon bikes, reach the system’s weight limit. For example, 135 kilograms allows for a rider weight of up to 110 kilos, plus 10 kilos for the bike and 15 kilos for luggage.
The Machete X, on the other hand, is less suitable for ambitious Gravel racer, who are aiming for a place on the podium on challenging routes or at events such as gravel marathons.
The market: Who are the Machete X’s competitors?
Bikepacking is booming. What’s more, as race gravel bikes appeal to increasingly sporty riders, many manufacturers are also expanding their product ranges to include more relaxed and touring-friendly adventure gravel bikes. Here are the key models:
Canyon Grizl Escape
The Canyon Grizl Escape (undergoing long-term testing here) It’s similarly priced, but at 2,999 euros and above, it’s slightly more expensive than the Bulls. However, the Adventure version of the Grizl carbon gravel bike aims to stand out with a special handlebar offering even more grip options and luggage-carrying capabilities, as well as the Eclipse system featuring a dynamo and charging function.
Rose Backroad Unsupported
The Backroad Unsupported (reviewed here) This is the top-of-the-range version of the adventure bike from Bocholt and the counterpart to the sporty Backroad FF. It comes with a headlight, power bank, hub dynamo, a USB-C port and two panniers as standard, but as a result, the bike is not only significantly more expensive but also heavier than the Bulls.
Salsa Cutthroat
The original adventure bike from the gravel and bikepacking pioneer; however, the price is significantly higher, with frame sets starting at 2,499 euros. A generous weight capacity of 160 kilos, plenty of tyre clearance and an extremely upright riding position The Salsa Cutthroat (reviewed here) a good choice when you’re planning really long rides on very rough terrain. That said, its forward momentum is somewhat limited.
The Machete X stands out from the competition as a fair value-for-money offer, which comes with a carbon frame and carbon wheels as standard, but has to do without extra-large tyre clearance or additional features such as USB-C charging or suspension systems.
Technical specifications for the Machete X at a glance:
| Price | Machete X2: €2,999 | Machete X1: €2,499 |
| Frame | Carbon | Carbon |
| Training wheels | Vision SC 48 Carbon | Vision SC 48 Carbon |
| Circuit | Shimano GRX Di2 | Shimano GRX mechanical |
| Ground clearance | up to 50 mm | up to 50 mm |
| Max. system weight | 135 kg | 135 kg |
| Mudguard/Bracket | optional | optional |
| Dynamo/charging socket | no | no |
| Weight: | 9.9 kg (manufacturer’s specification) | 9.9 kg (manufacturer’s specification) |
Adrian Kaether
Editor