Everyday bikes: 7 of the latest gravel bikes put through their paces in the MYBIKE test
Jochen Donner
· 31.08.2023
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Modern randonneurs are masters of adaptation
There are bikes that adapt perfectly to their riders’ spontaneous wishes and requirements – without any fuss, in a flash, responsively and utterly convincingly. Modern randonneurs are masters of such adaptability: The fact that there are currently so many of these lightweight, sportily designed ‘everyday, all-season racers’ has a lot to do with the boom in gravel bikes – a type of bike that, since the start of the pandemic, has drawn many cyclists onto the roads, paths and trails across the country with its fun-focused sportiness. The chance to burn off energy without fuss, discover new things in the local area and do so far away from stressful traffic has also turned many young people into keen cyclists. As a result, the casual sight of people in more or less sweaty cycling gear is now more widely accepted in public than ever before.
The growing popularity of gravel bikes
The renewed appeal of sporty bikes with curved handlebars is also evident in the frequency with which cycling imagery appears in adverts for products completely unrelated to cycling, such as wristwatches or building society savings plans. Furthermore, as more and more everyday journeys – and longer ones at that – are being made by bike, because many people have come to recognise the bicycle as the better – or at least the less infection-prone – means of local transport, it becomes clear just how appealing a fast, quiet everyday bike with a sporty edge is. And if there’s one bike that perfectly combines practicality with enhanced image and high recreational value, it’s the modern randonneur based on a gravel bike.
A sporty character combined with high practicality
High versatility, well-tuned technology and agile riding enjoyment – this combination forms the very essence of this hugely successful range of sporty gravel bikes. If you complement these core capabilities with features suitable for everyday use – such as effective, permanently fitted mudguards, a reliable dynamo lighting system and a slim luggage rack, or at the very least threaded eyelets for bikepacking – then the Randonneur, like a chameleon, has no trouble adapting directly and convincingly to the needs of its riders.
Jochen Donner, test editor: “Only when frame designers actively take the everyday cycling experience into account can a truly compelling randonneur be created. When such a sporty character is combined with high practicality, the result is the ideal bicycle.”
Light, nimble and always ready
In our seven-person test group There are three different frame materials on offer: steel, aluminium and carbon fibre are all represented. Even in this test, it is not possible to establish a simple ranking of the materials, as the quality of the user experience ultimately always depends on skilful, meticulous craftsmanship. The steel bikes from Contoura, Norwid and Tout Terrain are comparatively heavy. However, their solid frame construction and durable material can be particularly useful in everyday use, where heavy loads and rough handling are the norm.
Technically, they are largely in line with the design standards set by aluminium and carbon frames: For instance, the Contoura features a tapered head tube to allow for the installation of a thick, stiff down tube; in addition, all steel bikes are fitted with the now standard thru-axle dropouts and mounts for flat-mount disc brakes. This assembly standard originated with road bikes and, via a detour through gravel bikes, has found its way onto the randonneurs in the test. With the flat-mount standard, the brake calipers are bolted very flat directly onto the fork legs and chainstays. This elegant mounting method requires manufacturers to use compatible drivetrain groupsets – in the test field, they all come from Shimano, with a clear predominance of the GRX gravel groupset in its various quality tiers. As a result, however, the front brake discs are usually limited to a diameter of 160 millimetres, or 180 millimetres in exceptional cases. This is acceptable for cyclists weighing under 100 kilos; for significantly heavier riders, the larger discs of other braking systems would be more suitable.
Gear system and stem of the commuter bikes tested
The bikes are all fitted with 2x11-speed systems, which impress with their responsive handling, precise performance and – with the appropriate level of maintenance – a relatively long service life. Their gear ratios are designed so that even longer climbs can be tackled with ease, even when carrying light luggage (see below). The low operating forces, the fast and precise gear changes, and the almost perfect ergonomics that characterise the shift-brake levers are all very pleasing. However, given the tight tolerances of current 11-speed and 12-speed groupsets, it may occasionally be necessary to readjust the cable lengths to ensure the drivetrain runs smoothly.
Handlebars with comfort
All handlebars feature comfortable, flattened sections at the top, ergonomically designed curves in the lower section and only a slight outward sweep at the ends, resulting in a slim silhouette with improved aerodynamics and making it easier to navigate through tight spots in city traffic. Stem lengths and handlebar widths are moderate, but the remaining ergonomic differences mean that it is advisable to carry out thorough fitting trials.
Everyday accessories – lights and mudguards
Another cause for delight is the high quality of the lighting systems and mudguards, which ensure that these fast touring bikes can be used reliably even in wet or dark conditions. Most mudguards are made of metal, fitted securely to prevent rattling, and are long enough to provide good splash protection. The lighting consists entirely of LED front lights with high or very high light output and brightly illuminated rear lights that are also visible from the side. Cube and Stevens models don’t even have an on/off switch – which isn’t a problem on such fast bikes, as being visible as early as possible in traffic often provides a crucial safety margin.
What’s often missing is a rear stand
We were disappointed by the manufacturers’ lack of practicality in omitting the option to fit a rear stand when developing their gravel randonneurs. Only with a parking stand can an everyday bike be parked easily and locked up without getting scratched. The stand is also missing when loading luggage or needing to park a loaded bike. It is not possible to fit a stand to the Bergamont, which led to points being deducted.
A glimpse into the future of everyday gravel riders
But these fast, practical and appealing all-rounders with curved handlebars are only just getting started. The range of models is growing in tandem with the success of ‘naked’ gravel bikes, and the price range is widening too. This is likely to lead to further specialisation – towards even more of these nimble, sporty everyday and leisure bikes.
Test summary of the seven gravel bikes
Randonneurs are primarily designed for fast riding on tarmacked roads and hard-surfaced paths. Their suspension and tyres are therefore set up to be noticeably firm, which is reflected in comfort ratings of ‘only’ 2.5 to 3. On the other hand, performance in terms of road safety and drivetrain reliability is consistently of a very high standard. In practice, the rating is occasionally let down by the occasional absence of kickstands, racks or wobbly mudguards. The differences in service ratings are due to varying warranty conditions.
The bikes in the test – click here for the individual reviews
How many gears does a randonneur need?
2x11-speed derailleurs such as Shimano’s GRX dominate the gravel bike and randonneur sectors. However, this drivetrain has its quirks.
A derailleur system is lightweight and efficient. It offers a wide range of gear ratios with well-spaced gear steps. This makes it particularly appealing to keen cyclists. It was introduced in 1946 by its inventor, Tullio Campagnolo, and has been continuously developed and refined ever since. Currently, most bike manufacturers equip sports bikes with drop handlebars – where weight, fine gear spacing and a wide gear ratio range are key – with a 2x11-speed drivetrain: two chainrings on the crankset drive eleven sprockets on the rear wheel. Depending on the chainring and sprocket sizes, the test range covers gear ratios of up to 479 per cent (GRX, 48/31 to 11–34 teeth). With a wheel circumference of around 2.18 metres (tyre size 40-622), this provides a wheelbase of between 1.92 and 9.12 metres per crank revolution. This makes it easy to tackle even longer climbs and descents with (light) luggage on firm ground. You can pedal for a long time on the descents, and speed is guaranteed on the flat.
However, the more sprockets are packed together within the limited space at the rear wheel, the sooner the diagonal chain tends to rub against the front derailleur cage or the next-largest sprocket at the rear. Even if the gears have been meticulously adjusted to prevent rubbing, minimal movement of the shift cables, slight wear and dirt, as well as slightly bent derailleur mounts, can quickly lead to an annoying background noise. If there are fine-tuning adjusters in the cable housings near the handlebars or at the cable stop on the down tube, you can easily stop the rubbing whilst riding by making minimal adjustments to the cable length. Without fine-tuning adjusters, you have to get off your bike and fiddle directly with the rear derailleur or front derailleur before you can finally carry on riding in well-deserved peace and quiet.
