Gravel biking doesn’t have to be expensive. These bikes offer great value for money. They’re carefully priced and well-equipped. A comparison of six budget-friendly options.
When looking for the right gravel bike, questions come thick and fast: How much does it cost?
How heavy is it?
What’s the riding position like?
Single or double chainring?
Electronic or mechanical gear changes?
Wide tyres or narrow ones?
Flared handlebars or classic straight ones?
The short answer to this long list is: it depends.
Which gravel bike is right for you?
There’s no such thing as the best gravel bike. There’s only the right one. Someone coming from a mountain bike background who also wants to ride off-road will have different priorities to a road cyclist who mainly wants to pick up speed on gravel. I, for example, belong to the second group – at least when it comes to gravel riding. Dirt tracks, forest tracks, gentle singletrack: I want to enjoy the benefits of a road bike, but leave the traffic behind me. My gravel bike can therefore be light, responsive and fairly sporty.
The test site:
In this test line-up, the Radon Regard fits this profile almost perfectly: weighing just 9.1 kilos, with a stylish carbon cockpit, wheels that accelerate very well – and a price tag of 2,199 euros. A rather compelling overall package. On the other hand, anyone who regularly heads off-road in earnest needs more reserves and comfort. The Propain, with its 50 tyres and wide, softly padded handlebars, plays these cards much more consistently.
Circuit: single or double?
Single-chainring set-ups are all the rage on gravel bikes: fewer parts, less weight, less to think about. Double-chainring set-ups, such as those on the Axess, offer significantly finer gear spacing. If you absolutely don’t want to get off your bike when going uphill, this gives you more options.
Cube, Radon and Rose have come up with an interesting compromise: they combine a single-chainring drivetrain with a wide-range mountain bike cassette. This keeps the cockpit tidy, whilst providing plenty of gear range at the rear for steep climbs. Not a bad trick.
Opinions are also divided when it comes to gear-changing technology. Cube and Propain already use high-quality wireless gear-changing systems, whilst the other test bikes have mechanical gear-changing systems. Electronic gear-changing systems operate precisely and feel sophisticated. Mechanical drivetrains also work reliably and eliminate the worry of the battery running out. Anyone who’s ever run out of power on a ride will eventually end up carrying more batteries than water bottles.
Not all weight is the same
Much about a gravel bike is a matter of personal preference: handlebar width, flare, riding position or tyre width. When it comes to weight, however, subjectivity ends. 8.8 kilograms, as with the Cube, or 9.1 kilograms with the Radon, make a noticeable difference when accelerating. The Axess, at 9.9 kilograms, and the Canyon, at 10 kilograms, feel noticeably sluggish in comparison.
The wheels are particularly crucial. Every gram of rotating mass must also be set in motion during acceleration. That is why lightweight wheels have a greater positive impact on the riding experience than saving a few grams somewhere on the frame. In the test, Cube and Radon came out on top for wheel acceleration, whilst Rose and Propain were in mid-table. Axess and Canyon had to settle for the lower places here.
And then there’s the price. The mid-range is the sweet spot for gravel bikes too: this is where the price-to-performance ratio is usually particularly good. Above that, things quickly get less attractive. Prices rise significantly faster than the noticeable added value.
In my opinion, our test group actually falls slightly below this sweet spot. Anyone who can afford to spend a bit more should also consider the next higher spec level. These offer lighter wheelsets, more premium carbon handlebars and stems, or top-of-the-range groupset options such as the SRAM Rival, which is already fitted to the Propain. Whilst this does cost a little more, it can bring the gravel bike significantly closer to your personal ideal.
How do we test?
We go to great lengths to assess gravel bikes as objectively as possible. These criteria are key to the assessment.
The laboratory meets real-world driving
A gravel bike is meant to be ridden – but that’s not all. We combine the testers’ experience with objective laboratory measurements. The aim is not merely to describe the riding experience in words, but to make it as reliable and comparable as possible. We therefore measure weight, handling stability, comfort and acceleration; gear changes, brakes and tyres are also taken into account based on their performance and the riding experience they provide. This creates an overall picture that is less dependent on the tester’s form on the day and personal taste.
Driving stability
Gravel bikes are no longer simply road bikes with thicker tyres. On gravel, over roots and on fast descents, they must offer control and directional stability. We therefore measure the overall stiffness of the frame and fork together, as in practice they function as a single unit. Tyres and wheelsets are factored into the calculations. Greater lateral stiffness means more control during rapid changes of direction, when cornering or when riding diagonally over uneven terrain. At the same time, a gravel bike mustn’t become as rigid as a plank: vertical compliance can enhance comfort without compromising riding stability. It is precisely this interplay that the measurement captures. The system stiffness of the frame and fork typically ranges between 5 and 11 N/mm. Values above 9 N/mm are considered very good.
Comfort: When the surface is a nuisance
Gravel means that the tarmac eventually comes to an end. Then come gravel, bumpy tracks and tree roots – and with them, jolts and vibrations. How much of this is felt by the rider depends heavily on the tyres and tyre pressure. But the frame, fork, seatpost, stem and handlebars also play a key role in comfort. We therefore consider the entire system. At the rear, the frame and seatpost are assessed together; at the front, the frame, fork, stem and handlebars. We measure how much the system deforms under load. For gravel bikes, comfort at the handlebars accounts for ten per cent of the overall score, whilst comfort in the saddle accounts for a further 20 per cent. A good gravel bike should therefore not only be stable, but also filter out bumps before they are felt in the hands and back.
Start and equipment
Propulsion matters on gravel too. Bottom bracket stiffness is therefore measured in the BIKE laboratory and accounts for five per cent of the final score. What matters here is not how impressive a spec sheet sounds, but how efficiently the bike transfers the rider’s power. We take a closer look at the equipment: the gears, brakes and tyres are each weighted at five per cent. The decisive factors are functionality and practical performance during test rides, as well as findings from component tests. The price or weight of individual components plays no role in this sub-score.
Weight, maintenance and scope of application
The complete bike is weighed without pedals or accessories. Weight accounts for 25 per cent of the score for gravel bikes – a significant factor. After all, every gramme will eventually have to be carried up the next climb. Ten per cent is allocated to maintenance and adjustment. BIKE uses this to assess how easy the bike is to adjust and handle in everyday use. In addition, geometry, riding position, gear ratios, tyre width and equipment are taken into account. This determines the optimal range of use: from a fast gravel racer to an adventure gravel bike for long tours.
The overall mark
It is ultimately derived from the weighted individual criteria. A spider diagram shows at a glance where the gravel bike excels and where it has weaknesses. After all, there is no such thing as the perfect gravel bike. But there is one that suits the rider, the terrain and the planned adventure.
Dimitri Lehner
Editor