Gravel exotics: The most important information on e-gravel bikes + 6 models at a glance
Timo Dillenberger
· 14.05.2024
Although the variety of models among the fusion of gravel and e-bikes is still very young, there is a surprising variety of drive concepts. Rarely is one and the same motorisation installed in more than three models on the market, and certainly not with an identical shifting concept. Bosch and Shimano are not the top dogs in the class that favours gentle, unobtrusive support. Even the direct motor in the rear wheel could experience a small renaissance thanks to its structural advantages.
E-gravel is not about somehow heaving the heavy full-suspension bike up the slope and then enjoying the descent. It is also not intended to take over the main part of the acceleration like in the stop and go of the city. And above all, it should not take the pedalling work out of the rider's hands, it should remain a piece of sports equipment. These bikes should remain as close as possible to the non-motorised model in terms of handling, appearance and possible terrain, but increase range and route options with the extra power by allowing the motor to climb a few more metres than the rider's fitness level, by softening or flattening ramps and other obstacles and by the electric battery taking the strain off the biological battery.
Info, tests & tips: Overview Gravel Special 2024
>> Gravel exotics: E-gravel bikes - everything you need to know + 6 models in the test (just opened)
E-gravel bikes: how pedelecs work
The drive and battery are now fully integrated into sporty bikes (see below). Even bikers have to look twice before they "uncover" an e-gravel bike, laymen can hear the maximum. To keep the overall weight low and all the additional components required for a good centre of gravity close to the ground, the battery and motor are as compact and light as possible. In terms of torque and battery capacity, such motors cannot keep up with SUVs or everyday pedelecs. As a result, you intuitively move an e-gravel bike or use its drive in the same way as you would on a city or trekking bike.
On flat terrain, the lightweights, which are a good one to two and a half kilos heavier than our bikes in the test, roll so well that even at the lowest support level, you're consistently below the limit of around 26 km/h at which the drive of a pedelec would deactivate. In full throttle or turbo mode, switching the motor on and off again makes the ride very unrhythmic; with little assistance, you can glide smoothly through the countryside and enjoy a calm heartbeat and minimal background noise. Only when the terrain and elevation profile demand it do you need more help.
This is also the reason why the vast majority of models and their drives are operated by switches that can be reached from all hand positions on the racing handlebars and not from a central computer. Such a "block" on the handlebars is not even necessary for the drives used; instead, the activation and charging display are located in thumb-sized elements in the frame. In addition to the sportier look without controls on the handlebars, there is enough space for lights or sat navs, for example, for use as a commuter bike. A small addendum: Although not designed for road use, e-gravel bikes are of course subject to the rules for pedelecs, so deactivating the motor above an official speed of 25 km/h is mandatory even without traffic equipment!
What drives e-gravel bikes?
You won't find any front motors on the models, and that's a good thing because of the poor traction and the weight on the steering axle. The majority of current E-gravel bikes are driven by the bottom bracket, which provides a good balance and centre of gravity, and reduction motors, i.e. those with power transmission by means of small gears inside, consume slightly less power. In addition, the entire drive system, including the cable harness, can be concealed in the frame. In addition to the new, weight-reduced version of the Bosch motor, called SX, TQ and Fazua also play a role here.
The former sits directly around the bottom bracket axle, is super light and compact, the Bavarians from Fazua stow the bar motor, battery and controller in a block in the down tube, the drive gear also acts directly on the bottom bracket. It is slightly louder than the TQ, but has more torque. The advantages of rear-wheel motors lie precisely in these two points. Without any gears or points of contact with the drive axle, they are virtually silent - a real advantage when it comes to experiencing nature. And without a gear reduction, their entire torque acts on the rear wheel, which also protects wearing parts such as the chain and sprocket.
In addition to weight distribution and slightly higher power consumption, the removal and installation of the rear wheel is a disadvantage of the rear motor; depending on the type, it can be unsightly or even fiddly to fit the axle mount, brake calliper and electrical connector at the same time. With Mahle and Bafang, two established manufacturers offer the majority of rear wheel motors. Handlebar and wheel specialist FSA also has a sufficiently compact hub motor in its programme. Some bike brands such as Specialized and Giant now also build their own motors.
6 Gravel pedelecs with smart power
E-gravel bikes: The Bulls Grinder Evo 550
Freshly reduced, the fully-fledged E-Gravel is a real bargain at this price. The gear and brake mix is perhaps not quite up to date, but the top tyres and the established rear motor make up for this. It is slightly heavier than its Mahle counterpart and has significantly less torque than a TQ or Steps motor, but with less assistance and in combination with the large battery, the Grinder promises many brisk and less strenuous kilometres. The relaxed riding position matches the unagitated drive.
- Price: 3599 Euro
- Weight: 17.9 kilos
- Stack/Reach: k. A.
- Drive: GRX RD-RX812 / -600 1x11
- Brakes: Shimano BR RX400
- Motor / battery: Bosch Performance Line SX mid-motor, 30 Nm / FIT Supertube frame-integrated 520 Wh
- Variants: 4 frame heights
E-gravel bikes: The Canyon Grizl:ON CF 9
The motorised version of the Canyon Grizl is brand new and almost sold out. According to the manufacturer, it is the most versatile e-bike in its history, which is realistic considering the set of top front lights and LED rear lights integrated into the dropouts. The model is also available upgraded as a commuter or trail specialist. At traffic light starts and on hard ramps, the much smaller, powerful Bosch SX can show what it can do. The Rockshox Rudy suspension fork is also more suited to hard use. The massive appearance also makes you want to go on adventures rather than cycle paths.
- Price: 6999 Euro
- Weight: 15.55 kilos
- Stack/Reach: 1,516
- Drive: Sram Force XPLR AXS, 1x12
- Brakes: Sram Force ETap AXS
- Motor / battery: Bosch Performance SX mid-motor, 55 Nm / Bosch Compact Tube, 400 Wh (+250 Wh optional)
- Variants: 4 models, from 4999 euros
S-Works Turbo Creo 2 - upper class adventurer
An adventure bike of the upper class. Tyres up to 56 mm wide, a self-developed and therefore perfectly integrated mid-motor with max. 320 watts and the Future Shock suspension under the stem set very wide limits for the bike in terms of terrain. According to the manufacturer, 190 kilometres should be possible with support. The geometry and a slightly upturned handlebar should make this quite comfortable, at least more so than the price. Technology fans will be delighted with the many setup options for the drive via mobile phone.
- Price: 13,000 euros
- Weight: 12.96 kilos
- Stack/Reach: 1,554
- Drive: Sram XX1 Eagle AXS, 1x12
- Brakes: Sram Red eTAP AXS
- Motor / battery: New Specialized 1.2 SL Custom Lightweight Motor, 50 Nm / SL1-320, integrated, 320 Wh
- Variants: 3 models, from 6000 euros
The Cervelo Rouvida Gravel
The Cervek. A.ouvida has been on the market since the beginning of 2024, as a gravel and road version, but it is exactly the same bike. By replacing all four axle mounts, the Road is raised slightly at the front and lowered at the rear - backwards rotated, so to speak. With different tyres (up to 43 mm) or a second set of wheels, it becomes a reasonably comfortable gravel bike. The frame houses a Bavarian powerhouse, the Fazua Ride 60 bar motor delivers up to 450 watts and 60 Nm to the crankshaft, not the quietest, but the most invisible motor, in other e-bikes we hardly noticed its extra weight in the down tube.
- Price: 10,699 Euro
- Weight: n.a.
- Stack/Reach: 1.51 (Road) 1.55 (Grav.)
- Drive: Sram Force XPLR AXS, 1x12
- Brakes: Sram Force ETap AXS
- Motor / battery: Fazua Ride 60 mid-motor 60 Nm / Bosch Compact Tube, integrated, 430 Wh
- Variants: 3 models, from 6799 euros
The Stevens E-Getaway gravel bike
The newly designed carbon frame of the Stevens E-Getaway, together with the small TQ-HPR50 mid-motor, reduces the weight to under 13 kilos, which is remarkable in this price range. The design of the TQ drive is more similar to a rear motor than Bosch or Steps and is not only similarly quiet, but also almost as compact and light. Stack and reach give it away: The bike is not built for strolling, but for sporty gaits, although the stem and handlebars seem to mitigate this. TQ offers an optional extra battery for long tours, which provides an additional 160 Wh when attached to the bottle mount.
- Price: 6399 Euro
- Weight: 12.9 kilos
- Stack/Reach: 1,482
- Drive: Shimano GRX 822/820 1x12
- Brakes: Shimano BR-RX 820
- Motor / battery: TQ-HPR50 Light Assist mid-motor, 50 Nm / TQ HPR-BAT01, integrated, 360 Wh (+160 Wh optional)
- Variants: 4 sizes
The Scott Solace Gravel eRide 10
The Scott Solace could also have been categorised as an aero bike. Its short head tube, aerodynamic cockpit and flat fork create a racing silhouette, the Zipp 303 carbon wheels are super-fast and classy, and the rider sits as if on a racing machine. It's probably really hard to stay under 25 km/h on the flat with the e-bike, so you don't need the help of the TQ motor and battery power for climbs or headwinds. With the additional battery as with Stevens and this driving style, this is a fast, luxury-class endurance athlete.
- Price: 9999 Euro
- Weight: 12.56 kilos
- Stack/Reach: 1,461
- Drive: Sram Force eTap AXS 1x12
- Brakes: Sram Force eTap AXS
- Motor / battery: TQ-HPR50 Light Assist mid-motor, 50 Nm / TQ HPR-BAT01, integrated, 360 Wh (+160 Wh optional)
- Variants: 5 models, from 5999 euros
Our 6 gravel e-bikes in detail
Firmly packed: handlebars and switches
If you want to give commands to the motor on a touring pedelec, your thumb has to come off the handlebar and search for the button. You don't always have time for this on bumpy ups and downs, and the drop bar handlebars have several grip positions. For this reason, most models such as the Cervelo have the motor control inconspicuously positioned where you can always reach it without having to release the grip.
Fully concealed: Integration of the e-bike motor
Depending on the motor system, the charging port and control buttons are the only things you can see of the drive unit. On the Cervelo Rouvia and its Fazua drive in the picture, the motor and battery are located as a unit in the down tube, the cross-section of which is barely thicker than on non-motorised gravel bikes. The charging area (black square), main switch on the top tube and control buttons on the handlebars mean that no cables are visible!
Top design: TQ motor for Scott and Stevens
The Scott and Stevens are fitted with a motor that is rarely seen: wrongly so. The little powerhouse from TQ delivers up to 300 watts with a respectable 50 Nm of torque. Much more important on the E-Gravel: The HPR50 drive is very quiet and, at 1850 g, is supposedly the lightest in its class. More advantages over Bosch and co.: The pedals are hardly any further apart than without the motor, and there is an extra battery for the bottle cage (pictured).
Smart integrated displays
While pedelecs used to be recognised directly by clunky computers on the handlebars, the current generation of sporty e-bikes is very restrained in this respect. In addition to the switches on the handlebars (see above), such an "inlay" as on the Stevens is usually the command centre reduced to the essentials. Main switch, charge level and support level display - more would only get in the way on bumpy terrain.
Directly driven
The Bulls, for example, uses a rear motor that has become rare. The Bafang drive is smaller than some gear hubs, delivers 250 watts and 30 Nm at a weight of two kilos. But: motors directly on the hub have a more direct effect, which is why the comparatively low power values are more noticeable than expected. They are also very quiet, but even the extra kilo throws the bike slightly off balance at the rear.
