Megamo West 10: A solid gravel bike with no major weaknesses

The West range is the mid-range series from the Spanish manufacturer Megamo; whilst it features a modern 1 x 12 Apex groupset, it unfortunately falls short of mid-range standards in almost every other respect. Of the carbon models in the test, this frame has the flattest seat tube angle; it is also sloped, with a long, thin seatpost. You’d expect superb riding comfort, but it’s actually more on a par with the Fuji Jari Carbon 1.3, Corratec Allroad C2 or Conway GRV 9.0. That said, it is the heaviest carbon bike, not only in this test but in the test lab’s history; the wheels account for almost half of the weight, and at over five kilos it’s on a par with a tandem. The gear ratios are almost as short as those of the Bulls Machete.

All of these are more typical of a cruiser than a sports bike; the short wheelbase and the stack-to-reach ratios of a race gravel bike suggest otherwise. The short, wide chainstays make the rear end stiff and manoeuvrable, but leave hardly any space between any bags and your heels. Speaking of which: the Megamo West 10 was the only bike on which, despite wearing a standard shoe size of 43, we repeatedly touched the front wheel with the tips of our toes. It’s quite difficult to pinpoint a core strength here; apart from the in-house budget wheels, the bike has no major flaws, but unlike its competitors, it doesn’t excel at anything in particular either. Even though the frame is well-made from a craftsmanship point of view, there seems to be something conceptually wrong with the geometry. The overall weight, tyres, groupset and brakes aren’t enough to save it.

If, as in the case of the Koga, the seating position is like on the Trek, the gear changes are like on the VSF, and the weight distribution is similar 3T and as nimble as that Giant: The “West 10” has lots of good features, but unfortunately they don’t quite gel. Excluding the RRP of the SRAM groupset and wheels, the Megamo would cost around 1,500 euros, which is too much for what it offers.

A major comparison: 16 gravel bikes put to the test

• ​3T Exploro Primo (Tip: Sports equipment)
• Bergamont Grandurance Expert >> available here
• Bulls Machete
• Canyon Grizl CF SL 6 AXS (Tip: Top pick)
• Conway GRV 9.0
• Corratec Allroad C2
• Fuji Jari Carbon 1.3
• Giant Revolt Advanced 2 (Tip: All-rounder) >> available here
• Koga Colmaro Extreme >> available here
• Marin Headlands 1
• Megamo West 10 >> available here
• Merida Silex 700 (Tip: Off-roaders)
• Rondo Ruut AL1
• Rose Backroad GRX RX820 (Tip: Top pick) >> available here
• Trek Checkpoint ALR 5 (Tip: Value for money) >> available here
• VSF Bicycle Manufactory GX-500 >> available here

Megamo West 10: Rating & Details

• Note: 2.5
• Price: 2,649 euros >> available here
• Weight of complete bike: 10.48 kilograms
• Frame sizes: XS / S / M / L / XL (test size in bold)

Geometry

• Seat tube/top tube/head tube: 545 / 550 / 150.8 millimetres
• Stack/Reach/STR: 579.3 / 363.4 millimetres / 1.594
• Stack+/Reach+/STR+: 633 / 563 millimetres / 1.124
• Wheelbase/Caster: 1025 / 70.4 millimetres

Facilities

• Drive/Gearbox: SRAM Apex (1 x 12; 40, 11–50 t) | Grade: 3.0
• Brakes: SRAM Apex (160/160 mm) | Mark: 1.5
• Tyres: WTB Riddler 700-45c (effective: 43.5 mm) | Grade: 2.0
• Wheels: Black Jack Ready GR
• Impeller weights: 2061 / 3000 grams (front/rear)

Pros and Cons of the Megamo West 10

• Plus: Tyre selection, new Apex range, lifetime warranty available
• Minus: Uncomfortable; front wheel too close to the frame; heavy, cheap wheels