Best gravel bikes: our pick of the top models

(Image credit: Michelle Arthurs Brennan)

By James Bracey 2021-01-01T12:49:32Z

If you're looking for adventure on the road less travelled, then you'll need the best gravel bike for company.

What are gravel bikes?

Gravel bikes are drop-bar bikes that allow you to veer off paved roads and onto more exciting terrain.

From racing to bikepacking, there'll be a best gravel bike for you, built ready to cope with the demands of tricky terrain and longer, multi-day off-road rides.

Born with the spirit of adventure, the best gravel bikes sit somewhere between endurance road bikes and XC mountain bikes. Nimble on paved sections of road compared to fat-tired MTB steeds, but confidence inspiring when it comes to tackling rough surfaces.

Best endurance and sportive bikes: a buying guide

These bikes are ideal for mixed-terrain adventures; gravel paths, broken pavement, fire roads, and of course unpaved dirt tracks. Taking cues from their cyclocross cousins and MTB siblings, don't let the drop bars fool you, these bikes can tackle some pretty technical terrain too including flowy mountain bike trails.

Best gravel bike clothing: cycling kit for your gravel rides

The best gravel bikes will come with wide tyres, with room for extra mud clearance, and nowadays disc brakes as standard. Expect anything up to 47c on either 700c or 650b wheels.

Mounts for pannier racks and extra storage will also feature on the best gravel bikes, as will the option for fitting mudguards. In fact, that's probably the biggest difference between gravel and cyclocross bikes, that along with bottle cage mounts.

Are gravel bikes good for road?

Compared to road bikes, you'll also find wider gear ratios on the best gravel bikes, which will help you ride over loose or hilly terrain especially when carrying luggage for bikepacking.

Best bikepacking bags: A buyers guide for multi-day adventures

In general, the best gravel bikes will also have a lower bottom bracket than a cyclocross bikes, helping to provide enhanced stability on rocky, rooty and rough terrain.

Gravel vs cyclocross bikes: what is the difference

For those wanting to head off the beaten track, but worry about keeping up, you might want to consider a electric version. Electric gravel bikes: dirt loving drop bar e-bikes with added oomph give you the all-terrain capability, confidence-inspiring stability, but with some additional assistance.

Our pick of the best gravel bikes

Below is our pick of the best gravel bikes. Read on for more details on what to look for when shopping for a bike to help you take the trail less travelled.

With each bike is a ‘See more’ or 'Best Deal' link. If you click on this then we may receive a small amount of money from the retailer when you purchase the item. This doesn’t affect the amount you pay.

Specialized Diverge Comp Carbon

RRP: £4000 Review Score: 9/10
Groupset: Shimano GRX RX810 Weight:TBC
Pros: Carbon frame, great handling, perfect blend of on road performance and off road capability Cons:Tyres compromise off-road capability.

We found the frame super fast, which was an easy pedal. Even when fully loaded with bags, the 48/31 crankset rarely felt undergeared on any climb.

The wheelbase length made descending with heavy bags a stable joy. Taking the bike off road was a similar predictable handling but nimble experience.

Over all it offers a great balance between the on and off road worlds. Its off-road performance is compromised by the tyre choice and we'd certainly swap them out if we were tackling more serious terrain.

There's a variety of Specialized Diverge on offer, with the Carbon Comp sitting in the middle spec and price wise. Expect to pick up the entry level aluminium frame Diverge Base E5 for just over £1k, or the range topping S-Works Diverge for closer to £11,000.

See more: Specialized Diverge Comp Carbon at Rutland Cycling for £3,999.99

Scott Addict Gravel 10

RRP: £4,999 Review Score: 9/10
Groupset: SRAM Force eTap AXS HRD Weight:TBC
Pros: Responsive, Geometary, Wheels Cons:Price

Read more: Scott Addict Gravel 10 review

As much as we loved riding this bike around local bridleways, a full carbon Addict frame with deep section carbon rims is just begging to be raced.

It's probably a little over-specc'ed for the average gravel ride, but if you want Scott’s best you won't fail to enjoy the ride, especially on steep paths. The Scott Addict Gravel is incredibly responsive in all conditions and terrain, and as a gravel racer, it’s an awesome bike, with a great spec.

The full carbon frameset comes with SRAM Force eTap AXS with Hydraulic disc brakes, carbon Syncros Creston 1.0 Flare handlebars, Syncros Capital 1.0 Synros RWS wheels snf Schwalbe G-ONE Evolution tyres - ready for the start line.

See more: Scott Addict Gravel 10 at Rutland Cycling from £5,898.99

Dimondback Haanjo 7c Carbon

RRP: $2800Review Score: 8/10
Groupset: Shimano GRX/ Praxxis Weight:10.4kg / 22.92lbs (size large)
Pros: Versatility, Quality Spec Cons:Geometry won't suit all

NB: Diamondback bikes are available online at diamondback.com, the Diamondback Haanjo 7C Carbonis priced at $2800. Currently, the brand only ships within the US, international shipping is not available.

Read more: Dimondback Haanjo 7C Carbon review

At $2,800.00, the Diamondback Haanjo 7C Carbon offers a carbon frame, excellent GRX shifting and hydraulic disc brakes, paired with a quality pair of tyres representing excellent value. The only cost saving measure is the Praxis chainset, but on test worked effectively and didn’t detract from the ride.

The Haanjo is an excellent all-rounder. If you invested in two sets of wheels, you could comfortably go from sportives to singletrack with one bike and still ride to the office on Monday morning.

For a bike that could cover just about all cycling needs at the cost of less than some race wheels, the Haanjo seems like a great deal.

See more: Diamondback Haanjo 7C Carbon at Dimondback for $2,800

Liv Devote Advanced Pro

RRP: £4699 / $4200 Review Score: 8/10
Groupset: SRAM Force e-tap Weight:8.1kg / 17.85 (size small)
Pros: Geo, luggage mounts, versatility Cons:seat post clamp, bars, tyres

Read more: Liv Devote Advanced Pro review

The Liv Devote Advanced Pro is a very capable bike, it's got all the mounts you'd need for bikepacking, rides like a super endurance bike on the road and - with spec changes - could be a trail slayer.

With the spec sheet as standard, we felt it was a little under-equipped for UK riding .A quick swap of the tyres and handlebars would give much more enjoyment on technical trails. If your gravel riding consists more of joining together sections of light gravel or hardpacked dirt with road segments, then it's spot on.

See more: Liv Devote Advanced Pro at Rutland Cycles for £4,698.99

Cannondale Topstone Carbon

RRP: £3500 / $4200Review Score: 10/10
Groupset: Shimano UltegraWeight:8.46kg / 18.65lbs (size large)
Pros:Ride feel, specCons:Nothing!

Read more: Cannondale Topstone Carbon Ultegra review

When we tested this bike, we awarded it a very coveted 10/10, which shows just how much we liked it.

The Topstone could be anything from an off-road bike to a winter road bike, but with 'Kingpin' rear suspension coupled with the lightweight carbon frame, we see it fitting best in the gravel category, although the range now has a full suspension, 'Lefty' fork, 650b wheels and even an electronic version in the mix (see below), so it could fit in a number of different pigeon holes.

The chainstays, seat tube and top tube have ‘flex zones’ designed to deflect bigger impacts than in a traditional fixed-stay frame setup, creating a comfortable ride with a relaxed geometry which inspires confidence.

At this price point, you'll enjoy a Shimano Ultegra groupset, paired with Cannondale's own HG22 Hollowtech carbon rims and WTB Riddler TCS Light 37c tires.

See more: Cannondale Topstone Carbon 2 Ultegra at Leisure Lakes Bikes from £1,799.99

Cannondale Topstone Lefty 3

RRP: £3400 / $4200Review Score: 8/10
Groupset: Shimano GRX Weight: 10.6kg / 23.40lbs (size Xlarge)
Pros: Excellent fork, balanced and responsive Cons:Lefty hub limits wheel choice, would liek more clearance.

The Cannondale Topstone Carbon Lefty 3 leans much more towards the “fun” end of the gravel spectrum than the “fast” end. If you’re a rider likely to attempt the sort of ‘gravel’ that borders into mountain biking territory, it could be your best friend.

With 650b wheels, 47mm tyres, and the very distinctive Lefty Oliver fork, this bike would not look out of place on a cross country trail were it not for the drop bars.

The rear serves up an additional 30mm of travel, making this full-suspension version of the Cannondale Topstone grippy and planted in corners.

There's a great range of models and specs available, with our test version coming with Shimano GRX 1x set up Formular rear hub (Lefty specific front) and WTB Byway i23 650b tubeless ready rims and WTB Byway TCS Light tyres.

See more: Cannondale Topstone Lefty 3 at Cyclestore for £3,399.99 or REI for $4,000

Sonder Camino AL Rival1 Gravel Bike

RRP: £1,300Review Score: 10/10
Groupset: Sram Rival 1Weight: 10.3kg / 22.7lbs (size medium)
Pros: Affordable, supreme comfort, practical Cons: Extreme flared bars not to everyone's taste

Read more: Sonder Camino AL Rival1 Gravel Bike review

The combination of a well-designed frame coupled with the incredible value combined to give this bike a well earnt 10/10.

Although aluminium frames have a reputation for harshness, the slack head angle, long wheelbase and tall headtube, combined with some well-engineered flex, serve to isolate you from the road buzz. The plump 42c WTB tyres help in this department as well. Fully housed external cables not only make maintenance a breeze, but also provide no point of entry along their length of muck and grime to get in and degrade performance.

With mounts for front and rear panniers, as well as some for mudguards and an extra set of bottle bosses on the downtube, many luggage solutions are open to you for bike packing. The large flare of the handlebars leaves a lot of room for a bulky handlebar bag, whilst also putting your wrist in a more comfortable position.

The confidence inspiring geometry, along with the capacity to take 650b x 2.1 inch or 700c x 50mm tyres, meant that it was able to handle trails normally traversed by mountain bikes - and was a whole load of fun when doing so!

See more: Sonder Camino AL Rival 1 Hydraulic at Alpkit for £1,299

Kinesis G2 gravel adventure bike

RRP: £1600 / $1649 Review Score: 9/10
Groupset: SRAM Apex 1 Weight: 9.7kg / 21.38lbs (size small)
Pros: Comfort, versatility, plenty of clearance, great value Cons: Limiting gearing, needs more sizing options

Read more: Kinesis G2 adventure bike review

Unlike many of Kinesis' frame-only offerings, the G2 adventure bike comes as a full build, aimed at providing versatility rather than targeting any specific gravel sub-genre.

At £1600 / $1649, the G2 represents great value for money that provides all the confidence you need for mixing up your ride with off-road segments. The build isn't particularly lightweight, but upgrading both the finishing kit and wheelset could be quick wins to knock a bit of weight off.

See more: Kinesis G2 adventure bike at Kinesis for £1600.00 / $1649

Vielo V+1 UD Force Edition with dropper seat post

RRP: £5499 / TBCReview Score: 8/10
Groupset: SRAM Force 1xWeight:8.25kg / 18.1p (size small)
Pros: Versatile on and off road, light for the spec Cons:Expensive

Read more: Vielo V+1 review

The Vielo V+1 gravel bike impressed us in review with its versatility and lightweight when considered alongside the 38c tires specced.

Designed to excel in rough mucky conditions, this bike can be run with 700c or 650b wheels, the latter fitted with 2.1" tires for the more gnarly off-road rider.

You get a SRAM Force 1 groupset, and there's even dropper post compatibility. The only downside for us was the price, so it's worth having a look at the slightly cheaper build options, or go frame only for your own custom build.

See more: Vielo V+ Force at Vielo from £3999.00

Ribble CGR AL 105 - Sport

Read more: Ribble CGR review

RRP: £1399 / $1525Review Score:9/10
Groupset:Shimano 105 hydraulic discWeight:9.72kg / 20.43lbs (size large)
Pros:Looks, versatility, spec as you like via bike builderCons:Handlebar shape

Ribble’s CGR says what it does on the box – it’s the UK-based brand’s 'Cross, Gravel and Road bike. This machine is all about versatility.

Ribble offers the chassis constructed from aluminum, titanium or steel – in this case we went for the entry-level alloy option.

It’s a fairly hefty machine that you can trust on rooty trails, though it has been slimmed down when compared to former iterations. The seat stays especially are now more slender and dropped for extra compliance.

The geometry is very relaxed, with a short reach and tall head tube lending to stability off-road, though there’s plenty of room to get a bit more aggressive if you want to.

Thanks to Ribble bike builder you can have this bike any way you like. Our model has Shimano 105 and came in at £1399 / $1525.

See more: Ribble CGR at Ribble from £999

Pinarello Grevil

Read more: Pinarello Grevil gravel bike review

RRP: £3800 / $5980 Review Score: 9/10
Groupset: Shimano Ultegra hydraulic Weight: 8.87kg / 19.56lbs (size 530)
Pros: Aero frameset, clearance, 650b wheels, fast on and off-road Cons: short saddle, thin bar tape

The Pinarello Grevil has the flashy aero looks of the brand’s top-end bikes yet doesn't lose its footing when the tarmac ends, to let you go where no Pinarello ought to be. We found it great fun to ride and no slouch on tarmac either.

It's certainly a considered purchase price-wise, but the Grevil actually sits at the mid-point range when compared to Pinarello's road-going lineup. If you're after one of the best all-around, do-it-all bikes, then you'd be hard pushed to find a better option.

See more: Pinarello Grevil Shimano Ultegra gravel bike at Sigma Sports for £3800or from Competitive Cyclist with SRAM Force ETap AXS for $6999

Boardman ADV 9.0

Read more: Boardman ADV 9.0 review

RRP: £1650 / TBCReview Score:9/10
Groupset:SRAM Rival 1x hydraulic Weight:TBC
Pros:Great riding position, well-considered finishing kit Cons:sluggish on road, tires too heavy

We found the Boardman ADV 9.0 a very fun ride; it was comfortable and gave great control, as did the well thought out kit supplied on it. As an all-around package it works brilliantly with a spec perfectly suited to the riding style, although it might be worth investing in some faster tires if you're riding longer stretches of tarmac.

This bike could be a specialist bike for true adventure riding, but has the capability to be a commuter, winter trainer, tourer or a cyclocross bike. If you’ve only got space for one bike at home, this is certainly a contender for that spot.

The ADV 9.0 series is pretty hard to come by now, but the slightly more affordable ADV 8.0 series should provide just as much fun on the road less traveled.

See more: Boardman ADV 8.9 at Halfords for £1000

Fustle Causeway GR1

Read more: Fustle Causeway GR1 gravel bike review

RRP: £2513.00 / TBC Review Score: 9/10
Groupset:Shimano GRX 1X hydraulic disc Weight: 9.46kg / 20.85 (size M/L)
Pros:Class-leading handling, durable build, very capable off-road, customizable spec
Cons:Wheels kill the ride, not as snappy on the road

The Causeway range has recently been updated to the Causeway GRX , which means the groupsets are now gravel specific. The Northern Irish brand may be relatively new to the market but founder, Alastair Beckett, is anything but. With a career designing mountain bikes for the likes of Nukeproof and Forbidden, it's no real surprise that Alastair's drop bar offering has a strong MTB bias.

Fustle offers full build customization with their direct to consumer model, so you can choose from a range of wheel brands, 700c or 650b, a dropper post, tires, saddle and cockpit to suit you and your local terrain straight out of the box.

See more: Causeway GRX600 at Fustle from £1,999.99

Merida Silex

RRP: from £2,000
Groupset: Shimano GRX Weight: from 8.71kg / 19.20 lbs (claimed)
Pros: Large range to choose from, well specc'ed, multiple mounting points Cons: TBC

As with the Caynon Grail below, we've only played with the electric version of this bike, which will offer quite a different package and ride feel, but our experience with Merida bikes in general tells us that the non-electric version is worth a look too.

The bikes are multiday adventure ready, with several mounting points for bottle cages and bags, and the choice between 700c or 650b wheel size, for extra of tyre clearance.

There are several versions to choose from, with the entry £2k model coming with a Aluminum 6060 frame and carbon fork. The Merida Silex 7000, pictured above, features a full carbon frameset, Shimano GRX groupset and Fulcrum Racing 700 DB wheels.

See more: Merida Silex at Tredz from £2,000

Canyon Grail Gravel Bike

RRP: from £1,649 / $1,699
Groupset: Shimano GRX Weight: 9.42kg / 20.76 lbs (claimed)
Pros: Huge range to choose from, well specc'ed Cons: Almost too many to choose from

It's hard to know where to start with the Canyon Grail, there are so many in the range, 17 at the last count, that you'd be hard pushed to know what one is right for you.

Pitched as Canyon's all road all day gravel adventure bike, the Grail comes with the, as expected, dropped-bar and fast tyres for covering big distances, but with more relaxed geometry to help keep you fresh.

We've only seen the electric version, but liked it so much that we gave it a 2020 Editors Choice award. We found the frame geometry and ride quality are excellent and boosts confidence whilst remaining comfortable and as per usual with Canyon the spec vs price is highly competitive.

For us, we could have done with slightly more aggressive tyres to really let it shine, but apart from that found it to be the whole package.

Obviously there's going to be some stark differences with the non-ebike version, but its certainly a reason to want to know more and worth checking out in more detail.

See more: Canyon Grail at Canyon from from £1,649 or $1,699

Trek Checkpoint SL 5

RRP: £2800 / $2899.99
Groupset: Shimano GRX RX600/RX800testWeight:9.72 kg / 21.43 lbs (Size 56)
Pros: IsoSpeed, Horizontal sliding dropout, Carbon armor on downtube Cons: No T47 BB

Trek's Checkpoint is actually the third off-road drop-bar bike in the brand's range, with the Boone and Crockett being pitched more towards the CX crowd. The Checkpoint SL5 is made from the brand's OCLV 500 carbon and sees Trek's bump-eating IsoSpeed decoupled, and the sliding Strangle Hold dropout for those who want to run a singlespeed, or make slight tweaks to handling characteristics.

The frame comes with a Shimano GRX 2x11 speed drivetrain and is shod with rack and fender mounts throughout, including on the top tube for a bento-style snack box. There is room between the stays for 45c tires, but Trek sends the bike out with 40c Bontrager GR1 rubber, so depending on where you ride it may be worth adding burlier bike shoes to your shopping cart.

See more: Trek Checkpoint at Trek Bicycles for £2800 / $2899.99

What is the appeal of a gravel bike or adventure road bike?

If you’ve ever gone out on a ride on your best road bike and unpaved roads, fire trails or alluring single track as you passed, wondering where they lead but hesitating to head off the tarmac, then a gravel bike or adventure road bike may be for you.

These bikes aim to meld on-road efficiency with off-road capability, so you'll find overlaps in design features with both road and cyclocross bikes, as well as incorporating elements from mountain bike technology. As standard you should expect disc braking and clearance for wider tires.

>>> Cyclocross bikes: a buyer's guide

Whereas cyclocross bikes are designed with short, muddy races in mind, gravel and adventure bikes take longer unpaved rides into account. You'll still find race-orientated builds in the gravel category for long-distance or enduro-style events, alongside adventure bikes that feature additional clearance and mounts to accommodate luggage and often wider tires for more remote journeys.

Adventure and gravel bike frame geometry

Stability and handling are key when it comes to riding off-road. Expect to see a lengthened wheelbase, slack headtube angle and lower bottom bracket compared to road bikes, which aid with technical terrain and steeper descents.

The rider position is typically more upright than on road bikes, both for comfort over long rides and to allow the rider to move their weight around more easily when negotiating off-road obstacles.

15mm thru-axle and hydraulic discs on the GT Grade

Do gravel bikes have front suspension?

While thru-axles have quickly become standard, a technology borrowed from mountain biking along with disc brakes, front suspension, and even rear aren't as commonplace yet.

Quick-release wheels are still sometimes found – particularly at the rear – the new norm is 12mm or sometimes 15mm thru-axles, which make for easier disc brake alignment. Rear-axle spacing for disc brake wheels is typically 135mm (quick release) or 142mm (thru-axle), or occasionally 148mm boost spacing for stronger wheelsets.

More adventure or utility centric frames will come with mounts for racks and fenders, so that the bike can be used as a sturdy commuter or year-round road bike. At the most extreme end of the adventure bike market, fork leg mounts are becoming increasingly common for even more storage options.

Gravel bike and adventure bike tires

You can find adventure road and gravel bikes shod with tires of pretty much any width between a narrow 28c and 47c, plus tires measured in inches on 650b wheel builds! There's a real range in tread patterns available off the peg or fitted to gravel and adventure builds dependent on their intended use. You can always consider changing these to suit the kind of terrain you'd like to ride.

There’s not really a consensus on the best pattern, with some bikes coming with fat, slick tires, whilst others have file treads or low profile knobs. It's all depends on where you find yourself riding, and what the conditions are like. In the UK, you're more likely to come across patches of wet mud year-round, so a more aggressive tread can be useful in those situations to help you maintain grip, although at the expense of road speed. While in the US gravel roads can range from well-graded packed dirt that almost resembles tarmac, to the crushed and graded limestone you find in the Flint Hills of Kansas. Finding the right tires for your riding terrain may take some experimentation, and don't be afraid to try something with more or less tread than you're used to.

Most gravel and adventure bikes are specced with tubeless or tubeless-ready tires and rims, ready for conversion to a tubeless set-up. Rather than having to replace an inner tube every time you flat, the sealant in the system will (in theory) plug any punctures from sharp objects like thorns, which is a real advantage when it comes to riding off-road. You may need to re-inflate the tire a little if you have a puncture, and make sure you're equipped with a spare tube and full tubeless repair kit for more serious tire damage.

Gravel bike and adventure bike gearing

Adventure road bikes and gravel bikes are designed to be ridden on the road as well as off, so you'll typically find a wide range of gears to allow both efficiency and speed on the road, as well as enough gears to cope with loose and steep terrain off-road.

Road bike groupsets: A complete buyer’s guide (video)

The choice between a double or single chainring upfront is usually down to rider preference. A 1X (one-by) set up gives ultimate simplicity and often allows for greater tire clearance, often at the cost of top-end road gears for quick descending or sprinting. Double chainrings offer more options for riders that prefer to spend more time on smoother terrain or on the road.

>>> Shimano GRX RX 8152x groupset review

Adventure and gravel bike pedals

Pedal choice is a matter of personal taste and will be dependent on your riding style. If you ride predominantly on roads and well-maintained paths where you rarely need to put a foot down, then road shoes and cleats may be a good choice.

On the other hand, more demanding off-road riding may mean that you need to dismount and walk with the bike or put a foot down for stability. In this case, mountain bike pedals and shoes may be a better choice for their ease of walking, with grippy treaded soles and recessed cleats.

Adventure and gravel bike components

Adventure and gravel bikes almost exclusively use disc brakes for their better modulation and more consistent stopping in dry, wet and muddy conditions. This also has a really positive impact on wheel longevity compared to rim brakes for off-road riding.

On higher value models the brakes will be hydraulic, while budget bikes typically have mechanical calipers. With Shimano's GRX gravel-specific groupsets available in hydraulic disc only, this tends to be the preference. You'll occasionally find mechanical disc brakes on adventure bike builds, where long-distance riders find them easier to maintain and repair in more remote situations.

Different types of handlebars are also worth considering on adventure bikes. Flared bars are generally accepted as a good upgrade to give greater stability in the wider drops for rough terrain and descending off-road. The wider the flare, the easier it is to fit a handlebar bag on the front of the bike and still be able to fit your hands on the drops and brakes at the same time. Raised bars such as the Specialized Hover Bar also help to give more clearance over the front wheel for smaller riders, as well as providing a more upright riding position.

With a lack of innovation-quashing UCI rules in the gravel sector, more ambitious designs are being tested, like Canyon's radical double-decker bar, designed to add additional compliance to the ride.