Best budget gravel bikes 2025: get off the beaten track without spending the earth

Gravel bikes are often lauded for their versatility. While they remain inherently practical due to their wider tyre clearance and relaxed geometry, in recent years they have become specialised and nuanced. There are gravel bikes designed for fast gravel races, for off-grid bikepacking, for rugged trails, and much in between. But are there options for those on a tighter budget?

Like the best road bikes, the best gravel bikes can be expensive, and with bike prices increasing across the board it has become harder to find high performing yet affordable models. However, we’ve tested a number of gravel bikes that fit the bill and have selected our favorites here. We’ve chosen them for their general performance as well as for their ability to shine in specific areas, which will hopefully help you to make a more informed choice when buying your first gravel bike.

As mentioned some gravel offerings can perform admirably as all-purpose machines for those who only have room for one bike. That said, we also have dedicated guides to the best commuter bikes and the best winter road bikes should they interest you. And once you’ve made your choice, we’ve also got guides to the best gravel clothing and best gravel shoes so you can equip yourself for the riding ahead.

The quick list

Best budget gravel bikes 2025

Best for frame quality

The aluminium Topstone 4 mixes a quality frameset with a range of budget components to help keep the price down. However, we found that the 10-speed 1x Microshift drivechain worked really well, despite it being a far less used brand than Shimano or Sram. Likewise the ProMax mechanical disc brakes, which surprised us with their ability to stop quickly regardless of the surface. We also like the wide, flared bars, which allow plenty of room for a bar bag. In fact, the frame is loaded with mounting points, making this a good match for bikepacking adventures.

We found the geometry to be relaxed and the ride to be stable, leaving us feeling in control even when navigating tricky off-road terrain.

While the knobbly tyres work well on the trails, we found they made the bike feel sluggish on the road and slow to accelerate. Of course it’s not its primary purpose, but given that a lot of gravel rides require some time on the tarmac too, it’s worth considering. Similarly, if you want a gravel bike to ‘do it all’ then you may need to think about a tyre or wheel swap here.

Read more: Cannondale Topstone 4 gravel bike full review

Best value

The ADV 8.6 from Boardman is a great first gravel bike. It offers a wide gear range courtesy of the 9-speed Shimano Sora groupset that pairs a 48/32t chainset with an 11-34 cassette. We also appreciated that the wheels and tyres are tubeless-ready; we found running the 38mm Schwalbe G-One tyres tubeless helped to take some of the harshness out of the firm alloy frame and its chunky tube shapes.

Those tube shapes do have their advantages though. We found the ADV 8.6 quick to accelerate on and off-road. As for the riding position, it falls somewhere between stretched out and upright, so a reasonable balance. Control is aided by the wide bars that feature a subtle flare we really liked. While the groupset helps to make the bike a good all-rounder we can’t help think it might be better off with a dedicated gravel groupset, such as Shimano GRX, allowing for an even lower bottom gear for those steep and loose trails.

All told, this bike offers exceptional value for money, with decent components used throughout. If you’re after a dedicated gravel groupset however you’ll need to stump a bit more cash for the ADV 8.9.

Read more: Boardman ADV 8.6 full review

Best for versatility

The Diverge Comp is certainly a versatile bike. The alloy frame and full carbon fork are loaded with mounting points, six for bottles and bags, and two more for front and rear fenders. It means it’s adaptable for both bikepacking, touring and commuting.

Then there’s the FutureSHock front suspension system that provides 20mm of travel. We found that while we didn’t really notice it during our rides, we did finish them with far less fatigue in the hands and wrists than we typically experienced when riding gravel trails. It's off-road capabilities are further enhanced by decent tyre clearance and Sram Apex hydraulic brakes that were nothing less than superb.

About that tyre clearance, the bike comes fitted with 38mm Pathfinder Sport, which while a decent all-road option weren’t best suited muddy tracks. We swapped out the stock 700c wheels (which aren’t tubeless compatible) for some 650b hoops fitted with 2.1” tyres resulting in bags of fun on tricky terrain, aided by the wide, flared bars.

Read more: Specialized Diverge Comp E5 full review

Best for frame compliance

While the Grade’s ‘triple triangle’ frame design might look a little unconventional, it works. During our testing we found that it delivered a comfortable ride whether it be tarmac, gravel or compacted trails. GT says its the longer seats that add extra compliance.

The 8-speed chainset, comprising Shimano and FSA parts worked well, although we did experience some sizable jumps between gears. The mechanical disc brakes were less assured however and we found themselves having to break earlier than we were used to when using hydraulics. Their lack of bite was particularly noticeable on tricky descents.

We found that the 37mm WTB Riddler tyres performed well during drier rides as well on the roads and, along with the wheels, can be set up tubeless, which from experience we know will help to improve the ride quality further, adding more comfort and improved grip.

Read more: GT Grade Elite gravel bike full review

Best for load lugging

While some gravel bikes are built for speed, Triban’s GRVL 520 is better suited to slower rides over rugged terrain and bikepacking trips. The former is achieved in part thanks to the 650b wheels, equipped with 47mm tyres, and 1x11 Sram Apex groupset, both of which felt at home off-road. The latter comes courtesy of a multitude of mounting points. Add in the external cabling routing and you have a bike well-suited to rides that take you off the beaten path.

Unsurprisingly this did make the GRVL 520 feel a little sluggish when we found ourselves riding on the road; if you’re looking a gravel bike that’s a little quicker and can handle tarmac, the Triban is also offered in build option that features 700c wheels and a 2x 11-speed groupset, with a subcompact chainset.

Read our full Triban GRVL 520 SRAM Apex review.

Best women-specific

The updated Devote features a lightweight ALUXX-grade aluminum frame and a carbon composite fork that’s designed to deliver a smooth and comfortable ride. The geometry been tweaked from previous models, making it a little more performance-focussed; in essence it’s a little lower at the front end then before.

Control over tricky terrain is aided by the D-fuse bars that have both a 5-degree backsweep and some flare at the drops. There’s also clearance for tyres as wide as 53mm thanks to the flip chip dropouts, which allows you to go long and stable, or shorter for a more responsive ride (here the maximum tyre clearance is 45mm). The D-fuse bars are paired with a D-Fuse seatpost, both designed to absorb the lumps and bumps of the trail, while helping to reduce fatigue on long rides whatever the terrain.

While there are a number of build options, this entry-level Devote comes equipped with a 9-speed Shimano Sora groupset and Tektro mechanical disc brakes.

Best for durability

Based in Bellingham, Washington, Kona is no stranger to beefy touring bikes and now gravel bikes. It's got a reputation for no-nonsense, robust bikes with budget spec options that are durable and hassle-free.

This entry-level Rove is one of their aluminum alloy offerings and is available in either 700c or 650b builds at the same price. With chunky 47mm WTB Venture tires fitted and mounts on the fork legs in addition to standard mudguard and rack eyelets, the Rove is a great choice for anyone wanting to dip their toe into the world of bikepacking.

Best for tamer trails

If you feel like you are more of an adventure touring or all-road rider the Trek Domane AL line of frames is a good fit. The endurance bike geometry works well both on and off-road and there's clearance for tires up to 35mm. In today's world 35mm isn't big but it's more than enough to tackle well-groomed gravel roads.

For a lot of people, this makes perfect sense as a first, or only, bike. Everything that makes it capable of heading off-road also makes it versatile. There are mounts for racks and fenders if you want to do some bikepacking or commuting, and weekend use just means changing tires.

If your budget stretches a bit further, there are three alloy Domane models with higher-spec finishing kit in the range.

Best for singletrack

One of the few steel gravel bikes that you'll find in the 'budget' price range the Marin Nicasio+ is a great choice for budding bikepackers. There are loads of water bottle cage mounts, and you'll have plenty of options for storage alongside traditional rack and guard mounts too.

It comes with a single-ring groupset, making for a simpler mechanical set-up, with plenty of gear range and a clutched derailleur, although with only 9 speeds, there are quite large jumps between ratios. The Nicasio+ is fitted with 47mm WTB Horizon tires, so there's lots of rubber between you and the trail for extra comfort and grip.

Best for tuneable geometry

The Giant Revolt comes with a flip chip in its rear triangle that lets you keep the chainstay length short for a more lively ride on tires up to 42mm or lengthen them for massive 53mm tire clearance.

Giant uses its compact frame geometry and fits its D-Fuse D-shaped seatpost to help increase saddle comfort, while a carbon fork adds damping to the front end. If you have a bit more in your budget, the Giant Revolt 1 offers 10-speed Shimano GRX gearing and hydraulic braking while still coming in just below our upper price limit.

How to choose a budget gravel bike

Although it sounds strange, better braking can actually help you go faster. With more powerful braking from hydraulic disc brakes, you can stop faster. With great braking performance at your fingertips, you'll have more confidence to let rip on the descents.

If you don't already have flared handlebars on your bike, consider this upgrade for confident descending and more room for bikepacking bags up front.

Your wheels can make a huge difference to the quality of the ride, and unfortunately, at lower price points the quality of these can suffer. Upgrading your original wheelset to a lighter and higher quality build can make the world of difference.

Don't feel stuck with the tires that come on your bike. Your preferred terrain and conditions might need something different. Experiment with different volumes and tread types until you find some that work for you. You may need a different set of tires for summer and winter riding to get the most out of your budget gravel bike, swapping between them to compensate for the changes in trail conditions.

Setting up your wheels tubeless can be one of the biggest (although not always the easiest) upgrades to your bike out of the box. With no tube to worry about you can run lower pressure for better traction and a more comfortable ride. Tubeless sealant can also seal small punctures before you even know something happened.

How we test

Where we've been able to link to a review, it means that we've put the bike through its paces. This means we've ridden it across a variety of terrain to assess its suitability for gravel riding, considering a range of factors such as its ride quality, comfort over longer distances and its suitability for alternative uses such as winter road riding and commuting. This being a 'budget' guide, value for money was a key consideration too.

Where we haven't yet had the chance to review an item, we're still confident in recommending it as one of the best, because we either know the brand really well and have probably tested another product or the previous version and can still happily recommend it as one of the best.