Best budget gravel bikes 2024: get off the beaten track without spending the earth

The best budget gravel bikes open up the opportunity for more of us to go on a different kind of riding adventure, without a massive outlay. 

Trying out a new discipline can be daunting, and buying a bike can be quite a gamble if it's something you haven't tried before. Thankfully, there are a number of great bikes on the market that offer cracking value, making the perfect starting point for rides with a little more spice!

Spanning the gap between road and mountain bikes, gravel and adventure bikes have surged in popularity over the last few years. Arguably the most versatile of bike categories, these steeds not only excel on bridleways, byways, dirt roads and singletrack, but can also make great commuter or winter road bikes too. 

Bike prices in general have gone up significantly over the last few years and it's now quite hard to find performance models which come in below $1,500 – other than if you're looking for a hybrid. 

So we've selected a variety of bikes at differing price points and divided this guide up into budget gravel bikes that cost below $1,500 and those costing between that and $2,000 to help you find a gravel bike to suit the amount you're willing to spend.

Of course, if your budget exceeds this, then check out our complete gravel and adventure bikes guide. Spend a bit more and if you get the gravel bug, you'll not find yourself needing so many upgrades or hankering after a higher-end model after a few months riding!

Don't forget the extras you'll need either - we've run through these and other things to look out for at the bottom of this page.

The quick list

Below is our pick of the best budget adventure road bikes and gravel bikes we've tested. Read on for more tips on what to look for when shopping for a budget gravel bike to help you venture off the beaten track. If you're considering your first gravel bike we've also created a dedicated guide on what to look out for.

Best low priced option

Designed for mechanical simplicity, the Triban GRVL 120 might hit the mark if you're just looking to dip a toe into gravel riding without spending too much cash. The ride position is upright and there's a fork with carbon legs and an alloy steerer. 

Despite the low price, you still get a 10-speed single chainring groupset with plenty of range and a clutched derailleur. The bike also comes specced with tubeless-ready wheels with Hutchinson 38mm tubeless-ready tires. The 38mm max clearance is quite narrow though and we found that the Triban is better suited to both moderate trails and modest distances rather than more demanding terrain. However, at this price, the Triban GRVL 120 is hard to beat.

Read more: Triban 120 Gravel Bike full review

Best for frame quality

Cannondale's gravel bikes have a well-deserved reputation for quality features and the alloy Topstone 4 delivers frame-wise, along with savvy component choices to keep the price down. It's built for comfort rather than speed and provides a relaxed riding position. Plentiful mounts make it a good option for the bikepacker too.

The 10-speed single-ring drivetrain comes from Microshift, while the mechanical disc brakes are from Promax. We found that both work well, even if they're not brands that are front of mind when it comes to components. There's the flexibility to add a dropper seatpost with internal cables if you want to tackle more rugged terrain, too. 

Off-road, the OutFront geometry works well, but we did find the Topstone 4 sluggish on tarmac.

Read more: Cannondale Topstone 4 gravel bike full review

Best value

The Boardman ADV 8.6 offers all you need to get started gravel riding. It has lower gearing to keep you moving off-road and tubeless-ready wheels and tires, so you can avoid being too troubled by punctures. Although the frame is a little firm, setting up tubeless will take the harshness out of the ride.

There's plenty of grip in a variety of conditions and Boardman's saddle and bars are comfortable too. You can add a rack and mudguards for commuting or bikepacking. The only hiccup was the exposed gear cables, which we found were prone to collect dirt, leading to degraded shift performance.

Read more: Boardman ADV 8.6 full review

Best for versatility

The lowest spec of the Specialized Diverge E5 gets a decent 8-speed Shimano groupset, although it leans a little more towards road than off-road use, with a large chainring that probably won't see you spending much time in the top gear.

You get a full-carbon fork with the alloy frame, which provides a stable geometry for off-road antics, paired with a shorter stem length for steerability - a typical gravel set-up. There's plenty of tire clearance at the rear thanks to the solid chainstay section behind the bottom bracket. 

Like the Cannondale Topstone, there are loads of luggage mounts, including those on the fork legs, so the Diverge E5 is good to go for bikepacking adventures as well as playing around off-road.

The Diverge E5 is also offered in a Comp build. It's $500 over our budget here but if you can find the extra cash you'll get Futureshock front suspension and a SRAM Apex 1x groupset with hydraulic brakes. We found that both additions really improved the ride quality, with the Future Shock reducing the discomfort in our wrists after longer rides on harsher terrain, while the Apex braking was excellent regardless of the conditions.

Read more: Specialized Diverge Comp E5 full review

Best for frame compliance

GT uses its triple triangle design in the Grade Elite, where the seat stays are lengthened for extra compliance. It leads to a comfortable, stable ride.

The gearing works well, although with a clunk when shifting due to the wide gaps in ratios in the eight-speed cassette. We weren't impressed by the brakes though, as these lacked bite and power, particularly for trickier descents.

Wheels and tires from WTB were good for drier rides and can be set up tubeless, giving plenty of grip and complementing the bike's quality handling. 

Read more: GT Grade Elite gravel bike full review

Best for load lugging

Another entry from Decathlon's Triban brand, the GRVL 520 has an alloy frameset paired with a carbon-bladed fork with mounts for additional bottle cages. Cables run externally but with full outers.

There are two specs, one with an 11-speed 48/32t subcompact groupset and 700c wheels, and the one tested with SRAM Apex 1x 11-speed and 650b wheels.

We found the wheels and 47mm tires a little sluggish on the road and the ride a little harsh. It fared better on more technical off-road terrain, although we didn't feel it was quite the match for some of the competition.

Read our full Triban GRVL 520 SRAM Apex review.

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.

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.

One of the few steel gravel bikes that you'll find on a budget of less than $1,500, 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.

There's a lot more to the Vitus Substance V-2 than just a snazzy paint job to make it a great budget gravel bike. There are loads of mounting options for bags and TRP Spyre mechanical disc brakes which will help control your speed on testing off-road descents.

Vitus has opted for a good gravel gearing set up, with a sub-compact double (46/30T) paired with an 11-34T cassette for plenty of low speed gearing to get you up steep ascents while spinning in the saddle, while still giving an adequate on-tarmac turn of speed.

The finishing kit is Vitus' own, including Vitus' flared Adventure bars with a very subtle 3° flare.

Coming in seven sizes, the Grail from German direct sales brand Canyon has a cracking spec for the price. That includes a Shimano GRX 400 10-speed gravel groupset and DT Swiss wheels with Continental Terra Trail 40mm tires. It's nice to get a full Shimano GRX groupset including its hydraulic disc brakes for assured stopping power. The two smallest sizes swap in 650b wheels for the 700c wheels on the larger bikes, for improved geometry and less toe overlap with the front wheel.

It's a bike designed for fast gravel riding and to take you back onto tarmac when you need to link up gravel sections; for more off-road riding, greater tire clearance and extra load-lugging potential there's the Canyon Grizl 6 for the same price. 

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.

The women's equivalent of the Revolt is the Devote, from Giant's women's-specific Liv brand. As well as the Devote 1, featured here, there's a Devote 2 with a similar spec to the Revolt 2. 

The Devote 1 comes with smaller frame size options than the Revolt, but you don't get the flip chip variable geometry. There's still clearance for 45mm tires and the bike is delivered with Giant's tubeless set-up. The higher spec of the Devote 1 gets you a 10-speed Shimano GRX RX400 gravel bike groupset, complete with hydraulic disc brakes.

Buyer's guide to budget gravel bikes

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.

Our testers are all experienced gravel riders and include our Tech Features Editor Stefan Abram, who's undertaken several multi-day bikepacking adventures both in the UK and abroad.

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.