Gravel bike recommendations

Triathlon Forum
1

Looking for recommendations on a very basic gravel bike to get me started. I currently have a road bike (sportives and bike racing), a triathlon bike (triathlon races), a trainer bike (old road bike), a commuter bike (surly crosscheck) and a 29er mountain bike with slicks for beach racing and bad weather riding. To justify a new bike, and so that my wife does not kill me or kick one of the others out of the stable, this one needs to be basic (ie affordable) rig that fills dual roles including serving as my road bike when we travel back to the US (so I don’t have to ship a bike every time we fly) and to test out gravel riding to see if I like it. Ideally, I’d also really like it to be a ride I could race gravel events on if I chose. I know it won’t be the fastest possible ride if its also affordable but I’d like something I could credibly enter gravel events on.

I have been looking at the Cannondale Tapstone 105 and the Canyon Grail but have just started looking and am wide open to suggestions and recommendations for other bikes (including smaller brands) as well as what to look for in a gravel bike (ie minimum level of components, etc).

Thanks in advance.

2

Is there a reason you don’t use the cross-check for gravel?

3

Is there a reason you don’t use the cross-check for gravel?

My thoughts, exactly.

4

Whats your budget?

5

The Surly is a solid and pretty indestructible commuter bike but very heavy, I can’t imagine racing on it. Also, I have it set for commuting: rack and panniers on back with barhorn bars and center mounted brakes up front for quick stopping in traffic. .

6

I’d love to spend less than 2K or at least right in that range.

7

Tons of options out there at that price point, but ideally you should know what frame material you are interested and specifically what kind of gravel riding you want to do. Gravel racing? Full gas riding for the best position/time? Or more adventure chill riding, just to be outdoors? Or more gravel bike packing over days? Are you interested in racing Cyclocross at any point?

Really there are tons of bikes that can be a ‘gravel’ bike.

8

I would Recommend the Cannondale Topstone 105 at $1,750 in the States - you should be able to get at least 10% off.

It has 105 Hydro on it with 46/30 Gearing in the front. BSA bottom Bracket (Big Plus on Gravel bikes where dirt can really screw up Press Fit), Great Tires. It should be pretty low Maintenance. 105 works just as well as Ultegra and Dura Ace

It’s Aluminum so still quite light (no more than 100-200 grams heavier than good Carbon Gravel Frames), will take impacts well.

Lots of mounts on it for racing/bikepacking.

I have put two friends on them and they both love them.

https://www.cannondale.com/en/USA/Bike/ProductDetail?Id=a34100ad-8482-4dff-ba6a-d90ff855b480&parentid=undefined

9

I have a Bikes direct bike I got for $800 or so. Tiagra parts and I made several upgrades. Its good but max tires are 38mm and is very twitchy. My only regret is I didn’t look used first. This might be a good option for you, especially now as people are unloading their summer rigs.

The Salsa Warbird is a popular one and from what I have heard is made for racing in mind as it is very aggressive.

One thing you’ll find at gravel races is about half the field tends to have Frankenstein type bikes. Mtn bikes with slicks and drop bars, CX bikes with canti brakes, road bikes squeezing widest tires possible, etc.

10

I have a Bikes direct bike I got for $800 or so. Tiagra parts and I made several upgrades. Its good but max tires are 38mm and is very twitchy. My only regret is I didn’t look used first. This might be a good option for you, especially now as people are unloading their summer rigs.

The Salsa Warbird is a popular one and from what I have heard is made for racing in mind as it is very aggressive.

One thing you’ll find at gravel races is about half the field tends to have Frankenstein type bikes. Mtn bikes with slicks and drop bars, CX bikes with canti brakes, road bikes squeezing widest tires possible, etc.

I have an Salsa Warbird Carbon (with ENVE Cockpit, i9 AR25’s and Potenza HO) and it is a great bike - but just the frame will blow his budget.

As the tires are so big and pressures so low the frame material seems to matter less - as long as you have a good carbon fork up front.

I’ve ridden my friends Topstone 105’s and while my bike was lighter (and it should be as the cost is about 3X the Topstone), the Topstone was really nice and I actually liked the slightly firmer rear end - it accelerated better. The front end compliance was about the same.

My next Gravel Bike will have a firmer rear end and I’m waffleing between Carbon, Ti, Steel and Aluminum. I’ll probably end up choosing which one I like the look of the best.

Quite frankly I think the frame material doesn’t make a huge difference on a gravel bike as if it is heavier it makes up a proportionately smaller fraction of the overall bike weight especially when loaded up ready to go with Fluids, Nutrition and spares.

11

I have a Bikes direct bike I got for $800 or so. Tiagra parts and I made several upgrades. Its good but max tires are 38mm and is very twitchy. My only regret is I didn’t look used first. This might be a good option for you, especially now as people are unloading their summer rigs.

The Salsa Warbird is a popular one and from what I have heard is made for racing in mind as it is very aggressive.

One thing you’ll find at gravel races is about half the field tends to have Frankenstein type bikes. Mtn bikes with slicks and drop bars, CX bikes with canti brakes, road bikes squeezing widest tires possible, etc.

I have an Salsa Warbird Carbon (with ENVE Cockpit, i9 AR25’s and Potenza HO) and it is a great bike - but just the frame will blow his budget.

As the tires are so big and pressures so low the frame material seems to matter less - as long as you have a good carbon fork up front.

I’ve ridden my friends Topstone 105’s and while my bike was lighter (and it should be as the cost is about 3X the Topstone), the Topstone was really nice and I actually liked the slightly firmer rear end - it accelerated better. The front end compliance was about the same.

My next Gravel Bike will have a firmer rear end and I’m waffleing between Carbon, Ti, Steel and Aluminum. I’ll probably end up choosing which one I like the look of the best.

Quite frankly I think the frame material doesn’t make a huge difference on a gravel bike as if it is heavier it makes up a proportionately smaller fraction of the overall bike weight especially when loaded up ready to go with Fluids, Nutrition and spares.

I didn’t realize the Warbird was that much!! But if it is in demand it makes sense.

Good input on the material. I have aluminum and have thought about looking at ti or carbon, but I’m not there yet. Need to wait a year or two before the spouse would be on board. Actually it will probably be one of those buy then ask for forgiveness…

12

I have the alloy Cannondale Topstone 105 and really like it. I rode it stock for a short period of time including some gravel rides in North Carolina. I’ve since changed the tires to narrower, tubeless Panaracer Gravel Kings and really like the ride more now with those tires. After buying the bike, I tried CX racing for the first time and that went fairly well. I didn’t feel like I was held back too much by the bike (only my ability). Sure, i would love a carbon bike with nice wheels, but that’s not in my budget. I got the bike for 1750 and set up with new tubeless tires for another $100.

13

The thing about gravel bikes, much like road bikes, is that what works well for general riding and what works well for racing is often quite different. You mentioned that you couldn’t imagine racing on your Surly, so I assume racing gravel is a focus for bike choice.

Some years ago I thought I would try my hand at gravel riding (not racing) and thought I would get a gravel bike that could double as a cyclocross bike. Took all of a few months, and one cross race, to realize I had made a mistake. For me, it was better to have a cross race bike that leaned towards gravel than a gravel bike that wouldn’t burst into flames on a cross course.

I ended up with a Crux, as they have reasonable tire clearance and an ever so slightly relaxed (by cross standards) geometry.

14

There are some smaller boutique brands that have Gravel bikes dialed. Proven geometries (lower bottom brackets, and proper trail) along with details that really matter. Niner is one such brand, and they don’t cost more than the copy cat bikes from larger brands.

15

There are some smaller boutique brands that have Gravel bikes dialed. Proven geometries (lower bottom brackets, and proper trail) along with details that really matter. Niner is one such brand, and they don’t cost more than the copy cat bikes from larger brands.

Yep. I bought a Niner BSB 1X from Jenson. Great bike you can race with. They are currently just under $2,100. Well worth the money.

16

I just got the Trek Checkpoint ALR 5. I wanted something that I could use on the road as well as gravel but not too much cx. I looked at the Topstone but like the geometry and features of the Checkpoint better. I have it currently with 32 tires for road riding rather than the 40 it comes with.

17

I have the same bike - aluminum Topstone 105 - and really like it. Great component set and bike is really comfortable. It felt strange at first, but I like the flared drops on the handlebars.

I had a set of 40 mm Gravel King slick tires on there for a while for mostly neighborhood riding and mild gravel. I recently put on a set of 45 mm tires (WTB Riddlers) because I have some long gravel rides planned in the near future, and there’s still plenty of clearance. I’ll probably run 30 PSI on these tires, but need to test that. I weigh 140 pounds.

FYI, my bike in size medium is 22.5 pounds with Look pedals.

18

I have a Cannondale CAADX, which I like very much - although it’s in the shop right now and I have a CAADX SE as a loaner, which is stellar. I run Ultegra on my roadie and 105 on everything else and really don’t notice a substantial difference in shift quality, especially given the use case.

The Topstone would be one I’d look at if I were replacing a bike, but I’d also look very hard as a Specialized Diverge. I couldn’t quite justify the upgrade (switching out the 36/46 was a lot cheaper than replacing the bike!), but that was a really nice bike to ride and I could see it doing good double or even triple duty.

My husband has a Trek Checkpoint and loves it. He has spent the summer riding it on the road and on gravel and every time he takes it out, he comes back liking it a little bit more.

19

Waiting on an Orbea Terra (supposed to be here next week). Great gravel bike with a racing geometry. Check them out.

20

My brother’s cycling team has some guys who have a specialized crux for their full time road and gravel bikes. I believe he said they race cat 2 or cat 3, so clearly a capable enough roadie, and does well on gravel too