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Current contender is a Topstone Sora at £720, with the one negative being the brakes based on reviews. It'd probably be £80 to change the calipers to BB7.
I'd also thought about the Planet X Full Monty but the 15% off for self build has ended and the wheels seem hefty. Currently it's £750 shipped with the BB7. The SL is a better colour but sold out in medium.
Anything else I should look at? Saw the Merida Cyclo 300 but not sure if QR front and rear (as well as 9 speed) is a bit dated..
I've been struggling with the same dilemma, I wanted a bike mainly road but able to do a bit of off road bridleway and tracks, nearly picked up a used condor fratello today but it's limited to 28mm tyres and its pretty heavy if im going to be lugging extra weight around then I'd rather have more tyre clearance
Brant said the monty and london road were very similar, there is also a non sl LR that is priced at 100 less than the others for same spec. Xla looks a good option too
I put a byo in my basket the day after the email and code was already expired:(
Arkose would be a good buy too I think
This looks just the job. Shame you can't get them here.
(It's ok they do a version with derailleurs for the degenerates, and even I would put a 3spd hub on it 🙂 )
Merida have one in that price range.
Calibre Dark Peak with room for your upgrades?
A touch over budget, but this would be my choice, hydro brakes and room for 45mm tyres....
https://www.chainreactioncycles.com/mobile/vitus-energie-cyclocross-bike-apex-1x11-2019/rp-prod168781
The calibre dark peak seem like rocking horse poo
Secondhand CX bike?
For that budget you could get something like a 105 or Rival CaadX and have enough left in the budget to refresh the drive chain and some blingy wheels.
Pinnacle Arkose.
Merlin Malt G1 with Tiagra for £699?
Merlin Malt G1 with Tiagra for £699?
Friend has just bought one of these - lovely frame, well impressed for the price
Friend has just bought one of these – lovely frame, well impressed for the price
Will it fit a 45mm tyre in the back?
A budget bike for £700?
If you want budget, buy a 2nd hand 26" MTB for £150, and it;ll do 95% of what your gravel bike will do.
I've just bought a Full Monty. Cannot complain about it, £650, really good value. That wasnt a budget buy for me, I've had it on interest free, as I couldnt afford to pay cash for it.
It isnt the lightest of bikes, but it is meant for off road, so I dont mind a couple of kilos more, it'd be easier for me to lose a few kilos before I start losing weight on the bike.
The Arkose is out of budget. If they were more interesting colours or I could find one secondhand I'd consider them though as I know they are well regarded.
Whatever I buy will most likely be on 0%, I'd rather spend £300 personally but the secondhand market seems strong price wise and as such I'm struggling to justify £500 or so used against £700 new with support etc if required. There is a good chance that I will buy something and not get the bug but its been a long term itch and I have a more stable job now.
Merlin is good spec, no info on sizing although sure they can advise- and again not the best looking in my opinion (based on the photos)
Boardman CX comp here last year, ex display for £470. Spot on with a wider set of tyres.
Halfords had a Boardman ADV something in the other day, sub £600 iirc with wider tyres than the CX and more relaxed geometry.
alani
A budget bike for £700?
If you want budget, buy a 2nd hand 26″ MTB for £150, and it;ll do 95% of what your gravel bike will do...
Well if you want to go 2nd hand, a British bike from the 1950s* can be dirt cheap.
This is Loch Einich and a late 1950s Dawes Windrush. I reckon that ride is a reasonable test for any gravel bike.
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I've got some NOS parts on it, but it could have been done for under £100 with some bargain hunting.
.
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*1950s because there was greater clearance on the frames for mudguards etc then, so it's possible to get 40mm tyres in there.
Iv just brought a specialized crux carbon 2nd hand. Old but spotless. I wanted more clearance and it will take 38mm tyres.
Less than £500.
Rides like my tarmac
if your in the right place right time there are bargains.
Original receipt too.
Lol! Typical STW advice! Someone asks for advice regarding a £700 gravel bike. Recommendations are for a 1950s tourer with caliper brakes or a cheapo mountain bike from the mists of time.
JP
I bought a good condition 2016 Arkose 4 (105 2x11 hydraulic groupset) for £450 second hand a few months ago. I'd be patient and wait for something similar to appear locally.
I bought a secondhand Arkose X which was 6 months old and almost unused (still had protective film on head badge!) for £450. 40 quid for a carbon post and 20 quid for a shorter stem, set of Gravel kings and it's as good as any £1000 new bike
Facebook selling pages seem to be good for bargain bikes as loads of people buying bikes but not using them.
If you want budget, buy a 2nd hand 26″ MTB for £150, and it;ll do 95% of what your gravel bike will do.
No it won't. I have a 26" Piglet and a Spesh Diverge. They are totally different animals. I got two Diverges (his 'n' hers) earlier this year for just over £500 each, so just look around for offers.
Been looking at some steel one this week. Fugi Jari 2.5 and 2.3 have nice geometry and are on offer at wiggle but seem a bit anvil.
Apart from the usual there is Marin Nicasio, Aventon Kijote, Vitus Substance.
Think I'm gonna go the frame only route.
I picked up a second hand Charge Plug for a lot less than your budget. It's not the lightest, but it's got shedloads of clearance, guard mounts, discs, and seems pretty robust. Put some SKS guards, BB7s, and a set of 38c GravelKings on tubeless, and it's just the job for my commute. Worth keeping an eye out for similar 🙂
Lol! Typical STW advice! Someone asks for advice regarding a £700 gravel bike. Recommendations are for a 1950s tourer with caliper brakes or a cheapo mountain bike from the mists of time.JP
To be fair, it must of taken Epic a fair bit of effort to type something about gravel bikes for £700 being justification for Scottish Independence. He usually finds a way!
piemonster
To be fair, it must of taken Epic a fair bit of effort to type something about gravel bikes for £700 being justification for Scottish Independence. He usually finds a way!
You're a bit too subtle for me. I can't see how me recommending a 60 year old English bike brings anyone to that conclusion.
But if it does... 🙂
My vagabond with hope wheels, Thompson post and stem, xtr cranks etc was in the classified for £700 [/cheeky plug]
jjprestidge
Member
Lol! Typical STW advice! Someone asks for advice regarding a £700 gravel bike. Recommendations are for a 1950s tourer with caliper brakes or a cheapo mountain bike from the mists of time.JP
We eagerly await your recommendations for coffee machines costing more than cars (with separate grinders and milk frothers, were not heathen after all) next time someone mentions their stove top's seals have gone and is an aero press and ok alternative.
Hi, Read this articles https://biketestreviews.com/best-gravel-bikes-for-under-1000/ and you will be able to decide for yourself which one to buy.
I've just bought a Merlin Malt G1-X frame for £300 which seems to be pretty good value considering I've already got all the parts off my old bike which snapped at the seatpost after some slight user error.
If you've already got some parts knocking about frame only might be an option to build up something your happier with?
You’re a bit too subtle for me. I can’t see how me recommending a 60 year old English bike brings anyone to that conclusion.But if it does…
It’s subtle thanks to the missing word I should have typed 😆
piemonster
It’s subtle thanks to the missing word I should have typed
Curses, I thought I'd inadvertently discovered the ultimate in stealth independence brain worms so I was looking forward to the explanation.
I is disappoint... 🙂