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I’m continuing my search for a bike I plan to use on the lanes and avenues of rural Northumberland, mainly on roads but I’d also like the possibility to head onto more bumpy terrain such as gravelly paths like the Northumberland Coastal Route. I’m not planning on racing anybody, or even keeping up with anybody, but of course lugging extra weight around the place is depressing, so I’d like to feel that my efforts are resulting in some forward motion and not ride a butcher’s bike.
Looking at the Giant website out seems that the Contend AR is a good fit for my needs, but I’m not sufficiently familiar with the components or frame to know if that’s actually true, or just marketing speak aimed at know-nothings (like me).
https://www.giant-bicycles.com/gb/contend-ar-2
So if anyone has any experience or thoughts on this bike, or ideas for alternatives, I’d be very interested to hear. My budget is about 1500 quid and right now I’m not looking secondhand, despite the potential savings, as I live in the middle of nowhere and long drives to check up on prospective purchases (that might conceal a nasty flaw) are not appealing.
Relying on the STW wisdom to steer me in the right direction!
I’m a big fan of Giant bikes and with your budget and the type of riding you want to do I would consider the Giant Revolt 1.
It’s a bit more ‘relaxed’ than the Contend and will be better suited for the gravelly paths.
Either will be good bikes so try and get test rides and take it from there.
They're decent bikes for sure. The Contend is very definitely an "all road" rather than "gravel" bike: clearance up to 38, it's aiming at road plus light gravel, rather than anything chunkier. I ride a Revolt which is the gravel cousin - takes wider tyres, chunkier frame. I ride it on and off-road with two wheelsets, and the geo has been great for long road days.
One annoyance is the D shaped seatpost is proprietary, but works fine.
In terms of that specific bike: it's partly modern bikenomics but 1500 for alloy frame, Tiagra, and mechanical discs - and possibly not-great mechanical discs - just feels a lot. At that price point I'd really want 11-speed and hydraulic on a road-ish bike. I think for your described needs 2x chainset is probably right.
Understand your point re secondhand. To gently counter: many reputable secondhand outlets (not Random People On Marketplace) will ship; I don't know your size but for 1500, this 105 Hydro Diverge is competitive- big brand, recent, allroad-not-rowdy-gravel, but a notch or two up in terms of drivetrain.
I certainly think at that price point the larger brands may get you a better deal; I had a look at PX but they split hard between "1x gravel" and "skinny road". It's definitely a price point where new bikes are comparatively badly specced compared to even two years ago.
Thanks for the pointers. That Diverge is 2400 for the new 2022 version, so there’s clearly a good saving to be made secondhand! - any other sites you’d recommend looking?
That diverge looks a better buy with hydraulic brakes and a nice wheel set upgrade.
Have a look at the Ribble CGR or Gravel. They are very similar frames I think, although the fork on the Gravel has mounting points for bags/racks and they are specced with more of a gravel bias (650b wheels as standard while the CGR comes with 700c wheels, for example).
Other bikes - Canyon Grail, Orbea Terra, Holdsworth Mystique from Planet X although 1x only, Boardman ADV 8.9, Dolan GXA etc. etc.
Probably worth thinking about the intended use a bit more to sway you towards particular bikes or build packages - e.g, 1x or 2x, wheel size, road or gravel biased groupset etc.
I'm currently debating chopping in my Inbred (with rigid carbon fork) & replacing it with a gravel bike so been looking at lots of options recently. Too much choice out there!!
Yeah, @stumpy01's list is about right - Ribble CGR for sure, Orbea Terra. Cannondale Topstone is a bit steep for what it is but they come up secondhand. Maybe a more recent Genesis Croix de Fer or CdA? Pinnacle Arkose as long as it has a decent groupset. Sonder Camino, maybe, though they tend to come as 1x.
More on a budget line, Merlin have some decent stuff - this is an absolute steal for the Wilier Jareen - it's still Tiagra equivalent in GRX, 2x10, but it's Shimano hydraulic brakes. Also, I really like subcompact chainrings (so 46-30 up front, 11-32 in back, that'll haul you up a lot). Comes with 40c tyres, you might want something lighter for road. There aren't many reviews of this bike online, but saw one from a Dutch site iirc.
Cycle Exchange in Kingston are reputable - they really only sell decent kit, well-serviced. In their adventure/gravel category they currently have a large Terra Carbon but oof it has a 52-36 chainset and 11-30 out back on it right now, which I'd want to change up. They are generally an expensive place to shop, 1500 is usually at their low end, but it's another place I can think of.
I’d look at sonder at that price point
https://alpkit.com/products/sonder-camino-al-v3-apex1-hydraulic
I had a 2021 Contend SL disc, so slightly more road orientated spec. This was to be a winter bike, on the back of a couple of Defy's over the preceding 6 years. A good well specced bike, but for me it felt really dull to ride. I sold it after a few rides and bought a new Carbon Synapse Ultegra ! ...cost a bit more mind ..
Wouldn't touch a dRibble with a barge pole
I tried Giants before I eventually settled on my Spesh Diverge, but I found the sizing just didn't feel right. I'm on Diverge #2 now - I was 'lucky' and got mine from Bike24 before all the B**** rubbish kicked in so was a good deal at the time. It's not a future shock version but has hydro brakes, and 2x10 tiagra. It's not flash or fancy, but it fits me and works very well. I can run 700 or 650b wheels - it will take up to (from memory) 700x 45/47c tyres or 650b x 2.1. I just run with the stock 700 wheels as it spends most of its time on the road or paved cycle paths, but it copes well enough off-road and the only limiting factor to this at the moment is the tyres (i'm on semi-slicks) and me!!!
If I was looking again I'd also not discount Vitus such as:
or, Boardmans as suggested above.
A mate I ride with has a 'contend' bought a couple of years ago I think.
It seems like a pretty good bike, his is Tiagra Spec but has the Giant own brand mechanically actuated Hydraulic brakes with stem mounted master cylinders, rather than the Tektro Mechanical discs the linked ones seems to have, I think I'd prefer the hydraulic brakes rather than mechanical...
spyke85
Wouldn’t touch a dRibble with a barge pole
@spyke85 ......why not? Genuine question, as they keep ending up near the top of my shortlist of a bike I'll probably never actually get round to buying.
They are good value, look OK, seem to get good reviews...
I’ll admit current Ribble bikes look ace however. Mate has a gravel Ribble(integrated) bar/stem combo. Found crack in bars and was keen to try normal bar/stem. Can’t do it as some of the Ribble is propriety ? Or something. Ok no worries he was prepared to buy bits to sort the issue. Ribble would not sell them separate only come on full bike builds 🤷♂️
Maybe I’ve recanted his story wrong but it sounded like a total f****ng headache !!
Well, really appreciate everyone’s comments. Great fun looking at bikes to buy. Less fun finding one that’s actually in stock 🙁
Tredz have a medium Boardman 8.9 in stock. The sizing runs a bit large, my medium is fine at 5’11”
the Wilier Jareen
That is one fugly paint job! Even at a modest price point you have the right to be proud of your bike 🙂
Something from here perhaps?
https://www.lyonequipment.com/bikes
My ex demo Warroad (perfect for what you describe) arrived next day! 😀
Ooh. This looks interesting…
https://www.lyonequipment.com/bikes/pgr/salsa-warbird-carbon-grx-600-545cm--ex-demo__2884