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Hi all. Due to a huge lack of stock I may be switching attention from a XC bike to a Gravel. My mate has a Vitus VRS1 which he really likes and I have been looking at Ribble, Planet X Space Chicken, Nukeproof Digger, and others around £1000/1500.
Any others to consider or advice to give as I'm new to all this! Think I want the slacker end of the scale but am flexible on frame material (although lighter the better I guess). Happy to go 2x, not too bothered on wheel size and not too bothered about paying extra for a badge so quality and performance are key.
Whyte Friston, Merida Silex or Marin Gestalt x10 would be my choice. Shorter stems and inspired by MTB’s. Most gravel bikes are just poorly disguised road bikes imo. At least those three are attempting to do something a bit different.
Cheers mate. Had the same thought tbh and don't really want to sell my road bike but I also want a tool to ride with my mate until he comes to his senses!
I bought a pinnacle arkose d3 a few months ago.
Initially it felt too small as I was comparing it to my road bike.
I now find it perfect for the riding I do. I hardly use my road bike or hardtail.
Ribble CGR?
https://www.ribblecycles.co.uk/ribble-cgr-al/
https://www.ribblecycles.co.uk/ribble-cgr-al-blue-gravel/
I bought a pinnacle arkose d3 a few months ago.
Initially it felt too small as I was comparing it to my road bike.
I now find it perfect for the riding I do. I hardly use my road bike or hardtail.
Love mine, used it with 32mm road tyres when I was without a road bike and was still getting PBs on Strava even with the sub compact gearing, which is pretty much spot on for "proper" gravel riding
Hardest part is finding something in stock. The merlin apex one is worth a look at 1k
Slight budget stretch but CRC have Kona Libre AL’s in stock in every size at the moment at £1800.
https://www.chainreactioncycles.com/kona-libre-al-adventure-road-bike-2020/rp-prod193352
I had the carbon version momentarily but had to send it back as the sizing was a bit out and felt too big. Ended up swapping it for a Kona Sutra LTD which is lovely. The carbon one was silly light for a gravel bike though.
Cheers all. Seems to be a fair amount of XL Gravel stock so should be able to find something. I had looked at the Ribble and it seems decent but there's a wait for the frame. Off to check out the other recommendations 🙂
Ended up swapping it for a Kona Sutra LTD which is lovely. The carbon one was silly light for a gravel bike though.
That’s going from one extreme to another? I love the look of the Sutra LTD but it seems the listed weight is 1kg more even than a stock Genesis Vagabond (often comes under fire for being a bit ‘lardy’, but I think unfairly for such a tough touring/monstercross/29er with 2x MTB groupo)
So ... how does the Sutra ride?
That’s going from one extreme to another?
It was but they didn’t have the Libre in the next size down left. If they did I wouldn’t have thought twice about just dropping a size. Really didn’t want cable discs which was the other option of another bike I was looking at and given how little stock of gravel bikes there was left anywhere I thought I’d take a punt on the Sutra.
So … how does the Sutra ride?
Lovely. Not that light but nice steel feel and still quicker than my other mountain bikes on genuine gravel. Climbs nice and quick on road too and really like that it still feels very much like a mountain bike in terms of handling, didn’t want a twitchy bike and didn’t get one. And if I end up riding it down proper mountain bike trails I don’t feel worried that it’ll fall apart. In fact, I’ve been riding it as much on singletrack as I have on gravel.
I've got a GT Grade and it's a brilliant bike - gets used more than my hardtail and road bike combined because it's so comfortable and capable. Mine is the original version so is limited to 35/38mm tyres and the geo is a bit steeper than some of the current designs but it still goes down steep, rocky stuff in an entertaining fashion. The new model looks even better - I'd recommend both (my 58cm is in the Classifieds despite being my favourite bike as I'm getting the newer one).