[Closed] What Gravel Bike

Are those 3 in stock?

I've gone with a Cannondale Topstone 1 even though it wasn't best value as it was the one bike I was actually able to buy and from a local store.

The Holdsworth and the Dolan seem to be I have looked at the Topstone as well. I've got a couple of months until I need to sort a winter bike I guess.

Personally none of them till they can ship with GRX rather than 105. Nothing against 105, I've got it on my road bike and think it's all I'll ever need but for a bike I'd be taking off road I'd want lower gearing.

I got a 58cm Ragley Trig this year and think it's ace. Don't know about stock though?

A few shops have 58s in the Trek checkpoints.You can use the Trek website to find stock, it's usually pretty accurate.

I just had a 58 ALR 5 delivered from Cookson Cycles for £2150 with no delays..2x GRX and seems a decent replacement for my old winter bike. Can you top up with the £150, or go down to ALR4 if not possible. Loads of different mount points for guards and rack. Colour looks weird in below photo, it's teal irl.

I've just ordered one of these for £1500: https://www.planetx.co.uk/i/q/CBPXLRTIRIV1/planet-x-london-road-titanium-sram-rival-1-bike No reviews but looks very similar to the Tempest which has got good reviews. Build date 6th August.

There is also the Tempest with Force 1 which is within your budget which I think has more tyre clearance.

These are SRAM but so is the Houldsworth you are considering.

Edit: You need to factor in postage if you are spending bang on £2k with Cyclescheme. I didn't when I applied for my voucher however spoke to Planet X who gave me a discount code for free bike postage if you need it.

OP says 2x and not SRAM, them up there suggest 1x SRAM bikes, winner 🤣

If you can get on the Vitus Substance CRS2 is perfect for what you want, 2x GRX 11 speed, guard and rack mounts and just a smidge under £2k, but I don't know if CRC / Wiggle do bike 2 work.

I seem to recall that Ribble were quoting next April if you want a build with a Shimano groupset. Sram may be available sooner. That might change your choice.

It would depend on which cycle scheme, which bikes are available through it and finally which are in-stock or how long are you prepared to wait for it.

I looked at the Holdsworth, but didn't like the new colours, so bought a Freeranger.

Only SRAM at the mo, I'm 6'2" with long legs and on an XL.

Cube NuRoad FE ticks all your boxes and comes with mudguards and a rear rack pre-fitted.

I have the 2018 non FE model and it's a great bike.

My Sonder Camino is a revelation.

It’s incredibly capable off road, whilst on goes for miles

Specialized Diverge Elite E5 is £1900, comes with GRX 2x.

Boardman ADV8.9 is only £1100 & fits the bill.
Boardman ADV 9.0 carbon is £1800 & also looks like a good bet.

GT Grade Carbon Elite? £2k and 58cm in stock at cyclestore

I also have a cube nuroad, mine is a ‘21 carbon pro so out of budget, but they do alu versions too.
Rides very well, i think I’d struggle to find fault with it tbh.

Wheelbase have Cube Nuroads, last time I looked.

actually scrub that, the website is rubbish...

I've ended up going with the Holdsworth Mystique with Rival as with a 10% off code it ended up nearly £350 cheaper than the Force version. I'll let you know what it's like. It arrives tomorrow I love new bike day.

Ideally 2x groupset for the same reason and preferably NOT Sram. All my other road bikes are Shimano so I’d like to keep it Shimano.

What happened?

Apart from the bottom bracket I really liked sram double tap on my road bike.

I've got a Trek checkpoint Alr4 , which I got for the pre increase £1700. I cant fault it apart from the crap stock Bontrager tyres. You would think it would have came with tubeless ready tyres. That said It's brilliant , I've done 4 overnighters and use it for my local mtbs trails. I've just taken the gravel kings off and put on Schwalbe ultrabites for the winter. If you get one helitape it as Bike packing bags will strip the paint back to the Aluminium.

It seemed to be really difficult to buy the bike I wanted originally. The 2x bikes had a long wait on them. The deal came up on Holdsworth and it was one of the ones I'd looked at anyway on several occasions so thought sod it and bit the bullet. The wife isn't happy that I have another bike. She can't see why I need 4 😀 I tried the N+1 explanation but she didn't buy it.

I'll second the recommendation for Boardman ADV8.9. had mine a year, very good. Save yourself some money

Keep an eye on the bottom bracket area of the Mystique. I had two do this:

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Vitus Substance if you can get one. Whichever fits your budget.
I've got a Boardman 8.9 and find it heavy, dull and uninspiring. Since got a Subtance CRX and like night and day in comparison.

Vitus Substance if you can get one. Whichever fits your budget.

Out of budget but crikey that CRS-2 eTap looks good value with that groupset.

 

I can't help with the bikes but after a doing a gravel loop from Sheffield last weekend I can confirm that they are really good fun 🙂

The descents feel so fast as you hop, skip, jump and pump. And the sections that would be draggy on your big bike zip by.

And a special mention should be given to the tubeless WTB Riddlers for being able to take an absolute beating. There were a lot of thuds, especially on the red run at Lady Cannings but no dramas.

Bike arrived yesterday. Did it's shakedown run yesterday afternoon. Great fun weird to be off road on drop bars though. Brakes need bleeding they're far to spongy for my liking. Got some 650b wheels arriving this week so I can use slick on the 700's for commuting.