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I'm helping my Dad look for a new bike, he mainly rides probably 40% on tarmac roads of cycle tracks and 60% of light gravel or hard packed dirt with a small bit of actual off-road thrown in. Usual rides are around 40 miles in length at a very steady speed but he does sometimes do longer trips like the coast to coast
He now wants to replace his hardtail mountain bike for a gravel bike which I think is a sensible choice
He informs me that he has the following requirements:
- Carbon frame and fork
- No suspension components
- 1 x electronic gearing
- Hydraulic disc brakes
- Tubeless ready wheels and tires
- Be priced at the lower end of the market for such a spec list i.e. around £3000 or less would be ideal
The option to take frame bags and proper mudgaurds would be a bonus but not essential as unlikely to be used
A quick look online and I have found 3 options
Boardman Adv 9.2
Canyon Grail CF SL 7
Ribble Gravel SL Sport
Is there anything else he should be looking at?
Thanks in advance
This seems to tick most of the boxes
https://planetx.co.uk/products/planet-x-ec-130-sram-force-axs-road-bike
My riding mate and I both have Specialized Diverge STRs. We've had them 18 months and now ride little else. Our very nice road bikes hardly ever, our beefy bikes only when we're going to the peak etc. and every ride we say what brilliant bikes, whether that's 50 miles mostly road or 20 miles over Cannock Chase.
They were a bit over that (and my) budget but I don't regret it and you might find a last year model cheaper.
Thanks I'll look into it. Without going crazy money isn't a huge factor in the purchase, he is still running about on a 2012 hardtail which I cast off going to full suspension years ago. It's had 2 sets of wheels and a good few groupsets in that time so it's not like the gravel bike won't get used or kept for a long time.
I suggested looking at road bikes but he isn't interested.
My riding tends to be 100% road of proper enduro style stuff but the more I look at gravel bikes the more interested I become especially with all the old railway lines round here. I might have to give his a try when he gets it!
A good option thanks
I know you said carbon frame, but if he could be tempted by titanium bling, the Sonder Camino Ti is a fantastic bike. I'm a gravel newbie so don't have much else to compare it to, but I absolutely love riding mine. I was strictly mtb only before, but increasingly, my mountain bikes get overlooked for the Camino when I fancy a ride. I'm currently acquiring bikepacking kit with a view to a few mini adventures later this year. I'm 61, your dad's riding sounds similar to mine, a gravel bike will probably suit him very well.
Any particular reason for the carbon frame?
Just my own opinion, but as a definite non-racer who is now nearer 60 than 50, my next bike of any genre is likely to steel or Ti. To get similar ride feel from carbon or alloy is not going to be any cheaper, and I can save a pound in weight by taking a dump.
Whatever Giant Revolt fits the budget I reckon, they seem really well specced for the money.
I can save a pound in weight by taking a dump
100g if you're lucky, don't ask me how I know... and do you not take a poo before going for a ride anyway? Or do you decide whether to go based on how heavy your bike is? 😂
Carbon vs. steel for the same money is probably 1.5kg give or take.
My wife & I both ride a Specialized Diverge. We've had them about 3 years & now get ridden much more than the road or MTB's.
A bit over budget but I'd try stretch to this
2023 Specialized Diverge Expert Carbon Gravel Bike - Dune White
I'm no gravel expert, but I have been riding bikes a long time.
Very happy with my Boardman (ADV9.0) and I believe it is/was a fair bit lighter than most bikes at a similar price point - £1500 reduced from £1750 I think. Not sure if that continues to be the case as you move up in cost
No idea about specific recommendations, but I've heard that Cube do some supposedly superb gravel bikes that are exceptional value for money (purely hearsay on my part though).
https://www.cube.eu/uk-en/bikes/gravel/nuroad?properties=d76da8d6a3203c8aab2dc4037aeca9c6#nav-bikes
Under the recommend what you have method, an On One Free Ranger.
I did a +70 miles gravel ride on mine yesterday in Dumfries & Galloway, utterly bombproof.
Mine's done over 8,000 miles in 4 years, everything from local road rides, thru Audax's to gravel & bikepacking.
I do have 3 sets of wheels (inc rotors & cassette) running 34mm slicks, 42mm semi-slicks and 2.1" XC tyres.
Currently available with wireless for £1800 although I'd probably spend a bit more to get the full AXS XPLR setup (as I bought mine with Force 1 while friends bought the lower groupset, Rival and replaced the callipers with Hope after a couple of years).
I know you said carbon frame, but if he could be tempted by titanium bling, the Sonder Camino Ti is a fantastic bike. I'm a gravel newbie so don't have much else to compare it to, but I absolutely love riding mine. I was strictly mtb only before, but increasingly, my mountain bikes get overlooked for the Camino when I fancy a ride. I'm currently acquiring bikepacking kit with a view to a few mini adventures later this year. I'm 61, your dad's riding sounds similar to mine, a gravel bike will probably suit him very well.
I'm 3 rides/100 miles into my pretty basic spec Al Camino and I've got to say, its absolutely brilliant. A bike I wish I'd bought years ago. A mate has the Ti version with wireless shifting etc and if I was to change mine thats what I'd go for.
do you not take a poo before going for a ride anyway?
If I don't, then I'll 100% be taking one during the ride.
As to which bike the OP's dad should get...
Personally I'm a big fan of Boardman's road and gravel bikes - the geometry is nicely balanced and they ride really well, along with usually being great value.
If it were me, I'd be looking for something with 1x GRX mechanical, just because I like Shimano and mechanical - and it would also give me Shimano brakes.
But if yer dad gets on with Sram, I'm sure that Apex leccy stuff has come on leaps and bounds since the crap old road version I used to have.
I'm 3 rides/100 miles into my pretty basic spec Al Camino and I've got to say, its absolutely brilliant. A bike I wish I'd bought years ago. A mate has the Ti version with wireless shifting etc and if I was to change mine thats what I'd go for.
What he said, except I'm umpteen rides into my Camino Al with GRX 11-speed and bloody love it. More mtb-ish than most, but still fine on the road. It'd be even nicer with some proper light wheels and better tyres, but perfectly fine as is. The longish reach and slack-ish head angle make it super competent off road, which if it's going to replace a hardtail mtb, means he'll have a bit of overlap on the rougher stuff. Paint isn't the best - chips relatively easily but is mostly holding up fine so far, ti would render that irrelevant anyway.
I'd love a ti one, but I'm unconvinced the extra cost makes much sense given how well the aluminium one rides anyway, but if it's in budget, yeah totally.
Gotta love the underdog vibe 🙂 
Just to add my obligatory 'does he actually want drop bars?' post (and if he's been an MTBr up to now the answer is probably 'probably not'), then look at the Giant Fastroad range.
I've got the Fastroad AR Advanced, it's full carbon, it'll comfortably take a 40c tyre with guards and bigger tyres without. It's super comfortable and quick on road, converted railway line, towpath, farmtrack type stuff and perfectly decent on stuff with a bit more gnarr.
I don't think there's an electronic shifting option but, for me, that's of no consequence. In fact I've got the one with the Tiagra 2x10spd and had plans to 'upgrade' it to 1x GRX but haven't bothered in the end as it all just works cos, you know, Shimano
i have 2 gravel bikes, and they have both already been recommended. A Spesh Diverge Carbon Expert - lovely on and off road, pretty light, Futureshock up front is maintenance free and eases the jarring a bit, 1x AXS is simple and intuitive. That would be my bike of choice if i could only have one.
The other is a Giant Revolt X Advanced Pro 1, so probs a bit too near the mtb niche end for your dad. It has suspension fork, 1 x AXS shifting and AXS reverb. It has effectively replaced my mtb...
If you can lower essential requirements, I'd say grab a bargain GT eGrade electric gravel from Pauls Cycles...
Current (flat bar) £1049
Bolt (2x GRX400) £1249
Amp (1x GRX600/800) £1449
This seems to tick all the boxes.
https://www.cube.eu/uk-en/cube-nuroad-c-62-ex-pigeonblue-n-art/830310
Any particular reason for the carbon frame?
I think realistically he has looked at my carbon mountain and road bikes with envy for a while.
Also his mate has just gone from hardtail MTB to carbon gravel bike and is now thrashing him on every ride
He has got all set up with a smart trainer and is getting lots of training in on zwift so I guess he now just wants to treat himself to a nicer bike than he has ever had before and in his mind carbon = nice
New PX Reiver looks genuinely good - spec, geo, shape. I'm a fan of mounts galore.
The mainstream players mentioned are also probably good shouts in price range: Giant Revolt Advanced, Spesh Diverge. Also Trek Checkpoint SL. Not exciting, but once you go to carbon you are either looking at rebadged Carbonda type stuff (eg PX) or the buying power of larger brands, if you don't want to spend the earth.
Just to add my obligatory 'does he actually want drop bars?'
Drop bars will be a must for this new bike for a change from the mtb stance he is used to....
But mainly so I can borrow the bike for some gravel events I'm now looking at for the back end of the year once I have got this stupid ironman I'm training for out the way
OP, as well as the requirements listed in your original post, something for your Dad to consider if definitely how he wants the bike to ride/feel.
There is a massive range of gravel bike types between road bike with large tyre clearance and drop-bar mountain bike.
I've got an aluminium Sonder Camino & drop bars aside, it feels even more MTB than my rigid Inbred.
If I've been riding the road bike for a while and then take the Camino out, its like swapping from a Lotus Elise to a Toyota Hi-Lux.
There is a massive range of gravel bike types between road bike with large tyre clearance and drop-bar mountain bike.
Good point this.
And I keep hearing how 50mm tyres are gonna be the new normal (or at least very popular) on gravel bikes, so tyre clearance may be something to check closely.
I'm currently on 45mm myself and would happily try 50mm if my frame would allow.
OP, as well as the requirements listed in your original post, something for your Dad to consider if definitely how he wants the bike to ride/feel.
There is a massive range of gravel bike types between road bike with large tyre clearance and drop-bar mountain bike.I've got an aluminium Sonder Camino & drop bars aside, it feels even more MTB than my rigid Inbred.
If I've been riding the road bike for a while and then take the Camino out, its like swapping from a Lotus Elise to a Toyota Hi-Lux.
Good points well made.
I'd assume (but will check with him) if 0 is pretty much a road bike, and 10 is basically a mountain bike with drop bars he will be looking for a 5
Not really a recommendation as I think it’s out of budget but my wife and I are having an absolute blast on our pair of specialized stigmata right now. Wonderful bikes. Best impulse buy ever!
Not really a recommendation as I think it’s out of budget but my wife and I are having an absolute blast on our pair of specialized stigmata right now. Wonderful bikes. Best impulse buy ever!
Thought the Stigmata was from Santa Cruz?
Thought the Stigmata was from Santa Cruz?
Sorry yes, brainfart time. I'll plead fatigue after riding the wild horse loop out of De Beque yesterday 🙂
Just to provide a follow up on this as I know a lot of people don’t bother
My Dads ordered a Boardman ADV 9.6 and is picking it up next week on a blinding deal.
I ended up getting carried away and have ordered a Specialized Diverge Carbon Comp which arrived today and gets its maiden voyage (just the commute) tomorrow morning!
I’ll check back in after a few weeks with our thoughts
Great stuff, I think this calls for a double NBD photo when both bikes are there, eh?