Adventure/gravel type bike. Choices around £2000?
Discussion
I'm looking to spend 2k tops on a gravel/adventure type bike and was wondering what's out there that's good?
I've been riding a Felt F65X for the last year and a half and really like it but I simply have wanting a new bike syndrome!
I mainly ride on bridleways, canal towpaths and the odd bit of singletrack when I go to Epping forest.
My only requisite with the new bike is it has to have hydraulic brakes, for 2k I would expect that though.
The PlanetX titanium Tempest looks really good value, with the Ti frame and Ultegra groupset.
Anyone have any other thoughts as to where and on what their money would go on?
I've been riding a Felt F65X for the last year and a half and really like it but I simply have wanting a new bike syndrome!
I mainly ride on bridleways, canal towpaths and the odd bit of singletrack when I go to Epping forest.
My only requisite with the new bike is it has to have hydraulic brakes, for 2k I would expect that though.
The PlanetX titanium Tempest looks really good value, with the Ti frame and Ultegra groupset.
Anyone have any other thoughts as to where and on what their money would go on?
Sonder Camino Ti https://www.alpkit.com/sonder/bikes/sonder-camino-...
spiralp said:
Sonder Camino Ti https://www.alpkit.com/sonder/bikes/sonder-camino-...
Now that I like!Thanks, had never heard of them, look very nice.
Not as trendy as the others but http://www.wiggle.co.uk/gt-grade-carbon-ultegra-20...
I've got the 105 carbon and it's a smooth ride, apparently the 2017 models will have more tyre clearance
I've got the 105 carbon and it's a smooth ride, apparently the 2017 models will have more tyre clearance
Personally I'd go for something like a Salsa Fargo if you really want to go bike-packing or multi day adventures, if you want something a little faster, the new Ritchey Outback. Ideally you want slack head angles and a fairly long wheelbase, loads of mounting points etc. Charlie the Bikemonger in Swanage is worth a call. Don't buy a complete bike though, buy the frame and build it up so you can spec it in a way that suits you and you can put money where you want.
If however, all you want is a drop bar bike for days out on bridle paths, a regular CX bike is probably ideal if you can squeeze wider tyres on it.
If however, all you want is a drop bar bike for days out on bridle paths, a regular CX bike is probably ideal if you can squeeze wider tyres on it.
A tad over your budget but available through various outlets at discounted prices
Raleigh RX Team, online prices vary from just under £3k to 3.5k. Halford were doing silly prices a couple of weeks ago when I bought mine, so silly that I thought the deal was another of their website errors and left it for a week before hitting the 'buy it now button' The good news is once ordered through Halfords you then deal directly with Raleigh so Halfords mechanics don't get their hands on it as it's sent directly from Nottingham to your door in a couple of days
Cheapest I can find it at the moment is direct from Raleigh for £2310. Link here... Click
Raleigh RX Team, online prices vary from just under £3k to 3.5k. Halford were doing silly prices a couple of weeks ago when I bought mine, so silly that I thought the deal was another of their website errors and left it for a week before hitting the 'buy it now button' The good news is once ordered through Halfords you then deal directly with Raleigh so Halfords mechanics don't get their hands on it as it's sent directly from Nottingham to your door in a couple of days
Cheapest I can find it at the moment is direct from Raleigh for £2310. Link here... Click
BaronVonVaderham said:
Ah the latest cycling fad, gravel bikes.
Just get a sodding MTB and have some fun!
Whilst I wouldn't counsel against 'N + 1', and would buy a "gravel bike" or "green laner" if I had the cash and space, I'm sort of with you on this. I find that there are mildly 'off-road' bits that I can happily do on a plain road bike with 23mm slicks. Then there are lots of trails where only a MTB will do. Which is why I have one of each, a carbon fibre lightweight road bike, and a full suspension (short travel) XC MTB.Just get a sodding MTB and have some fun!
But! There is a middle ground type of trail which is no fun to risk a road bike (or at least it's tyres) on, yet you feel held back by the weight and tyres of a true MTB. It's these gravel fire roads and non-technical off road trails where a gravel/CX/green laner type of bike would really come into it's own. There are a few Strava segments near home where I've maxed out my speed on the MTB, held back by the gearing, yet when I hit them hard on a road bike I end up with pinch-flats before I can even get it fully 'wound up' for that KOM attempt. So a gravel bike with compact road gearing but space for larger volume tyres might realistically help me to trim off a chunk of time on these sections. Sad, I know, but there it is. I've been 'assimilated' by the marketing billiards churned out by the bike manufacturers...
A friend has a GT Grade Carbon 105 which he loves.
I have an On-One Pickenflick :
Review: http://www.bikeradar.com/road/gear/category/bikes/...
I have an On-One Pickenflick :
Review: http://www.bikeradar.com/road/gear/category/bikes/...
Thanks for all the replies, i think that it's the Sonder Camino Ti that really ticks all the boxes so big thanks to spiralp for bringing that to my attention.
For £1500 I can have a Sram Rival equipped bike so it's also £500 under budget.
Or for an extra £150 I can have custom geometry or extra bottle bosses etc.
I've just been on the phone to Alpkit and very helpful they were too.
I'm going to pop up to Nottingham in the next few weeks for a test ride and a proper chat.
For me a gravel bike isn't a fad, it suits the type of riding I do just perfectly.
I've had loads of MTB's over the years and they were just overkill for me.
Since I sold my last MTB and bought my Felt cross bike i've never ridden so much.
I'm sure i'll be doing even more when I get this new bike!
For £1500 I can have a Sram Rival equipped bike so it's also £500 under budget.
Or for an extra £150 I can have custom geometry or extra bottle bosses etc.
I've just been on the phone to Alpkit and very helpful they were too.
I'm going to pop up to Nottingham in the next few weeks for a test ride and a proper chat.
For me a gravel bike isn't a fad, it suits the type of riding I do just perfectly.
I've had loads of MTB's over the years and they were just overkill for me.
Since I sold my last MTB and bought my Felt cross bike i've never ridden so much.
I'm sure i'll be doing even more when I get this new bike!
Well worth a visit to Alpkit, they are a great bunch. They all love what they do and are very enthusiastic. When you get there you will realise that you are not paying for a glossy showroom and slick marketing.
One other difference between the £2k and £1.5k bikes is that the cheaper bike has cable brakes. In my view the higher spec groupset and hydraulic brakes are well worth the additional £500.
One other difference between the £2k and £1.5k bikes is that the cheaper bike has cable brakes. In my view the higher spec groupset and hydraulic brakes are well worth the additional £500.
spiralp said:
Well worth a visit to Alpkit, they are a great bunch. They all love what they do and are very enthusiastic. When you get there you will realise that you are not paying for a glossy showroom and slick marketing.
One other difference between the £2k and £1.5k bikes is that the cheaper bike has cable brakes. In my view the higher spec groupset and hydraulic brakes are well worth the additional £500.
Oh hadn't spotted that they were cable discs on the cheaper bike, thought it was too good a deal to be true.One other difference between the £2k and £1.5k bikes is that the cheaper bike has cable brakes. In my view the higher spec groupset and hydraulic brakes are well worth the additional £500.
No bother, i'll go for the £2k bike as I really want hydraulics.
I take it you own a Camino Ti spiralp?
Got any pix?
jesusbuiltmycar said:
A friend has a GT Grade Carbon 105 which he loves.
I have an On-One Pickenflick :
Review: http://www.bikeradar.com/road/gear/category/bikes/...
I'd go for a Pickenflick and upgrade the wheels with a set of Kinesis Crosslights.I have an On-One Pickenflick :
Review: http://www.bikeradar.com/road/gear/category/bikes/...
bigtomski said:
Oh hadn't spotted that they were cable discs on the cheaper bike, thought it was too good a deal to be true.
No bother, i'll go for the £2k bike as I really want hydraulics.
I take it you own a Camino Ti spiralp?
Got any pix?
Good call, the Sonder has triple cage mounts and mounts for racks, it's a proper adventure bike. You could tour for weeks on it or just all day blasts, it's nice to have the option. Check out the bike packing pictures thread on singletrackworld for inspiration.No bother, i'll go for the £2k bike as I really want hydraulics.
I take it you own a Camino Ti spiralp?
Got any pix?
bigtomski said:
spiralp said:
Well worth a visit to Alpkit, they are a great bunch. They all love what they do and are very enthusiastic. When you get there you will realise that you are not paying for a glossy showroom and slick marketing.
One other difference between the £2k and £1.5k bikes is that the cheaper bike has cable brakes. In my view the higher spec groupset and hydraulic brakes are well worth the additional £500.
Oh hadn't spotted that they were cable discs on the cheaper bike, thought it was too good a deal to be true.One other difference between the £2k and £1.5k bikes is that the cheaper bike has cable brakes. In my view the higher spec groupset and hydraulic brakes are well worth the additional £500.
No bother, i'll go for the £2k bike as I really want hydraulics.
I take it you own a Camino Ti spiralp?
Got any pix?
egor110 said:
You'd get hydraulics on a boardman cx team or a arkose 3/4 and save yourself a grand.
You're right I could but neither of those bikes particularly do it for me.I now think I really fancy a ti framed bike.
I had a Clark Kent titanium mountain bike back in the day which sadly got nicked.
Ever since then I've promised myself I'd have another ti bike!
The above is not my photo (it's nicked from the internet) but my old bike looked similar to this.
I had the same Syncros cranks, I even had a ti Syncros seat post on mine.
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