Best gravel bikes 2025: Our favourite bikes for drop-bar off-road action

The best gravel bikes let you take on untarmacked surfaces so that you can explore a wider range of places. Big tyres, stable geometry and a wide gear range balance off-road capability with a good turn of speed on-road too,

If you’re not sure what you’re looking for, we’ve got a guide to what is a gravel bike, which explains more about this popular style of bike. Although many gravel bikes are generalists, the genre is becoming increasingly divided with a spectrum from fast gravel race bikes to bikes that will let you load up and head off on multi-day off-grid adventures.

After extensive testing, we’ve rounded up our pick of the best gravel bikes below, but we’ve also got guides to the best women’s gravel bikes, the best budget gravel bikes and even electric gravel bikes if you’re looking for some other choices. 

Read on for our pick of the best gravel bikes, or scroll down to the bottom of the page for our guide on different types of gravel bikes, gravel tech and how to choose the best gravel bike for you.

Best gravel bikes: Quick list

Best gravel bikes available today

Best gravel bike

The Canyon Grail had a makeover in 2023, changing from the original all-rounder to a bike much more designed for gravel racing, which is 9.1 watts faster at 45kph than the original. 

The new Grail has the same aero tube profiles as the Ultimate road bike and the double-decker handlebars have been replaced by a new, more conventional design. The bars slope downward from the stem to the hoods, to place you lower. The reach has also increased and there’s the option to fit bar extensions.

The Grail frame now has internal storage and Fidlock magnetic mounts for a frame bag and top tube bag. Tyre clearance has increased slightly to 42mm, although if we were to level any criticism towards the Grail we think the tyre clearance is a little restrictive based on current trends for bigger tyres.

Our Tech writer Tom Wieckowski tested the Grail and was impressed by the performance as it feels fast on nearly all terrains. The ride is nimble and exciting, making it easy to change direction when doing things like climbing out of the saddle. On descents the Grail is stable and adept in technical terrain, confidence-inspiring, and just downright fun. It’s no slouch on the road or on quicker smoother gravel sections, it doesn’t feel a million miles away from a road bike, and the quicker wheels play their part in this by instantly responding to increases in power and effort.

We’ve selected the middle spec CF SLX frame here, but there are three tiers of Grail bikes to choose from. 

Curious to find out more? Then read our in-depth review of the Canyon Grail CF SLX 8 AX.

Best gravel race bike

Associate Tech Editor Josh Croxton proclaimed that the Ridley ASTR RS gravel bike will become a blueprint for how the best gravel race bikes will be designed over the next handful of years. 

The combination of the aerodynamic frame with narrow handlebars, massive tyre clearance, decent weight, and a geometry that pairs a long wheelbase with a racy, aggressive fit. It’s light too, with an 890g claimed frame weight (unpainted) and 7.9kg total weight for the review bike fitted with 50mm tyres.

The ASTR RS isn’t breaking radical new ground in the world of gravel racing, there are plenty of gravel race bikes that leverage aerodynamic tricks or wide tyres. The reason the ASTR RS stands out though is that it’s the bike doing both of those things well, without any real detriment to weight.

The small details haven’t escaped Ridley’s attention either, narrow 36cm handlebars encourage a fast aero position when charging across flat terrain. There is also a set of new Apidura bags designed in conjunction with the bike which are not only practical but also reportedly worth 2.6 watts at 36km/h.

As part of the testing process, Josh set up the Ridley ASTR RS to race several gravel events finding it to be fast, handled excellently, and add comfort. The bike is light enough to ease climbing and surefooted yet nimble to breeze through technical descents. 

Check out our Ridley ASTR RS review for more juicy details.

Best lightweight gravel bike

The latest generation S-Works Crux has turned its attention to gravel. It’s still light though: 7.25kg light, which Specialized claims makes it the lightest gravel bike in the world.

The Crux inherits a lot of the lightweight tech from the S-Works Aethos and applies it to a gravel bike. The Crux’s 700c x 47mm/650b x 2.1″ tyre clearance means that you can fit wide rubber, as well as using the Crux as a racing rig, and Spesh has tweaked the geometry for increased stability. The front end still runs external hoses, rather than being integrated, and there’s a two-part bar and stem though. 

We felt a little underbiked on even unaggressive terrain, where a less edgy geometry or wider tyres would have helped, but the Crux’s gravel racing (and cyclocross racing) credentials are impeccable. Aero-optimised gravel bikes are going to have an edge on efficiency but that doesn’t seem to affect the Crux’s ability to absolute rocket over smoother gravel surfaces. Unsurprisingly the Crux is most at home on hilly parcours, where its low weight and enormous levels of lateral stiffness will be a significant advantage.

You can read more of our experience with the bike in our Specialized S-Work Crux first ride review.

Best adventure gravel bike

The Canyon Grizl is the direct-to-consumer brand’s idea of a do-everything-go-anywhere gravel bike that’s designed to take on everything from epic gravel rides to laden exploration, covering a broad spectrum of terrain.

If you’re already familiar with the Canyon Grail, you may wonder why the brand has another gravel bike to its line-up, and the answer is to offer something that’s more of a rugged explorer than a lightweight race machine. If you’re after the latter, the Grail could be more up your street, whereas the Grizl comes with more tyre clearance, a longer wheelbase that provides a more stable and comfortable ride feel over long periods of time. The Grizl CF SL 8 1BY we tested is a great option for general gravel riding and adventuring however Canyon has various different flavours of Grizl to suit all rider’s needs, from suspension-equipped models to tackle rough terrain, 2x equipped bikes for faster riding and bikes covering a wide range of budgets.

All the framesets have plenty of mounts for accessories, including anything cage mounts of the fork that can carry up to 3kg on each side. However, be warned that the mudguard mounts are only compatible with Canyon’s mudguards.

Canyon Grizl CF SL 8 1BY – First look gallery

Best budget gravel bike

The Ribble Gravel SL manages to mix fast with a dose of adventure for a bike that can be configured as you like your gravel. There’s a wide range of builds available and options for customisation beyond that. Unfortunately what you won’t find are any 2x options despite the ability to mount a front derailleur. 

Taking full advantage of the customisation Ribble has a reputation for, our test bike was a mix-and-match. The groupset was the SRAM Rival 1 AXS from near the bottom of the SRAM hierarchy but the wheels got an upgrade to the Zipp 303s in 700c. In an effort to add even more on-road usability, the bar and stem were also swapped to the one-piece aero option from the top-spec build that Ribble offers. 

There are loads of mounts, including on the fork legs, making the Gravel SL a do-it-all gravel bike rather than a specialist gravel racer. It even works well for winter road use with mudguards.

Read our full review of the Ribble Gravel SL for more on the bike’s versatility.

Best gravel bike for extreme terrain

The name says it all really. With clearance for 57mm tyres on 700c wheels, this is one capable gravel bike if your riding takes you where no drop bar bike has a right to be seen. At the same time, it still boasts an aero design based on 3T’s original Exploro and you can fit a 2x as well as a 1x groupset.

We reckoned that the chunky looks were more reminiscent of an MTB than a road bike and they make for a complete bike that in all specs weighs over 10kg. The handling too was far more off-road than on. The 3T can handle pretty much anything that an MTB could, which for us begged the question: why choose the 3T Extrema Italia over a hardtail MTB?

There is still a strong use case for a gravel bike like this, riding the Extrema Italia isn’t necessarily about hunting out the roughest singletracks to ride. Instead, it’s about being equipped to tackle anything that a long-distance gravel route may throw at you.

When testing on fast open descents it was stable, with ample grip from the tyres allowing the brakes to be released and gravity to do its work. It held speed well on the flat too, and thanks to the gargantuan cassette no gradient proved too much; especially on muddy climbs the ability to stay in the saddle was invaluable.

Admittedly it’s a specialist machine, but for riders who seek long off-road adventures on unexplored gravel roads the 3T Extrema Italia is unmatched. 

You can read more about our thoughts on 3T’s monster gravel bike in our full 3T Extrema Italia review.

Best steel gravel bike

Another versatile gravel bike, the custom Reynolds steel tubed Fairlight Secan 2.5 has the skinny good looks of the best steel bikes and details like a third in-frame set of bosses on larger frame sizes and custom-made dropouts.

The smallish volume manufacturing means that you can choose your own geometry and spec for the Secan. We’ve ridden the bike under pretty much every gravel scenario and come away impressed by its do-it-all nature. Add big tyres and you can tackle MTB territory; load up and it’s a bikepacker; thinner tyres and it’s a pretty good cyclocross bike; slicker ones and it’s good for that 300km Audax ride.

The Secan was also featured in our gravel bike group test and came away with the best backpacker award due to its customisable nature and steel frame. It’s a really solid all-rounder that’s fast and nimble on the flat but can also handle a surprising amount of rough stuff. 

It’s worth noting that Fairlight has now released the Secan 3.0 which continues where the Secan 2.5 left off. The latest Secan gets a newly shaped chain and seat stays, new dropouts, a carbon fork and even more tyre clearance, with space for up to 700 x 53mm and 62mm in 650B.

Want to know just how we’ve been using and abusing the Fairlight Secan 2.5? Read our long-term review.

Best titanium gravel bike

Moots and its titanium frames have achieved almost legendary status. The RSL is the brand’s raciest gravel bike option, with its premium custom butted tubing and 3D-printed dropouts. Although not totally custom, Moots frames can be tweaked to your requirements.

Beyond the frame itself, the build is also customisable. The 50mm tyre clearance means that your options aren’t limited and you can fit something that will take you into tough terrain.

We raved about the ride feel that’s stiff at the head tube and bottom bracket, but disperses vibration and larger hits for great comfort. Although the frame and fork aren’t the lightest, the ride surpasses this.

You can read more about our 320km endurance ride on the Moots Routt RSL here.

Best budget adventure gravel bike

If you’re planning some rambunctious off-road adventures that will involve tackling rough terrain, the Polygon Bend R5 is a good value-for-money choice. The ALX alloy frame is mated with a carbon fork, and the angular tubes are hydroformed to produce a blend of stiffness and compliance that work well together.

The Polygon Bend R5 comes stock with 650b wheels and 41mm WTB Venture tyres, though there’s definitely more space if you want to size up slightly. We reckon that with 80mm between the fork legs, you could easily squeeze in something over 2 inches and still have room for mud.

The Bend R5 is a versatile steed that could serve as a commuter during the week and a gravel adventure mule at the weekend. It comes with two build options: 2x or 1x Shimano GRX drivetrain, with the latter also including a Tranz-X dropper post. All the finishing kit is supplied by Entity, Polygon’s in-house components brand.

Our Polygon Bend R5 review will cover all these points in more detail and more besides.

Budget titanium gravel bike

Titanium was once the luxury material reserved for riders looking for a premium forever bike, however, these days there are plenty of more affordable titanium options out there. Ribble’s Gravel Ti is one of these, offering a fully built titanium gravel bike for less than the cost of most titanium framesets.

Ribble offers several build options for the Gravel Ti but arguably it’s this Gravel Ti – Sport that stands out. Despite being the base model it still comes equipped with wireless electronic SRAM Rival XPLR AXS groupset. It comes equipped with Mavic Allroad 1 Disc wheels but they can be upgraded to Hope RX24 Alloy wheels or Mavic Cosmic S 42 Carbon at the point of sale.

Ribble uses custom-profiled 3Al/2.5V titanium tubing that provides the kind of sprung resilience that is the whole point of titanium in the first place. What results is a strong, compliant frame that glides over the rough stuff.

Also consider

Trek is on the pointy end of the pack when it comes to comfort technology, and it shouldn’t come as a surprise to find the brand’s IsoSpeed decoupler integrated into the seat cluster — though we are surprised not to have it at the front too. 

The frame sees Trek’s high-end OCLV carbon fibre and the back features the brand’s Stranglehold sliding dropout; allowing the Checkpoint to be run as a single speed and the chainstays to be adjusted by 15mm for slight changes in wheelbase and handling characteristics.

The Checkpoint also features mounts galore and bash guards on the down tube and chainstays. The drive-side chainstay has also been dropped to allow for additional tyre clearance as well as room for a wider variety of front chainrings.

We’ve got a Trek Checkpoint SL 6 review for you if you need some more information.

The Enve MOG is a gravel bike that’s fast enough for racing, but comes with all the mounts and other options to make it much more versatile than the majority of the best gravel race bikes. It’s stiff like a race bike and lively, but not so much so that it’s scary to ride. 

Despite its racing bent, the MOG comes with all the mounts a bikepacker might want, including on the fork legs. There’s a storage cubby in the down tube and you can fit a dropper post. Although it’s aero-optimised for 42mm tyres, you can fit 50mm rubber if you want more squish.

You can buy the MOG as a “rolling chassis” including Enve bar and seatpost and Enve now sells an Ekar build – complete with Enve Foundation AG25 wheels of course.

See how we got on with the Enve MOG in our review.

Argonaut’s build-to-rider model means that if it doesn’t have a mould for a frame that will fit you, it will construct a new one. It also matches the carbon lay-up to your power, weight and riding style. The strange thing is, that its cost is competitive with off-the-shelf gravel bikes from the big brands.

Argonaut has achieved very short 415mm chainstays for agility but still retained 50mm tyre clearance. It’s used tight clearances to do this, although that does mean that crank arm power meter pods aren’t an option. The GR3 is light too, at 7.6kg.

The head tube angle is an exceptionally slack 68.5 degrees, which leads to downhill stability, which in turn means you don’t need to concentrate too hard to get to the bottom fast. With everything custom, you can choose your own build. 

You can read more of our launch ride around Bend, Oregon in our Argonaut GR3  first ride review.

The Genesis Croix de Fer has been around since the rise of modern gravel riding and has seen several iterations over the years. It was never truly pitched as a gravel bike though, rather a one-bike solution that was equally aimed at commuters as it was touring, road riding and gravel. The latest 2025 Croix De Fer has been modernized and is now a proper gravel bike.

The Croix De Fer comes in seven steel build options, including two flat bar options, and it’s available in steel, stainless steel with a carbon fork and titanium with a carbon fork. 

Cyclingnews tester Will Jones spent some time riding the titanium version of the Genesis Croix De Fer and had only good things to say about its new gravel focus. Off-road, and particularly on fast and loose descents, the updates to the geometry give the bike a sure-footed and capable feel. The wider tyres help here for sure, but it being a little longer and a little slacker certainly has something to do with it. It still performs admirably on road and commuter duties, but the small compromises made here mean it’s now considerably better off-road. 

Check out our Genesis Croix de Fer Ti review to hear more about how the titanium frame rides.

Before she defected to Team Ineos, Pauline Ferrand-Prévot won the inaugural UCI Gravel World Championships on the BMC Kaius. It’s that kind of a bike.

Everything is aero. The one-piece bar/stem, for example, is only available in one width: 36cm wide at the tops – even narrower than the Trek Madone – and placing your arms closer for a more aero ride. The drops flare out to 42cm and BMC has countered any tendency to edginess with a large trail and bottom bracket drop.

The One spec gets a SRAM Red AXS XPLR groupset and Zipp 303 Firecrest wheels, although the two lower specs are 2x and have a separate bar and stem.

Despite the racy credentials, the Kaius handles like a gravel bike on rough terrain and is comfortable enough for long ride days. It’s expensive but not out of line with the best gravel race bikes from other brands.

Read our review for our experience racing the BMC Kaius 01 One.

While gravel suspension may be relatively new, it does seem to be taking hold, with different interpretations of the theme from different manufacturers. Eschewing traditional telescopic suspension forks the BMC URS One has a fork vaguely reminiscent of an original Cannondale Headshok. It’s not the easiest suspension fork to dial in, requiring the replacement of preload spacers and stiffer/softer springs, but it is super reactive across rough ground.

The tyre clearance, at 45mm, could be larger, particularly given the ‘Gravel Plus’ moniker, but despite this, our first impressions of the URS One are that it’s extremely capable. 

In addition to the suspension, the geometry of the frame makes for an extremely stable ride. In contrast to the Basso Palta II, the BMC URS One, with its long wheelbase and slack head angle, positively encourages you to bite off more than you’d otherwise be able to chew.

Are you into the more rowdy end of the gravel spectrum? Then the BMC URS One gravel bike review should be on your reading list.

If you’re coming to gravel from mountain biking, or you’re after a bike that is best suited to doing laps of the trail centre rather than 100 milers, then the Szepter, from German mountain-bike specialists YT has got to be on your list. It’s probably the funnest gravel bike on the market today as we found out when we first rode it.

Its main talking points have to be the Rockshox Rudy XPLR front suspension and, in the case of this Core 4 model, the Rockshox Reverb XPLR dropper post. They combine to create a bike that, in our experience, can float over the rough stuff with ease and descend steep trails with confidence. 

But it’s not all about going downhill, when we reached the bottom of the trail and needed to work our way back up, we found that the steep seat angle puts you into a planted, powerful position over the pedals, while the relaxed head angle helped to maintain control and precision, even on tight, steep uphill hairpin corners. 

We rode the slightly cheaper Core 3 Szepter model during our gravel bike testing. We enjoyed riding this version just as much. The non-ultimate version Rudy fork on the Core 3 doesn’t feature lockout, however, so there may be a little more bob on the road or hardpacked trails. The Szepter is a bike for having fun on though and whilst there may be quicker bikes on the fast and flat. If you want a smile on your face and a bike that can get loose this is it. 

Focus was rather late to the gravel party when it launched its Atlas gravel bike, but being late can be fashionable, right?

We were one of the first to test the Focus Atlas 6.8 gravel bike prior to its release, and we found it to be tough, versatile and adaptable. These are all great qualities if you want to load up and escape the every day for a while. The Atlas is definitely on the smooth-ride easy-cruiser end of the gravel spectrum, which means it’s not as light as some of its competitors, but it’s robust enough to load up on luggage and take out for a long and exploratory ramble.

The alloy frame has a large, rectangular downtube with triple mounts for adjustable bottle cage positioning, while the seat tube features a plugged entry point for a dropper post, should you wish to install one.

The Atlas 6.8 comes equipped with 700c wheels but is also 650b compatible, and has clearance for up to 45mm tyres. One of the nice additional features is the top tube bag that comes with every bike as standard. 

As the range’s second-highest model, the 6.8 is kitted out with a mixture of Shimano GRX 600 and 800 drivetrain components, as well as Novatec tubeless-ready wheels and WTB Riddler tyres.

Have a read of our Focus Atlas 6.8 review if you’re curious to know more.

The Cannondale Topstone Carbon has had a makeover since we last reviewed it, which adds extra tyre clearance and dispenses with its Ai symmetric dished rear wheel so that the frame is now compatible with some of the best gravel bike wheels.

It’s retained its Kingpin rear suspension though, which gives you 30mm of rear travel in a design that doesn’t add a lot of weight over a non-suspended rear triangle. That 30mm makes it one of the longer travel gravel bikes, capable of absorbing bigger impacts when riding offroad.

The Topstone Carbon 3 is kitted out with a Shimano GRX810/600 mixed drivetrain and WTB tyres in 40mm width on WTB rims. If you want more front-end suspension, the Topstone Carbon is available equipped with the Lefty Oliver carbon single-legged fork for 30mm of front-end travel.

Hit up our Cannondale Topstone review to find out more.

While versatility and exploration might be top of the requirement list for many gravel riders, Basso’s overarching philosophy for the Palta is speed. In Basso’s eyes, speed makes everything better, stating that “adventure can be competitive, that performance doesn’t require a race number, that exploration is better with adrenaline and speed”.

The result is a gravel bike that encourages fast-paced riding and dispatches gravel and tarmac with the same feverish desire for speed. The agile nature and confident handling back up the velocity as well, negotiating rough trails with precision. What’s most surprising is that despite its racey nature, the Palta II is surprisingly forgiving over bumpy terrain. It’s not going to be as smooth as a gravel bike with an active suspension system like the Cannondale Topstone or BMC URS, yet there is enough forgiveness to help stave off fatigue on longer rides.

For more details, check our Basso Palta II first look.

Not seen what you’re looking for?

We’ve also reviewed the Colnago C68 Gravel, Eddy Merckx Strasbourg, Specialized Diverge STR, Revel Rover and Liv Devote if you want to read our views on a few other options.

How to choose the best gravel bike for you

Gravel cycling is an incredibly popular branch of the cycling tree, with most brands offering at least one gravel model. 

It’s hard to know what the ideal gravel bike for you will be when there is such a dizzying array of options on the market, luckily we have learned a lot from testing the best gravel bikes and have some answers to the key questions, as well as a few questions you need to answer yourself honestly to get the most out of your new purchase. 

As a starting point, decide on a budget. Ultimately, as always, this dictates everything. It’s probably also a good idea to know what type of off-road riding you think you will be doing most and look for bikes that fit this bill in your research. 

As an example, if you’re looking for an aggressive, burly off-road bike to take on tough terrain, a fast, race bike that can handle light gravel duties may not be the best option. 

The converse is true: if you like to ride fast on less demanding gravel and want to be able to keep up a good pace on tarmac as well, you may want to look for a gravel bike that has narrower tyres, higher gearing and possibly aero features.

Is a gravel bike worth it?

If you want to have fun on your bike and enjoy a new type of cycling, try a gravel bike out. They are just another way of having a lot of fun cycling and exploring new terrain on your own or with friends in places a road bike couldn’t necessarily take you.

The main advantage of a gravel bike vs a road bike is the ability to get away from traffic and take to untarmacked paths, which opens up a lot more riding options. It also means that you may find novel ways to link roads together and devise new routes. If you’re finding your road riding a bit samey, a gravel bike can really spice things up, without losing a lot of on-road ability. 

Where do I want to ride?

Are you collecting QOMs over buttery smooth gravel roads, or are you dodging rocks and roots while taking some lovely photos?

Being honest with yourself about the type of riding you intend to do is paramount. Buying a race bike when you really want to go on an expedition could be a costly and uncomfortable mistake.

If speed matters, and you’re targeting gravel races and events then a pure gravel race bike is likely what you’re after. Eschewing all unnecessary add-ons, these will prioritise speed and will have geometry more suited to less technical riding. They’ll also likely have some aero flourishes, but you can’t necessarily expect to be able to fit mudguards or luggage.

If you want to go far, over several days or want to explore some more technical trails at your own pace then look for something slacker to inspire confidence when the going gets steep, and with the capacity to carry luggage. 

Gravel-specific suspension systems and dropper posts appear to be here to stay and aren’t limited to either end of the extended gravel bike universe, so it’s your choice if you want some spring in your step.

Can I use my road bike on gravel?

The trend towards wider rubber for road bikes has opened up a new debate

We think most people would be in agreement that once the trail starts to feature rocks then a road bike really isn’t a sensible choice, from both an enjoyment and a safety standpoint.

However, there has been a trend towards wider tyres in almost all cycling disciplines in recent years, and road bikes can now regularly be seen sporting rubber with widths greater than 30mm. Given cyclocross bikes are limited to a maximum of 33mm for racing you can be forgiven for wondering if you can use your road bike off the tarmac.

If you’re only venturing off the blacktop on occasion and not going over anything more than nicely graded trails, it is entirely possible that your road bike will be absolutely fine. That being said, even the best road bike tyres aren’t designed to be ridden over dirt, gravel, or through mud, so remember to use a bit of common sense. Many road bikes now have the clearance to fit the best gravel tyres in narrower widths, adding grip off-road.

Conversely, many of the gravel bikes on this list from the racy end of the spectrum will perform admirably on the tarmac with a set of slick road bike tyres or even a set of road wheels swapped in.

What gearing should I look for?

Riding off-road is often slower than on tarmac and there can be steeper inclines. On a road you might power up these out of the saddle, but on loose surfaces you usually need to sit in and spin up to avoid wheel slippage.

That’s led to many newer gravel bikes being specced with subcompact groupsets. In place of the 50/34t chainrings usually found on the best endurance road bikes, a subcompact groupset typically offers 48/32t or 46/30t ratios, or sometimes even lower.

The smaller chainrings are usually combined with wider range cassettes that typically go up to 34 or 36 teeth. This in turn gives a sub-1:1 lowest gear ratio that can really help with steep seated climbs.

The flip side is that highest ratios are lower, so it’s easier to spin out on faster road or downhill gravel sections.

Many gravel bikes feature single chainring (aka 1x) groupsets. These reduce complexity and weight over a double chainset. There’s less to go wrong or get clogged with mud and the single chainring is designed to improve chain retention.

A 1x groupset is usually paired with a wide range cassette, with 40 or more teeth on the largest sprocket. This gives a similar gear range to a double chainring set-up, although the jumps between ratios may be a little larger. It needs a rear derailleur designed specifically to work with the cassette, and which usually includes a clutch.

The most extreme 1x configurations pair a road chainset and shifters with an MTB rear derailleur in a so-called mullet build. This can give a really wide range of gears, which includes very low ratios which can be good for bikepacking or riding the toughest terrain. 

The latest 1x 12-speed groupsets from SRAM and Shimano include options with 50 or more teeth, for very wide gear spreads without the mullet.

What wheel size do I need?

700c, 650b or even 26″?

Beyond the initial debate over what constitutes a gravel bike, the most appropriate wheel size is perhaps the most hotly debated topic. 700c was initially all that was on offer but now a resurgence in 650b, an old touring standard, has upset the apple cart somewhat. 

650b rims have a smaller diameter than 700c, and can therefore fit a higher volume tyre within the same diameter (so the theory goes). In simple terms a 650b rim and a larger tyre has essentially the same diameter as a 700c rim with a smaller tyre. As a rule of thumb you’re more likely to find 700c on those bikes designed for racing, while 650b tends to feature on bikes aimed at tackling the really rough stuff and bikepacking. There is significant crossover however, with many framesets able to take either.

Some manufacturers are thankfully also taking into account the needs of smaller riders. Constraints in frame geometry mean extra small frames can sometimes come with 650b wheels or even 26″ in contrast to the rest of the size range to keep handling characteristics consistent between bike sizes. 

What extras do I need?

Beyond the set menu of frame, wheels and groupset there are a host of bonus features to look for.

Are you a thirsty person? Maybe an extra set of bottle bosses on the downtube will suit you. Do you want to carry absolutely everything? Rack mounts for panniers, or triple bosses for high capacity cargo cages on your fork legs will probably fit the bill.

Gravel is a relatively new genre, and as such there has been a great proliferation of new tech, new innovations and differing design philosophies in a relatively short space of time. Whether you’re after suspension, internally geared hubs, enormous tyres or something that can double up as a commuter then there will likely be a bike for you out there.

Dropper seatposts are another feature that’s making its way onto gravel bikes and may be specced on some builds. A dropper allows you to lower the saddle, so  that it’s out of the way if you’re tackling steep terrain, allowing you to push your weight back more easily and lower your centre of mass for greater stability.

Is a gravel bike the same as a cyclo-cross bike?

They sometimes look similar, but what makes them different?

A staple of any decent comments section is someone angrily insisting that a gravel bike is exactly the same as a cyclo-cross bike. Sure, they share some similarities, but now, especially following recent evolution in gravel bikes, they are definitely different beasts.

While the cyclo-cross vs gravel bike conundrum certainly coaxes strong opinions from some, it simply boils down to differences in use case. A CX bike is designed to be raced for a maximum of one hour around extremely technical courses. Comfort isn’t as high on the priority list, and a super wide gear range isn’t overly necessary as, beyond a certain gradient, riders shoulder their bikes and run instead. The geometry is designed for sharp handling to navigate tricky courses rather than stability for all-day riding.

Gravel bikes, in contrast, are designed with longer days in the saddle in mind. Multi-day epics aren’t out of the ordinary, and so frame design and componentry choices are tailored for greater stability and to account for tired legs, protracted climbs and moderate loads.

While a CX bike can certainly be used for gravel riding, in the same way a trail bike can be ridden on an enduro course, it’s not the best tool for the job. If you do need something for a filthy hour in ankle-deep mud on a freezing Sunday though, our roundup of the best cyclo-cross bikes will help you cut through the slop with ease.

How do we test to find the best gravel bikes?

Here at Cyclingnews, we all ride varying definitions of ‘gravel’, and our tech team will always have at least one gravel bike in for testing. 

Our everyday gravel riding is done aboard whatever test bike we have in at the time, but in addition, we’ll put each bike through a set of semi-repeatable tests. For example, we each have set routes that all bikes will be tested on, which will incorporate all types of gravel terrain, from road to basically-mountain-bike trails, up steep climbs and down the other side, with rocks, roots and more. This is to give each bike a thorough shakedown on all terrain that eventual buyers might face.

We can’t control the weather, so that’s why I say ‘semi-repeatable’, as we do have to be careful when comparing bikes ridden months apart, but with enough riding on each, we’re able to tease out the differences, the pros and cons, and ultimately whether a bike is among the best gravel bikes and thus, worthy of inclusion on this list. 

In addition, where possible, we’ll get the team together to ride similar bikes together, back-to-back testing them, sharing notes, and group-testing gravel bikes where we feel there’s value in doing so. 

Read our guide to how we test for more details on our review team and our pledge to readers.