With huge tyre clearance and geometry far removed from most road bike-based gravel bikes, Curtis Bikes’ new UK-manufactured G.O.A.T is a capable and fun bike to ride – regardless of the terrain. Ignore those thoughts about heavy steel frames, as the G.O.A.T feels lively and nimble while retaining superb ride quality.
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Curtis Bikes G.O.A.T - Technical details
If you haven’t heard of Curtis Bikes before then you are not alone. I hadn’t either, even though they are based just over the border from me in Somerset and I’ve unknowingly ridden past the unassuming workshop many times.
The company was started in 1972 by Brian Curtis, who, according to the website, was a famous motocross rider in the 1960s. So, it is no surprise that the firm started building motocross frames and swing arms, with commissions from Yamaha, all of which were brazed by Brian himself.
He’s still the head brazer to this day and has brazed every Curtis frame in existence, including the one you see here. That’s some impressive longevity considering Brian was 31 years old when he set up Curtis all those years ago.
The shift to cycling frames came in 1979 when Gary Woodhouse joined the company (and took over in 1996) and persuaded Brian to make BMX frames. In 2025, there will be 14 frames in the lineup, covering everything from enduro to cross-country, BMX, dirt, and gravel.
The G.O.A.T is made from a blend of tubes, Reynolds 853 for the main triangle and Columbus for the chain and seat stays, with each tube specified to match the rider’s size and weight. Many brands use frame size-specific tubes with larger frame sizes getting thicker walls to add strength but that doesn’t take into account the rider’s actual build, so what you are getting here with the Curtis is a semi-custom build even if you go for the off-the-shelf geometry.
I say off-the-shelf geometry as the G.O.A.T is available with custom geometry too, plus you can add rack mounts or extra bosses at the point of order.
To give you some context, with standard geometry, the G.O.A.T is available in six sizes ranging from XS to XXL with reach figures spanning 370mm to 410mm. All frames are designed to run a 60mm to 70mm stem.
I was riding a large with a reach of 395mm and a stack of 600mm. The head tube is 160mm tall and sits at 70 degrees, while the seat angle is a much steeper 74 degrees. The bottom bracket drop is 78mm, plus the chainstays are 435mm long.
What I love about metal frames is the aesthetic and the G.O.A.T scores very highly. The brazing is finished to a high quality and shown off nicely by the smoked clear coat finish.
Cool details include the branded seat stay bridge and svelte-looking rear dropouts. You can also have a personalised frame number stamped into the dropout.
If I’m being picky, I’d like to see the rear mech cable and brake hose run underneath the down tube instead of above it – to improve aesthetics. I’m glad to see external routing on a frame like this – it just looks right.
In terms of technical specs, the bottom bracket is a 68mm BSA threaded design and a 27.2mm round seatpost is the standard offering, although you can spec to have the frame set up for a 31.6mm dropper post instead.
It’s also designed to run with either 700c or 29-inch wheels and can swallow up to 50mm or 2.1in rubber respectively which is up there with the latest gravel bikes on the market.
To finish things off, you can choose from 13 RAL paint colours or the smoked clear coat. If you want something specific, custom paint colours can also be carried out.
Curtis Bikes G.O.A.T - Performance
Tipping the scales at 9.4kg the G.O.A.T isn’t going to challenge carbon gravel racers on paper, but, in reality, it feels surprisingly light even when I was picking it up to put on the roof rack.
On the tracks and trails, it feels nippy though, and very responsive. There is a great feeling of stiffness throughout the frame which also helps. The whole bike feels tight, so no unwanted flex at the bottom bracket to subdue the ride and the rear wheel tracks excellently without skipping about when pedalling hard.
G.O.A.T stands for Great Over All Terrain and I won't argue with that notion. That stiffness and eagerness to get a move on is great for hardpacked surfaces and that’s where the Curtis shows impressive performance.
I could very easily race on this due to the stunning comfort of that steel tubing.
This frame was built for someone of my weight and offers a great balance of all the ride qualities I’d want from a gravel frame. It’s got a firm ride, but there is that unmistakable ‘steel feel’ there which deadens any high-frequency buzz giving a smooth ride characteristic, but most importantly without muting the feedback from the surface.
The G.O.A.T reminds me a lot of the Cotic Escapade that I reviewed back in 2019, which is high praise. I loved the way the Cotic rode. It felt great and the balance of the steel tubing and geometry made for an awesome bike for blasting about on – just like this one.
The nimbleness of the Curtis makes it easy to change direction, even at speed. The tracks and trails I’ve been riding are wet and muddy, requiring many line changes and hopping over routes or vehicle tyre tracks, all of which the G.O.A.T has taken in its stride.
The relaxed front end keeps the Curtis from feeling twitchy at any point, especially on loose and slippery surfaces. The handling isn’t compromised. Everything feels direct and the G.O.A.T descends with aplomb. The lengthy wheelbase adds to the stability so it feels secure and confidence-inspiring.
The majority of my 30-mile gravel test loop is a mixture of gravel, grass, chalk and dirt with a few miles of Tarmac thrown in for good measure. The G.O.A.T covered them all, even the latter with ease and I couldn’t help thinking that this would be the ideal bike for long adventures where you are mixing up some trails with roads.
Overall, from a ride point of view, I really can’t fault the G.O.A.T. I wouldn’t necessarily say it’s the best at any given genre of riding – but it is a very impressive all-rounder.
Curtis Bikes G.O.A.T - Verdict
The G.O.A.T is priced as a frame only with a standard paint and off-the-shelf geometry that will set you back £2,150. I think that’s competitive for a UK-built, handmade frame. The smoked clear coat option will nudge that up to £2,200 while custom colours add a fifty quid premium.
Custom geometry adds £200 to the overall cost, while the addition of rack mounts costs £50, and £25 for an extra pair of bottle bosses if the offerings on the down tube and seat tube aren’t enough for you.
For reference, the full build here would be £5,510.
That includes:
- Frame: Curtis custom G.O.A.T frame
- Forks: Enve Carbon gravel
- Bars: Whiskey no7 12f road bar 46cm
- Stem: Whisky no 7 AL stem 70mm
- Seat: SDG bell air
- Post: Thompson Elite 27.2mm
- Clamp: Hope QR
- Head set: Hope
- Top cap and bolt: Hope
- Drive train complete: GRX RX820 1×12
- Brakes: GRX with 160 rotors.
For comparison, the Cotic Escapade I mentioned earlier is available in a UK 853 build, meaning it’s handmade in the UK from Reynolds 853. The price includes the frame, carbon fork and seat clamp at £1,999 or £2,149 depending on the paint colour.
The Shand Stooshie is a different beast being more of a road-biased style of gravel bike, but it is handmade in the UK from a blend of Columbus and Dedacciai steel tubing. The frame and carbon fork are priced at £2,045 – showing the value of the G.O.A.T.
Overall, the G.O.A.T is a well-designed and thought-out gravel bike. It lends versatility with a great ride quality. The build quality and aesthetics are finished to a very high standard.
2 comments
Typically, 700c rims are narrower but you're right. We're just covering all language bases here as well as suggesting that wider MTB-type tyres can be accommodated.
Confused... "designed to run with either 700c or 29-inch wheels "
I thought 700c and 29 inch were just different names for the same ISO 622mm wheel size