Whether it's racing or getting lost in the hills for a few nights, the humble gravel bike represents one thing – adventure. No other bike is capable of road-like speeds over off-road terrain. The best gravel bikes come in all shapes, sizes and frame materials to ensure everyone gets a turn. Below is a list of the best gravel bikes we've tested to make buying your next gravel bike a simple exercise.

Best gravel bikes 2024

• Rondo RUUT CF1 G2
• Orbea Terra M20iTeam GRX 825 Di2
• Merida Silex 700
• Scott Addict Gravel 10
• Liv Devote Advanced 0
• Fearless Bikes Vulture Titanium frameset
• YT Industries Szepter Core 4
• Vaast A/1 allroad
• Mason Bokeh 3 GRX
• Specialized Diverge STR Expert
• Marin Gestalt XR
• Windover Bostal
• Ribble Gravel SL Pro
• Surly Grappler
• Lauf Seigla Weekend Warrior Wireless
• Cotic Cascade
• Salsa Cutthroat GRX 810

[Prices and specifications subject to change]

Rondo RUUT CF1 G2

£4,199

Marking a clear departure from the first iteration, the all-new Ruut CF1 G2 dons space age looks without forgoing the adjustable geometry that made the first iteration such a ground-braking machine. The radical frame design has been shaped with ride quality in mind, in a bid to improve comfort and speed.

This bike boasts numerous geometry changes including a higher stack for a more upright riding position. Then, the flip-chip in the fork allows riders to pick from a 71.7-degree and a 71-degree head angle.

Although its specification could be improved with an aero gravel wheelset and perhaps something from SRAM's T-Type drivetrain range, the Rondo Ruut CF1 G2 impressed owing to its stable and direct handling, and overall compliance. We also love it when a brand's brave enough to create something different in a world where bikes are beginning to look the same.

For a closer look at this spaceship - I mean gravel bike - here's our full review of the Rondo RUUT CF1 G2.

Orbea Terra M20iTeam GRX 825 Di2

£6,299

If versatility is your thing, the snappily named Terra M20iTeam GRX 825 Di2 is well worth a look. Despite not being a race-specific machine, the Terra is a bike built to do a bit of everything, whether that is big fire road efforts or multi-day excursions. With that in mind, it has plenty of clearance for up to 50mm wide tyres and can even be equipped with a suspension fork without affecting its geometry.

While it lacks UDH compatibility, it gets neat downtube storage and a plethora of mounting points. And, as expected of Orbea, the Terra's colourway and specification can be configured with the brand's MyO system.

As for the ride, it's plenty stiff enough for effective power transfer but without becoming uncomfortably harsh. It's capable of holding its line in the rough stuff while retaining composure nearly everywhere. 

For more, read the Orbea Terra M20iTeam GRX 825 Di2 review.

Merida Silex 700

£2,350

The latest edition of the Merida Silex is a bike that started earning its racing pedigree shortly after its release, by Matej Mohoric who piloted it to 2023 UCI Gravel World Championships glory. Here, the Silex 600 is an aluminium framed bike that hits a friendlier price point but is every bit as potent as its race-winning range mate.

This bike benefits from a refreshed geometry that edges more into the mountain bike realm while getting racier figures. So the head tube is 30mm shorter for a more aggressive riding position but its head angle is slacker at 69.5 degrees and the fork has lengthened, allowing the bike to run a suspension fork and a fatter front tyre.

The Merida Silex 600 has stability on tap, priming it for the tougher end of the gravel spectrum. That's aided by its refined ride quality. Plus, it hits a welcoming and accessible price point.

Check out the Merida Silex 600 gravel bike review for more detailed information.

Scott Addict Gravel 10

£5,799

Drawing clear inspiration from the road-going Addict, Scott's Addict Gravel sits neatly as a gravel racer rather than an adventurer. It boasts a lightweight carbon frame with the whole build weighing under 8.5 kilos and its tube profiles get a touch of Scott's aero magic. It also gets an aero seat post, which is a real nod towards this bike's intentions.

That seat post does pose one minor issue in the fact it's not round, so owners can't upgrade to a dropper post if that's their thing but let's face it, the Addict Gravel isn't about that. Instead, it's all about its nimble and fast ride that gives as much as you put in.

There are cheaper alternatives on the market, that come kitted with all of the luggage mounting points but if it's speed and agility you're after, this bike's well worth checking out.

Find out everything you need to know in our Scott Addict Gravel 10 review.

Liv Devote Advanced 0

£3,799

Coming from Giant's women's-specific sister brand, Liv, the Devote is another gravel bike designed to do it all. But despite that, it's a little racier than before and gets more of a focus on all-out performance.

Its Advanced 0 model is built around a carbon fibre frame and all the modern features you would expect on an up-to-date gravel bike. There's integrated frame storage, cargo mounts on the fork and top tube and plenty of frame protection. Its geometry is longer, and lower, too.

The Devote is a bike we loved for its new features, as it can be equipped with a dropper post but importantly, it provided a planted, and confident ride character that instilled all of the confidence. However, if it's a little more agility you're looking for, the bike's equipped with a geometry-adjusting flip chip that'll achieve exactly that. That said, our tester did find some issues with the cockpit setup.

For more details, check out the Liv Devote Advanced 0 gravel bike review.

 

Fearless Bikes Vulture Titanium frameset

£2510

Built using titanium tubing, Fearless's Vulture Titanium frameset may be a little spendy but it hits many marks in the gravel world. It gets loads of tyre clearance, being capable of fitting up to 2.2in wide rubber on 29-inch wheels and there are ports for Di2 compatibility.

Aside from its top-notch build quality littered with neat little features and trinkets, the Vulture Titanium is a simple bike that proudly waves the flag for Ti and that's particularly present in how it rides. It's compliant, which ups the bike's composure in technical terrain but it's super durable and easy to look after. Its slacker head angle and taller front end inspire confidence, so much so that we found it a bit of a master at descending.

Take a closer look at the Fearless Vulture Titanium frameset review to learn more.

YT Industries Szepter Core 4

£4,500

As a brand with its roots deep in mountain biking, it's no surprise the YT Szepter gravel bike is as mountain bikey as gravel bikes get. Its geometry is gravity-orientated with a long reach and slack head angle, and it gets a suspension fork and dropper post.

During testing, the Szepter's frame proved to be comfortable and compliant but not lacking stiffness. Importantly, it's ridiculously fun to ride, confidence-inspiring and can hold its own on gnarly trails where other gravel bikes shake in their boots.

Keen to learn more about this gnarly rig? Then head over to the YT Industries Szepter Core 4 gravel bike review.

Vaast A/1 allroad

£2,600

Frame materials don't get as exotic as magnesium (it won't explode, we promise). Vaast's A/1 Allroad promises enhanced capability on anything but asphalt while offering a ride character unlike anything else.

The benefits of a magnesium frame are simple: it's lighter, stronger and well – better. With carbon bike-rivalling total weight, magnesium can offer a similar ride to steel or titanium by absorbing buzz and boosting comfort. Although it's certainly a compliant ride, it doesn't slack on the efficiency front, balancing excellent handling with predictability in the corners.

Want to know more about this magnesium-framed bike? Check out the Vaast A/1 Allroad review.

Mason Bokeh 3 GRX

£3,280

The Bokeh 3 is Mason's third crack at what seems to be a winning formula. This time, the brand has tweaked and refined the bike to make it more versatile than before but without compromising its lightweight and fun ride.

Compared to the previous bike, it gets more mounts and new top tube mounts. It can fit full mudguards, too. The bike uses Mason's ThruBB bottom bracket which is larger than standard sizes and runs a threaded BSA bottom bracket. The dropouts have been redesigned to increase durability and stiffness.

We liked the Bokeh 3 because of its responsive and versatile ride. It's finished to a high quality, too, so it's a real exhibit of form and function.

For a more in-depth look, read the  Mason Bokeh 3 review.

Specialized Diverge STR Expert

£6,250

Suspension on a gravel bike is a contentious topic but the Diverge STR Expert from Specialized does it in a way that may calm complaints from gravel purists. The latest Future Shock system applies to both the front and rear of the bike, allowing you to tweak the level of squish based on your weight and preferences.

The Diverge STR is built around Specialized's Fact 11r carbon fibre and it's complete with the brand's Swat door found on the downtube that allows for handy storage. There's also a threaded bottom bracket and 12mm thru-axles at both ends. In terms of shifting, you get a mullet wireless setup, with the road/gravel Rival eTap AXS shifters paired with MTB-oriented GX AXS rear mech and cassette.

Our tester generally isn't a fan of suspension of gravel bikes but was turned to the dark side thanks to Future Shock's ability to fly under the radar, offering a new level of comfort without feeling alien. Future Shock aside, we found that the Diverge kept a hold of the ride and performance that was appreciated by previous models with its racy nature and responsive handling.

To learn a little more about this bike, read the Specialized Diverge STR Expert review.

 

Marin Gestalt XR

£2,195

The Marin Gestalt XR is where gravel begins to step into mountain bike territory. With a geometry more commonly found on modern cross-country mountain bikes, this bike straddles the line between the two genres, resulting in a bike that's fast and efficient over flat fire roads but becomes a force to be reckoned with when pointed down descents.

It's built around an alloy frame with a carbon fork and gets plenty of mounts, so it's well-equipped for long days in the saddle. But what's impressive about the Gestalt XR is its geometry. On the medium frame tested, there's a mega slack 67.5-degree head tube angle and a reasonably steep (for a gravel bike) 74-degree seat tube angle. 

This, combined with its compliant rear end, results in a super-confident ride, especially downhill. The stability summoned by its progressive geometry translates well as the bike is hauled through a flat and smooth fire road, where the 42T chainring and 11-42T cassette make for a speedy machine. However, the tough ratio is more than noticeable once the climbs get fierce.

For more details, check out the Marin Gestalt XR gravel bike review.

Windover Bostal

£2,950

If hand-made steel is more your thing, look no further as that's exactly what the Windover Bostal is. It's built around a Reynolds 853 steel frame designed in-house, tested in Sussex and made in the EU and it gets everything expected of a UK-focussed gravel bike.

Our tester found that the Bostal was a fun bike to ride. It carries that legendary steel feel that provides an exciting and engaging ride. 

The guys over at Windover have plenty of frame-building experience under their belts and it shows, as that Bostal offers communication in spades. However, it's not particularly cheap and there are only four sizes available.

Read the Windover Bostal gravel bike review to find out more about how it performed.

Ribble Gravel SL Pro

£4,500

Ribble's Gravel SL Pro is a race-ready gravel rig is all about efficiency and speed. However, it's versatile, too, thanks to a comprehensive range of luggage mounts on the frame.

It gets clearance for up to 47mm tyres (700c wheels) with modern geometry comprising a long wheelbase, slack head angle and steep seat tube.

Our tester found it stable on rough gravel descents where the fat tyres and long geometry add good stability, although it can get a little twitchy when the trail gets extra technical. However, it's a bike that performs at its best on open gravel roads where its dropped seat stays and D-shaped carbon seatpost add comfort without compromising stiffness.

For a deeper look into how this bike rides, head over to the Ribble Gravel SL Pro review.

 

Surly Grappler

£2,100

The Surly Grappler's steel frame gets huge tyre clearance and plenty of mounting points – it's ideal for gravel adventures. It may not be your traditional gravel bike, but it can hold its own and even surpass others when it comes to technical descents.

At 13kg, it's a heavy bike but its large-volume tyres work to absorb bumps and chatter. It's stable, too, thanks to a lengthy wheelbase, however, when it comes to the descents our tester found that the small chainring means that you'll freewheel down the fastest of downhills.

There are a few spec compromises, such as the cable-operated disc brakes but it's a comfortable and reliable workhorse.

Check out the Surly Grappler gravel bike review for more.

 

Lauf Seigla Weekend Warrior Wireless

£4,180

Lauf is best known as the brand behind those crazy leaf-sprung suspension forks and that's exactly what takes pride of place on its gravel bike, the Seigla. Like many of the best gravel bikes, this one gets three bottle mounts and a bento box mount on the top tube. However, the brand has made this a gravel racer, rather than a tourer which is evident in its lack of mudguard or rack mounts.

This said, it's a fast and comfortable bike that's keen to take on big distances quickly and is fun to ride, too. Although it takes over from the Truegrit, the brand has kept geometry tweaks to a minimum, instead gracing it with greater tyre clearance making it able to fit fat 50mm rubber.

The Seigla benefits from a long top tube and short stem combo which results in snappy and fast handling with its short 425mm adding to the cause. Although its lengthy wheelbase claws back vital stability, keeping it straight and true on the descents.

Check out the Lauf Seigla gravel bike review to learn more about this racy machine.

Cotic Cascade

£2,100

Cotic is a brand renowned for its excellent steel mountain bike frames and the Cascade is its first step into the world of gravel. That step hasn't gone unnoticed as it's proven to be one versatile machine thanks to the ability to equip fat tyres and its mountain bike heritage which makes it super capable over challenging trails.

Our tester says that the first thing you notice when you swing a leg over the Cascade is how stable it is thanks to its slack 69-degree head angle, long wheelbase and short stem. Like other gravel bikes listed here, the Cascade gets a Reynolds 853 steel frame but with a 4130 CroMo rear end and external cable routing. It also gets loads of mounting points and can even run a 100mm suspension fork without affecting its geometry.

 To see what the fuss is all about, read the Cotic Cascade gravel bike review.

Salsa Cutthroat GRX 810

£4,700

Salsa's Cutthroat is an incredibly capable rig reminiscent of a hardtail mountain bike.​ It's built around a carbon-fibre frame but is designed to run 29-inch mountain bike wheels. Running 700c, thinner tyres or 650b hoops would negatively affect its handling. It gets a long carbon fork as standard, but the Cutthroat can run a 100m travel suspension fork should you desire.

The spec on the model tested combines gravel and mountain bike kit with a Race Face Aeffect R crank and Shimano GRX 810 shifting.

For more on this bike, here's the Salsa Cutthroat gravel bike review.

How to choose the best gravel bike

There are many attributes to consider when looking to buy your first gravel bike, and most of the time, this will come down to the riding you plan on tackling. Will you be riding long distances over technical terrain or a mixture of tarmac and dirt? Geometry is another thing to take into account as gravel bikes can take on varying degrees of shapes and sizes – some have very relaxed head angles while others are quite steep and designed for racing. A good gravel bike needs to be comfortable, regardless of the riding you intend to do, and this will come down to tyre choice (clearance dependent), frame material and even suspension choice.

Are gravel bikes good for long distances?

Absolutely. Some gravel bikes are better for long distances than others owing to certain geometry and luggage mount choices but a gravel bike is the best machine for going long distances off-road.

That's because their tyres aren't as fat or knobbly as mountain bike tyres, so there's less drag. This makes them faster when travelling over flatter and less technical terrain. The plethora of mounts that a gravel bike comes with allows the rider to extend their rides over multiple days and hundreds of kilometres, with plenty of provisions.

Others are built to go fast thanks to the road-bike heritage and aero frame styles that further reduce drag.

Are gravel bikes good for road riding?

There's nothing wrong with using a gravel bike for road riding. From the outset, a gravel bike won't be as fast on the road due to its thicker tyres and off-road focussed gear range but gravel bikes make excellent commuters thanks to their more forgiving nature.

A lot of riders use one bike with two different wheelsets. One with narrower or even deeper section rims for their road requirements, the other with a gravel-specific wheelset kitting with fatter rubber for when the gravel roads call. It could be said that the humble gravel bike is the most versatile bike on the planet.

Is a gravel bike as fast as a road bike?

On the road, no. A gravel bike's wider tyres increase rolling resistance while the frame might not be as stiff which negatively impacts power transfer during pedalling. When in an off-road environment, however, a gravel bike will come into its own as they're more comfortable and its wider tyres will offer a lot more grip. A gravel bike's geometry is also purpose-built to take on the rougher tracks that off-road riding poses, so a gravel bike will offer better stability, making it faster off-road.

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