The 25 BEST Gravel Bikes For 2021 – Under $1000

Gravel bikes have well and truly taken off, so it’s time I gave them a bit more attention on CyclingAbout. If you’re new here, I specialise in adventure cycling and want you all to share my adventure joy by riding the best gravel bikes for your budgets!

In this article, I will be teaching you all about the best gravel bikes under $1000 – everything from the best wheel size to choose, frame materials, gear systems, tubeless tyres and gear ratios.

You can get a decent bike at the $1000 mark, and I have ranked all of my favourite gravel bikes, to make your buying decision as easy as possible.

After reading this article, don’t miss my list of the BEST flat bar gravel bikes HERE.

All About The Best Gravel Bikes

Frame and Fork Material
The frame and fork are the heart of the bike – it’s the frame angles and materials selected that determine how the bike will ‘feel’. In general, aluminium is the most popular material for a low-cost gravel bike because it is very lightweight for its price. Aluminium bikes with carbon forks are usually 1kg to 2kg lighter than a comparable bike made from steel (10-12kg for an aluminium bike, 12-13kg for steel). That said, steel has a bit more lateral compliance, or side-to-side flex, which some people enjoy the feel of. Look out for bikes with “full carbon forks” as they are often more than 500 grams lighter than bikes with a carbon fork using a bonded-in aluminium steerer tube.

Wheel Size – 700C (bigger wheels with narrower tyres) and 650B (smaller wheels with fatter tyres)
The wheel size and tyre width will determine the types of gravel roads you can ride. The rougher the surface, the more a wider tyre can deform to ensure (1) the best grip, (2) the most speed and (3) the most comfortable ride. That said, a narrower 700C wheel is super quick rolling on harder surfaces, and the wheels are often a touch lighter too. I typically recommend 650B if the majority of the time you’re on bumpy gravel roads, and 700C if the gravel roads only make up a smaller percentage of your overall rides.

Gearing – 1X vs 2X
You will find gravel bikes with front and rear shifting (2X) or with just rear shifting (1X). I personally prefer using 2X for gravel because it allows for a smaller ‘jump’ between each gear ratio and a broader overall range of riding speeds. A 1X setup is great for beginners, however, as it’s intuitive to use, plus it’s lighter and has fewer parts to go wrong out in the field.

Tubeless Compatible Wheels
A lot of money has been spent developing tubeless tyre technology and it actually filters down to many entry-level gravel bikes. The advantages are ‘self-healing’ when you get a puncture (sealant rushes in to plug the hole), lower rolling resistance and a lighter weight too. I always recommend investing in high-quality tubeless tyres because you will save a chunk of weight, get higher-performing rubber compounds and be able to ride faster with less effort.

Low Gear Ratios
To make a gravel bike properly versatile, I believe it needs to have low gear ratios. If you ride on steeper terrain, you’ll ideally want your bike to have a low gear ratio under 25-inches. This measurement is simply the tyre rollout, and lower is always better. I have calculated the climbing gear for all gravel bikes so you can find out which gravel bikes will go up the steepest hills.

Upright Factor
I have calculated how tall the frames are for how long they are – or the Upright Factor. This number helps us to understand which gravel bikes are more upright, and which ones are more performance-oriented. The Upright Factor is the “stack” measurement divided by the “reach” – and it is averaged out across all bike sizes. A number under 1.50 is low and performance-oriented, while anything above 1.55 is quite upright and relaxed.

If you’d like to learn everything about gravel bikes, check out my in-depth book, The Bikepacking Bike Buyer’s Guide.

Gravel Bikes and Coronavirus

The bicycle industry has been severely affected by COVID-19. Gravel bike sales are booming, resulting in bike shortages in every country and region! Upon researching this article, I found almost all bikes are out of stock in early-September 2020, but do not fret – the latest bikes should arrive in the next few months.

Scoring The Best Gravel Bikes

Given these gravel bikes are in the budget category, I have placed a strong emphasis on the price to make sure the most expensive bikes aren’t all on top. I have also prioritised the quality of the frameset as it’s easy to upgrade the parts, but much harder (and more expensive) to upgrade the frame.

Please note: the price may be different in different regions. For example, the Triban RC 500 is US $999 in North America but €650 (US $768) in Europe, which will affect the overall scores given the way I have weighted them.

Frameset Quality (/4) – Based on frame features, fork material, cable routing and axle type.
Bike Weight (/3) – 10-11kg is 3 points, 11-12kg is 2 points, 12-13kg is 1 point.
Gearing Quality (/3) – ‘Tiagra’, ‘Microshift’ and ‘Apex’ is 3 points, ‘Sora’ and ‘Sensah’ is 2 points and ‘Claris’ is 1 point.
Low Gear Ratios (/3) – Sub-25″ is 3 points, 25-27″ is 2 points and 27″+ is 1 point.
Price (/6) – Sub-$800 is 6 points, $800-$900 is 4 points, $900-$1000 is 3 points, $1000+ is one point.
Tubeless-Ready (/1) – An extra point for tubeless tyre compatibility.
TOTAL: /20

Ranking The Best Gravel Bikes

700C GRAVEL BIKES
18/20 – Poseidon X – Insanely low price, super low gear ratios, lightweight… but quirky geometry.
15/20 – State Bicycle Co 4130 – Amazing price-to-performance. Nice ‘n upright.
14/20 – Cannondale Topstone 4 – Lightweight gravel bike with quality parts, one of my favourites here.
13/20 – Boardman ADV 8.6 – Cheapest bike with Shimano Sora gearing, decent weight, full carbon fork.
13/20 – Salsa Journeyman Claris – Excellent frameset, upright, great gear ratios, tubeless compatible.
13/20 – Triban RC 500 – Shimano Sora gearing under $1000, decent weight but 36mm maximum tyres.
13/20 – GT Grade Elite – Really nice frameset for the price, tubeless compatible.
13/20 – Giant Revolt 2 – Another of my favourite gravel bikes (10kg!), D-shaped seatpost flexes vertically.
13/20 – Cube Nuroad Pro – Great pricepoint for Shimano Tiagra gearing, lightweight.
12/20 – Breezer Radar Expert – 29×2.2″ mountain bike tyre clearance, low ratios, super upright.
12/20 – Jamis Renegade A1 – Nice frameset and weight, tubeless compatibility.
12/20 – Octane One Gridd 2 – Lightweight, decent quality gear shifting, tubeless wheels – nice overall package.

11/20 – Marin Nicasio 1
11/20 – Diamondback Haanjo 2
11/20 – Pure Cycles Gravel Adventure Pro
11/20 – Felt Broam 60
11/20 – Specialized Diverge Base E5
10/20 – Genesis CDA 10
9/20 – KHS Grit 55
9/20 – Kona Rove AL 700C

KEEP SCROLLING FOR 650B (27.5″) GRAVEL BIKES!
15/20 – Poseidon Redwood – Amazing value, 2.5″ tyre clearance, 1X10 groupset, lots of bikepacking mounts!
14/20 – State Bicycle Co 4130 – Great price-to-performance. Nice ‘n upright.
13/20 – Salsa Journeyman Claris – Excellent quality frameset, upright, great gear ratios, tubeless compatible.

11/20 – Marin Nicasio Plus
9/20 – Kona Rove AL 650B

2021 Poseidon X – North America – $699

18/20 – This price almost seems too good to be true. It’s lightweight, uses 1X10 gearing and has the lowest gear ratios of all gravel bikes here. My main criticism is that the handlebar will be very low for riders above 180cm/5ft11 – especially if you have long legs for your height. The head tube angles also get pretty steep in the bigger sizes compared to most gravel bikes.

You can see more pictures and the full specification on the Poseidon website HERE.

Frameset Quality (3/4) – Quite a decent aluminium frame, full carbon fork, quick-release axles.
Weight (3/3) – 10.89kg without pedals.
Gearing Quality (3/3) – Microshift Advent X 1×10 gearing.
Low Gear Ratios (3/3) – 21.5″ climbing gear.
Price (6/6) – It’s the cheapest bike on the list with many of the best features!
Tubeless-Ready (0/1) – Tubes only.

Upright Factor (manually calculated): 1.47 – very low, it could be worth going up a size to get higher handlebars
S: 160-168cm – M: 170-177cm – L: 180-185cm XL: 188cm+

2021 State Bicycle 4130 All Road – North America – $799

15/20 – Great price-to-performance. Nice ‘n upright. The 4130 All Road is a very compelling gravel bike for the price. It’s built around a hardworking steel frameset that has modern thru-axles and it’s ready for racks or bikepacking bags too. The Sensah gearing is not a typical drivetrain pick, but from all reports, it works quite well and allows State Bicycle Co to deliver a 1X11 bike under $800. The cherry on the top is the tubeless compatibility. This bike is available in North America exclusively.

You can see more pictures and the full specification on the State Bicycle website HERE.

Frameset Quality (3/4) – Quite a decent steel frame and fork, 12mm thru-axles.
Weight (2/3) – 11.96kg without pedals.
Gearing Quality (2/3) – Sensah SRX Pro 1×11 gearing.
Low Gear Ratios (1/3) – 27.7″ climbing gear.
Price (6/6) – It’s one of the cheapest bikes on the list with some of the best features!
Tubeless-Ready (1/1) – Tubeless compatible.

Upright Factor: 1.59 – quite upright to ride
XS: 154-168cm – S: 165-177cm – M: 175-188cm L: 185-196cm

2021 Cannondale Topstone 4 – Global – (Sorry, it’s $1050)

14/20 – A lightweight gravel bike with quality parts, one of my favourites here. I’ve been recommending the entry-level Cannondale Topstone since it was first released. The frame is one of the nicest available at this price point and it’s spec’d with a full carbon fork to keep the weight low. The Microshift drivetrain offers all the low climbing gears you need, so this is a bike that will suit more mountainous roads than most.

Frameset Quality (4/4) – Top-tier aluminium frame, full carbon fork, internal cable routing, 12mm thru axles.
Weight (3/3) – Approximately 10.5kg without pedals.
Gearing Quality (3/3) – Microshift 1×10 gearing.
Low Gear Ratios (3/3) – 22.8″ climbing gear.
Price (1/6) – It’s a bit more expensive, but still competitively priced for a bike of this calibre.
Tubeless-Ready (0/1) – Tubes only.

Upright Factor: 1.50 – on the sporty side
XS: 152-165cm – S: 162-175cm – M: 170-185cm – L: 180-193cm – XL: 190-203cm

2021 Boardman ADV 8.6 – Europe – £700

13/20 – The cheapest bike with Shimano Sora gearing, decent weight, full carbon fork. It’s pretty hard to argue against the ADV 8.6, with its respectable weight, 2X9 drivetrain, good climbing gear and tubeless compatibility. This bike is available throughout Europe.

Frameset Quality (3/4) – Decent aluminium frame, full carbon fork, quick release axles.
Weight (2/3) – Approximately 11.1kg without pedals.
Gearing Quality (2/3) – Shimano Sora 2×9 gearing.
Low Gear Ratios (2/3) – 25.7″ climbing gear.
Price (3/6) – Excellent value for money.
Tubeless-Ready (1/1) – Tubeless compatible.

Upright Factor: 1.50 – on the sporty side
S: 170-179cm – M: 177-183cm L: 181-189cm – XL: 187-195cm

2021 Salsa Journeyman Claris 700C – Global – $949

13/20 – Excellent frameset, upright, great gear ratios, tubeless compatible. I’ve been long recommending the Journeyman thanks to its worldwide availability, upright ride, low gear ratios and high-quality frameset for the price. The size range is also great!

Frameset Quality (3/4) – Decent aluminium frame, carbon fork, internal cable routing, quick release axles.
Weight (2/3) – 11.79kg without pedals.
Gearing Quality (1/3) – Shimano Claris 2×8 gearing.
Low Gear Ratios (3/3) – 24.1″ climbing gear.
Price (3/6) – Excellent value for the frameset quality.
Tubeless-Ready (1/1) – Tubeless compatible.

Upright Factor: 1.56 – quite upright to ride
50: 152-160cm – 52: 157-165cm – 54: 165-175cm – 55.5: 173-183cm – 58: 180-190cm – 59.5: 188-200cm

2021 Triban RC 500 – Global – $999

13/20 – Shimano Sora gearing under $1000, decent weight, but 36mm maximum tyres. Decathlon’s Triban bike brand always offers excellent value for money – a 10.6kg bike under $1000 is exceptional! The RC 500 is a bit more of a road bike, so it’s most at home on hard surfaces but it will handle the smoother gravel roads just fine. Note: this bike is €650 in Europe (~$778) which would see it top the list with a score of 16/20, and you can also get a Shimano 105 2×11 version with hydraulic brakes for $1000 (score would be 14/20).

Frameset Quality (3/4) – Decent aluminium frame, carbon fork, quick release axles.
Weight (3/3) – 10.6kg without pedals.
Gearing Quality (2/3) – Shimano Sora 2×9 gearing.
Low Gear Ratios (1/3) – 28.9″ climbing gear.
Price (3/6) – Great value considering the frameset and Sora gearing, insane value if buying in Europe.
Tubeless-Ready (1/1) – Tubeless compatible.

Upright Factor: 1.51 – on the sporty side
XS: 155-165cm – S: 165-175cm – M: 175-180cm – L: 180-190cm – XL: 190-200cm

2021 GT Grade Elite – Global – $999

13/20 – Really nice frameset for the price, tubeless compatible. The GT Grade is a modern gravel bike with somewhat good climbing gears and a respectable weight for the price.

Frameset Quality (4/4) – Top-tier aluminium frame, full carbon fork, 12mm thru axles.
Weight (2/3) – Approximately 11.3kg without pedals.
Gearing Quality (1/3) – Shimano Claris 2×8 gearing.
Low Gear Ratios (2/3) – 25.7″ climbing gear.
Price (3/6) – Excellent value for the frameset quality.
Tubeless-Ready (1/1) – Tubeless compatible.

Upright Factor: 1.49 – on the sporty side

2021 Giant Revolt 2 – Global – Whoops, it’s $1150

13/20 – Another of my favourite gravel bikes (10kg!), D-shaped seatpost flexes vertically. I think I would be happiest using the Revolt for my gravel exploits. It has a full carbon fork, Shimano Sora gearing, a broad size range, decent brakes, tubeless compatibility and a pretty good climbing gear. It ticks almost all boxes. And for $74, you can upgrade the aluminium flex seatpost to a composite model which will smoothen out the ride even better!

Frameset Quality (4/4) – Top-tier aluminium frame, full carbon fork, internal cable routing, D-Fuse Flex seatpost, 12mm thru-axles.
Weight (3/3) – 10kg without pedals.
Gearing Quality (2/3) – Shimano Sora 2×9 gearing.
Low Gear Ratios (2/3) – 25.7″ climbing gear.
Price (1/6) – It’s a bit more expensive than $1k, but still very competitively priced for a bike of this calibre.
Tubeless-Ready (1/1) – Tubeless compatible.

Upright Factor: 1.51 – on the sporty side
XS: 155-166cm – S: 159-171cm – M: 169-181cm – ML: 174-186cm – L: 179-191cm – XL: 189-200cm

2021 Cube Nuroad Pro – Global – Whoops, it’s $1169

13/20 – An excellent price point for Shimano Tiagra gearing! The Cube may be the most expensive bike here but I really wanted to give you an indication for how much extra you’d need to spend to get Tiagra. The frameset is great, it’s tubeless compatible and the bike is nice and light overall.

Frameset Quality (4/4) – Top-tier aluminium frame, full carbon fork, internal cable routing, 12mm thru axles.
Weight (3/3) – 10.6kg without pedals.
Gearing Quality (3/3) – Shimano Tiagra 2×10 gearing.
Low Gear Ratios (1/3) – 27.3″ climbing gear.
Price (1/6) – A really great value Shimano Tiagra gravel bike.
Tubeless-Ready (1/1) – Tubeless compatible.

Upright Factor: 1.50 – on the sporty side

2021 Breezer Radar Expert – Global – $969

12/20 – 29×2.2″ mountain bike tyre clearance, low ratios, super upright. I’ve been recommending the Radar Expert for years, it’s really hard to beat for the price. It may be a bit heavier than the other options, but it’s in a league of its own in terms of the terrain it can ride – this is thanks to the exceptional tyre clearance. The gear ratios are low for a gravel bike – which will be great for remote mountain roads.

Frameset Quality (2/4) – Somewhat basic steel frame and fork, quick release axles.
Weight (1/3) – 12.6kg without pedals.
Gearing Quality (2/3) – Shimano Sora/Deore 2×9 gearing.
Low Gear Ratios (3/3) – 23.2″ climbing gear.
Price (3/6) – Great value for a Shimano Sora equipped gravel bike.
Tubeless-Ready (1/1) – Tubeless compatible.

Upright Factor: 1.62 – super upright to ride
45: 155-167cm – 48: 167-175cm – 51: 175-180cm – 54: 178-183cm – 57: 183-188cm – 60: 188-196cm

2021 Jamis Renegade A1 – Global – $999

12/20 – Nice frameset and weight, tubeless compatibility. The Renegade looks to be a great gravel bike option this year. It’s running one of the broadest size ranges too.

Frameset Quality (3/4) – Top-tier aluminium frame and fork, internal cable routing, quick release axles.
Weight (3/3) – 10.89kg without pedals.
Gearing Quality (1/3) – Shimano Claris 2×8 gearing.
Low Gear Ratios (1/3) – 27.3″ climbing gear.
Price (3/6) – Decent value for the frameset quality.
Tubeless-Ready (1/1) – Tubeless compatible.

Upright Factor: 1.50 – on the sporty side
44: 147-152cm – 48: 152-160cm – 51: 160-165cm – 54: 165-175cm – 56: 175-180cm – 58: 180-185cm – 61: 185-193cm

2021 Octane One Gridd 2 – Global – Whoops, it’s $1099

12/20 – Lightweight, decent quality gear shifting, tubeless wheels – quite a nice overall package.

Frameset Quality (3/4) – Decent aluminium frame, carbon fork, quick release and thru-axles.
Weight (3/3) – 10.8kg without pedals.
Gearing Quality (3/3) – SRAM Apex 1×10.
Low Gear Ratios (1/3) – 27.3″ climbing gear.
Price (1/6) – Great value considering the frameset and SRAM 1X gearing.
Tubeless-Ready (1/1) – Tubeless compatible

Upright Factor: 1.48 – very low

2021 Marin Nicasio 1 – Global – $759

11/20

Frameset Quality (2/4) – Somewhat basic steel frame and fork, quick release axles.
Weight (1/3) – 12.6kg without pedals.
Gearing Quality (1/3) – Shimano Claris 2×8 gearing.
Low Gear Ratios (1/3) – 28.7″ climbing gear.
Price (6/6) – Second-cheapest bike here!
Tubeless-Ready (0/1) – Tubes only.

Upright Factor: 1.53 – on the sporty side
48: 147-152cm – 50: 152-160cm – 52: 160-167cm – 54: 167-175cm – 56: 175-183cm – 58: 183-188cm – 60: 185-193cm

2021 Diamondback Haanjo 2 – North America – $875

11/20

Frameset Quality (2/4) – Decent aluminium frame, steel fork, quick release axles.
Weight (2/3) – Approximately 11.48kg without pedals.
Gearing Quality (1/3) – Shimano Claris 2×8 gearing.
Low Gear Ratios (2/3) – 29.0″ climbing gear.
Price (4/6) – A solid bike for the price.
Tubeless-Ready (0/1) – Tubes only.

Upright Factor: 1.57 – quite upright to ride
XS: 155-162cm – S: 162-172cm – M: 170-177cm – L: 177-185cm – XL: 185-193cm

2021 Pure Cycles Gravel Adventure Pro – North America – $899

11/20

Frameset Quality (2/4) – Somewhat basic steel frame and fork, quick release axles.
Weight (1/3) – Approximately 12.5kg without pedals.
Gearing Quality (2/3) – Shimano Sora 2×9 gearing.
Low Gear Ratios (2/3) – 25.7″ climbing gear.
Price (4/6) – Great value considering the frameset and Sora gearing.
Tubeless-Ready (0/1) – Tubes only.

Upright Factor: 1.50 – on the sporty side
S: 167-175cm – M: 173-178cm – L: 178-183cm – XL: 183-188cm

2021 Felt Broam 60 – Global – $949

11/20

Frameset Quality (3/4) – Top-tier aluminium frame, carbon fork, internal cable routing, 12mm thru axles.
Weight (2/3) – 11.1kg without pedals.
Gearing Quality (1/3) -Shimano Claris 2×8 gearing.
Low Gear Ratios (1/3) – 27.3″ climbing gear.
Price (3/6) – Excellent value for the frameset quality.
Tubeless-Ready (1/1) – Tubeless compatible.

Upright Factor: 1.56 – quite upright to ride
47: 152-168cm – 51: 168-173cm – 54: 173-178cm – 56: 178-183cm – 58: 183-188cm – 61: 188-196cm

2021 Specialized Diverge Base E5 – Global – Whoops, it’s $1150

11/20

Frameset Quality (4/4) – Top-tier aluminium frame, full carbon fork, internal cable routing, 12mm thru axles.
Weight (3/3) – 10.29kg without pedals.
Gearing Quality (1/3) – Shimano Claris 2×8 gearing.
Low Gear Ratios (1/3) – 27.2″ climbing gear.
Price (1/6) – Similar quality frameset to the Giant Revolt, however, the parts aren’t quite as nice.
Tubeless-Ready (1/1) – Tubeless compatible.

Upright Factor: 1.52 – on the sporty side

2021 Genesis CDA 20 – Europe – £699

10/20

Frameset Quality (2/4) – Basic aluminium frame and steel fork, quick release axles.
Weight (2/3) – 11.68kg without pedals.
Gearing Quality (2/3) – Shimano Sora 2×9 gearing.
Low Gear Ratios (1/3) – 27.3″ climbing gear.
Price (3/6) – Good price for a Shimano Sora build.
Tubeless-Ready (0/1) – Tubes only.

Upright Factor: 1.54 – on the sporty side
XS: 156-164cm – S: 164-172cm – M: 171-179cm – L: 178-186cm – XL: 185-193cm

2021 KHS Grit 55 – Global – $829

9/20

Frameset Quality (2/4) – Somewhat basic steel frame and fork, quick release axles.
Weight (1/3) – Approximately 13kg without pedals.
Gearing Quality (1/3) – Shimano Claris 2×8 gearing.
Low Gear Ratios (1/3) – 29.0″ climbing gear.
Price (4/6) – Priced on the lower end of the specturm.
Tubeless-Ready (0/1) – Tubes only.

Upright Factor: 1.55 – quite upright to ride

2021 Kona Rove AL 700C – Global – $899

9/20

Frameset Quality (2/4) – Decent aluminium frame and fork, internal cable routing, quick release axles.
Weight (1/3) – 12.16kg without pedals.
Gearing Quality (1/3) – Shimano Claris 2×8 gearing.
Low Gear Ratios (1/3) – 27.3″ climbing gear.
Price (4/6) – Decent value for the frameset quality.
Tubeless-Ready (0/1) – Tubes only.

Upright Factor: 1.49 – on the sporty side
48: 152-160cm – 50: 157-170cm – 52: 168-178cm – 54: 175-183cm – 56: 180-188cm – 58: 185-196cm

2021 Poseidon Redwood – North America – $899

15/20 – Amazing value gravel bike with 2.5″ tyre clearance, a 1X10 groupset, modern frame features and lots of bikepacking mounts. The gear ratios are perfect and it’s tubeless-ready too. My only criticism is that the handlebar will be very low for riders above 180cm/5ft11 – especially if you have long legs for your height.

You can see more pictures and the full specification on the Poseidon website HERE.

Frameset Quality (3/4) – Quite a decent aluminium frame and fork, 12mm thru-axles, 2.5″ tyre clearance.
Weight (1/3) – Approximately 12.5kg without pedals.
Gearing Quality (3/3) – Microshift Advent X 1×10 gearing.
Low Gear Ratios (3/3) – 22.3″ climbing gear.
Price (4/6) – Amazing value off-road gravel bike complete with 10-speed gearing.
Tubeless-Ready (1/1) – Tubeless compatible.

Upright Factor: 1.49 – on the sporty side, especially the big sizes.
XXS: 152-160cm – XS: 163-170cm – S: 170-178cm – M: 175-183cm – L: 183-190cm – XL: 190cm+

2021 State Bicycle Co 4130 All-Road 650B – North America – $799

14/20 – Excellent price-to-performance. Nice ‘n upright. The 4130 All Road is a very compelling gravel bike for the price. It’s built around a hardworking steel frameset that has modern thru-axles and it’s ready for racks or bikepacking bags too. The Sensah gearing is not a typical drivetrain pick, but from all reports, it works quite well and allows State Bicycle Co to deliver a 1X11 bike under $800. The cherry on the top is the tubeless compatibility.

You can see more pictures and the full specification on the State Bicycle website HERE.

Frameset Quality (3/4) – Decent steel frame and fork, 12mm thru-axles.
Weight (1/3) – 12.59kg without pedals.
Gearing Quality (2/3) – Sensah SRX Pro 1×11 gearing.
Low Gear Ratios (1/3) – 27.7″ climbing gear.
Price (6/6) – It’s one of the cheapest bikes on the list with some of the best features.
Tubeless-Ready (1/1) – Tubeless compatible.

Upright Factor: 1.59 – quite upright to ride
XS: 154-168cm – S: 165-177cm – M: 175-188cm L: 185-196cm

2021 Salsa Journeyman Claris 650B – Global – $949

13/20 – Excellent frameset, upright, great gear ratios, tubeless compatible. I’ve been long recommending the Journeyman thanks to its worldwide availability, upright ride, low gear ratios and high-quality frameset for the price. The size range is also great!

Frameset Quality (3/4) – Decent aluminium frame, carbon fork, internal cable routing, quick release axles.
Weight (2/3) – 11.99kg without pedals.
Gearing Quality (1/3) – Shimano Claris 2×8 gearing.
Low Gear Ratios (3/3) – 24.4″ climbing gear.
Price (3/6) – Excellent value for the frameset quality.
Tubeless-Ready (1/1) – Tubeless compatible.

Upright Factor: 1.56 – quite upright to ride
50: 152-160cm – 52: 157-165cm – 54: 165-175cm – 55.5: 173-183cm – 58: 180-190cm – 59.5: 188-200cm

2021 Marin Nicacio Plus 650B – Global – $899

11/20

Frameset Quality (2/4) – Somewhat basic steel frame and fork, quick release axles.
Weight (1/3) – 12.6kg without pedals.
Gearing Quality (2/3) – Microshift Advent 1×9 gearing.
Low Gear Ratios (2/3) – 25.2″ climbing gear.
Price (4/6) – Decent value for performance.
Tubeless-Ready (0/1) – Tubes only.

Upright Factor: 1.53 – on the sporty side
48: 147-152cm – 50: 152-160cm – 52: 160-167cm – 54: 167-175cm – 56: 175-183cm – 58: 183-188cm – 60: 185-193cm

2021 Kona Rove AL 650B – Global – $899

9/20

Frameset Quality (2/4) – Decent aluminium frame and fork, internal cable routing, quick release axles.
Weight (1/3) – Approximately 12.5kg without pedals.
Gearing Quality (1/3) – Shimano Claris 2×8 gearing.
Low Gear Ratios (1/3) – 27.5″ climbing gear.
Price (4/6) – Decent value for the frameset quality.
Tubeless-Ready (0/1) – Tubes only.

Upright Factor: 1.49 – quite sporty
48: 152-160cm – 50: 157-170cm – 52: 168-178cm – 54: 175-183cm – 56: 180-188cm – 58: 185-196cm

If You’d Like To Learn Everything About Gravel Bikes, Check Out My Book: The Bikepacking Bike Buyer’s Guide