Spanning the gap between road and mountain bikes, gravel and adventure bikes are versatile options that excel on bridleways, byways, dirt roads and singletracks. Gravel bikes also perform incredibly well as commuter or winter road bikes too.
But finding the right bike for your needs can be a daunting and costly task...
Bike prices have increased significantly over the past few years and it's difficult to find performance models which come in below $1,500 (except if you're looking at hybrid bikes of course)
With that in mind, we've hand-picked a variety of bikes covering a range of price points and split this guide into budget gravel bikes that cost below $1,500 and those around $2,000 or less.
If you've got the gravel bug and the budget to go beyond this range, then by all means, check out our complete gravel and adventure bikes guide.
Despite its remarkably low price, the Triban GRVL 120 is more than capable of being ridden off-road, making it ideal for budget-conscious riders or anyone who wants to try gravel riding without splashing out a fortune.
A relaxed riding position and plenty of mounts mark the Topstone 4 out as an ideal long-distance companion. Well-considered components keep the costs down without spoiling functionality, but its geometry is better suited to off-road trails than road sections.
An excellent budget option, Boardman's ADV 8.6 is tubeless-ready and has a wide-range 9-speed drivetrain ready for off-road exploration. Although the frame lacks a bit of compliance, the included rack and mudguard mounts mean that it can double up as a commuter or winter bike.
Huge tire clearance, a carbon fork and a plethora of luggage mounts make the ever-popular Diverge a sure-fire winner. In this guise, the gearing is aimed at easier trails and lanes rather than big hills.
GT's iconic triple-triangle design provides a smooth ride thanks to the lengthened seat stays, and the wheels are tubeless-ready albeit shod with dry weather tires. The 8-speed drivetrain works well enough but is orientated more to road use and the brakes are a bit sub-par.
Decent value and good tire clearance on offer from the Triban GRVL 520. The geometry held it back a little off-road though and the supplied tires slowed it down on-road.
Below is our pick of the best budget adventure road bikes and gravel bikes we've tested. Read on for more tips on what to look for when shopping for a budget gravel bike to help you venture off the beaten track. If you're considering your first gravel bike we've also created a dedicated guide on what to look out for.
Designed for mechanical simplicity, the Triban GRVL 120 might hit the mark if you're just looking to dip a toe into gravel riding without spending too much cash. The ride position is upright and there's a fork with carbon legs and an alloy steerer.
Despite the low price, you still get a 10-speed single chainring groupset with plenty of range and a clutched derailleur. The bike also comes specced with tubeless-ready wheels with Hutchinson 38mm tubeless-ready tires. The 38mm max clearance is quite narrow though and we found that the Triban is better suited to both moderate trails and modest distances rather than more demanding terrain. However, at this price, the Triban GRVL 120 is hard to beat.
Cannondale's gravel bikes have a well-deserved reputation for quality features and the alloy Topstone 4 delivers frame-wise, along with savvy component choices to keep the price down. It's built for comfort rather than speed and provides a relaxed riding position. Plentiful mounts make it a good option for the bikepacker too.
The 10-speed single-ring drivetrain comes from Microshift, while the mechanical disc brakes are from Promax. We found that both work well, even if they're not brands that are front of mind when it comes to components. There's the flexibility to add a dropper seatpost with internal cables if you want to tackle more rugged terrain, too.
Off-road, the OutFront geometry works well, but we did find the Topstone 4 sluggish on tarmac.
The Boardman ADV 8.6 offers all you need to get started gravel riding. It has lower gearing to keep you moving off-road and tubeless-ready wheels and tires, so you can avoid being too troubled by punctures. Although the frame is a little firm, setting up tubeless will take the harshness out of the ride.
There's plenty of grip in a variety of conditions and Boardman's saddle and bars are comfortable too. You can add a rack and mudguards for commuting or bikepacking. The only hiccup was the exposed gear cables, which we found were prone to collect dirt, leading to degraded shift performance.
The lowest spec of the Specialized Diverge E5 gets a decent 8-speed Shimano groupset, although it leans a little more towards road than off-road use, with a large chainring that probably won't see you spending much time in the top gear.
You get a full-carbon fork with the alloy frame, which provides a stable geometry for off-road antics, paired with a shorter stem length for steerability - a typical gravel set-up. There's plenty of tire clearance at the rear thanks to the solid chainstay section behind the bottom bracket.
Like the Cannondale Topstone, there are loads of luggage mounts, including those on the fork legs, so the Diverge E5 is good to go for bikepacking adventures as well as playing around off-road.
The Diverge E5 is also offered in a Comp build. It's $500 over our budget here but if you can find the extra cash you'll get Futureshock front suspension and a SRAM Apex 1x groupset with hydraulic brakes. We found that both additions really improved the ride quality, with the Future Shock reducing the discomfort in our wrists after longer rides on harsher terrain, while the Apex braking was excellent regardless of the conditions.
Wheels: WTB ST i 23 tubeless-ready rims on Formula hubs
Max tire clearance: 42mm
Sizes: 44 - 61cm
Weight: 10.9kg
Reasons to buy
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Smooth-riding triple triangle frame
+
Sensible budget component choice
Reasons to avoid
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Tektro brakes lack bite
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Fairly narrow tire clearance
GT uses its triple triangle design in the Grade Elite, where the seat stays are lengthened for extra compliance. It leads to a comfortable, stable ride.
The gearing works well, although with a clunk when shifting due to the wide gaps in ratios in the eight-speed cassette. We weren't impressed by the brakes though, as these lacked bite and power, particularly for trickier descents.
Wheels and tires from WTB were good for drier rides and can be set up tubeless, giving plenty of grip and complementing the bike's quality handling.
Geometry doesn't quite match the competition off-road
Another entry from Decathlon's Triban brand, the GRVL 520 has an alloy frameset paired with a carbon-bladed fork with mounts for additional bottle cages. Cables run externally but with full outers.
There are two specs, one with an 11-speed 48/32t subcompact groupset and 700c wheels, and the one tested with SRAM Apex 1x 11-speed and 650b wheels.
We found the wheels and 47mm tires a little sluggish on the road and the ride a little harsh. It fared better on more technical off-road terrain, although we didn't feel it was quite the match for some of the competition.
QR axles make it a bit more of a faff to avoid brake rub
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Chainrings are a little large for a gravel bike
Based in Bellingham, Washington, Kona is no stranger to beefy touring bikes and now gravel bikes. It's got a reputation for no-nonsense, robust bikes with budget spec options that are durable and hassle-free.
This entry-level Rove is one of their aluminum alloy offerings and is available in either 700c or 650b builds at the same price. With chunky 47mm WTB Venture tires fitted and mounts on the fork legs in addition to standard mudguard and rack eyelets, the Rove is a great choice for anyone wanting to dip their toe into the world of bikepacking.
Trek's Domane is technical a road bike with clearance for wider tires it can handle some rough stuff
If you feel like you are more of an adventure touring or all-road rider the Trek Domane AL line of frames is a good fit. The endurance bike geometry works well both on and off-road and there's clearance for tires up to 35mm. In today's world 35mm isn't big but it's more than enough to tackle well-groomed gravel roads.
For a lot of people, this makes perfect sense as a first, or only, bike. Everything that makes it capable of heading off-road also makes it versatile. There are mounts for racks and fenders if you want to do some bikepacking or commuting, and weekend use just means changing tires.
If your budget stretches a bit further, there are three alloy Domane models with higher-spec finishing kit in the range.
Marin's Nicasio proves that when it comes to gravel steel can also be real
Dual-pull brake calipers offer better performance over single-pull
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Good range of mounting options
Reasons to avoid
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QR wheel axles make it harder to avoid brake rub
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Large jumps between the gears
One of the few steel gravel bikes that you'll find on a budget of less than $1,500, the Marin Nicasio+ is a great choice for budding bikepackers. There are loads of water bottle cage mounts, and you'll have plenty of options for storage alongside traditional rack and guard mounts too.
It comes with a single-ring groupset, making for a simpler mechanical set-up, with plenty of gear range and a clutched derailleur, although with only 9 speeds, there are quite large jumps between ratios. The Nicasio+ is fitted with 47mm WTB Horizon tires, so there's lots of rubber between you and the trail for extra comfort and grip.
The Vitus Substance comes equipped with Shimano's reliable Sora groupset
There's a lot more to the Vitus Substance V-2 than just a snazzy paint job to make it a great budget gravel bike. There are loads of mounting options for bags and TRP Spyre mechanical disc brakes which will help control your speed on testing off-road descents.
Vitus has opted for a good gravel gearing set up, with a sub-compact double (46/30T) paired with an 11-34T cassette for plenty of low speed gearing to get you up steep ascents while spinning in the saddle, while still giving an adequate on-tarmac turn of speed.
The finishing kit is Vitus' own, including Vitus' flared Adventure bars with a very subtle 3° flare.
The Grail 6 delivers an impressive range of components including a Shimano GRX groupset
Coming in seven sizes, the Grail from German direct sales brand Canyon has a cracking spec for the price. That includes a Shimano GRX 400 10-speed gravel groupset and DT Swiss wheels with Continental Terra Trail 40mm tires. It's nice to get a full Shimano GRX groupset including its hydraulic disc brakes for assured stopping power. The two smallest sizes swap in 650b wheels for the 700c wheels on the larger bikes, for improved geometry and less toe overlap with the front wheel.
It's a bike designed for fast gravel riding and to take you back onto tarmac when you need to link up gravel sections; for more off-road riding, greater tire clearance and extra load-lugging potential there's the Canyon Grizl 6 for the same price.
Giant's Revolt 2 allows you to adjust the chainstay length to match the demands of your ride
(Image credit: Giant)
12. Giant Revolt 2
Best for tuneable geometry
Specifications
Brakes: Shimano Sora shifters w/ Tektro MD-C550 mechanical disc brakes
Quite narrow clearance in the shorter chainstay configuration
The Giant Revolt comes with a flip chip in its rear triangle that lets you keep the chainstay length short for a more lively ride on tires up to 42mm or lengthen them for massive 53mm tire clearance.
Giant uses its compact frame geometry and fits its D-Fuse D-shaped seatpost to help increase saddle comfort, while a carbon fork adds damping to the front end. If you have a bit more in your budget, the Giant Revolt 1 offers 10-speed Shimano GRX gearing and hydraulic braking while still coming in just below our upper price limit.
The women's equivalent of the Revolt is the Devote, from Giant's women's-specific Liv brand. As well as the Devote 1, featured here, there's a Devote 2 with a similar spec to the Revolt 2.
The Devote 1 comes with smaller frame size options than the Revolt, but you don't get the flip chip variable geometry. There's still clearance for 45mm tires and the bike is delivered with Giant's tubeless set-up. The higher spec of the Devote 1 gets you a 10-speed Shimano GRX RX400 gravel bike groupset, complete with hydraulic disc brakes.
How to choose a budget gravel bike
What frame material should I expect in a budget gravel bike?
Inexpensive frames are sometimes steel but mostly aluminum. Metal frames are robust, durable, and inexpensive to manufacture. Alloy frames tend to be a little lighter than budget steel frames but steel is easier to repair if you find yourself in a remote region of the world.
Even at this price point, you will often find a carbon fork, which along with the wide tires will help take some of the road buzz out of your ride.
Whatever material you end up with be sure to protect it for use with bags. Use a strong, clear, adhesive material anywhere that a bag will come in contact with the frame. Even the best bags will wear through the paint.
What groupset and shifting should I expect on a budget gravel bike?
At this price point, there are a few different options on the market, from SRAM's Apex 1X groupset to double chainrings or even triples. Budget Shimano Sora or Claris options help to keep costs down and simplify shifting with 8 or 9-speed setups. These are road groupsets, rather than specifically gravel ones though, so they don't have a clutch to help keep the chain in place on bumpy terrain.
A gravel-specific groupset like Shimano GRX or SRAM Apex 1 will give you a better set-up for gravel riding than a road groupset, but is not often specced on lower-priced gravel bikes, as it's more expensive than 8 or 9-speed options.
Often gravel bikes will come with a single chainring set-up with a wide-range cassette to give you the range you need. It's a good option, but better with an 11 or 12-speed set-up; with the cheaper groupsets with a smaller number of sprockets, you may find the jumps between gears a bit wide.
The other option to give you lower gear ratios is a subcompact two-chainring groupset. Subcompact usually means either a 48/32t or 46/30t chainset, rather than the 50/34t that's typical on road bikes. The advantage of a two-chainring groupset is that you get more gear ratios, and smaller jumps as you move up the cassette.
The SRAM Apex 1 groupset is an excellent option at any price range.
(Image credit: Nils Nilsen)
What brakes should I expect on a budget gravel bike?
Mechanical disc brake setups are almost always specced at the sub-£1000/$1500 mark. These are less costly than hydraulic disc brakes but still yield benefits over rim braking systems, particularly for gravel bikes. Disc brakes make it possible to fit big tires and wide wheels without any decrease in braking power.
Even cable-actuated disc brakes offer greater power and modulation than cantilever brakes. Disc brakes will also save your wheelsets from wearing out in mucky conditions, unlike rim brakes.
Although not as powerful as hydraulic disc brakes, cable-operated brakes can be easier to maintain. Future upgrades are also always possible.
What wheels and tires should I expect on a budget gravel bike?
Even at this cheaper end of the gravel bike market, you can now choose between standard 700c wheels or smaller 650b wheels. A lot of these bikes will be compatible with both sizes too, so you can change as you like or even have a pair of each with different tires fitted.
For easier terrain or longer rides where efficiency is key 700c wheels are a good choice. Choose 650b wheels to run wider, chunkier tires for more technical terrain. The larger volume tires add extra comfort over rooty and rocky trails.
Tires make a huge difference to the quality of your ride and are also an easy element to switch out when you buy a bike. Having said that, it's good to see so many great tires fitted as standard, even at a budget level.
For mud and loose gravel look for more aggressive tread on the center line and shoulders. Slick, or file tread, tires will be faster for road, dry conditions and less technical terrain.
It's worth bearing in mind that entry-level wheels can come at the cost of greater weight. Heavier wheels take more energy to get moving and can feel sluggish. When you're convinced that gravel riding is for you, wheels are a good first upgrade.
WTB Resolute gravel tires on a gravel bike
What finishing kit should I expect on a budget gravel bike?
Many budget gravel bikes come from brands that offer their own in-house finishing kit, for example, Triban's seatpost, stem, handlebars, bar tape and saddle. This helps to keep costs low, and although not the flashiest, these parts tend to be well-made and robust. Finishing kit is easy to swap out if you fancy an update at any point in the future too.
Handlebars are the one piece of the finishing kit you might want to really pay attention to. Flared bars of around 12° can give a more stable position in the drops for rough descents. They also accommodate bikepacking bags more easily.
What are the best upgrades for my budget gravel bike?
Once you're happy that your new gravel bike is the best steed you've ever owned, you might want to consider a few upgrades to make the ride even more enjoyable. If you've got a little over $1,500/£1,000 to spend initially, you might consider these features for your first bike too.
SRAM Rival Hydraulic Disc Lever
Although it sounds strange, better braking can actually help you go faster. With more powerful braking from hydraulic disc brakes, you can stop faster. With great braking performance at your fingertips, you'll have more confidence to let rip on the descents.
If you don't already have flared handlebars on your bike, consider this upgrade for confident descending and more room for bikepacking bags up front.
Your wheels can make a huge difference to the quality of the ride, and unfortunately, at lower price points the quality of these can suffer. Upgrading your original wheelset to a lighter and higher quality build can make the world of difference.
Don't feel stuck with the tires that come on your bike. Your preferred terrain and conditions might need something different. Experiment with different volumes and tread types until you find some that work for you. You may need a different set of tires for summer and winter riding to get the most out of your budget gravel bike, swapping between them to compensate for the changes in trail conditions.
Setting up your wheels tubeless can be one of the biggest (although not always the easiest) upgrades to your bike out of the box. With no tube to worry about you can run lower pressure for better traction and a more comfortable ride. Tubeless sealant can also seal small punctures before you even know something happened.
What extras do I need for gravel riding?
If you're looking to keep your spending on your new gravel bike under control, don't forget to budget for the extras you'll need.
Although you can ride on a set of the best flat pedals, it's easiest to ride off-road on clipless pedals, but you need an MTB-style two-bolt system rather than a road-going three-bolt one. The best pedals for off-road riding are two-sided for easier engagement, clear mud well and are robust.
You'll need a matching pair of two-bolt shoes for gravel riding, as the recessed cleats and grippy soles are essential when you need to walk your bike.
Don't forget to factor in a helmet, summer gloves in case you take a tumble and winter gloves to keep your hands from freezing. If you don't want to ride in road gear, there's also a good selection of gravel bike clothing for more versatility or a more relaxed look. Finally don't forget sunglasses to help keep dirt and bugs out of your eyes.
If you're planning to use your gravel bike for bikepacking or even for commuting, there's a whole range of bikepacking bags to make packing and carrying easier. We've got a comprehensive list of everything you need to go bikepacking - there's quite a lot of it.
But if you're looking for a budget gravel bike, the answer is: probably not.
The vast majority of gravel bikes are still rigid and perform just fine. We'd only suggest looking into suspension forks for your gravel bike if you've got the budget and you're tackling more challenging terrains.
How we test
Where we've been able to link to a review, it means that we've put the bike through its paces. This means we've ridden it across a variety of terrain to assess its suitability for gravel riding, considering a range of factors such as its ride quality, comfort over longer distances and its suitability for alternative uses such as winter road riding and commuting. This being a 'budget' guide, value for money was a key consideration too.
Our testers are all experienced gravel riders and include our Tech Features Editor Stefan Abram, who's undertaken several multi-day bikepacking adventures both in the UK and abroad.
Where we haven't yet had the chance to review an item, we're still confident in recommending it as one of the best, because we either know the brand really well and have probably tested another product or the previous version and can still happily recommend it as one of the best.
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