Adventure cycling has to be in my opinion the most exiting type of cycling! In this article we are going to breakdown some of the most popular bike brands in this niche. From bikepacking to touring and anything in between.
When you buy a bike you want to make sure you are purchasing quality. There are so many different bikes out there these days and some are obviously better then others.
When choosing a bike brand especially for this article we only picked what we believe are the best brands that offer bikes for exploring for days on end and are able to carry a load of gear. This means the bikes need to be built so they are stable and strong. But also have the ability to withstand some of the abuse that can be expected when in the middle of nowhere on rough roads. It helps if the bike is reliable and long lasting as you want a bike that is able to last especially if you are touring in the middle of no where.
All these brands make a number of bikes that are suited for this type of cycling. Offering options with a variety of materials from alloy, steel to carbon and titanium. While you can also pick up decent budget friendly bikes from some of these brands and even very highly spec’ed out bikes as well.
Please keep in mind that these bikes are in no particular order of preference. But all of them offer great bikes that are great for cycling to the corners of the world.
Surly
These guys have to be one of my favourite all time touring bike / bikepacking bike brand! Know for there all steel builds to their quirky “humanoid” descriptions and bike names! It is a brand that makes quality bikes for rather good prices but also has a unique character!
They are one of those brands solely dedicated to that more adventurous side of cycling and all there bikes have hauling abilities. One of my first touring bike was the Surly Long Haul Trucker! Love, Love, love this brand so much! Can you tell all ready? (Fan boy over here!)
The brands sense of humour is so laid back and relatable it is a really great way to market bikes. For example when I looked up their “about me” page this is what I mean. “Who is Surly? That’s a really great question. Who is anyone, really? Who are you? Who’s that guy? Why’s he walking towards us like that? Oh shit, now he’s running…” Everyone at Surly shares one thing in common and that is “bike nerdom.” They essentially make serious steel bikes for people who don’t take themselves too seriously. (That laid backness I was talking about)
Apart from this their bikes are simple yet so practical but also appealing and they just work! From the Surly LHT to the ECR or even Big Fat Dummy. They have a bike for any type of riding and bike adventure your creativity can muster.
Salsa
Another great bike brand for the adventure seeker is Salsa! They are very similar to Surly when it comes to producing bikes that are great for travel the less rolled roads! But they do offer some wider variety of bike builds when it comes to materials and types of bikes.
Salsa started back in around 1981 to 1982 by Ross Shafer. Initially he focused on producing bicycle frames and custom stems. In 1997, the brand was acquired by Quality Bicycle Products.
Salsa makes bike frames out of aluminum, carbon fiber, titanium, and chromoly steel. They build several bike touring bicycles, fat tire bikes, bikepacking bikes, and gravel bikes, as well as full-suspension mountain bikes and one model of gravel tandem.
They are all about adventuring by bike. So most if not all their bikes have the appropriate build components to be preferred bike exploring machines. With eyelets and adventure designed geometry.
One of their iconic all-road adventure bikes is the Salsa Fargo. My touring buddy has this bike and it is so bloody great!
Kona
Kona is another great adventure bike brand. They are not as niche specific and make other type of bikes too. But some of there bikes like their Kona Sutra LTD adventure/gravel bike is a beast! This is the bike I am currently riding and what more can I say this brand makes some great quality rigs.
They make bikes from mountain, gravel and all-road to electric bikes. They first started out making mountain bikes and are probably more known in the cycling community for mountain bikes. But as they know quiet a lot out Mountain biking they take this into their adventure bikes and you get the perfect mix!
In Kona’s words they are “all about the freedom and empowerment of the bicycle. We have been since 1988. We still have the same founding owners. We’re still populated by a staff of keen, active, impassioned cyclists. We’re not big, nor are we that small. Just a dedicated group of cyclists making bicycles for people who love bikes-no matter if that love is new or long established.”
Depending on your style Kona are more heavy into Mountain bikes as mentioned. But their best bikes for adventures are the Unit, Rove and Sutra models.
Giant
Giant call themselves the worlds largest producer of high quality bikes. They started back in 1972. They have been the leading innovators in the cycling space all around. Introducing lighter, stronger aluminum frames at a time when the industry standard was steel.
They were first to make carbon fiber bikes widely available to the world. Defined the look and feel of modern road racing bikes with our Compact Road technology. And they revolutionised off-road performance bikes with Maestro Suspension.
They have more then 12,000 retail stores round the world. And offer bikes that are perfect for Tour de France racers to singletrack explorers.
Furthermore they continue to lead with innovations in the E-Bike category. They have bikes in the Gravel, Cyclocross and Adventure/ Electric Adventure categories that are all great for adventure cycling.
Marin Bikes
Another bike brand is Marin and they make some budget friendly adventure and bikepacking bike options while also producing higher end stuff too. If you are interested I have a big write up and overview of this brand here.
The first ever mountain bike to be debuted from Marin was back in 1986. The brand has been dedicated to enriching the lives of our riders by making fun, high caliber bicycles, which provide years of riding enjoyment. They are all about bikes that are made for fun! Each model is designed to be playful and to maximize the opportunities for two-wheeled fun.
They have a number of bikes which are suited to adventure riding and bikepacking exploration. The Pine Mountain, to the Nicasio + (one of the most supple & value for money gravel bikes out there). The Gestalt, Headlands and Four Corners to name a few of their most adventure ready bikes!
Niner
Niner are one of those bike brands that are higher end and just amazing rigs! They have so many different bikes to choose from… Their moto “pedal damn it!” is inspiring in itself but they have the bikes to back it up! They make bikes to be ridden off road. it is their one and only love. They say they are 100% committed to impeccable designs & exquisite ride quality.
They have mostly mountain and gravel bike options to suit any type of off road riding conditions. My favourite is their RLT 9 Steel gravel bike. They even have a full suspension gravel bike (MCR 9 RDO)
They are one of those brands that its all about this bikepacking or riding off-road lifestyle and are fully committed to it!
Cannondale
Cannondale is one of those more popular and worldly know bike brands. Making bikes from road bikes, kids bikes to adventure rigs. They started back in 1971 when the world was still mostly into steel bikes they took a turn and started aluminium and carbon-fibre manufacturing. They have done a lot and pushed hat has been possible in cycling.
They shook up the suspension establishment with single-sided forks, designing incredible frames and products that reinvented racing, creating award-winning bicycles that helped push people further.
The Topstone, is their gravel bike entry which comes in a variety of different builds, but very capable for adventures!
Specialized
Similar to Cannondale, Specialized are also probably more popular in the road biking scene. But they also do have adventure and gravel bike options for the adventurous types!
Specialized is made by riders for riders. Since 1974. When quality tires weren’t around, they strove to make the best. When people wanted to ride cruisers in the dirt, they made the first production mountain bike. When roadies wanted to go faster, they doubled-down on carbon and built their own wind tunnel. And when kids were struggling to focus in school, they started the Specialized Foundation to help them through cycling. It is great to see a company do some good for the cycling community.
And they do this with the bikes the offer. Like the adventure/gravel Diverge bike! They also produce a number of other cycling products, like, shoes, helmets, apparel and bike bags.
Trek
Trek make some nice bike touring and bikepacking bikes. The company was in 1976, in a southern Wisconsin barn, a pair of visionaries set out to create the best bikes in the world. They fostered a culture of craftsmanship, where every bicycle built was a point of pride. To this day, though they have grown far beyond their roots, but every bike they do make is a testament to Trek’s founding principles.
They make bikes of all kinds. This means they have a few touring, gravel and adventure options. The Checkpoint, 520 touring bike and 920 adventure bike. Are some of their more popular bikes for travelling long distances by bike.
Co-Op Cycles
If you are after. more budget friendly adventure and touring bike brand. Look no further then the REI brand Co-Op Cycles. Their most expensive bike is their Co-op Cycles ADV 2.3 gravel bike which only costs $2,199.00. Their other popular adventure/touring option is the ADV 3.2 Bike. Which is almost like a touring bike with off-road capabilities. And heaps of mounting options.
Ibis
Ibis are another one of those brands that make some nice high end gravel and mountain bikes which are amazing. From the Ripmo to the Ripley for MTB and the Hakka if you are after the ultimate lightweight gravel grinder.
On April Fools day of 1981, Scot Nicol “hung up his shingle” on a funky little shop a few miles east of Mendocino California. On that day, 38 years ago, Ibis was started without money and without a plan. Today they are located in Santa Cruz with 26 (or so) people working at Ibis. Our 5 owners all work full time for the company.
Santa Cruz
I loved this brand as a kid when I was into the skate culture but their bicycles are just as good. Not the best selection when it comes to adventure bikes but they do have many mountain bike options. Which some are great for bikepacking adventures. Oh yeah and they have the Stigmata Gravel/CX bike.
Santa Cruz Bicycles was founded in 1993 in a space the size of a single car garage in the Seabright Cannery, in Santa Cruz California. Their first bike, the Tazmon, was a single pivot dual suspension bike that rattled established sensibilities and helped define their then- ethos of “simply advanced.” That bike was the cornerstone for a brand that was founded on the notion of doing things their own way in order to build the best. They have been rattling sensibilities ever since.
Norco
Finally Norco they offer some really nice gravel bike options while also offering MTB. A Canadian brand they focus on producing super quality bikes. In carefully selecting components that complement their designs, they strive to meet high expectations for ride quality. And ensure that every one of their bicycles passes stringent standards for performance, aesthetic and quality.
Some of my favourite bikes from them are the, all new 2020 Section models, and the Search XR.
About The Author
