Best Gravel Bikes For All Types of Riding

The trend has no signs of slowing down. The gravel bike market has filled a nice gap in our cycling community. Allowing you to push drop bar bikes to the limits of adventuring capabilities. Gravel bikes could almost be the perfect bike to do it all. Maybe! Maybe not! Depends on how deep you want to go.

But never the less they are very capable bikes that can allow you to explore off the beaten path and see places you might not have though to venture. At Cycle Travel Overload we are all about exploring by bikes! And we are super excited to be putting this list together of some of the new and updated 2022 gravel bikes.

We have started to see a growing trend in gravel bikes which offer larger tire clearances. Which is a big deal for me personally. Having the ability to run mtb tires on a gravel bike allows you to go further and with some extra road dampening. Also some bikes are coming out with suspension options, for those looking to ride some jaw jarring terrain!

This blog has been a diverse resource for the adventure cycling community over the last couple years. And over that time we have provided detailed guides talking about some of the best gravel bikes you can buy. From the lightest gravel bikes to the best budget friendly options and anything else in between. We have taken some of our favourite picks from each of these articles to give you a well rounded summary of the best gravel bikes. So you are sure to find something that you will like.

If you are on a budget check out the best gravel bikes under $1,000 and under $1,500

So wanna check out these new 2022 bikes? Okay enough talking let’s do it!

Salsa Stormchaser – Best single speed gravel bike

Are you after that ultimate single speed bikepacking rig for those gnarly across country bikepacking races?

Made for those muddy conditions, the Stormchaser was originally designed to excel in the worst weather conditions nature can produce. Made from a lightweight aluminum frame and carbon fork that borrow from Warbird’s stable geometry and added Class 5™ VRS to soak up micro-impacts. With a large emphasis on wet weather conditions while riding this bike. It includes abrasion plates on the fork, plus internal cable routing and fender mounts to protect you and your gear from the elements to prevent wear from mud-caked tires and extra tire clearance to keep you rolling in all conditions.

Clearance for up to 47 mm tires. Weighing at total of 9.5 kg thanks to the alloy frame and carbon fork construction. Powered by a Race Face Ride, 38t crank and either a 17t and 18t cogs with spacer kit. Combined with the stock 700c x 42mm tires. You get a 58.65″ to 62.26″ gear inch range.

Kona Sutra LTD – Best adventure gravel bikes

We have four adventure gravel bikes to share with you in this list. First is the Sutra LTD by Kona, this is my personal bike of choice for adventures and even riding MTB trails!

Featuring a full steel adventure bike build with Kona Cromoly Butted. The bike comes with upper mid-range components and hydraulic disc brakes. 1×11 Rival 1, NX drivetrain. Rolling on Maxxis Recon Race EXO TR 29 x 2.25″ tires with approximately 2.3″ tire clearance.

The geometry of the Medium sized frame is more stable than some other options with a stake/reach ratio of 1.54 and a 72 mm trail. And the chainstay length is 445 mm.

This bike was designed to be something similar to a drop bar bike that felt like a mountain bike and rode like a mountain bike but had the speed of a road bike. And as a result we have this beast!

Salsa Cutthroat

If you are after a bike that you can travel fast on and go just about anywhere. To cover long distances at speed and in comfort. And ultra-endurance mixed surface bike inspired by the Tour Divide. The Cutthroat is you go too. Simple one of the best adventure gravel bikes.

Available in a variety of build options. For the base model Apex build with full carbon construction you are looking at around a 11.1 kg bike priced from $2,899. Including all the mounting options you could every desire, 29 x 2.2″ tires and clearance for up to 2.4″. Super upright and comfortable riding positioning with a 1.61 stack/reach ratio for the 56cm frame. Taking a look at the apex base Cutthroat model for example you can expect a 24.84″ climbing gear and 94.46″ highest gear.

Bombtrack Hook EXT

The Bombtrack Hook EXT is a hugely versatile adventure machine, Featuring Columbus Cromor double butted tubing steel frame with fender and rack mounts. With a T47, threaded bottom bracket. The frame offers 45 mm tire clearance. Available in Matt Black or Matt Metallic Grey Blue. The steel frame is partnered with a full carbon fork with triple cage mounts, which can double as fender mounts and internal Dynamo hub cable routing.

The bike comes with a mid-range components and hydraulic disc brakes. 1×11 Rival 1 drivetrain. Rolling on the WTB Ranger TCS Light / Fast Rolling 27.5” x 2.0′ wheels.

The geometry of the Medium sized frame Bombtrack Hook is well balanced with a stake/reach ratio of 1.52 and a 62mm trail. And the chainstay length is 425 mm making it a little shorter compared to other bikes.

Salsa Journeyer

The all new Salsa Journeyer takes on a new look from its sibling the Journeyman which has been featured as one of the best gravel bikes you can buy under $1,000. Depicted by Salsa as their workhorse all-road adventure machine. A do everything all-road bike, for gravel and road adventures. Available in a plethora of options the cheapest starting at $999 for the base flat bar option. You know its going to be the perfect adventure gravel bike just by its name, Journeyer is “A traveler going on a trip, a wayfarer.”

Check Out My Latest Adventure

Canyon Grizl – Best bikepacking specific gravel bikes

Made specifically for gravel bike bikepacking! All Grizl models come equipped with wide 45 mm rubber with clearance to take up to 50 mm. Canyon have done a great job only including a balance with the right number of practical frame and fork mounts you’ll actually use. Apidura offer collaboration bags for your gear, that are fully waterproof highly durable packs tailored to the Grizl.

Liv Devote Advanced 2 – Best women bikepacking gravel bike

If you are after the ultimate women’s adventure gravel bike then look no further than the Devote by Liv.

Suited for bikepacking to gravel grinding to adventure rides. A clean and contoured finish with internal cable routing. The bike comes with clearance for up to 45c tires. A lightweight build, with some models coming equipped with vibration absorbing D-Fuse seatpost, or dropper seatpost. Dampening all that off-road terrain you will be exploring. 

Juliana Quincy CC Force AXS – Best do it all women’s gravel bike

If you are looking for a full carbon, ultra-high gravel bike. Then Juliana has you covered with this gravel grinder. Just look at this bike, it is so so nice. It is an incredibly lightweight, strong, and comfortable bike. That has taken the knowledge gained from years of mountain bike innovation, resulting in a stiff yet great off-road feeling bike.

It includes size specific fork offsets, 3 water bottle cage mounts and you get room for a 45mm 700c or a 2.1″ 650b tire. While you get the advanced wireless electronic shifting drivetrain of the SRAM Force eTap AXS. A pricey bike but you get quiet a lot of high tech features at $5,899

All City Gorilla Monsoon – Best monster cross gravel bike

What is Monstercross you may ask? Think a MTB mixed with a gravel bike breading the ultimate adventure drop bar bike!

Check out what we have to say about this bike. All City describe this bike as their dirt do-it all solution. A sweet beast designed to handle on or off-road shredding, bike-camping, short-duration dirt touring, and the pursuit of good times!

You get the ultimate all steel adventure bike build, with 650b x 2.4″ tires, hydraulic brakes and dropper post, with a 1×11 drivetrain, which offers a rather limited 25.01″ climbing gear when compared to other bikes in this list. The all new 2022 Gorilla Monsoon comes in a GRX and Apex build kit. Weighing in at 13.15 kg or 29 lbs and max tire clearance for 27.5 x 2.4″

Specialized Diverge Expert E5 EVO – Best flat bar gravel bikes

One of our more popular post talks about some of the best flat bar gravel bikes that you can purchase. Flat bar gravel bikes make perfect commuter gravel bikes the ultimate MTB alternative if you are looking for something for the daily commute but potentially even take on some trails when you are looking for some fun! We have two flat bar gravel bike options for you to check out, there is also a third and fourth flat bar gravel bike option but we put them in the best budget gravel bike category for this list.

So the Diverge has to be a personal favourite flat bar gravel bike.

You could say this bike is redefining the notion of gravel grinding. When it comes to the bike’s geometry it is more progressive than the new drop bar Diverge. With an increase in the reach, slackened head tube and lowered the bottom bracket, resulting in a rather planted feeling. The bike is MTB inspired, with a 1 x 12 high end level XT, Praxis groupset, hydraulic disc brakes and a dropper post. Built around an alloy frame and carbon fork. Rolling on some 700x42mm tires, you get max clearance for 47mm with a 700c wheel and 2.1” with a 650b wheel. You also get a Praxis Zayante carbon 1X, 40T crank and Shimano XT, 12-speed, 10-45t cassette.

Commencal FCB

FCB or Fast City Bike! A stylish commuter flat bar gravel bike ready for whatever riding you have in mind! Now you can cruise the streets with speed and style. Whether on tarmac or gravel the Commencal FCB is one of my personal favorite picks!   Available in the Origin or Essential bike builds and frameset. Both bikes have the same geometry and aluminum frameset. Main difference is the cheaper Origin has a 1×11 Apex 1, Sram groupset and the Essential with a more capable 1×12 GX Eagle, Rival 1 setup.

Surly Midnight Special – Best steel gravel bikes

The Surly Midnight Special Bike is built for rough pavement, gravel, and exploring fire roads. The 4130 Chromoly steel frame features flat-mount disc brakes, thru-axles, and has wide tire clearance for up to 650b x 60mm or 700c x 42mm tires. The frame is also compatible with front and rear racks and fenders. This means you can easily transform this bike into your daily commuter or a touring bike. Who else is digging this new pink “metallic lilac” colour?

Marin Nicasio + – Best budget friendly gravel bikes

One of our most popular post was the best gravel bikes under $1,000 in this article we share of the best budget gravel bikes you can buy for the money. Also here is a list of the best value gravel bikes.

The Marin Nicasio + has to be one of the best gravel bikes you can get for a really affordable price. I purchased this bike to find out for myself.

It has been a popular and affordable gravel bike option for those looking to get their toes wet in the world of gravel grinding! Taking the award for the ‘most supple bike in 2019’ it is a great choice for those looking to get a budget gravel bike option which is just over $1,000. A bit of a heavier bike them most gravel bikes with the full steel frame and fork build. it comes with mechanical disc brakes and 650b x 47c wheels/tires. Featuring a 1 x 9 MicroSHIFT Advent groupset. The handlebars have a 12 degree flare for that little extra comfort!

Which includes a FSA Tempo Compact, Narrow Wide, 42T crankset and SunRace 9-Speed, 11-46T cassette. Giving the bike a 24.15″ granny gear and a 101.37″ highest gear. That means a 0.91 : 3.82 gear ratio. 

When it comes to geometry it is rather upright with a 1.52 stack/reach ratio (54 cm frame). The rear feels quick and a little jumpy with a predictable front end!

State Bicycle Co 4130 All-Road

A full fledged chromoly steel gravel bike for a very tasty price tag! This could be one of the best gravel bikes in this list. Allowing for both 700c and 650b tires. So you can run slicks or knobby tires. Depending on where you want to ride. With a versatile front fork that has many cargo cage braze ons for all the hauling you could ever need. Featuring State Bicycle Co own 1 x 11 drivetrain. Which gives you a 42 t front crank and 11-42 at the rear. With the 650b x 2.1″ tires, resulting in a climbing gear of 27.19″ which is rather limited for a gravel bike. But for a bargain price of $799.99 if you plan to ride long and straight gravel roads this might be the smart choice.  

I struggled to find accurate information of this bikes geometry. But some owners recommend this for a bikepacking bike. Thanks to the long rear end which helps it track straight and not feel twitchy. The 42 tooth crank at the front is too large in my opinion. And I would change it out for a smaller one say 36t to get better climbing results. Other then that a great pick up for such a cheap price. 

Poseidon Redwood 

This could be the budget gravel bike to take you on some epic adventures. Well let’s take a look at the details!

This bike has taken on the Poseidon X geometry but has been amped up so you can eat up gravel with enough tire to absorb the vibrations. Allowing for 27.5 wheels with enough clearance for 2.5″ tires. 

The build features a 6061 Double Butted Hydroformed Aluminum frame and 6061 Aluminum Fork – Tapered Steer 1 1/8″ – 1 1/2″ fork. Powered by a 1 x 10 Advent X groupset. This means a Prowheel 38t Narrow Wide Crank with a Microshift 11-48T Advent X cassette. Giving you an incredible 21.88″ granny gear and a 95.54″ highest gear. Combining to make a 0.79 : 3.45 gear ratio. The stack/reach ratio is around 1.48 which is not the most upright. You get a chill feel at the rear with a 440mm chainstay.

It has the potential to take you on some rad adventures for only $899.99! With mounting options on the fork and those Poseidon Adventure Bars with 24 Degree Flare for extra comfort when shredding!!

Marin DSX 1 Flat Bar Gravel Bike

Looking for a flat bar gravel bike around the $1,000 mark? The DSX 1 gravel bike by Marin is  the mountain biker’s gravel bike with familiar hand positioning, large tire clearance, and drop post routing. The 6061 aluminum frame has internal cable routing, mudguard and rack mounts so you can easily transform this bike into a daily commuter or light-duty touring bike, and thru-axles. The frame has tire clearance for up to 700 x 45mm or 29 x 2.1″ tires.

Specialized Crux – Lightest gravel bike you can buy

Self proclaimed as the world’s lightest gravel bike. The Specialized S-Works Crux is said to weigh 6.9kg (16.21 lb), which is their top of the line option. While the Crux Comp weighs in at 8.5 kg (18.73 lb), which is their base line model in the 2022 lineup.

Offering some of the best tire clearance to weight ratios on the market with the option to run up to 47c tires while also offering a performance gravel geometry. With a 1.46 stack/reach ratio for a 56cm frame. The performance focused geometry “creates the feeling of being ‘in’ the bike for incredible confidence while still feeling quick and nimble at the bars.”

To get lightweight gravel bike status the Crux had to drop the rack, fender and bag mounts allowing riders to engage in a straightforward riding experience. Making it not the most ideal bike for bikepacking in this regard, you can still mount bags though. Also the bike provides a 10mm longer reach to give riders a more ideal weight distribution and the shorter stem offers more controlled steering.

Diamondback Haanjo Carbon – Best all-rouder gravel bike

Not to mention one of the cheapest carbon gravel bikes on the market. Its ideal for those looking for a road bike, gravel bike and even a bike to ride some of the more rougher stuff. Also perfect for bikepacking.

The Diamondback Haanjo 5C EXP Carbon gravel bike again has upper mid-range components. With the 2 x 10 Deore, Tiagra groupset, Praxis Cadet, Direct Mount, 46/36T crank and Praxis Cadet, Direct Mount, 46/36T cassette. With 650b x 47 c tires and mechanical disc brakes.

With a 1.54 stack/reach ratio it is perfect for longer days in the saddle. With a more upright position on the handlebars. It is rather quick in the rear thanks to the 430 mm chainstay length. Then you get a 72 mm trail this is with a medium sized frame. Which is in the high end for gravel bikes. Meaning it will feel stable in the front and on the edge of being sluggish. This bike is a great option if you want to go bikepacking on your carbon gravel bike, priced at $2,000

Cervelo Aspero – Best roadies gravel bikes

The all new 2022 Aspero bikes by Cervelo look stunning! Built to race not roam. A new breed of gravel rider is emerging and this bike is placed to serve that rider. One who is looking to race the trails and go all out pushing their personal limits. Build to preform like a road bike but off-road. After swapping in aftermarket forks the Aspero can fit a 40mm tire up front. 

3T Exploro – Best gravel race bikes & Fastest gravel bikes

The world’s first full-aero gravel adventure bike! Changing gravel racing and riding forever. The bike combines road speed with mountain toughness. Winning Dirty Kanza, Jeroboam, RAT1000 to name a few events. Having the capability to ride fast on any surface, paved, gravel or singletrack! With a clearance for up to 54mm gravel tires. Available in a number of bike build options.

Ridley Kanzo Fast

Combining gravel specific geometry, aerodynamic tubing and wide tire clearance. The Kanzo fast claims to be “the fastest gravel bike in the world.” We are unable to test for sure if it really is the fastest. But it definitely made the list for a reason. They are claimed to ride fast on any terrain and even outperform some road bikes at their own game.

Ridley really focused on designing the bike to make the most of all the effective power transfer, helping you convert every single watt into maximum speed. The bike has also been designed to cut through the wind while also keeping you comfortable for long rides. Each tube has an optimised NACA profile that was extensively tested in Ridley’s wind tunnel. The bike also features a lowered seat stay for vertical compliance.

Pinarello Grevil+

Distinctive and aggressive lines with aerodynamic details make the Grevil+ a versatile and powerful bicycle. I must say it is a very unique looking gravel bike. With an emphasis on aerodynamics you know it is going to ride fast. It has the versatility to run 700c x 25c tires or up to 650b x 2.1 “or 700 x 42mm. Designed to absorb vibrations to add extra comfort. Attention to detail, the front fork has increased flap to protect the disc and aerodynamic optimisation.

Surly Straggler – Best commuter gravel bikes

This steel gravel commuter bike by Surly, is tuned for cross-over exploration on a wide variety of terrain conditions. It’s a day-tripper and a weekender. It’s a ‘rough road’ road bike, a cyclocross bike with no pretence about racing, a utilitarian townie, a light-duty touring bike and an all-weather commuter.

Kona Rove

This entry level gravel bike features a full aluminium setup with modest components, with a 2×8 Claris and mechanical disc brakes. Priced at $899, rolling on 650b wheels with the WTB Venture Comp 650x47c tires. It is considered by Kona to be ideal for the commute, gravel trail, or the after-work fitness lap on your local hill. Available in a steel option for that extra strength when commuting.

The gearing has a FSA Tempo Adventure, 34/50t crank and Shimano Claris 11-34t rear cassette. Which results in a climbing gear of 26.54 inches and 120.74 gear inches for the largest gear.

Taking a look at this bikes geometry it has a 66 mm trial. Which means it is on the stable end and is rather predictable. The chainstay is 435 mm which puts it in that mid range making it rather quick and almost an all-rounder. The stack/reach ratio is 1.52

Curve GXR “Kevin” – Best titanium gravel bikes

The Kevin is available as a frameset. You can also order a complete bike, but only based on availability. You may need to contact Curve if you are interest in this rig. To make the Kevin, Curve had to take the fun of a cyclocross bike, fused in some adventure feels and rolled it into one neat do-it-all package that can take you anywhere. You get the option for 700c or 650B. With 700c wheels with 28–45mm tyres for Road/Gravel/Cyclocross or go full HellCat with 650b (27.5”) wheels running 1.8–2.2” tyres. Frameset starts at $3,999 Aud

Vitus Substance VRS-1 HT Gravel – Best suspension gravel bikes

We took a look at some of the best suspension gravel bikes way back in 2020. But are still working on an updated list. But here are two of our favourites so far. We decided to pick one hardtail and full suspension option for your liking.

The Vitus Substance Hardtail gravel bike is the ideal gravel adventure bike for all-terrain riding, the Vitus Substance VRS-1 HT Gravel Bike (Apex) features a strong and lightweight aluminium frame, RockShox suspension forks and a SRAM Apex 1-11-Speed groupset with hydraulic disc brakes.

Niner MCR 9 RDO

Lastly rounding our the list of some of the best gravel bikes you can buy. is the MCR 9 RDO full suspension gravel bike by Niner. Taking you paces most other gravel bikes would struggle to go and in comfort. When it comes to riding more aggressive trail riding the Niner MCR 9 RDO is great. You’ll be able to ride faster, go farther, and stay longer. The MCR 9 has 50mm of Constantly Varying Arc suspension that is gravel-tuned for more confidence, comfort, and control on rougher terrain.

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