Need input. Looking to get a lower end carbon gravel bike (yes I know carbon isn’t low end but I mean low end of the carbons, $3000-$3500). My question is if anyone knows which of the brands use a more relaxed geometry as I’ll most be using for leisure rides and commuting.
Gravel Bikes
- Thread starter sobester
- Start date
Not a geometry expert, but work part time at a shop that sells Specialized. The Diverge will have fairly relaxed geometry. They rebranded the Crux recently as their “fast” gravel bike, so it will have a racier geometry. Had a Diverge for about four years and I really like it. The future shock (20mm of travel in the stem) really takes the edge off. Good number of mounting bosses for commuting.
I’d guess most brands gravel bikes would have a relaxed geometry at that price point. Specialized take a lot of crap from some ($pecialized) but they make solid product. Canyon may be the best value, but as a believer in LBS (local bike shop) I can’t recommend them. Giant owns their factories so they can also offer slightly better value. Overall though, I tell folks you’re buying the bike shop as much as the bike. Spend your money where you get the sense they’ll take care of you.
That may depend on how hilly it is where you are. Around Bloomington you need all the range you can get, so you have the easy gears for spinning up hills, but enough high end so you’re not spinning out the gear going downhill. 1X is definitely simpler, and a touch lighter. I went with 2x because at the time I was riding 70/40 road/gravel and I didn’t want big gear steps. I am also desperately slow climbing but enjoy blasting downhill, so I wanted the high end for that.
I recently got the ride1up gravel e-bike. I don’t think you’re asking about e-bikes though. if you’re wondering, I really like it.
I am interested. It might be a little while. Not sure if you are familiar with the Betline in Atlanta. It is still a question whether E-bikes are allowed. I don’t ride on the streets in Atl, only the Beltline or otherwise hauling my back out of the city. If it turns out they start banning e-bikes on Beltline I really wouldn’t have much use for one.
Well, this bike doesn’t look or sound like some of those e-bikes that basically are electric motorcycles. Esthetically it’s basically a fixie with elements of a mountain bike. Single gear. I’d be really surprised if this bike were banned from regular bike paths, but what do I know about bike laws. Amazing on hills by the way.
The best value would be either Giant or Canyon.
The question is whether you really need a gravel bike for a city commute.
Plus gravel bikes are a bit trendish to me. The bike manufacturers created a new marketing category just to fleece you out of your hard-earned money.
Geometry = category. So you can imagine how they can splice this baby up or marketing wise.
Getting a 'City' or a 'hybrid' bike for commuting will suffice -- they are 'old' categories and therefore will be cheaper.
An e-bike version would be something to look into.
Or for actual off-road biking, there are always mountain bikes, hardtails or trail bikes. Get those.
Pointless to get the Chevy El Camino of bikes.
Last edited:
Thanks. I wasn’t clear originally. It’s not for a city commute. It’s a bike I’ll takw out of the city for dirt and some road. I guess I will use it on the Beltline some in the city. . I have a Trek hybrid bike I use on the Beltline now and will continue. I don’t ride on the Atlanta streets at all. No reason for me to do so and I just don’t feel safe doing so.
If you want to contribute to the economy then just get a hard tail. I prefer hard tails rather than full suspensions. Better feel of the ground
The riding will be hard packed gravel/ dirt and road. No single track or anything close to that.
Look into Salsa bikes too. They tend to be a bit more relaxed and their gravel offerings are very good and more economical than some. I think 1x will work for you, but make sure you have a 50 on the rear. You can crawl up pretty much anything with the "dinner plate" on the rear.
