Gravel Bike Buying Guide

Gravel bikes have exploded in popularity over the last few years. There are now dozens of gravel bike events around the UK and a growing number of long distance cycling routes designed with gravel bikes in mind. In this gravel bike buying guide we’ll take you through the main things to consider when picking a gravel bike.

What’s the appeal of a gravel bike?

The main appeal of gravel bikes is versatility,. You can use them on normal roads but they’ll also work great on forest roads, old railway lines and farm tracks. So you can go for a ride off-road, avoiding cars and traffic, but link it with sections of tarmac as well. Of course you can do this on a mountain bike but a gravel bike will generally be faster and lighter. This also means you can cover some big distances when touring. A lot of gravel bike riders are road cyclists who want to get away from traffic.

As gravel bikes often get used for touring and bikepacking most will come with mounting points for bags. This luggage capacity combined with speed, and ability to handle mixed surfaces, means that gravel bikes are also extremely popular for commuting on.

Read our full gravel bike buying guide

Are Gravel Bikes Good for Commuting?

Gravel bikes are very popular for commuting. We sell lots of them on the cycle to work scheme. One of our biggest stores for gravel bike sales is our Greenwich shop in London. They're mainly selling them for commuting around central London on. We’re going to run you through the pros and cons of commuting on a gravel bike and answer the question ‘are gravel bikes good for commuting?’

The Pros of Commuting on a Gravel Bike

Gravel bikes are fast, nearly as quick as a standard road bike. They are certainly quicker on the road than most mountain bikes and many hybrids. That means you can get to work, and home, in the shortest time possible. But what makes gravel bikes so good for commuting is that they are extremely versatile. They can be ridden on tarmac, cycle paths, old railway lines, canal towpaths, and even off-road trails. So, it’s easy to mix it up on your commute and avoid traffic.

Another big advantage of commuting on a gravel bike is that they're generally more comfortable than road bikes. This is because they have wider tyres and longer wheelbases, which results in a smoother and more stable ride. So you don’t get bounced around as much on rough roads. Most gravel bikes have a fairly upright riding position which makes it easier to see what’s going on in traffic. The combination of stable handling and the comfortable riding position is a massive confidence boost for the rider, especially on wet roads.

Read more about the pros and cons of gravel bikes for commuting

Price Match at Cycles uk

We understand that price is important, so we regularly price-check our competitors to make sure we have the best offers available. We recognise that we will not always be the cheapest, so if you see the same product cheaper from any of our competitors then please get in touch via the form below and we will do our best to match any reasonable advertised price.

Trek made their first bikes in 1976 in a barn in Wisconsin. Now they’re one of the biggest bike brands in the world. Trek bikes cover everything from professional-level road and mountain bike race bikes to commuters, hybrids and kids bikes. There is a strong heritage of racing at Trek and many Trek bikes have a strong race influence. They take a very scientific approach to researching bike and human performance and then make the fastest and most efficient bikes they can.

It doesn’t stop their attention and passion for cycling flows through everything they do. Since the 1990s, Trek has supported Places for Bikes. Places for Bikes is an advocacy organisation in the USA that gets more people on bikes more often! Places for Bikes ethos falls in line with the companies mission statement to:

Build only products we love. Provide incredible hospitality to our customers, and change the world by getting more people on bikes.

Frame - 300 Series Alpha Aluminum, tapered head tube, Internal cable routing, 3S chain keeper, T47 BB, rack and fender mounts, integrated frame bag mounts, flat mount disc, 142x12mm thru axle

Fork - Checkpoint carbon, tapered carbon steerer, rack mounts, mudguard mounts, flat-mount disc, 12x100 mm thru axle

Shifter - SRAM Apex, 12-speed

Rear derailleur - SRAM Apex XPLR, 44T max cog

Crank - SRAM Apex 1, 40T, DUB Wide

Bottom bracket - SRAM DUB, T47 threaded, internal bearing

Cassette - SRAM XG-1230, 11-44, 12-speed

Chain - SRAM Apex, 12-speed

Hub front - Bontrager alloy, sealed bearing, CenterLock disc, 100x12 mm thru axle

Skewer front - Bontrager Switch thru axle, removable lever

Hub rear - Bontrager alloy, sealed bearing, CenterLock disc, Shimano 11-speed freehub, 142x12 mm thru axle

Skewer rear - Bontrager Switch thru-axle, removable lever

Rim - Bontrager Paradigm, Tubeless Ready, 24-hole, 21 mm width, Presta valve

Tyre - Bontrager GR1 Team Issue, Tubeless Ready, Inner Strength casing, aramid bead, 120 tpi, 700 x 40 c

Tyre part - Bontrager TLR sealant, 180 ml/6 oz

Rim strip - Bontrager TLR

Saddle - Bontrager Verse Comp, steel rails

Seatpost - Bontrager alloy, 27.2 mm, 12 mm offset, 330 mm length

Handlebar - Bontrager Elite Gravel

Handlebar tape - Bontrager Supertack Perf tape

Stem - Bontrager Elite, 31.8 mm, Blendr-compatible, 7-degree

Brake - SRAM Apex hydraulic disc, flat mount

Brake rotor - SRAM Paceline, rounded, CentreLock, 160 mm

Brake lever - SRAM Apex, 12-speed

Rotor size - Max brake rotor sizes: 160mm front & rear

Weight - 56cm size - 9.60 kg / 21.17 lbs (with TLR sealant, no tubes)

Weight limit - This bike has a maximum total weight limit (combined weight of bicycle, rider and cargo) of 125 kg (275 lb).

Please note: Manufacturers can sometimes change the specification of the products from time to time.