The best gravel bikes for beginners

Mar 4, 2024 8 min

What are the best gravel bikes for beginners to start the Gravel Game on?

The spirit of adventure, the joy of discovery and simply getting out into nature: That's what graveling is all about, And these are probably also the reasons why you have loved this sport for a long time already or want to learn how to love it now! In order for you get right into it, we want to make your choice for the perfect bike as easy as possible. Which is why Shirin has presented you the five best gravel bikes for beginners in our YouTube video and we will do it again in this blog post! Also included are two Gravel Bikes, which have been designed specifically for women.

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The best gravel bikes for beginners

1. Cannondale Topstone 4.

At the top of our list sits a true Gravel classic (the Topstone 5 was already the star of one of our blogposts once), which will cost you a beginner-friendly 1,299 euros. This bike has an aluminum frame with numerous mounting options, making it a good choice for adventurous gravel rides, especially if you have some extra equipment with you, like on a bikepacking trip. It is equipped with a smooth microSHIFT Advent X 1 groupset that shifts smoothly even when on rough terrain.

The geometry of the Topstone 4 is relatively relaxed compared to other gravel bikes, which is ideal for beginners. But even if this model is a real hero on gravel, it can feel a bit funky and unconventional on tarmac, after all, it's not designed for high-speed riding. But if you can live with this compromise, the Cannondale Topstone 4 is an ideal bike to start your gravel journey and conquer your first trails with.

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2. Canyon Grizl.

Next tip and another longtime buycycle favorite: The Canyon Grizl with a price tag of 1,799 euro. A pretty versatile bike and a good choice whether you want to gear up for long gravel adventures or are looking for a reliable gravel for mixed terrain. The lightweight aluminum frame offers you a comfortable, relaxed geometry that makes for a pleasant ride even when on rougher terrain. With a mix Shimano GRX 6 & 800 group and 45mm wide tires the Grizl 7 also offers improved traction and comfort.

Remarkable is the large tire clearance of 50 mm and you can even drive tires in size 700C, which allows you to mount a suitable set for just about any riding situation. The hydraulic disc brakes from Shimano Tiagra provide reliable braking power in a variety of conditions. In addition, you can mount mudguards and up to three bottle cages and on the top tube you also have a small snackbox installed.

Since the Grizl also rides excellently on asphalt, if you switch to slightly narrower tires, you get a true allrounder which will serve you faithfully in various riding situations and is therefore perfect for beginners.

3. Focus Atlas 6.7.

Let's now take a closer look at an exceptional endurance-gravel bike with an aluminum frame and a carbon fork that comes with versatile mounting options. The cockpit features a C.I.S. cable routing that runs seamlessly from the handlebar into the headset, making the mounting of a handlebar bag easy as pie.

The Atlas 6.7 is equipped with Shimano GRX ST-RX400 10-speed gears that guarantee you responsive shifting and the hydraulic disc brakes are incredibly reliable too. It rides on sturdy 45 mm WTB Riddler tires, which are suitable for both on- and offroad adventures. As for tire clearance, you can fit tires up to 47mm at 700c and 53mm at 650b, allowing you to explore both open roads and gravel. (If these tire sizes are nothing but a jumble of letters to you, don't worry, we prepared all info on tire sizes for you here).

Add to this that the Atlas 7.8 comes fully equipped with mudguards, lights and the model turns into your reliable gravel companion for just 1,899 euros!

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4. Specialized Diverge Elite E5.

This bike is equipped with a 2-speed SHIMANO GRX RX-400 groupset and a normal road handlebar. You get 47 mm of tire clearance and thus enough flexibility to cope with rougher trails if necessary. The various mounting options for water bottles, bags etc. make the Diverge Elite E5 an ideal companion for outdoor adventures. You thus get a reliable bike for 1,900 euros that provides you with top services both on- and off-road and can be easily upgraded for more demanding routes.

5. Giant Revolt Advanced 3.

For a slightly heftier 2,299 euros, this next Gravel on our list offers you a 2-speed Shimano GRX RX-400 group, tubeless Giant CrossCut AT1 tires provide a confident ride even on rough terrain, and Giant's flip-chip technology lets you customize the wheelbase and tire clearance. In addition, the Giant Revolt has pretty impressive capabilities on the mountain, the lightweight carbon frame makes it a great climber and the D-Fuse-Seatpost, the carbon fork and the handlebars help absorb shocks and vibrations during rapid descents. Thus, you are well equipped on gravel and on asphalt and get a perfect bike with the Giant Revolt, no matter what level you are at the moment.

All of these top 5 bikes so far are unisex models: Meaning that, depending on the adjustment of the seating position, they can be driven by all sexes as per se. But we also want to introduce you to two models that were developed specifically for women.

6. Liv Devote 1.

For 1,699 euros you get a bike, which you fully equipped with a Shimano GRX 400 rear derailleur and a Tiagra front derailleur that offer a capable setup for fast road rides and demanding trails. A special feature is the lightweight advanced grade carbon composite fork, which skillfully absorbs vibrations while providing light weight and responsive steering. The aluminum frame is slightly smaller than on the unisex models and was designed specifically for the female anatomy. Meaning that while you can use normal racks and mudguards for the various mounting options and attachment points, you may need special sized bags.

Nevertheless, this bike is a top tier all-rounder with a good balance of performance, comfort and versatility and definitely a more than solid choice for riders of all levels.

7. Cube Nuroad WS C:62 Pro.

This bike features a lightweight C:62-Carbon frame that offers a perfect balance between stiffness and comfort for a responsive and agile ride. You can also count on precise and reliable shifting and excellent capabilities on gravel and on asphalt. The various mounting options and attachment points for luggage racks and mudguards make it adaptable and a fantastic choice for women riders looking to start their Gravel adventures.

This was it: Our top gravel bikes for beginners. You can find all of these models on buycycle.com, where you can buy or sell your bike quickly, securely and easily and at much lower prices. So feel free to browse through our website! If you have any questions about graveling, our team is always there for you and for more info on all things bikes you best stay on the blog for a little longer! For now we wish you, as always: Happy browsing, happy cycling! (Whether on a Gravel Bike or not).

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What are the main gravel bike parts? Check out our guide to gravel bike components!

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