Best gravel bike brands: What are the best gravel bike brands to consider in 2024?

What are the best gravel bike brands? We know gravel bikes changed cycling. Having a do-it-all bike that had great ability on multiple different terrains and was made for performance and comfort got everyone talking and lots of brands designing. Over the past decade, hundreds of gravel bikes have hit the market, but what are the best gravel bike brands?

In this article, we are going to be telling you about some of the best gravel bike brands. Learning about these brands can help you choose when it comes to getting your next gravel bike. We will also share some of their best bikes and tell you a little about the brands themselves.

What are the best gravel bike brands?

Here are the top 10 most popular gravel bike brands in the US:

1. Trek: a trusted name in gravel bikes
2. Specialized: performance-driven gravel bikes
3. Canyon: cutting-edge gravel bike innovation
4. Cannondale: high-performance gravel bikes for all terrains
5. Giant: reliable and versatile gravel bikes
6. Salsa: adventure-ready gravel bikes
7. Santa Cruz: premium gravel bikes for tough trails
8. Cervelo: speed and precision in gravel biking
9. Scott: lightweight and durable gravel bikes
10. Marin: affordable and robust gravel bikes

Let us get straight into it. We are going to be discussing 10 of the best brands when it comes to gravel bikes. We know and trust these brands and highly recommend what they create. We will look at many characteristics, such as performance, value for money, and even special features. 

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What are the leading gravel bike brands in the US?

Trek: a trusted name in gravel bikes

Trek is one of the biggest bike brands in the world, and you might have heard of it for many reasons. They were the sponsor for Lance Armstrong during his Tour de France wins and have been around for a very long time. 

They were founded in 1976 in Waterloo, Wisconsin, and have been going strong ever since, helping advance technology in the cycling industry. They were one of the first companies to start mass-producing carbon fiber bikes, which heavily brought the price down because carbon was originally more boutique.

Two of the best gravel bikes they currently make are the Checkpoint, a sport gravel bike made for mixed-terrain riding and possible bikepacking. You also have the Domane Gravel, an adaptation of the legendary Domane road bike but made for gravel. Each bike comes with different specification levels and is known for its performance.

Specialized: performance-driven gravel bikes

Next, we have the legendary Specialized. Originally founded in 1974 by Mike Sinyard in California, Specialized is well known for driving the cycling industry forward with new technology and creating some of the most legendary bikes that have led professionals to wins.

Originally, they started by importing components, but eventually, in 1981, they started making the Stumpjumper, which was incredibly popular and opened the door for them to make many more bikes of their own. Now we have them as a top gravel bike brand.

Specialized has a huge range of bikes with many different specification levels to suit many budgets. As far as gravel bikes go, we have the Diverge, which, on high-end models, has the Futureshock suspension system. We also have the Sequoia, a gravel adventure bike ready to tackle all terrain.

Canyon: cutting-edge gravel bike innovation

Canyon has been around a lot longer than most people think. They have actually been in the industry since 1985, supplying components before making bikes. When they did come to making bikes, they were incredibly forward-thinking and made big waves in the cycling industry.

They currently make many different bikes and, unlike many other brands, don’t sell in shops but directly from their website to the consumer. This means they can make the bikes cheaper and cut out the shop in the middle.

Canyon has made one of the most iconic gravel bikes ever, the Grail. When the Grail landed in the industry with a double-level handlebar, nobody expected how good it would be. It offered a smooth, fast ride and really put Canyon on the map for multi-terrain bikes. 

What other great gravel bike brands should you consider?

Cannondale: high-performance gravel bikes for all terrains

Cannondale was founded in 1971 in Connecticut. Surprisingly, they transitioned to bikes from making a bike buggy. In modern times, they are known for making some incredible bikes, which have been on podiums producing results ever since. They are known for bringing aluminum and carbon fiber frames to market in mass production. 

They offer many gravel bikes, but the two most iconic ones from the Cannondale brand are the Topstone, an adventure gravel bike perfect for long days out and bikepacking, and the Slate, an off-road aggressive gravel bike with a lefty suspension fork. Cannondale is a good gravel bike brand that does offer value for money.

Giant: reliable and versatile gravel bikes

Giant has been in the bike industry for a very long time. They started in 1972 producing bikes for other brands, then later made their own, and the Giant brand was established. They have been at the forefront of technology and still, to this day, produce bikes for other top brands. Giant was one of the reasons carbon fiber was mass-produced so quickly.

The Revolt is currently Giant’s most popular gravel bike. It’s made to be sporty, fun to ride, and great on and off-road. If you are looking for something with a little more ability, the Allroad is a gravel bike with a very low-slung top tube designed for challenging paths and off-road adventures. 

Salsa: adventure-ready gravel bikes

Salsa was started in the 1980s in California, often known as mountain bike country. Their motto is adventure by bike, and they are a brand all about bikepacking, exploration, and traveling to places bikes only dream of going. They are rugged bikes ready for round-the-world expeditions. 

The Warbird is designed for gravel racing with performance in mind but is often used for ultra cycling and fast adventuring in mind. The Fargo is made for distance, is great for carrying heavy loads, and has a very comfortable riding position. 

Santa Cruz: premium gravel bikes for tough trails

Santa Cruz is quite young compared to others on this list. It was founded in 1993. It is a pioneer when it comes to mountain bikes, and it introduced the first full-suspension mountain bike with a single pivot design. When it came to gravel bikes, people got really excited. 

The Stigmata is their most popular gravel bike. It is made for fast trails and racing but also has the position and control for bikepacking and adventure riding. They also made the Quincy for women, a gravel bike with a small A-frame and very long-strung geometry. Santa Cruz although mountain bike focused are a good gravel bike brand.

Cervelo: speed and precision in gravel biking

Cervelo was founded in 1995 in Canada. They started by making road and triathlon bikes. These bikes were designed to be incredibly fast, and some of the designs had incredible aerodynamic features that were alien to the bike industry at the time. In recent years, they have also started making gravel bikes.

The Áspero is designed for high-speed gravel racing and has not been shy of a podium or two in recent years. Some people also use it for adventure riding, but it really is a machine for speed and is often used by many ultra racers and gravel professionals.

Scott: lightweight and durable gravel bikes

Scott was started in 1958 by Ed Scott in Idaho. They started by making aluminum ski poles before transitioning to aluminum bikes. They are known as one of the first companies to introduce the carbon fiber mountain bike frame in 1995. 

They have a few gravel bikes. The Addict gravel is a lightweight racing machine ready to hit the roads and trails with speed, and the Speedster gravel is a more comfortable option for lots of mixed-terrain riding. Both were adapted from their other bikes.

Marin: affordable and robust gravel bikes

Marin is one of the biggest mountain bike brands in the world. From Marin County in California, the brand was started in the heart of mountain biking country. They don’t just make incredible mountain bikes for all abilities but also great gravel bikes in many shapes and forms. 

The Headlands is a performance gravel bike but utilizes more relaxed geometry for control and comfort. The Gestalt is an endurance gravel bike for lots of different terrains. Finally, we have the Nicasio, which, depending on the model, is either an off-road monster or a road-style bike with light off-road ability.

On another note…

We often get asked about Italian gravel bike brands. If you want to go down this route as far as Italian gravel bike brands go you have Bianchi, Pinarello, and Wilier Triestina which are excellent but just not on this list yet.

Which is the best gravel bike brand?

There are many top gravel bike brands, and finding the right gravel bike for you can be challenging. A great way to find your next gravel bike could be using buycycle. By searching with the gravel bike filter and your size, you will see some amazing gravel bikes.

Not only will these be much lower cost compared to new, but buying secondhand gives you all the security you need. The team is on hand to help you get the right bike for you and also help you sell your old bike.