Gravel Biking has taken cycling to a new level, and it’s not just the cyclists who have taken it there. It’s also the brands. When it comes to gravel cycling, practically anything goes, and it has given designers a lot of creativity when making new bikes and accessories.
This article will tell you about some of the best gravel bike brands. The brands that have dared to be different and just got it right. Although we could list hundreds, we have picked the best brands you need to know about. We will be discussing the following and answering the questions we have been asked along the way:
Table of contents
Best Brands For Gravel Bikes
Let’s start with the best gravel bikes. Gravel bikes come in all shapes and sizes, and for us, it’s a very personal thing. You might use your gravel bike for bikepacking or racing on rough terrain, whatever its purpose, having a good gravel bike makes all the difference. We have mainly focused on brands whose sole focus is gravel bikes, not road bikes or a cyclocross bike with larger tire clearances.
BOMBTRACK
When it comes to gravel bikes, BOMBTRACK must be mentioned. They make an incredible bike which, although not the cheapest, is just on another level compared to other brands. They just understand gravel bikes, and we love the attention to detail.
One of our favorite bikes from BOMBTRACK is the Hook EXT C. It’s a performance gravel bike that looks incredible and has a huge amount of ability. It has a carbon frame drop bar bike ready for rough stuff. It’s ideal with a dropped chainstay, huge tire, clearance, and mounts left, right, and center.
3T
3T is a brand that makes a lot of different gravel bikes. When they first hit the shops, they were instantly a hit. They had an incredible way of bringing aerodynamics and off-road ability together without sacrificing looks or reliability. 3T make a very fast gravel bike ready for any off road riding.
Although 3T makes many different gravel bikes, one of our favorites has to be the Exploro Primo. They claim it to be one of the world’s first carbon aero gravel bike frames. It has excellent geometry for racing and adventure, can fit gravel bike tires up to 54c, and with an oversized down tube looks amazing. They also make an excellent road bike.
Genesis
Genesis makes a fine gravel bike and has become one of the most popular brands over the years. They are not the most performance gravel bikes, but as far as being adventure-ready and comfortable, few brands can beat them.
One of the most popular gravel bikes you will hear about is the Genesis Croix De Fer. They make around ten versions, from a basic steel gravel bike to all singing and all dancing titanium beast. For an all-round gravel bike covered in rack mounts, that is just going to give an excellent experience, we couldn’t recommend the Croix De Fer enough.
Lynskey
Lynskey is well known for making some of the best titanium bikes on the market. They were very early to gravel bikes and were quick to start making some incredible bikes to give an amazing experience on light off-road terrain. Their flagship bike is the GR, and they have been building and improving it year after year.
An excellent gravel bike is the GR300. This titanium bike is an excellent mix between performance and comfort. It has a relaxed geometry and lots of tire clearance on both 700c and 650b gravel bike wheels. The Lynskey carbon fork is one of the lightest gravel forks you can buy. Many gravel bikes have looked to Lynskey for inspiration.
Related Reading: Best Tires for Gravel Bikes
What Type Of Bike Is Best On Gravel?
Gravel bikes will always be the best on gravel, as that’s what they are designed for. It doesn’t mean other bikes can’t give a great experience. I have seen many people opt for rigid mountain bikes instead or even a light full-suspension bike. We personally think nothing beats the experience of riding a gravel bike on gravel.
How Do I Choose A Gravel Bike For Beginners?
If you’re new to gravel cycling and in the market for a bike, it can sometimes be overwhelming. I personally recommend starting with a budget gravel bike and building up to the expensive bike like a specialized diverge comp once you have tried the style of riding and had any beginner’s accidents.
Best Brands For Gravel Bike Clothing
Along with gravel cycling, we also got a lot of new clothing, which has become very popular and is slowly spreading over to other cycling disciplines. It was a mix of road and mountain bike clothing, and we saw garments such as cargo-padded shorts and functional jerseys with extra pockets.
Shimano
Many of the bigger clothing brands embraced gravel cycling, but none as much as Shimano did. They knew their audience and knew exactly what they needed. New products were flying off the shelves, and before we knew it, they had made some products we didn’t know we needed.
The gravel range from Shimano is called the Evolve. They designed it to offer a more relaxed fit and be more functional. A great example is the bib shorts, they were longer in the leg, had thicker padding, were more durable, and even came with a handy pocket on the side.
PEdALED
When it comes to gravel bike clothing, brands get really creative, and PEdALED threw the rulebook out and just took themselves outside the box. The clothing they focused on was ideal for long days out on dusty roads, and the quality was incredible.
One of our favorite pieces is the Odyssey cycling jersey. It has a double-way zipper and sports multiple pockets, offers a relaxed fit, and has rope tags to find the zips easily. What more could you ask for when riding on gravel roads?
Alpkit
Then we have Alpkit, and like PEdALED, they offer something completely different. Alpkit is known for making excellent adventure clothing, the kind of gear that you are going to want to be wearing when cycling around the world.
The gravel range from Alpkit is excellent, but one of their most popular pieces is the Strada shorts. These functional shorts are perfect for a gravel adventure offering a very relaxed style with a lot of storage for snacks and tools.
What Is The Best Cycling Jersey Brand?
When it comes to the best cycling jerseys, it comes down to personal preference. We’re all different shapes and sizes, and what one person will like, another might hate. It’s also worth mentioning fit, not all jerseys are great going to fit all body types as well as you might like.
Related Reading: Best Pedals for Gravel Bike
Best Brands For Gravel Bike Gear And Accessories
Gravel biking is a discipline that does offer a lot of excellent accessories. From bags to carry all your goods on those long lonely roads to clip-on aero handlebars for that race which is going to require a different position. Here are some of the top brands we like for gear and accessories.
Apidura
Apidura has been known for making some of the best bikepacking bags ever, and when they release a new product, there’s always a huge amount of research and development that goes into making it the best it can be. They even offer a full lifetime warranty on goods and repair them for free if they break.
One of the best products we like from them is the racing frame pack. Not only is this an ideal solution for carrying extra loads on longer riders, but it looks great, is very functional, and is easy to fit and use.
Deda
Deda, for many years, has been making excellent cycling accessories. They are great value for money and are made to a very high standard. They offer many solutions for gravel riders, our favorite being clip-on aero bars.
The Metal Blast clip-on aero bars are an ideal solution for getting a more aerodynamic position without adding too much weight or taking up too much space. They are great value for money, and being made of metal can take a hit if you fall.
Vittoria
Next, we have Vittoria, and you might have heard of them before as they are one of the world’s biggest manufacturers of bicycle tires. They don’t just make tires; they make a wide range of other accessories to help you on those gravel adventures.
Tire inserts are one of the best accessories they have recently brought to us. These not only help with setting up tubeless systems, but they also can help protect your rims and enhance the experience of gravel riding.
What Is The Must Have Equipment For Gravel Bike?
When it comes to gravel riding, you can make it much easier by having the correct kit. Here’s what I would recommend any gravel rider have on every ride:
- Multi-Tool
- Tubeless Repair Kit (If running tubeless)
- Spare Tubes
- Pump
- First Aid Kit
- Food
- Water
- Phone
- Cash
- Clothing For The Weather
Although it may sound like a lot, it will all come in handy and save you from getting stuck out on a trail somewhere and having to walk back to civilization.
Branding And Biking
Gravel bikes have really changed cycling. We are seeing so many new riders to the sport and a well-needed middle ground for mountain bikers and road riders. On top of all that, we have given brands much more creative freedom and challenged them to make tougher, more functional products for riders.
When it comes to buying any kit, we recommend researching and finding brands that will work with your style and have good reviews. It’s easy to fall into the trap of going for the cheapest, but what we have found from many years of trying kits is that you get what you pay for 99% of the time.
Read More: Gravel Cycling Clothing: What to Wear