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Pinnacle Arkose 3 2018

8
£1,250.00

VERDICT:

8
10
All-rounder that can go anywhere while providing a good degree of comfort for most types of ride
Weight: 
10,022g

At road.cc every product is thoroughly tested for as long as it takes to get a proper insight into how well it works. Our reviewers are experienced cyclists that we trust to be objective. While we strive to ensure that opinions expressed are backed up by facts, reviews are by their nature an informed opinion, not a definitive verdict. We don't intentionally try to break anything (except locks) but we do try to look for weak points in any design. The overall score is not just an average of the other scores: it reflects both a product's function and value – with value determined by how a product compares with items of similar spec, quality, and price.

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The Pinnacle Arkose 3 is a great option if you're looking for a versatile aluminium adventure, commuter or winter bike (or indeed all three at once) that is well specced for the price.

  • Pros: Versatile, huge tyre clearance, decent spec for the price
  • Cons: Some messy welding, QR at the back/thru-axle up front

Pinnacle has been making the Arkose for a number of years. It was originally created off the back of a cyclo-cross design, and has become more of an adventure/gravel bike over time. The frame was redesigned in 2017 and the version I've been testing is the third tier of the bunch, sitting above the Arkose X and below the Arkose 4 and Arkose LTD.

> Find your nearest Evans store here

The Arkose 3 is very much a do-it-all bike and really eats up rough road surfaces, always maintaining comfort. Taking this over typical British 'gravel' terrain including towpaths, trails, rough paths and potholed roads was no issue at all. I used it on a huge variety of surfaces and conditions and it never felt out of its depth. At one point I even used it on fresh snow where, although there were some squeaky bum moments, it was still pretty impressive.

Responsiveness is good, but it isn't designed for the kind of high-speed flat-out cornering you'd get from a more performance orientated road bike. It's predictable and solid wherever you ride it, with the big tyres helping to ensure the handling is reliable on every surface, whether making a sharp turn on a greasy road or loose dirt.

Pinnacle Arkose 3 - riding 2.jpg

All this means that the Arkose 3 is very much at home as a commuting machine too, with the casual geometry making it easy and comfortable to jump on every day. It'll take whatever the roads chuck at it and holds the promise of being up for something a bit more exciting at the weekend. This one is a little above the £1K bike to work limit – though you can top up the extra yourself – or the Arkose Alfine 8 and Arkose X sit at £1,000 and £900 respectively.

The Arkose 3 certainly has some additional touches that favour this kind of riding. The huge clearance means there's scope to swap tyres for whatever your commute demands, plus there are eyelets/bosses for a rack and mudguards, and powerful hydraulic disc brakes provide reliable performance in all conditions. And with the oversized tubes and strong construction, it can take a few knocks without doing too much serious damage.

Pinnacle Arkose Three - stays.jpg

Wheels and tyres

That tyre clearance is a major element of the design. The stock tyres are WTB Riddler Comp in a 37mm width, which can roll across most terrains as it is, but the Arkose can take up to 45mm on a 700C wheel, and the wheels can be changed out for 650Bs, which increases clearance to 2in. You can also fit road tyres if you aren't planning to do too much off-road riding.

Pinnacle Arkose Three - fork clearance.jpg

Although you can fit a wide variety of tyre sizes, the Arkose has a setup of thru-axle on the front and quick-release skewer at the back. This axle configuration has been slightly left behind by the latest thru-axle 'standards'. Still, if you were to upgrade wheels, it's reassuring to know that most disc wheels can be converted easily to quick release and thru-axle. It's also true to say that some bike designers and engineers think that from a purely engineering perspective a rear thru-axle is superfluous on a road bike – but it does simplify the setup.

Pinnacle Arkose Three - rear dropout.jpg
Pinnacle Arkose Three - thru axle.jpg

The wheels that come with the bike, WTB i19 rims on Novatec hubs, are good enough for most types of riding. They spin up nicely and are relatively good for holding speed while also being robust enough to deal with everything I threw them at. The rims are also tubeless ready, if you wanted to ditch the inner tubes.

Pinnacle Arkose Three - rim and tyre.jpg

The WTB tyres are fairly good for multi-surface riding, although I did get a couple of punctures in the review period. They have really stiff beading, too, which makes them a bit of a pain to get back on.

Groupset

The Arkose 3 is a well-specced bike for the money, with Shimano hydraulic discs and a 105 groupset, plus Praxis Alba M30 chainset. It has a good gearing range for mixed terrain, with 48/32t rings on the front and an 11-32t cassette out back; I certainly never felt that I was running out of gears for either climbing or descending.

Pinnacle Arkose Three - drivetrain.jpg

The shifting from Shimano's 105 groupset is crisp and reliable, even under load, and Pinnacle has used the long cage 105 derailleur, so no struggle getting into the larger sprockets on the 11-32 cassette.

Braking is courtesy of Shimano's RS505 hydraulic discs with RT66 160mm rotors. These stop the bike well and allow for reliable control and shaving speed where necessary. Pinnacle has also used flat mount callipers which look neat on the frame too.

Pinnacle Arkose Three - rear disc.jpg

The only element I'm not a huge fan of are the shifters themselves, which are slightly bulbous and, I find, not as comfortable as SRAM Rival or Shimano R600, especially on longer rides.

Pinnacle Arkose Three - bar and shifter.jpg

Frame and fork

Pinnacle has gone for a 6061-T6 heat treated alloy frame, with a double butted top tube and triple butted down tube. It's not the lightest, but it's sturdy and stiff for the huge variety of surfaces it's designed to conquer. It also has internal cable routing, which makes maintenance a little more difficult but gives a clean look. Welding on most of the frame is pretty smart, especially on the main junctions, though there are some messier looking bits, especially around the rear brake calliper.

Pinnacle Arkose Three - cable route.jpg

The fork is carbon with a tapered steerer and oversize construction. It offers predictable steering, and manages to suck up a lot of the impact of rough surfaces.

Pinnacle Arkose Three - fork.jpg

As I mentioned earlier, there are eyelets for a rear mudguard and mounts on the down tube for a Crud Catcher type, so you can be protected front and back, which is handy for year-round commuting and more casual rides.

Pinnacle Arkose Three - down tube.jpg

Also, with bikepacking as part of its remit, there are three sets of bottle cage bolts, two in the usual places and an extra set under the down tube.

Geometry

The Arkose 3 offers a relaxed endurance position thanks to a 71.5 degree head angle and 589.5mm stack height. This is ideal for the kind of all-day multi-terrain riding the bike is designed for, and it's also good for commuting.

Pinnacle Arkose Three.jpg

Pinnacle has put particular focus on lowering the bottom bracket and increasing the wheelbase, and it always felt secure and reliable on every type of terrain I tried it on. I also think I would have needed to put my cleats on my heels and wear clown shoes to get any kind of foot/wheel overlap.

Finishing kit

Pinnacle has used its own finishing kit on the Arkose 3. Starting with the 6061 alloy adventure road bar, with a 130mm drop and 8 degree flare, this feels secure and not at all flimsy or flexy. The flared drops are a nice touch and help with control when riding on rougher surfaces. The stem is an 80mm aluminium unit with -/+ 7 degree angle, which again does the job without fuss. On our test bike this sat on a couple of 10mm spacers and below a 5mm spacer, so there is ample opportunity for adjustment.

Pinnacle Arkose Three - bars.jpg

The seatpost is also Pinnacle's own: a 27.2mm diameter offering, 350mm long, with an external seatbolt clamp. On top, the Pinnacle Race Men's saddle has a fair amount of padding and a slight curve. I found it perfectly comfortable for longer rides.

Pinnacle Arkose Three - saddle and post.jpg

Weighing it up...

The sort of bike that's capable of mixing it up on a variety of terrains while lugging you and potentially a load of bike packing gear is never going to be feathery light – particularly if it's metal framed and equipped with disc brakes. So it's to the Arkose 3's credit that at 10.02kg it's at the lighter end of the do-it-all adventure bike weight range for bikes of a similar price.

Pinnacle Arkose Three - seat tube junction.jpg

By comparison the Ribble CGR weighs in at 10.7kg and the Genesis Croix de Fer 20 11.7kg. Given that the Praxis chainset and the wheels aren't the lightest, there's definitely scope for dropping some weight from the overall package should you want to.

Overall

I really liked the Arkose 3. I used it as my commuter for around a month and found it a great option for casual, slower riding. Thanks to the big tyres, reliable braking and robust frame, it's a strong contender for a winter commuter.

Its rrp of £1,250 is good for a diverse bike that can be used for a wide range of riding, especially when you consider the spec.

Pinnacle Arkose Three - head tube badge.jpg

It isn't going to win a road, cyclo-cross or gravel race (well, probably not), but it will reliably get you from A to B across any terrain while keeping you comfortable in the process. You might not cover as much ground on a four-hour ride as you would on a more stretched-out machine, but you will do so in more comfort – whatever the type of ground.

Likewise, it's not the lightest bike you can get for the money, but the gearing means you won't fail to get to the top of the hill – you might just get there a little slower.

> Buyer's Guide: 18 of the best 2018 gravel & adventure bikes

There's a lot that can be changed for whatever kind of riding you want to do, whether you want to go for fatter, thinner or tubeless tyres, ride on smooth roads, gravel, mud or potholed lanes. It's a reliable bike that does everything it needs to well at a decent price.

Verdict

All-rounder that can go anywhere while providing a good degree of comfort for most types of ride

If you're thinking of buying this product using a cashback deal why not use the road.cc Top Cashback page and get some top cashback while helping to support your favourite independent cycling website

road.cc test report

Make and model: Pinnacle Arkose 3

Size tested: Medium

About the bike

State the frame and fork material and method of construction. List the components used to build up the bike.

From Evans:

Frame -6061-T6 heat treated alloy, w/double butted top tube, triple butted down tube & smooth welds

Fork - Carbon blade, carbon tapered steerer w/flat mount & 12mm thru axle

Front Derailleur - Shimano 105 5800, 31.8mm band on

Rear Derailleur -Shimano 105 5800 11 speed

Number of Gears - 22

Shifters - Shimano RS505 hydraulic

Chain set - Praxis Alba M30, S - 170mm, M - 172.5mm, L/XL - 175mm

Cassette - Shimano 105 5800 11-32T

Chain - MC X11

Brakeset - Shimano RS505 hydraulic discs w/RT66 160mm rotors

Handlebars - Pinnacle 6061 alloy adventure road bar, 130mm drop, 8 degree flare, Width S/M - 420mm, L/XL - 440mm

Stem - Pinnacle alloy road, +/- 7 degree, S/M - 80mm, L - 90mm, XL - 100mm

Headset - FSA Orbit C-40 ACB tapered

Bar Tape - Pinnacle Shockproof w/gel

Rims - WTB i19 TCS 29" 32H, tubeless ready

Front Hub - Novatec 32H sealed bearing 12mm

Rear Hub - Novatec 32H sealed bearing QR

Tyres - WTB Riddler Comp 30tpi 700 x 37c w/tan sidewall

Saddle - Pinnacle Race Mens

Seatpost - Pinnacle aluminium 350mm x 27.2

Tell us what the bike is for

According to Pinnacle: "If your riding isn't restricted by on/off road boundaries, if you're looking to explore more than just British B-roads, or if you just want a bike with less limitations and more opportunities, then this is the bike for you."

It doesn't say 'if you want to ride to work' but we're pretty sure you can do that on it too

Frame and fork

Overall rating for frame and fork
 
7/10

Tell us about the build quality and finish of the frame and fork?

Well made frame with generally smooth welds, although there were a few areas where it looked a little messy.

Tell us about the materials used in the frame and fork?

6061-T6 heat treated alloy aluminium for the frame and carbon for the fork.

Tell us about the geometry of the frame and fork?

A relaxed geometry that puts you in a fairly upright position, and allows for a variety of different riding styles.

How was the bike in terms of height and reach? How did it compare to other bikes of the same stated size?

The medium I tested is designed for riders 5ft 7in to 5ft 10in and seemed to be about right.

Riding the bike

Was the bike comfortable to ride? Tell us how you felt about the ride quality.

Very comfortable, thanks to the relaxed geometry and huge tyre clearance.

Did the bike feel stiff in the right places? Did any part of the bike feel too stiff or too flexible?

Felt stiff and responsive.

How did the bike transfer power? Did it feel efficient?

Good transfer of power; not quite an instant spin-up because of the tyre size, but good with all things considered.

Was there any toe-clip overlap with the front wheel? If so

None.

How would you describe the steering? Was it lively Reliable and predictable.

Tell us some more about the handling. How did the bike feel overall? Did it do particular things well or badly?

It wasn't lightning quick, as you can imagine with an adventure bike, but it was swift enough and predictable on every surface I used it.

Which components had the most effect (good or bad) on the bike's comfort? would you recommend any changes?

The huge tyre clearance was the most obvious reason for the comfort, although it would be good to have consistency with QR or thru-axle for front and back to make changing wheels easier.

Which components had the most effect (good or bad) on the bike's stiffness? would you recommend any changes?

Oversize construction throughout certainly helped in a good way.

Which components had the most effect (good or bad) on the bike's efficiency? would you recommend any changes?

It's never going to be fantastically efficient when using 37mm tyres on the road, but the ability to change them out pretty easily for whatever kind of riding you were doing certainly helped.

Rate the bike for efficiency of power transfer:
 
7/10

Pretty good transfer, although this is designed for comfort over speed.

Rate the bike for acceleration:
 
7/10

Not a bike built for speed.

Rate the bike for sprinting:
 
7/10

It was okay, but again, not what it was designed for.

Rate the bike for high speed stability:
 
8/10

Long wheelbase and wide tyres help here.

Rate the bike for cruising speed stability:
 
8/10

Really easy for cruising, kept speed up fairly well, especially on rougher ground.

Rate the bike for low speed stability:
 
8/10
Rate the bike for flat cornering:
 
8/10

Predictable cornering on pretty much any surface.

Rate the bike for cornering on descents:
 
7/10

It does well thanks to a long wheelbase, but given the geometry it's difficult to get low over the bar.

Rate the bike for climbing:
 
6/10

It's not a lightweight climber, but the gearing means it will get over most climbs.

The drivetrain

Rate the drivetrain for performance:
 
9/10

No surprises from the 105 groupset and Praxis chainset.

Rate the drivetrain for durability:
 
8/10

Built to last.

Rate the drivetrain for weight:
 
6/10

Definitely built to last rather than to be light.

Rate the drivetrain for value:
 
8/10

Impressive to get a Shimano 105 groupset on a bike just over £1,000.

Tell us some more about the drivetrain. Anything you particularly did or didn't like? Any components which didn't work well together?

The Praxis chainset is heavier than the Shimano equivalent, but it does what it needs to and helps to keep costs down.

Wheels and tyres

Rate the wheels for performance:
 
8/10

Spin up well while also dealing with bumps and rough terrain.

Rate the wheels for durability:
 
8/10
Rate the wheels for weight:
 
5/10

Not designed to be especially lightweight.

Rate the wheels for comfort:
 
9/10

Huge tyre clearance and potential for tubeless means that comfort is their main function.

Rate the wheels for value:
 
6/10

Comfortable wheels, but they could be upgraded; about what I would expect to find on a bike in this tier.

Tell us some more about the wheels.Did they work well in the conditions you encountered? Would you change the wheels? If so

They performed well throughout the review, doing a good job in a variety of conditions.

Rate the tyres for performance:
 
7/10

Fairly good midway point, not too knobbly for road use, not too smooth for off-roading.

Rate the tyres for durability:
 
6/10

Okay, but could do with a little more puncture protection to be truly multi-use.

Rate the tyres for weight:
 
5/10

Not designed for weight saving.

Rate the tyres for comfort:
 
8/10

Very comfortable given their large capacity.

Rate the tyres for value:
 
5/10

Tell us some more about the tyres. Did they work well in the conditions you encountered? Would you change the tyres? If so

They worked well across a multitude of terrains without specialising in one.

Controls

Rate the controls for performance:
 
7/10
Rate the controls for durability:
 
6/10
Rate the controls for weight:
 
5/10

Stock Pinnacle kit, not designed to be lightweight.

Rate the controls for comfort:
 
7/10
Rate the controls for value:
 
5/10

About what I would expect on a bike at this price.

Tell us some more about the controls. Any particularly good or bad components? How would the controls work for larger or smaller riders?

Nothing too remarkable about any of the finishing kit, nice to have a bit of a flare on the bar to help with control in rougher terrain.

Anything else you want to say about the componentry? Comment on any other components (good or bad)

The saddle has a decent amount of padding for a variety of uses.

Your summary

Did you enjoy riding the bike? Yes

Would you consider buying the bike? Yes

Would you recommend the bike to a friend? Yes

Rate the bike overall for performance:
 
7/10
Rate the bike overall for value:
 
8/10

Use this box to explain your overall score

The Arkose 3 is a very good bike that serves its purpose well. It's well specced for the price, and versatile: a good do-it-all machine.

Overall rating: 8/10

About the tester

Age: 29  Height: 6 ft  Weight:

I usually ride: Mercian King of Mercia or Cinelli Gazzetta  My best bike is: Cannondale Supersix Evo

I've been riding for: 5-10 years  I ride: Every day  I would class myself as: Expert

I regularly do the following types of riding: commuting, club rides, sportives, general fitness riding, fixed/singlespeed, mountain biking

George is the host of the road.cc podcast and has been writing for road.cc since 2014. He has reviewed everything from a saddle with a shark fin through to a set of glasses with a HUD and everything in between. 

Although, ironically, spending more time writing and talking about cycling than on the bike nowadays, he still manages to do a couple of decent rides every week on his ever changing number of bikes.

Add new comment

15 comments

Avatar
HowardR | 5 years ago
0 likes

Re: "My proportions seem to be pretty "standard" so I hope the bigger frame fits fine."- It should be fine - The only thing that I might suggest is beg/borrow a couple different length stems to play around with the reach.

And - having already spend a wadge of money of a (very good) bike - should you get the urge to lighten your wallet further I can very much recomend the Specalized CG-R seatpost. It might look like someone crapping on your top tube but it really does seem to do a good job of taking the sting out of bumps, keeping you in the saddle & peddling smoothly for longer. I hummed&harred about getting one & glad that I did.

https://www.bike24.com/1.php?content=8;product=38238;menu=1000,4,9;mid%5B155%5D=1;pgc%5B47%5D=165

<Other retailers are available! - just shown to give an idea of 'local' (as I could find) prices>

Avatar
HowardR | 5 years ago
0 likes

ps - I have no idea what those little red & white blobs on either side of my from wheel are - they're not dropped gel wrappers!  (a) I don't use gels. (b) it was a short ride & I wasn't carrying anything that had a wrapper that I could have accidently dropped.

Avatar
mdrasch replied to HowardR | 5 years ago
0 likes
HowardR wrote:

ps - I have no idea what those little red & white blobs on either side of my from wheel are - they're not dropped gel wrappers!  (a) I don't use gels. (b) it was a short ride & I wasn't carrying anything that had a wrapper that I could have accidently dropped.

Thanks for your comment! Nice bike! Cant wait to get mine muddy! Unfortunately, there are no dealers in Austria where I can test ride the bike. I just noticed that in the Pinnacle size guide my height is in the top end of size L so I think size M could be too small. My proportions seem to be pretty "standard" so I hope the bigger frame fits fine.

Avatar
mdrasch | 5 years ago
0 likes

I recently ordered this bike and cant wait to ride it! I am 183cm and my inseam is about 85cm and Evan Cycles recommented me to go for size L. After you are almost the same size would you say I should better go for the M frame?
 

Avatar
HowardR replied to mdrasch | 5 years ago
0 likes
mdrasch wrote:

I recently ordered this bike and cant wait to ride it! I am 183cm and my inseam is about 85cm and Evan Cycles recommented me to go for size L. After you are almost the same size would you say I should better go for the M frame?
 

If you can - try both the medium and the large and see which seems the most 'right' (All the Arkose models have the same geomety and so they don't have to be the same model.)

A lot of what makes a frame fit is it's 'length' to the handle bars & the relative hight of handle bars neither of which you can't adjust by much as you can the saddle hight - so that's possibly the thing to concentrate on.

I'm about 175cm tall - with stumpy legs & my Arkose X is a medium - which after I swapped the stem for something longer that provides 'negative rise' fits me comfortably.

Hopefuly this post should include an attached image of my of what my set up looks like (my legs are about a frame size shorter than my upper body would prefer.

And - one other thing...... the large has longer cranks than the medium. I'm possibly overly pernickity but I find that having the 'right size' cranks makes me a rather more comfortable so that's something that I'd factor in to my choice.....

Avatar
ClubSmed replied to mdrasch | 5 years ago
0 likes
mdrasch wrote:

I recently ordered this bike and cant wait to ride it! I am 183cm and my inseam is about 85cm and Evan Cycles recommented me to go for size L. After you are almost the same size would you say I should better go for the M frame?

I am the same height as you and have the Arkose in Large and it is a perfect fit

Avatar
bikerchickie | 5 years ago
0 likes

Bit of an off-topic question, but which cycling pants is the guy in the picture wearing, please?

Edit: already answered on your Youtube channel, thanks for that!

Avatar
Al__S | 5 years ago
0 likes

Looking at the Arkose 2 2018 on C2W.  Looks a cracking deal- and has a 48-32/11-32

Avatar
pockstone | 6 years ago
1 like

Javi_Polo: 

Goes fine on the road, already commented on another thread that I've done lots of road miles on my Arkose3, including a few 100 milers (DD &  Ride to the Sun) and lots of day long rides on the road in Yorkshire, N.Wales & N. Ireland. (I.E. hilly)

I bought mine mainly for road use but love that I can swap the tyres and bash around the countryside, going places I never would have ridden  a skinny tyred 'road' bike.

I'm not such an athlete that a degree of geometry here or 100g there makes much of a difference to my progress, but the extra versatility has added immeasurably to my cycling enjoyment.

Heartily recommend an Arkose (or something like it). Whatever you get, make sure it has a good spread of gears, because once you get bitten by the bridleway bug you'll appreciate a few extra teeth at the back.  I see that the model reviewed has the Praxis Alba chainset. I can't see the point of making an on/ off road bike with a regular compact chainset and max. 28 teeth at the back. Mine came like that and I've spent time and money getting a 34 tooth cassette on the back. All that's done for you already with the latest models.

Avatar
Richbeck | 6 years ago
0 likes

I commute every day on a 2017 Arkose 2 - 10 miles each way. It's as happy on the road as off - you might want to switch the tyres out for 100% road riding. My advice would be to be live a little - take it off road!

Avatar
javi_polo | 6 years ago
0 likes

So... I have an old Pinnacle Dolomite 2 (the Claris model) that I'm happy with, but I have lately been thinking about selling it and getting a Pinnacle Arkose 2 instead. Partly because the new Sora, disc brakes, the ability to fit bigger tires and the somewhat more upright position look like an improvement from what I already have but also because I really enjoy having new toys every now and then :). 

The thing is that I normally do only road riding, so I'm not sure if an Arkose would make a lot of sense. Anybody that has an Arkose would mind sharing some thoughts about how it behaves as a road bike?

Avatar
Ratfink | 6 years ago
0 likes

"a little above the £1K bike to work limit – though you can top up the extra yourself"

Officially you cannot.

Avatar
bigshape replied to Ratfink | 6 years ago
0 likes
Ratfink wrote:

"a little above the £1K bike to work limit – though you can top up the extra yourself"

Officially you cannot.

 

depends on the scheme - you deffinitely can with evans.

Avatar
tugglesthegreat | 6 years ago
0 likes

I have the 2016 model.   I couldn't get used to the bars which felt too narrow and the bottoms the wrong shape, I changed these to FSA 44cm compacts.  Saddle again wasn't too my tast and changed that too.  Wheels I upgraded to Hunt 4 seasons. 

I commute on it, change my wheels for cross races and have done long rides like London to Brighton off road.  The frame on the 2016 looks tighter, and the brake cable for the rear is off line and catches mud, which doesn't help with cross races.  The rear drop outs and forks seem a bit out and I need to loosen the QR to get the wheels out. 

For the money it is great value.  Unfortunatly this model now is over the ride to work limit of £1K but looks like it is a little bit lighter. 

Avatar
Kempston | 6 years ago
0 likes

Pretty fair review. I had the Arkose 3 2017 but just couldn't get comfortable with the bulbous shifters, so upgraded to the Arkose LTD which has been a brilliant ride this winter. I do miss the orange of the 2017 model though. I guess black is the new black.

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