Best gravel bikes 2026 — off-road and adventure-ready steeds to take you from tarmac to trail

Canyon’s Grail gravel bike has been around for a while now, particularly known for its distinctive double-decker handlebars featured on earlier carbon models. However, the German brand has left those double bars behind in pursuit of enhanced aerodynamics.

The current Canyon Grail continues to offer what its predecessor did: speed without compromising on comfort. It has improved in terms of versatility and would be a great all-rounder for someone who is serious about racing gravel but occasionally fancies a road ride, too.

We’ve also reviewed the Canyon Grail AL 7 eTap which, as the name suggests, is an aluminium version of the brand’s flagship gravel bike, and it’s an excellent choice if you’re looking to spend less.

Fairlight’s Strael has impressed us over many years; in fact it’s one of only three bikes to ever score top marks in the 15 years that we have been reviewing them. The Secan offers everything you could want or need from a gravel bike – as long as your main concern isn’t the light weight that can be achieved by going for carbon fibre.

Fairlight’s Secan is a stunning-looking steel gravel bike, finished to an exceptionally high level, and the Reynolds steel tubing provides all of the stiffness you need, while also having a smooth, rough-road-defying ride quality.

The last Secan we reviewed was the 2.5 version, but Fairlight has introduced a 3.0 model (check out the updates here) that is compatible with tyres up to a whopping 77C x 53mm if you go for a 1x build, and you can fit tyres up to 62mm wide on 650B wheels

The Liv Devote is one of the few women-specific gravel bikes available and the newest iteration has been made racier and more performance-oriented. Liv has introduced internal storage to the Devote, nestled in the downtube and the flip-chip dropouts allow for tailoring the wheelbase and tyre clearance to suit more riding preferences.

There are seven models in the Liv Devote range: three aluminium-framed Devotes, another three carbon-framed Devote Advanced models, and a top-level Devote Advanced Pro. The Devote Advanded 0 comes complete with a Shimano GRX 2x groupset, pairing a 48-31T chainset with an 11-36T cassette. The bottom bracket is of the press-fit variety.

The Devote Advanced Pro and Devote Advanced models also boast the new Contact AeroLight Stem, which routes cables from the handlebars below the stem and down through the frame for a more streamlined and aerodynamic cockpit.

The Specialized S-Works Crux is an exceptional gravel bike for fast riding that can still excel in cyclocross races. The lightweight package is combined with brilliant low-speed stability that makes the S-Works Crux insanely good at climbing, be it fast or technical, and it’s a blast to ride on the lanes too. This machine is one that will best suit racers and roadies who want a fast bike for mixed surfaces. Oh yes, and as you’ve probably noticed it’s outstandingly expensive although there are less pricey models available in the Crux lineup.

Tester Liam writes: “The Crux was long Specialized’s pure cyclocross bike, but when I first saw the redesigned model I wondered what the Aethos was doing wearing a set of gravel tyres. It’s a bit more nuanced than that, but in essence, that is what you’re getting here. Its low weight makes the Crux an excellent climber and it is a joy to ride on faster gravel as well as on the road. Okay, it might not be the best for loading up with luggage, but for going fast it is fantastic”.

The Vielo V+1 Race Edition SRAM Force XPLR AXS 13 Speed won our road.cc Recommends Gravel & Adventure Bike of the Year 2024/25 award, and it’s still going just as strong.

With a low weight, smooth looks, huge amounts of stiffness and a geometry that favours being ridden hard and fast – without upsetting anyone who wants to take things a little easier – this is a superb bike. In short, you get the performance of a race bike with the versatility of an adventure bike; the best of both worlds. You get bucketloads of fun whatever the terrain.

“The V+1 Race Edition blew my mind every time I rode it, thanks to its balance of rider involvement, ease of control, planted feeling and general fun factor,” said our reviewer Stu Kerton. “The combination of low weight, excellent stiffness and large tyre clearances [for tyres up to 47mm wide] also means that this is an incredibly capable machine.”

Vielo might not be the biggest brand out there, but we urge you to take a good look at the bikes it offers.

The Whyte Verro – the road.cc Recommends Gravel & Adventure Bike of the Year 2025/26 – is a go-anywhere, do-it-all machine that comes with mounts for almost every accessory you could need and a geometry designed to inspire confidence… although reviewer Matthew Page feels it’s crying out for a suspension fork to make the most of its potential.

The Verro is built around a 6061 aluminium frameset with space to fit a 50mm tyre. The component spec is strong for the money, with a SRAM Apex Eagle transmission. Braking is also handled by Apex, while the WTB ST i30 rims are more commonly found on mountain bikes. You also get a Trans-X dropper seatpost that’s controlled by a remote lever mounted below the brake lever.

Matthew found the Verro to excel on mixed-terrain rides, linking forest roads, bridleways, rougher byways, and the odd rock-strewn section. This is a versatile all-rounder that does almost everything very well.

“If your goal is simply to have fun, take on the occasional adventure, and ride a bike that feels confident across a wide range of terrain, I believe the Whyte Verro is the best gravel bike currently available under £2,000,” he says.

If you’d like a gravel bike that offers assistance, the Orbea Denna M20i is an awesome option with a motor system that our reviewer called “intuitive, powerful, efficient, responsive and impressively smooth”. Plus, it comes with an impressive range.

Orbea has tuned the Shimano’s EP8-RS motor using its own Rider Synergy (RS) firmware. With a max torque of 85 Nm, it certainly has some punch. By UK law, it is limited to a ‘continuous’ 250 watts of power, but it can push out up to 350 watts for short bursts. Reviewer Stu Kerton found that the 420Wh battery gave an impressive range of nearly 90 miles (145km) in Eco mode.

On top of having an excellent motor system, the Denna M20i rides brilliantly, too. Light and nimble, it feels a lot like a gravel racer, and while this model is a big chunk of cash, Orbea offers a wide spread of builds for different budgets.

The 3T Extrema Italia gravel bike is a super-comfortable, albeit pricey all-terrain-taming gravel bike, which 3T believes is the most capable gravel bike yet. A big focus for the 3T team when designing the Extrema Italia was the notion of generous tyre clearance and you’ll notice enough clearance to accommodate 57mm or 2.0- to 2.2in tyres, supplying it with the same level of grip as a cross-country mountain bike.

High-speed stability is an area that 3T also focused on, outfitting the Extrema with 436mm chainstays that have resulted in a wheelbase of 1,036mm (medium). The head angle is 70.5°. The 368mm reach and 570mm stack figures represent the middle ground in the category and deliver better comfort and control.

Reviewer Aaron says, “While the 3T Extrema Italia might not be as fast or light as the racier options on the market, it is one of the most complete, comfortable and competent gravel bikes I’ve ever ridden. For those looking for the one-bike solution, it makes a convincing case.”

The Lauf Seigla is a modern-day gravel racer that achieves huge tyre clearances without sacrificing its geometry or performance. The geometry remains almost identical to Lauf’s True Grit gravel bike which scored 4.5 stars overall when we reviewed it back in 2018. 

The fork is sure to divide opinion but whether you like the aesthetics or not, it really does function well. Reviewer Jamie had his doubts about the suspension fork before trying it but he says, “I’m a convert. It delivers nearly all of the advantages of suspension without the accompanying drawbacks, for example, it adds just 430g to the total bike weight which is very competitive”.

However, if you’re not a fan of the suspension fork, Lauf also offers a fully rigid Seigla.

As with any gravel bike, the biggest difference in comfort comes down to the tyres. The Seigla has room for 57mm rubber on 700c wheels which equates to 2.25 inches; that’s some of the largest clearances we’ve seen on a gravel bike and removes the need for a separate 650b wheelset.

The Gestalt XR takes the formula that Marin concocted for the standard Gestalt and gives it a serious shake up. Donning a super aggressive geometry and equipped with a very solid built kit for the cash, it proves that gravel can learn a thing or two from mountain bike design. To put that into numbers, this medium frame on test gets a 440mm reach, a 67.5-degree head tube angle, and a 74-degree seat tube. With its 425mm chainstay, all of that results in a 1092.8mm wheelbase.

The Gestalt XR is built around Marin’s Series 3 Beyond Road 6061 aluminium frame that’s paired with the brand’s full carbon fork with triple cage mounts at either side and it’s also internally cable routed. The seat tube has been formed to allow clearance for up to 54x650b or 50x700c wheel and tyre combinations while retaining that short chainstay.

Tester Liam writes: “This bike’s mountain bike-esque geometry really opens up what gravel can be as it’s certainly not shy of steeper gradients, or the odd bit of singletrack. The Gestalt XR’s heft of stability turns into calm, considered, and very well-mannered cornering”.

If you’re after a steel frame, Ribble’s Gravel 725 brings a classy, comfortable and fun-to-ride steel frame to the mix, paired to a full-carbon fork. Reviewer Stu says, “It has a forgiving ride that flatters any style of riding, and thanks to a multitude of mounting points it can be loaded up for adventure as well as used for a blast on the rough stuff.”

This Gravel model has the geometry to really exploit the aggregate-based trails, giving a confidence-inspiring ride quality and behaviour, regardless of how technical or loose the terrain is. The geometry creates a long and low stance, with this medium getting a wheelbase of 1,052.5mm, a lengthy top tube of 570mm, and a shortish head tube height of 150mm.

Tyre clearance is probably one of the most crucial things on a gravel bike, and while the Ribble isn’t groundbreaking it’s capable of accepting 45mm rubber on 700C wheels or 47mm when wearing 650B wheels.

The Scarab Apuna is a custom steel frameset. One of the defining features is the tubing. That’s always the case for a steel bike, but the Apuna uses ovalised Columbus steel. There are no lugs and, if you’ve mistaken the finished product for aluminium, you aren’t alone. Instead of steel at the front of the bike, you will find a carbon Columbus Futura Gravel Fork.

The official specifications for the Apuna list tyre compatibility as “700×28-700×38 or 650Bx35-650B-42” which comes from the fork, not the rear triangle. According to Columbus, though, there’s room for a 700x40mm tyre and that’s with the standard ISO space on the sides.

If you are more of a gravel racer than a gravel adventurer, the Scott Addict Gravel 10 is a bike that will interest you.

Reviewer Stu says, “It’s light, nimble and an absolute blast to ride”. The frame and fork are constructed from high-modulus carbon fibre and feature fully integrated cable and hose routing for a clean look.

A tapered steerer on the fork and a head tube to match means a stiff front end under heavy steering and braking loads while a press-fit (PF86) bottom bracket and the resulting oversized tube junctions make for plenty of stiffness on the lower half of the frame, too. From a geometry point of view, the Addict Gravel is available in five sizes ranging from XS/49 to XL/58. The M/54 we have here sits in the middle of the lineup and comes with a 554.5mm top tube. The head tube is 140mm and sits at an angle of 71 degrees while the seat tube is a steeper 73.5 degrees.

The bike we reviewed is the 2023 model. There are several models in the range at prices from £2,349.

Windover Bikes is a relatively new company to emerge and its Bostal is described as an on- and off-road gravel bike. The Bostal is a Reynolds 853 Steel gravel bike designed in-house, tested in Sussex, and then made in the EU by a hand-picked frame fabricator. All 853 tubes are traditionally round with no fancy shaping, and are of Windover’s own requested diameter.

The frame features internal cable routing from the top of the downtube to the rear of the bike. There’s a 1x set-up on this bike but 2x, Di2 and wireless options are possible.

There are four sizes available S, M, L and XL and Windover offers the Bostal frame in three versions; frame only, Frame and Type 2 Fork, and Frameset (Fork, seat clamp, BB and Headset). The company also offers three ‘standard’ complete builds with some options.

This bike seriously impressed our friends at off-road.cc and is a fabulous gravel bike for mountain bikers or anyone looking to transition to drop bars from flat bars.

It’s fast, dynamic and properly capable on technical trails, and whilst the geometry is less racy than some of the other best gravel bikes, the stability and predictability of this set-up make it incredibly enjoyable to manoeuvre on the trails. The bike was designed around the idea of a 40mm fork to ensure the front end played nicely with the front suspension and the numbers of the YT Szpeter take on a hardtail mountain bike-like facade.

The Szepter comes out of the box with 42mm rubber but can accommodate a maximum tyre width of 45mm, and despite not being designed for touring or bikepacking, it features multiple bottle cage mounting positions and built-in rear and front mudguards.

The Merida Silex 8000 uses geometry cues from mountain biking – a long top tube, slack head angle and a short stem – with the low weight and drop handlebar of a road bike to create a capable, easy-to-ride gravel bike.

It’s a solid all-rounder for all kinds of gravel riding, feeling right whether you’re on twisty forest singletrack or wide, open gravel roads. It’s nimble, and it’s no slouch on the road either.

Merida offers an extensive lineup of models in the Silex range, starting with the aluminium-framed Silex 200 with a 1×8 Shimano ESSA drivetrain and mechanical disc brakes for £1,200.

Carbon fibre models kick off with the £2,250 Silex 4000 that comes with a Shimano GRX 2×10-speed groupset, including hydraulic disc brakes.

Reviewer Stu Kerton sums up the Silex 8000 as: “Fun and capable ‘do it all’ gravel bike that’s well specced and a joy to ride.”

The Pearson On & On Race is designed for riding fast, and it really fulfils that brief – whether you’re off-road or on it. With a lightweight and very stiff frameset with some aero features, a geometry derived from a road bike and space for 45mm tyres, it’s focused on speed and performance, and it is finished off with some high-quality components.

Some gravel bikes are essentially mountain bikes with drop bars, but the On & On Race is more like a pumped-up road bike – maybe and all-road bike – and it feels nippy and responsive when you hit the pedals hard. It’s a competent climber and is highly flickable if you fancy taking on technical trails.

Reviewer Stu Kerton says, “If you want a gravel racer, the Pearson is a complete package, and it’s managed to deliver on the price point too.”

Complete bikes start at £5,550 – with a Shimano GRX 827 Di2 groupset and ERE Tenaci GA40 Carbon wheels – going up to £6,950 for an On & On equipped with SRAM’s top-level Red XPLR groupset.

Whereas Merida’s Silex is a comfortable MTB-inspired gravel bike, the Mission is the brand’s new gravel racer/allroad range. It blurs the line between where gravel bikes are currently heading and high-speed endurance road bikes. The Mission 9000 is a stiff and nimble all-terrain bike that’ll put a smile on your face, and it is incredibly well specced for the money.

With aero frame features, deep-section wheels and a one-piece cockpit, the Mission 9000 has a clear focus on speed, and that’s immediately obvious when you climb aboard. It feels stiff around the bottom bracket area and the lower part of the frame, and there are no signs of flex up front either.

The handling is quick without ever becoming a handful, and the Mission feels planted and easily controllable. Versatile, fun and extremely capable, this is road racer’s gravel machine.

The Mission 9000 comes with a high-level spec, including a SRAM Force XPLR groupset (including power meter) and Zipp 303 XPLR S wheels.

If the price is too high for you, the Mission 4000 is the least expensive model in the lineup at £2,250. This gets you the same CF4 carbon frame, but with more affordable components from Shimano.

The Genesis Vagabond is a drop-bar adventure bike built for off-the-beaten-track riding. It is made for big adventures and is capable of being loaded up and taken just about anywhere. It’s also comfortable, versatile, and ready for the long haul.

There are two models in the Vagabond range, each built around a steel frameset that’s packed with mounts. The Vagabond 10, priced at £1,800, comes equipped with a Microshift drivetrain and cable-actuated disc brakes, while the Vagabone 20 gets a SRAM Apex XPLR Eagle drivetrain and hydraulic disc brakes.

The Vagabond excels on multi-terrain rides over long distances, especially when most of the route is on unpaved roads or rough back lanes. The multiple hand positions offered by drop bars really add to the comfort.

Reviewer Matthew Page says, “When speed isn’t the priority, the aim is simply getting from A to B, whatever terrain lies ahead, the Vagabond manages it with ease and puts a smile on your face while doing so.”

With space for big tyres (up to 50mm on 700C wheels) and geometry far removed from that of most road bike-based gravel bikes, Curtis Bikes’ GOAT – which stands for ‘Great Over All Terrain’ – is capable and fun, whatever terrain you’re tackling.

The GOAT is made in the UK from a mix of Reynolds and Columbus steel tubes, with each tube chosen to match the rider’s size and weight – so you get a semi-custom build even if you go for off-the-shelf geometry (it’s also available in custom geometry for an extra £200).

At 9.4kg, the GOAT doesn’t challenge carbon gravel race bikes for weight, but it feels surprisingly light in use – lively and nimble while retaining superb ride quality.

Reviewer Stu Kerton reports, “On the tracks and trails, it feels nippy and very responsive. There is a great feeling of stiffness throughout the frame, which also helps. The whole bike feels tight, so no unwanted flex at the bottom bracket to subdue the ride.”

You get versatility and a stunning level of comfort, while the build is of an extremely high standard.