GT Grade Carbon Ultegra 2017

We tested GT's flagship carbon fibre Grade Ultegra earlier this year and were very impressed with its versatility both on and off road. For 2017 the model has had a few tweaks, making it even more suitable as a gravel and adventure bike straight out of the box, without really compromising the tarmac side.

Even with the slight price and weight increase, the Grade is still a bike that should be near the top of your 'do it all' list.

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I've been riding road bikes since the turn of the century, and other than one dabble into the mountain bike world for a couple of months – after being wiped out by a car on my commute – I've never really got the whole off-road thing.

For me, the issue has always been either driving to somewhere to ride off-road or ride on the road to get somewhere on a bike that isn't really suitable for miles on the asphalt. Over the last few weeks I've been testing three 'gravel' (or whatever you want to call them) bikes, and to say I'm a convert is an understatement. I haven't had such a giggle in years. 

Why have I been having so much fun? Well, because the Grade is so easy and engaging to ride pretty much everywhere, without having to spend a single penny on an upgrade for the majority of terrain.

Ride and handling

The frameset for the 2017 model is exactly the same as the 2016 model apart from the paintjob, so a lot of what David Arthur said in his original review still stands:

"Take your pick of gravel roads, bridleways, beaten up old farm tracks, potholed country lanes, old mountain bike tracks... the Grade tackles them all, and more, just fine. Its 28mm tyres (which appear much wider on the Grail rims) provide good comfort and traction (in the dry), while the carbon frame and fork take the edge out of bumpier tracks but maintain a nice bit of zip when sticking to the tarmac.

"The geometry, with a longer wheelbase and slacker head angle than a road bike, instills a huge amount of confidence in its ability to be stable and steady, traits that mean it's very composed at high road speeds or when hurtling down a dusty tree-lined track dodging roots and rocks.

"Don't think that it's slow and ponderous on the road. Granted, it doesn't have the razor sharp direction changes or acceleration of a race bike, but it's far from a slouch when used mainly as a road bike, and it'll cruise along the road just as fast as the best endurance bike. You can ride it for long distances or load it up with some bikepacking bags and go on a multi-day adventure."

The main difference for 2017 is that the Grade comes with 32mm Clement Strada USH tyres. The wider rubber and slight tread means this latest model is much more confident on the rough stuff in its standard spec than previously.

We've tested a few Clement tyres recently and they are very good, with these USHs not letting the side down. They gripped and handled brilliantly on the hard gravel tracks of Salisbury Plain, with excursions onto the grass or hardpacked mud trails doing little to upset things.

Wet mud and chalk would see them slip a bit, but on the whole they punch well above their weight, or should that be tread pattern?

If things do get a little sketchy then that long wheelbase and slack angles mean the Grade is easy to control as it squirms about.

Picking up on what David said about the handling not being as razor sharp as a road bike was quite interesting for me. When I read the review I thought, are you sure?

If you've ever read any of my previous bike tests you'll know that I like a bike that handles with a bit of aggression. I don't mind a bike that'll keep me on my toes in terms of having to tame the steering a touch. I like to be in tune with the machine.

I never found the Grade to lack directness or speed in its direction changes. In fact it was only when I went back to a race bike after a couple of weeks of riding the GT and promptly nearly binned it into the kerb while applying the same amount of steering input that I realised its 'limitations'.

The Grade is very good at balancing high speed handling on the road as well as being easily controllable off, when the surface may be moving about beneath you.

Comfort is key on a bike like this and this is where the GT Grade really pulls a masterstroke. The seatstays are carbon fibre wrapped fibreglass cores, which GT claims is the perfect balance of stiffness and comfort.

They are pretty thin, which allows for quite a bit of flex, to the point that a few times you look back to see if you have a rear puncture. Get out of the saddle, though, for a bit of aggression and the rear end feels tight without any flex at all.

Frame & fork details

The Grade follows a common theme that we see on lots of bikes whether they are road or this gravel/adventure genre: basically oversized front and lower sections for stiffness with narrow, more flexible upper tubes for comfort.

Up front the head tube is tapered from top to bottom at 1 1/8 to 1 1/4in, which increases stiffness due to the larger cross sectional area to cope with the braking loads coming from the disc brakes.

The down tube also has a large profile, that oversized bottom section of the head tube meaning a larger junction there, while the oversized Press-Fit 30 bottom bracket shell means more surface for the join at the other end. What you're left with is a very stiff frame when you get out of the saddle to really press on the pedals

BB30 bottom brackets don't have the greatest of reputations for use on bikes that are likely to see some service in wet conditions, thanks to the tight tolerances needed on the frame to match the bearing fitment. If it ain't right, you're going to get movement, which results in creaking – which normally shows up worse when grit and water make their way in.

Press-Fit BBs are the same size, but with the bearings in races they don't need the same tight fit. I had no issues at all with creaking over the test period and this frame was certainly put through loads of gravel and singletrack abuse.

I've already mentioned how the seatstays flex for comfort and GT has also kept the carbon seatpost at 27.2mm diameter for added movement. It's minimal but it all adds up.

The fork for me is right on the edge of the comfort-stiffness balance. Heavy braking on the rough stuff would see some movement at the bottom of the legs, which caused a lack of precision on technical sections where you'd need to be on the brakes between tight, close bends.

Riding another gravel bike with a very stiff fork made me appreciate the flex in the GT's for the majority of the time.

Build and prices

This is the flagship model in the Grade range, offering a full Shimano Ultegra groupset. Well near enough full – the excellent hydraulic brake/gear shifters, callipers and rotors are not model-specific but are aimed to cover bikes using Ultegra and Dura-Ace.

The shifting is light and instant, with the braking very controllable in terms of modulation. For me, as a very late braker, I find SRAM's hydros have better braking power but are a little progressive; I like Shimano's 'grabbiness', the on or off kind of braking style while still being able to feel exactly where the grip limits are.

Most gravel bikes come with either a wide-range 1x11 groupset or a road compact setup, 50/34 up front, for example, with an 11-28 or 11-32 cassette. The Grade goes for a more racy setup of a 52/36 semi compact chainset albeit with an 11-32 at the rear. That does mean that off road, where grip can be compromised and the climbs steeper, it would be nice to have the slightly lower bottom gear of a 50/34, though it's only a small difference. On the road it does work well, though.

Wheel-wise, the 2017 model swaps from Stan's Grail and DT Swiss hubs to Mavic Aksiums. The Mavics are on the tubby side, and along with the added heft of the bigger tyres explains the slight increase of overall weight.

That aside, the Mavics will take a proper kicking hitting rocks and water-filled potholes. The number of times I winced at an impact on rocks or sharp tarmac edges only to see the wheels were still rolling true was quite high.

As far as the finishing kit goes, GT has decked the Grade out pretty well. You get an FSA carbon seatpost (a proper one too, none of that carbon-wrapped alloy business) and GT's own alloy bar and stem combo. The bar has flared drops to give clearance for your knees, and the added width gives you more stability when you're riding in the drops over rough terrain.

Conclusion

I was mightily impressed with the ride quality of the GT Grade. It really does tick so many boxes, and I reckon if I went back to commuting full time I'd definitely go for one. The versatility of just taking any route home, paved or unpaved, is a massive bonus and one that'll bring a smile to your face.

> Buyer's Guide: the best gravel/adventure bikes

The price increase over the 2016 model does push things a bit though. With the way the world is, a rise in RRP isn't a massive surprise but it puts the Grade up against some big opposition. We've got the Wilier Jaroon and Mason Bokeh in on test at the moment, plus the Ribble CGR, so the competition is pretty fierce in terms of value for money.

If money is a concern, the Carbon 105 model does look much better value, even if you do take a downshift in gearing and wheels. Not too sure about the paintjob though...

Verdict

Versatile, fast and capable multi-terrain bike that's impressive straight out of the box, but it's pricey