Gravel bike advice

[stampz]

Afternoon all,

I am just about to pull the trigger on my first gravel bike and was looking for a bit of a nudge in the right direction before I do so...bit of background

I am a keen road cyclist currently owning a Giant TCR and Defy and an Orba Avant winter ride, but want something I can chuck down the gravel paths and knock about with my kids without fear of sliding all other the place or damaging anything.

I have a very tight budget of £600 and "not a penny more", and am looking for a new bike (I know I can get more value second hand but new is what I'm after)

The market at the moment is not exactly flush with bikes in that price range, but I have managed to find the following (all of which I know are a lot lower specced than my usual rides, but that's fine)

Merling Malt 2 - https://www.merlincycles.com/merlin-mal ... 97226.html

Claud Butler Primal - https://www.leisureoutlet.com/168242-cl ... muter-50cm

Schwinn Scree - https://www.decathlon.co.uk/p/schwinn-s ... p-X8657138

Triban RC 120 Gravel - https://www.decathlon.co.uk/p/gravel-bi ... 40&c=GREEN

My gut is leading me to the Merlin, but I would love to know what other people the pros and cons are? 3 out of the 4 have a double right on the front, I didnt think that was great for gravel?

Any advice appreciate...thanks

[Nearholmer]

If you use Facebook, try putting this question to Gravel Bikes UK (make sure you get the right group, there are others with similar names). It’s one that come up there frequently, but I can’t recall the responses except that they always include “you’d do better buying a good secondhand bike”.

The 1x vs 2x debate is rife there too, usually focusing on high-end groupsets where very wide range cassettes with 11, 12 or 13 cogs at the back, which make 1x a very good option for “pure gravel”. You will find that most bikes in the £600 area use lower-end components, maybe only 7, 8 or 9 cogs across the back, and that you need 2x to get the broad range of ratios you will need (unless you live where it is really flat).

As a PS, don’t ignore good quality hybrid bikes as an option. Because they use separate brake and gear levers on flat bars, they are often cheaper for equivalent quality than drop-bar bikes - it depends whether or not you get on with flat bars (I find them a literal pain, and don’t like them for climbing).

PPS: the mechanical disc brakes on those bikes tend to vary from ‘disappointing’ to ‘scary’ if you try anything even slightly challenging.

[Paulatic]

Son had a Malt and used it for his commute. He never grew to like and after a year bought a Trek for his commute. I said I’d give the Malt a try and after a couple of weeks I wasn’t endeared and sold it for him.
First and foremost the gearing was too high for the gravel roads with hills that I use. Secondly the disc brakes it had fitted were useless, thirdly it was a harsh ride.
A quick glance at your choices and I’d probably plump for the Triban even though I’m not a one drive fan.

[Dingdong]

My advice, unless you are planning sets cross country or off road use, you'd be better off with an old school cyclo cross bike with good cantilever brakes. Second hand, probably a fifth of the price of a modern 'gravel' bike, whatever that is!

Focus is a great German brand and there are lots of second hand models on your favourite auction site from £200

[Dingdong]

Check out FOCUS MARES AX CROSS BIKE XC - MEDIUM on eBay!
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/255756500286 ... edia=EMAIL

[Dingdong]

A very nice bike, at a very reasonable price. The carbon version with electronic gearing is always heavily discounted

[Dingdong]

The carbon version with electronic gearing is always heavily discounted from new.

[PH]

There's a couple reviewed in the latest edition of Cycle, an extract of which can be found online, though you'll need to get hold of a copy for the full article. I'm not at home to confirm, but I think the two are the Schwinn you're interested in and one of the Halfords brands, Vodoo? I think it also refers to the Merlin. I've only flicked through it rather than read it properly.
Although I don't know that specific bike, in general Decathlon take a lot of beating when you consider like for like at that price point.

[Nearholmer]

I’ve had a look at the Voodoo and Triban bikes in the respective shops out of curiosity, and of the two I’d go for the Voodoo, because they use easily available Shimano and Tektro components, I think the Triban has Microshift bits, which you can get in Decathlon, but I’ve never seen elsewhere. The finish on the Triban was pretty awful, but I’m not sure that is anything but cosmetic.

Something to think about is gear ratios. If you ride off road up steeper hills, you will want a c1:1 ratio even if you are young and fit, and if you are either not young, or not fit, or carrying luggage, you need below 1:1. Many people have c0.9, but bikepackers and people who live in really hilly areas go even lower, 0.8 or even 0.7. The exact top gear is less crucial, but doesn’t need to be as high as on a pure road bike, 4:1 is OK IMO.

[slowster]

something I can chuck down the gravel paths and knock about with my kids without fear of sliding all other the place or damaging anything.

Given those criteria I think a gravel bike like those you have listed would not be a good choice. If you are concerned about 'fear of sliding all over the place', I think you should be looking at bikes with much wider tyres than the 35mm-40mm typically found on most gravel bikes. 50mm will give a much more sure-footed (and more comfortable) ride, and wider than that is even better. If you plan to do much riding with your kids, I would suggest a rigid MTB, preferably cheap/second hand. Relatively speaking gravel bikes have quicker steeering and require more concentration to steer and choose a line. When riding with children you don't want to have to concentrate so much on your own bike and on choosing a line. An MTB with flat bars and 2" or wider tyres will allow you pay less attention to what you are riding, and more attention to your children.

[Winders]

I wouldn’t be put off by Microshift, they make some good quality cheaper groupsets designed for gravel bikes etc where the others (Shimano, SRAM) only do so at a higher price. If you’re looking for drop bar shifters and a wide range 1x groupset their products are more than adequate at this price point. For example, the XLE groupset specified on the Triban gives you a Shimano MTB compatible 11 speed groupset that can handle up to an 11-46T cassette with a drop bar shifter - you’ll be needing to mess about with additional third party components or spend out on Shimano GRX for that sort of combo otherwise.

[Dingdong]

I wouldn’t be put off by Microshift, they make some good quality cheaper groupsets designed for gravel bikes etc where the others (Shimano, SRAM) only do so at a higher price. If you’re looking for drop bar shifters and a wide range 1x groupset their products are more than adequate at this price point. For example, the XLE groupset specified on the Triban gives you a Shimano MTB compatible 11 speed groupset that can handle up to an 11-46T cassette with a drop bar shifter - you’ll be needing to mess about with additional third party components or spend out on Shimano GRX for that sort of combo otherwise.

Microshift have been making copycat shifters for at least 20 years AFAIK, I've only got one set on a bike but they work flawlessly

[Nearholmer]

Can you get Microshift bits anywhere other than Decathlon?

[Winders]

Moore Large is their distributor so most bike shops should be able to supply the range? A quick search online shows Wiggle and SJS Cycles carry the brand.

[PH]

Can you get Microshift bits anywhere other than Decathlon?

There's a lot of interchangeability between Microshift and Shimano, so as stuff wore out and needed replacing, there'd be no problem finding components to suit.