By Bhawna
You need special bikes for gravel. They should have a good speed. They should be practical. They should be adventurous. The best gravel bikes have the qualities of off-road capability and speed. They ride efficiently on trails and tarmac. The best gravel bikes in the past used to provide all uses but now the best gravel bikes are designed for bikepacking. This is because there is a lot of bikepacking that is required for long travels with loads of mounting points. The wheels that are required are 650b wheels.
So, let’s take a look at the best gravel bikes in the world in 2023:
Specialized S-Works Diverge
Image source: swastikspaces.com
It is lightweight. It is a bike for covering trails, gravel roads, or mountain passes. It has good speed. It has refined aesthetics. It has a good ride quality. It has a flattering geometry. It has good steering. It has a good range of price covering all price points. It has an evolving skill set. This brand started in 2014. The new model’s geometry is progressive. It has a looser head tube angle and a shorter stem. The fork has got some adjustments. There is a longer offset in it. The trail number has a greater steering response. There is a front-end activeness in it. The bottom bracket drop has been increased by 5 mm for all frame sizes. The chainstays have been increased by 425 mm. It has 650b wheels.
It is an adventurous bike. It can be used for fast-paced road rides. It can be used for long adventures. The range is great for every kind of rider. The prices are good. Thus, it is one of the most accessible bikes in the market.
3T Exploro Force
Image source: 3tbike.com
It is the best aero gravel bike that has options for wheel size. It is available in small to XL sizes. It is bombproof without being heavy. It has nice handling. It has compact front triangle frame bag storage. These are helpful in longer rides. When 3T launched the Exploro, the bike industry got confused. They thought that what the use of an aero gravel bike is. Aerodynamics are only useful at 40kph- these are the actual figures. 3T disagreed with it. They cited testing regarding it. The 3T Exploro is an aero-optimized gravel bike. It is capable on-road and it also rides on singletrack and off-road climbs. It has 650b wheels.
Factor Vista
Image source: factorbikes.com
It is the best gravel bike for those who don’t get too adventurous. The sizes that are available are 49cm-58cm. It has many features same to that of Factor’s road bikes. It is surefooted despite steep angles. Factor’s Vista is an all-road bike. The design and structure fall on the likes of an endurance road bike. But there is space for 35mm tires in the frame. It also has the brand’s OTIS AR external fork. It is also found on its One aero bike and Slick TT bike. The seat stays are dropped and Factor says that they have done this to absorb trail buzz.
It offers an active ride. There are steep angles. There is a short wheelbase. The ride is energetic. It should be used more for straight-line speed instead of twisty singletrack.
Polygon Bend R5
Image source: polygonbikes.com
It is a full product for your money that will go well in rough terrain. The sizes that are available are small to large. It is comfortable. It is capable of good rides. It is a great value product for your money. If you are planning some rough terrain road adventures, then this bike is for you. It has an ALX alloy frame with a carbon fork. There are angular tubes that are hydroformed. This is to give a necessary stiffness.
There are 650b wheels and 41mm WTB Venture tires. There is more space in it if you want to size it up. There is 80mm between the fork legs. So, you could make space for something 2-inches and there would also be space for mud.
It is versatile. It serves well as a commuter and adventure too.
Basso Palta II
Image source: swisscycles.com
It is an all-out race product that has some revisions from the original. It is available in sizes XS-XL. It is very fast. It is very agile. It offers very much compliance. The Palta II from Basso is built on a package from its original. Speed is extremely good. The handle is minimal. There is a short wheelbase and high bottom bracket. It has 650b wheels.
The compliance part is something that has improved from the original. Palta II is very well suited for longer rides. The latest one is very smooth and gives speed and comfort.
Factor LS
Image source: factorbikes.com
It is a sharp race bike. It can double up as a road bike. It is available in sizes 49, 52, 54, and 58cm. It has a super-light performance. It has agile handling. It has an ability to accommodate rubber for 43mm. the GRX Di2 performs very well in any setting. It has a lightweight frame of about 950g. It is a great gravel racer. It has a nice speed. It comes as a frameset. It also comes as a complete build.
Pinarello Grevil Force 1
Image source: offroad.cc.com
It is the best aero gravel bike that has 650b wheels. It comes in sizes 44cm-59cm. It has aero tubing. It has a big tire clearance. It is ready for rides on the trails. There is aero tubing like the 3T Exploro.
Focus Atlas 6.8
Image source: focusbikes.com
It has a smooth ride. It is available in sizes XS-XL. It has multiple load fixtures. It has a big tire clearance. It is suspension fork and dropper post-compatible. It was released in January 2021. It is tough. It is versatile. It is adaptable. These are all good qualities. It gives a smooth ride. It is not as light as some of the other bikes. But it is heavy enough to carry luggage. The alloy frame has a downtube for bottle cage positioning. The seat tube has a plugged entry point for a dropper post. The bike has 700cc wheels. But it comes with 650b compatibility.
