20 Best Gravel Bikes For Beginners (2023 Updated)

I had a problem that developed with a previous 35c SK which caused it to pop off of the rim. This initially occurred when it was setup for tubeless, and pumping up at low PSI of around 20#. I tried the same tire with a tube and had identical results.

I suspected that the problem was in the tire’s bead. The wobble was obvious when the mounted tire was turning. I noticed a similar 3″ section that wobble on the new replacement tire. The new tire’s wobble is not a severe as the previous, I’m keeping my fingers crossed.

UPDATE JUNE 27, 2021 (350 miles) — am in love with this tire and count it among the very best all rounders I have ever ridden on any surface. these rank up there with my love for IRC Mythos and Panaracer Dart/Smoke from my MTB Racing days 35 years ago.

they are just a capable, predictable, and just a very solid performer. with ZERO punctures! can be a bit slippery in rain and deep mud puddles, but this tire clings to chunky mud very well, and has not washed out in sand, even at high pressure.

if only these came in a 50mm. May 2021 – got these in 700×45 for my Bombtrack Hook to be more road worthy but still maintain off road beast mode. having removed too large Vittoria Barzo’s in 29 x 2. 1, these skinny tires have a lot to live up to.

while I did not traverse deep mud well, they sleighed gravel, dirt, and tall grass, while being among the stickiest on blacktop/pavement that I have ever ridden. by far these were the easiest tubeless set up I have ever attempted in 6 years being a rider of tubeless tires.

I don’t understand how anyone has issues getting these on rims. for me (57yo lady) they seated immediately to Shimano GRX wheels, got bathed in Stans by shaking tires parallel to floor, then aired up (at higher pressure at first to allow better seating and coverage – pro tip from a mech) and have held prefect alignment to rim.

they will likely stretch a bit wider as they break in, but if not, the bike handles so much better with the more narrow width. the dark brown side wall looks exceptional in person, but not all bikes will be as handsome or match.

will update once I have more miles and can speak to durability. both tires had seams visible on the sidewall through the casing but hoping that’s how they’re supposed to look. i would not hesitate to put these on any gravel or road bike with the clearance to try adventure rides.

I have 15 years of experience in XC MTB, but have started dabbling in gravel. Supplies were short so I ended up with 35c from my local Trek shop. I’m 185lb and have ridden them at 38f/40r. Most of my road riding is for training purposes and these add so much more grip for seemingly little additional rolling resistance to my 32c tubeless Schwalbe g one road tires.

I raced these cinturatos over a mix of tarmac to loose gravel and they we’re surprisingly bombproof. They’re fine through an occasional section of damp dirt, but I wouldn’t ride them in any sort of slop.

Like other reviews mention, you have to lean them pretty far before you feel the side knobs bite. If you feel comfortable handling a mountain bike you should be able to adapt to the lower profile knobs on this tire, just find a safe place to test the limits before you blindly bomb some back roads.

This has been a consistently fast and reliable tire. It rolls very fast and has reasonable grip for the shorter, tightly spaced, center treads. It feels soft enough at lower pressures but still feels sturdy on the side walls.

I was able to mount it to my reserve wheels without tire levers. Using Muc-Off tape and sealant I had zero issues inflating and holding seal. No compressor just my Topeak floor pump with built in canister.

Attached photos are on Reserve 40/44 carbon wheels. Tire shown is on 25mm internal rim. For all out grip I would go with the Cinturato M but for a fast tire on tighter gravel this is your ticket!!.

Our WTB Trail Boss Comp tires came as OEM on our Marin Palisades Trail 2 mountain bikes purchased from Jenson USA. My size is 27. 5 x 2. 25 Trail Boss Comp with the 32 TPI casing. ( The stocked tires listed above are the Trail Boss TPS 60 TPI 2.

4 nd 2. 6). It is very rare for a new bike to have a tire come already stock that you would aspire to upgrade to later after the cheap OEM tire wore out. The WTB (Wilderness Trail Bikes), Trail Boss Comp is just that tire.

It does exactly what a good tire is supposed to do and does it well. Drop into a mud puddle, it stalls a bit, then digs down and bites and like magic, you propel yourself out of trouble. Then as predicted, it quickly sheds the sticky Georgia red clay and puts you back to a more normal condition.

Wet rocky surface, surprisingly sticky, throw it into a turn with confidence, gravel road, pine straw, wet bike path, all seem to be reasonably tamed by “The Boss”. I often read tire reviews never thinking much about what I was riding.

Bontrager Connection, Michelin Trail, Specialized house brand, all seemed ok for our purposes until I put the WTB Trail Boss to work. You will be hard pressed to get me to ever buy any other brand tire or model.

These tires still have the little mold flash on the center of the tread after miles of bike path forest service road and trails, where other bikes that family and friends ordered at the same time with OEM Entity or Marin generic tires are already showing signs of wear.

(Yet another reason the Marin Palisades Trail 2 is such an unbeatable value). You can read my review on the Marin Palisades Trail 2 bike, “The Mostest for the Leastest” here: https://www. jensonusa. com/Marin-Palisades-Trail-2-275-Bike-2021?_br_psugg_q=palisades.

These tires are just what I need for the sand, rocks, and thorny plants of the Chihuahuan Desert in Southern New Mexico. On trails, I run them on my XS Surly Bridge Club at a pretty low PSI, 10-12, which makes for cushy riding over rocks and smooth sailing through sandy arroyos.

For pavement, I air them up to around 20 and they roll nice and fast. With all the goat heads, honey mesquite, and cacti spines here, I make sure they’re always topped off with sealant. I’ve not had a problem with flats.

Happy to recommend for desert riding.

Bought this tire for the tech incorporated into it. I got the Tough/High grip. The tough casing and the high grip rubber compound ontop of the firm rubber base. I did some research and looked at reviews of this before I bought it.

The looks are sick! The tread is meaty! But the the meat is going to cost you by the weight of the tires. I had e13 tires previously and they were good tires. I switched to these and immediately noticed the weight and rolling resistance with the meat.

But traction was great an the sidewalls were a bit stiffer than the e13s. I’m riding hardback SoCal trails with this and so far they’re lasting me quite a bit. I’ve got 550 miles on them so far and they’ve finally worn down to where the e13 tires start when new.

The only negative is almost $80 bucks for a tire is ridiculous. I’m an old 1990s bike guy and I’m used to paying $40 bucks for a tire. The industry went crazy on prices and has inflated prices way too much.

I ordered size 34 (which 90% of the time fits me) but had to return them because they were so tight. I’m 180lbs. Anyway, I also ordered the size 36, and I will be keeping them. Pros; light weight, nice fabric, good length (but 8″ inseam would be more than welcome too) Cons; I don’t like how the shorts pucker up when you have to use the waist adjustment.

I think the fabrics and concept are good, I just don’t like the way it makes a bulge on each side of the waistband. Not Sure About; longevity (been wearing them daily casually), haven’t ridden in them yet, etc.

I followed the size chart to the letter, wound up with a size 45. Upon receiving the shoes, the shoe was waaay too long. Like 2 sizes too long. It wasn’t close enough to go “oh well” and deal with. At least an inch and a half of extra shoe.

I bought these specifically due to having the 20% off coupon available and am really bummed to have wasted that savings on these. I obviously haven’t used these enough to know, but I noted that the inside tongue rubs against your foot in a weird way since it subducts under one side and sort of “wraps” your foot.

So there’s only contact with the tongue on one side. At first it was quite painful to wear but that seemed to go away once the shoe “settled”. So that may or may not be a problem. I wondered if that rubbing would cause blisters over time.

My Bontrager shoes’ tongue is a normal design and it feels natural on the foot, but with these it’s like one side of the foot has extra pressure on it due to the design. Could be nothing, I’m not sure.

More use would tell. I bought these to use when commuting and road-biking because i wanted to clip-in, but also needed the ability to walk easily. SPD SL cleats never seemed to offer much benefit and I only use SPD.

These shoes seemed to have a really nice, stiff sole and clipping in/out was smooth even with the added tread. I was really happy with the look, the tread, and the stiffness. It almost felt like walking in a normal shoe.

They did not feel heavy. Such a shame the sizing is so off that I can’t use them. I really want to love these, but we’ll see if I can get the sizing right. I’ll give them another shot with a new size.

These are pretty narrow as well, so if you have wide-feet don’t even bother. They widen up a bit when you wear them but as someone with wider feet i could instantly tell these are very narrow shoes. More narrow than my bontrager cycling shoes of a smaller size.

*Note: on every other website, these shoes come with cleats. REI doesn’t seem to do that, not a dealbreaker but worth noting. Buy cleats if you need them. They did come with neat arch supports you can choose to use or not, i thought that was a nice touch.

To be fair, I am roadie, and I have never been a fan of walking on cleats, which is why I prefer the SPD system. I also think (even for roadies) having little to no sole to walk on is just dumb. Granted I realized one may get more power from other clipless designs.

This shoe is marketed as gravel shoe, but I was looking for a light weight, rigid, high quality shoe for riding on the road. This shoe ticks all the boxes. This is my first shoe with a Boa system, and once I figured out how to adjust it, it is great.

I have about 150 miles logged on the show so far. Very happy with this shoe. I wear US9. 5 and I went with EU44, and the fit is perfect for me. This is for Shimano RX8- Silver.

Like other reviewers mentioned, getting this shoe on for the first time is weird. You really have to pull out the tongue completely to get enough space to get your foot in. After I got them on for the first time, the forefoot felt perfect (and I have a slightly wide foot), but the tongue cut into my ankle on one of my feet.

The shoes come with two arch inserts, one medium and one high. The medium height is already attached, so I swapped it with the high to adjust the fit. Once I had the high insert in place and loosened the boa slightly on the ankle that was irritated, the shoe felt perfect.

I’ve never had such a complicated shoe setup period, which is why I took off a star. Besides that, the shoe is super light (on par with a road shoe) and extremely stiff. The perforations ventilate so well that you can really feel the wind in every pedal stroke.

The first time I tested these, it was Fall in the desert so the ventilation was almost too much in the shade. They’ve been perfect with shoe covers during the winter in the PNW, and I’m sure they’ll make a great summer shoe too.

I bought my usual size and they only fit with thin socks, so if you plan on wearing thick wool socks, size up.

As stated I love these tires, the set up, the tread pattern, the durability of the casing and overall performance are exceptional! But I just wish they lasted longer for the type of riding that i do.

Additionally it would be fantastic if there was a taller knobs offering in this tread pattern. I’m located in Northern California and the trails we ride are not traditional gravel for the most part it is technical single tack and some fire roads.

I believe the taller knobs would assist with some of our crazy steep and loose climb’s and also improve the lifespan of the tire. (currently only getting about 3-400 miles on the rear, and about double that for the front).

They are they are my go to tire and will continue to be for the forseable future. Also adding a skinwall option to the 45 size would be nice. Skinwalls for the win in my opinion for road, gravel, or mtn.

Before Christmas 2020 I was in a bit of a bind. I had recently bought some 650b wheels and I had an epic ride planned between Xmas and NYE – an Everesting on a gravel track in the Dandenongs. So, I hunted around in my local bike shops and scoured the internet for tyres that would fit my bike (a Bombtrack Audax) and had the tread to climb on gravel.

Then I found the Maxxis Rambler 120 TPI EXO TR in 650×47 on Bicycles Online, and the store had given me a discount the day before (winning!). So, I popped them in my cart and bought them with express shipping.

Not only did they arrive in plenty of time for my epic, but they also came early enough that I test them out on the gravel roads out near Euroa. The soil Everesting was the hardest thing I have ever done, but thankfully my Maxxis Ramblers helped me to finish it.

Over the 217km and 8895m vert, they performed faultlessly – they descended the gravel track effortlessly and climbed back up like a nimble goat. I won’t ever do a soil Everesting again, but I look forward to taking on more epic gravel rides, maybe with not so much climbing though.

I just got the shoe and like the way it fits. I do have some concerns with the boa closure system. in a recent race the shoe closure device got jammed after getting mud on it. I tried to loosen my shoe at one point and it was a no go.

I later had to tear the shoe off my foot and fiddle for a long time to get the system freed and working again. BUMMER.

Also a really really nice shoe. Lighter than I had expected, which is great. I’m a 42 in Fizik with room to possibly sometimes squeeze into a 41. 5 in a thin sock, and the 42 in Sidi for me is a perfect fit.

Even better than the 42 Fizik. Its bang on. For reference I have a foot more on the narrow to normal side.

Fantasticly well made Gravel/MTB shoes. Really comfortable and lightweight, usual Sidi quality and fit. I ordered the same size as my road shoes, they are perfect. Highly recommended.

Excellent service from Sigma. Arrived on the date stated at purchase. Included free set of Allen keys and torque keys which work very well (4,5 and 6Nm). Gears needed a little tuning but nothing significant.

Bike itself is very comfy but also light and climbs well. Has a surprisingly tall headtube and lots of spacers included. Means you’ll probably have to cut down the steerer to get the fit you need – not a difficult job with the right blade and a guide (I got the Park Tools blade and cutting guide – both great quality but pricey).

Stock tyres do the job but are nothing special. Very easy upgrade, as is the cassette if you want to change out the 105 for a full ultegra setup. Really like the handlebar and stem – you are tied to cannnondale handlebars if you use the system integration stem that comes with the bike, and vice versa, but there is a lot to like about both.

Stem is very stiff and robust, no flex even when sprinting that I noticed and the handlebar has a nice wide top which I found comfy on longer rides. Drop is not huge and the curve of the drops are quite traditional, both of which I found suited my riding style well.

I really like the included bar tape; it’s not too thick and has a crosshatched grip which works very well in all weathers. Only downside is a very creaky seat post at the recommended torque. When pushing hard uphill it is particularly noticeable.

Doesn’t affect the quality of the ride but is irritating.

I bought this bike after originally swapping me BMC road machine for a an Aero bike. I quickly realised that out and out aero wasn’t for me. This bike is the best of both worlds. Great aero properties, with nimble and precise handling.

The feedback is good without being harsh, and the power transfer from the peddles to the back wheel is brilliant. I wasn’t sure on the aesthetics but the pictures don’t do the bike justice. This is a beautiful looking machine.

Sigma again we’re a pleasure to deal with. There was a delay in delivery due to some components not being available. Sigma kept me informed every step of the way, and even offered a refund. All in all, it’s a great bike purchased from a great company.

I’ve had this for bike for 2 months and put 1000 miles on it and I can genuinely say I’ve fallen more and more in love with it after each ride. It looks stunning. It’s nowhere near as light as my previous Giant TCR, but it’s not heavy either, 8.

6kg with pedals. It absolutely flies and rides amazingly, so much compfier than my TCR. I’ve come down from ultegra to 105 but I can barely tell the difference. I’ll get some use out of the stock wheels which aren’t bad and they look quite good, but maybe in 12 months I’ll upgrade.

A pair of hunt or ceros for less than 500 quid would get this bike down to around 8kg for a bike under 3k with disc brakes is pretty good. Live in lake district with brutal climbs everywhere and havnt had an issue with the semi compact 52/36, 11-30 set up but some might.

Bought a L (6ft2) and its a great fit. I am on the way to achieving over 100km easily on a single charge using mostly level 1, and very seldom level 2/3 on steeper gradients. An average cyclist will easily keep the momentum just over 25kph on the flat sections, which means using less battery and getting far more than the advertised 75km range.

It doesn’t feel like 13. 5kg of bike and rolls really well (almost as good as my Ridley Kanzo Fast Gravel). The motor is there to assist , and I find it especially useful on the stop/starts of gravel and bridleway riding.

Sweet spot seems to be 18-23kph. Motor shuts down over 25kph and there is minimal drag when not engaged. This is not a big bulky Bosch style motor , its a gentle assist when you pedal at level 1 helping you go further with less fatigue.

Use level 2/3 for short/sharp gradients if needed. Aim to keep your ride average just over 25kph and this will give you more of a workout than any standard gravel bike. in case you are worried what your mates will say about going for an e-bike.

Great build quality and lots of mount points for luggage etc. Only change I made was better, more padded bar tape and Panaracer Gravelking SK+Tubeless setup (38″).

I looooove this bike. It’s fast. It’s fun. It doesn’t look like a giant chunky e-bike. I can keep up with my husband who is a much more serious cyclist. Unfortunately it got the dreaded pink flashing light after the third charge and would no longer turn on.

Unlucky for me since I was out on a trail in the middle of a national park when it happened. After doing everything I could via researching online, I came to the conclusion that I would have to take it in.

I got the runaround from my local REI (Lynnwood, WA), who shrugged their shoulders and suggested I call Cannondale. Cannondale confirmed the dealer (REI) had to do a firmware update to keep the battery from overcharging itself and bricking (pink flashing light).

I checked with a different REI an hour away (Bellingham, WA) and had a couple of lengthy phone calls with their techs. They were kind enough to go down the rabbit hole. They spoke to REI corporate, spoke to the battery manufacturer, ordered the cable and firmware update dongle they needed, and got my bike fixed in a couple of weeks.

I’ve got it back and it’s working great. I recommend this bike, but I don’t recommend taking delivery without getting the firmware update FIRST. Keep calling until someone is willing to help you out.

This might be a little premature as I’ve only had the bike a few days, but since this is a newer product with many reviews I wanted to share my first impressions. This bike is GREAT. I bought it to replace a commuter electric bike that failed after a few hundred miles.

With only 70 miles on this bike so far I have no way of knowing if it will withstand the daily grind. But it flies as a commuter and the short gravel trails I’ve taken it out on so far have been a blast.

Shifting took some time to get used to, but it is buttery smooth and the brakes have great stopping power. A bike like this can tempt one to ditch the car altogether. My one complaint would be that the charger is more annoying to plug in than it should be because you have to line up the prongs.

This bike is beautiful and has the right amount of engineering to retain a little old school feel despite being modern. Astonishingly light for an ebike, it literally weighs about half of my last ebike, which makes hauling it up the stairs to my office much easier.

Looking forward to taking it out on the trails this spring.

Mounted easy without needing a compressor, but they won’t keep pressure. Added a little more Stan’s sealant than normal. I’ll pump them to 65psi, spin them, leave the wheels on their sides, flip them etc… If I pump them up at night they lose about 20lbs by morning.

If I ride on Sunday they’re sitting on their rims by Tuesday morning. That said, I like the way they ride. I replaced a pair of Gravel King (the ones that are essentially slicks). These give more confidence on loose gravel but still doll fast.

I prefer wide tires with a non-aggressive tread and this tire is exactly that. It’s also light weight for a plus tire. What’s not so great is how tight the bead is. Mounting these tires on Bontrager Line 40 rims was a chore! Seriously, I was worried I might damage the rim or break a tire lever mounting these.

Other than that they’re great. Very low rolling resistance and are awesome on paved or hard packed dirt surfaces. They look great also. Btw, a regular 27. 5×2. 4 tube works fine in these tires.

My Turbo Vado 4. 0 is a very good bike. For the 4K price the drive train and brakes could have had sprinkles of XT or even XTR or higher levels of SRAM. The E5 aluminum frame could be lighter, but it is tried and true.

It seems much of the expense of the bike is from the R&D of the so far reliable TCD2 and the upgrades to Mission Control. Probably one of best EBike Bluetooth Controls currently available for an ebike.

The shortened chain stays and slack geometry make for a more maneuverable and centered bike, hovering in place is easier than previous models. The 48 tooth chainring is a nod to speedsters but not the most ideal for super steep climbs, the 42 tooth final cassette gear notwithstanding.

Still, the 70nm makes steep climbs doable. Specialized Direct to Customer, “D2C”, program was great. Hand delivered to my home by a Specialized rep from the South San Francisco based Specialized Bay Area Flex warehouse/shop, fully assembled and tuned.

I was able to test drive and check the bike for soundness. The rep was able to answer all of my questions. It seems the first complimentary tune up and subsequent maintenance work can be booked through Specialized Bay Area Flex.

They will either wrench at your home or bring the bike into the shop if needed. Overall a good experience.

The Turbo Vado is an awesome eBike that is a ton of fun to ride. I’ve only owned the Vado (my first eBike) for about two weeks but can provide some pros and cons for anyone considering the investment.

I wanted an eBike to make my 20 mile round trip commute quick and fun. The vado has delivered and I’m actually excited to commute to work again. Pros: – The motor support is incredibly natural feeling and intuitive.

The settings and buttons on the left handle easily allow you to adjust the amount of support and the bike responds very quickly. It’s nice being able to go from eco or sport mode on a trail with less traffic to turbo mode if you come to a stoplight with car traffic around (and want that quick start).

It’s amazing how easy it is to go from 0 to 20mph. The motor is also super quiet. – The display is very bright and functions well. The lights on the front and back are also a nice touch that were included and you don’t need to worry about installing.

For commuting, the cargo attachment on the back is awesome. – Braking is solid, though the bike weighs a lot so don’t expect to brake quickly if you’re up to speed. – The wheels/tires are awesome and can handle varying terrain, bumps, and smaller potholes with no problem.

The handling for a 50+ pound bike is actually very good. – The battery life is good. A 22 mile round trip commute in sport mode used roughly 60% of the battery. The charge port and charger function well and it’s nice to have the ability to remove the battery if you’re going to leave the bike outside for an extended time on a very hot or cold day.

-Security features are cool but I haven’t explored them much yet. Cons: – The bike is heavy. It’s a serious effort riding this thing without the e-assist. This also makes it difficult to maneuver the bike around a tight space and transport.

– The shifting isn’t spectacular and is noisy. It’s only super responsive when your cadence is above 80rpm. I’ve found that below 80, it’s a little clunky and sometimes takes time. When you’re coming to a stop, it’s a best practice to down shift a few gears ahead of time.

I’m mainly surprised at how loud the gear change is. Overall, this is a really amazing eBike and is a ton of fun to commute with and take short trips. I highly recommend going for a spin at your local Specialized retailer if you’re considering purchasing.

I have owned two other Specialized Turbo Vado’s and recently purchased the newest model. The bike performs as advertised but my one star review is the result of a completely useless and very poorly design charging interface.

With this newer magnetic charging plug, I simply can’t get it engage to the receiver without taking the battery off. It just won’t connect, primarily because the receiver is set so far back in the batter and the magnetic plug is so poorly designed.

This charging interface is different and way, way worse than what I had on my previous two models. Honestly, it’s hard to believe that this was even tested for performance and quality before it was put on the market.

Very disappointing and such a pain to have to remove the battery every to charge it every single time. Is it the end of the world? No. Just super annoying and something that should be an afterthought at this point that Specialized has made substantially worse across new iterations of this bike.

I wanted a set of gravel bars with internal routing for Di2 so choice was very limited – and the price of these was eye-watering. It also involved cutting the ends off the bars to fit the Di2 control so a serious commitment on expensive bars.

But these have been very comfortable, killing road buzz from the gravel tyre. One thing I really like is the progressive flair – meaning the hoods are not tilted to a crazy angle, making them as comfortable as road bars, but the width on the drops give good control.

Bought this for my Chamois Hagar as I thought it would benefit from wider bars. They are beautifully made and easy to fit. Once clamped down they stay in place due to the additional texturing that creates more friction where it is needed.

They have a nice flare, which puts you in a more aero position on the hoods and gives you more control in the drops, for anyone who likes to ride at the more technical end of the gravel spectrum this is exactly what you need.

They dampen the trail chatter and you don’t even need to mess around with bar end plugs. Coupled with Enve bar tape they are very comfortable. They is no denying they are expensive, but for sure I would buy them again.

I bought these to build my gravel bike. I read so many reviews on gravel handlebars before I settled on these. Even though these are on the higher end of cost for a handlebar, I have not regretted the purchase.

The bars are perfect for me and worth the money.

The Specialized Turbo Vado SL 5. 0 is an e-bike in a class of its own. The performance is great with 3 levels of assist for any situation. The future shock gives you super smoothness with all the stability of a traditional fork.

The lightness is incredible compared to the competition and makes the bike as easy to transport as any traditional bike as no ramp or even tray rack is needed for me. The 80 mile range is realistic so I have found no need to purchase the extender battery but maybe in a few years when the main battery weakens.

I have a few complaints, though. The lights can not be turned off and they do no have a strobe mode which is much more effective and safer plus uses less battery power. The rear light is permanent to the saddle so to change the saddle or the seat post you must cut the wire and toss the rear light.

I don’t mind because I use far superior lights anyway. The other complaint is that the bike isn’t that quiet and makes an annoying whine that is tolerable.

I purchased the Vado after realising that my new Emtb was too cumbersome to also be used as a commuter. Had this Specialised about two months now and use this for commuting instead. I did have to sort the cabling out so it was better and looked neater.

I also chopped the bars a little but that is just personal preference. I love using this for commuting as along with others, I have aches and pains and this bike allows me to still get a good ride in without too much pain, and on a daily basis.

I ride about ten miles daily, mostly in Tour mode and four days / 40 miles generally leaves 3 bars (so 20 to 30% remain). Love it. I do ride quite fast too mostly at 15/16 mph and sometimes exceeding so the assist stops but the bike just feels lovely and the feed in of power feels really smooth.

My Med size Vado is easily handle-able at around 15kg whereas my Emtb is 25kg. I was concerned about the relatively low torque figure but this has not been an issue at all. The motor assist feels great.

I love the display on the crossbar too. The charger does get quite hot as has been mentioned on forums so I use a little fan whilst mine is on charge which keeps it reasonable. To clarify. I love this bike and look forward to getting on it in the mornings and it is so easy to ride.

Goodbye public transpo and car service gauging! This lux vehicle is essential for NYC/Brooklyn commuting. The bridges are a breeze to climb and fun to sail down! The handling through rush hour gridlock is precise, reactive and feels good to breeze by gas-guzzling cars.

Dodging bike lane obstructions is safer because it’s possible to seamlessly veer into the traffic lane and be able to keep up without getting honked and yelled at. My first ride was 17miles to the Rockaways (loaded down with Panniers) and what Google Maps said would take 90mins took only 45!! I was running late and ended up being early.

She is a thing of beauty and receives so many compliments. The only downside is that I have to keep her in sight when parking on the streets. The workaround is paying a few $ to safely stow her in a parking garage, but the rate is minimal.

Tech is a breeze – charging, display, MC – and the Hilltop & LIC retailers are passionate, knowledgeable, generous w their time. 10 out of 5 stars!.

The dual sport 2 equipped is, at first, fantastic. Beautiful in its design with hidden pannier rack supports, built in rear light (on / off, no other function) and the different shapes of aluminium tubes make the frame a really lovely thing to behold.

It is seriously let down though by cost cutting and lack of thought. Firstly the front light. It fell off after riding it home – despite checking all was solid as I left. The replacement light and fitting fared no better with the light falling out after half a mile.

I managed to find that one though but the very, very cheap and nasty design makes the usb charged light, with only two modes (shiny / not so shiny), practically useless. The light coverage is very poor, I thought I had been transported back to 1992 and the need to squint as you ride along.

The other major issue is the frame. What you see here is the medium and above. The small frame has a huge kink in the top tube, which is not mentioned when you order it, so small folk can use it BUT this makes fitting a water bottle or D lock completely and utterly impossible.

This is lazy and unforgiveable, which is a huge shame as the bike is lovely and is a great ride. If you don’t want the issue light and want to use your own, although the built in light fitting will need removing, and as long as you don’t intend to fit a water bottle or D lock it’ll do but this could have been so much better.

Personally, I wanted to love this, but I can’t.

Hi all. I’d like to tell you about my new Trek DS2 First off, there is a load of snobbishness in many bike reviews I have read… as far as I am concerned the DS 2 is not an Entry Level, Budget or first bike…….

I am never going to be a pro cyclist but, what I am is a regular dude that is sick of tubes and trains and a few years ago decided to ‘get into’ cycling on the ‘Danger of Death Streets’ that are London….

So I went from my first bike, a nice armchair like Dawes so what I am told was a aggressive road bike – a Cannondale – don’t ask, not a great idea…. To the DS 2 Enough rambling. I ordered on line and Evans delivered to me just one day late from their anticipated delivery date.

A large brown box appeared on Friday morning and the DS 2 was here. All in pretty easy enough to order – bit miffed about paying delivery charges and zero incentives like a fiver off vouchers. but I paid up and took my chances.

So out of the Box The bike was very well packed up and had lots of bubble wrap and stuff around the frame. In theory, all I had to do was bolt of the pedals, tighten up the handlebars and I was good to go.

There was a very handy little multi tool of allen keys and a pedal spanner included. Alas not that easy. I opted for the equipped model which came with mud guards, kick stand and lights – not dynamo powered as I have seen on other websites by the way.

First off, mudguards were put on too tightly. There is no mention of them in the Evans manual you get with an on-line bike so just check them out. The front derailer was put on at a very very odd angle meaning that out of the box I could only select the lowest gears but a bit of fiddling and a few you-tube vids later I more or less got is sorted out.

I have been trying to call my local Evans shop for four days for some help but I can never get through. There were a few different fittings for the lights none of which worked, so I am reverting to my old set of Cats Eyes In my experience the lesson here is do not buy on line.

I’d never spend £675 again this way. The Ride All aside from what I completely blame on Evans putting pounds over service. I think my DS2 is amazing. What I love. Comfortable ride, great disc brakes, brilliant gear range – eventually and the front suspension is amazing.

I ride to work via canal tow paths so suspension is a great idea! I am not a super fit bloke!!! But I can maintain 14 – 15 MPH on my DS2. I totally trust the bike in traffic too which is blessed relief when riding into central London.

Ignore what you read about entry level, beginners hybrid and all the other stiff on bike websites. The DS2 is a strong well-made bit of kit which I can highly recommend. I would certainly recommend it but in person sale not on line! Happy cycling and ride safe.

Chose this Dual Sport to replace a much-loved hybrid I’d modified myself for riding to work, with mudguards, pannier etc. They’d served me well, but this factory fitted equipment is just that bit more robust.

The kickstand for instance has direct attachment to the frame, and the mudguards are well made, with supports firmly integrated. It also comes with lights, and Evans Cycles had it all set it up ready for collection, so essentially all I added was a bell (and in my case, a simple adaptor to use an existing MTX-type bag with the pannier frame) and I was up and running immediately.

The front suspension has enough travel to take the edge off potholed roads and mixed surfaces, so all in all this had everything I was looking for, off the shelf. Rides well, with smooth gear changes and disc brakes for wet conditions.

A choice of colour would have been ideal, but this metallic grey is smart and well-finished in line with the overall quality feel of the bike. An excellent all-rounder, very pleased!.

When I started shopping for a gravel bike, the biggest thing I wanted to avoid was proprietary components. Because I’m less worried about lightweight, aerodynamics, and all that, I could see myself holding onto this bike for 10 years and continuing to update it as components improve.

A lot of the gravel bikes I looked at had proprietary suspensions that are a wear and tear part and need to be replaced. I was worried that years down the road, when they’ve moved to a different suspension, finding parts would become more challenging.

The Stigmata seems to nail everything I wanted, 1 by drive train, treaded bottom bracket, huge range of gears in the cassette, and good tire clearance. I’ve taken this out on gravel, road, and full on mountain biking.

So far it’s done great in every terrain and actually surprised me with how well it did on mountain bike trails. This is my first SRAM group set. The shifting is super responsive. It very light for a gravel bike.

I’d highly recommend this to anyone who’s shopping for a gravel bike. It took a month and a half to get it but it was worth the wait.

There’s a character limit here so I’ll try and minimize my rambles. Long story short: I had this bike for 72 hours and rode it 71 miles. My ride around the block to set up the suspension/tire pressure turned into a two hour urban assault mission, and I went berserk on three 20 milers in dirt.

And rocks and roots and snow and mud. The Heckler is the most MTB-like eMTB I’ve ridden, and it rules. There’s no better bike on the planet. I have an eMTB with the same Shimano 8000 series motor, and I love it.

The power comes on smoothly, the assist presets are perfect, and if it is loud I can’t hear it over how much I’m laughing as I fly along. Santa Cruz went with the Shimano motor due to their widespread support, fully in line with SC’s philosophy.

I can dig it. All the support you get with any SC is here: bearings, lifetime frame warranty, operators are standing by. I didn’t put it on a scale, but it’s light. This Heckler weighs in at somewhere around 48lbs, which is five pounds less than my eMTB, and it’s noticeably lighter than most everything out there.

If you’re new to ebikes, 48 pounds is indeed light: you can legitimately pedal the Heckler unassisted, which is nice if you’re hypermiling, scared, or boring. The 500Wh battery is a nice match to this beefy trail bike: you can easily tailor your assist modes to your ride–after a couple times out you’ll have no problem making sure you still have a few electrons left in the tank at the end.

This bike rides like my Nomad–instead of my eMTB “forget it and hold on” lines, I found myself back on MTB lines, picking up over rocks instead of smashing through them, bunnyhopping and manualing–it’s insane, really.

Unbelievable. If you’re considering this bike, get it. NOW. It’s got the juice to get you anywhere, and it rides like the Santa Cruz that it is. Beep borp baby. DM me for details on the Nomad, I gotta get a Heckler!.

This bike is amazing! I absolutely love it and recommend it. The staff at Mike’s Bikes were very accommodating and helpful. The bike was shipped to me fast and packed extremely well. The reason why I gave it a 4 star rating is because the brakes were not set up well.

I had to readjust the calipers, which isn’t a huge deal but I am going to have to bleed them too, which is a bit annoying. If it wasn’t for the issue with the brakes, I’d give the bike and my experience with Mike’s Bikes a solid 5 stars!.

Having owned a Yamaha powered PW motor on a Haibike all mountain 6. 5, I can judge a bit better. The Reign E+2 is a nice bike but the power seems to be hard to obtain, if it is in auto mode, althoug it’s nice, it lacks the smoothness, as it feels as a roller coaster.

it is felt in any grade that isn’t totally even, just as in any trail where you’ll ride your Reign mountain bike. The problem is that there’s no time delay going from higher to lower power and every bump is felt as the pedal gets harder when it changes to the lower power level and then softer again when you have passed the bump and so on.

It’s a very uncomfortable feeling it’s just like a roller coaster. I don’t think I’ll will ever get used to it. Unlike my previous bike, the PWx3 feel like the extra torque was obtained via larger gears in the rear casete so I feel I have to pedal more, and harder to obtain the power I need.

I think that by adding a programmable 2-5 second delay going from high to lower power it would prevent the roller coaster feeling, hardening of the pedals as it would keep it in the climbing power while riding over the bumps.

In regards to the lack of display it’s a disappointment as you have no idea what your battery level is and as it is shown in increments of 20% so if it shows 2 bars you have no idea if it is 21% or 40.

% the gap is true between any two bars, and since it lacks a distance display you may have no idea how far you have traveled. You may ask what about the app? Yes, the app only works if you have cell connection which it isn’t likely if you ride in the mountains.

Giant could have added a $200. 00 display to read battery power and distance travel I would have paid it. I mean I paid over $7000. 00 with the extra battery and mount just for the fun of riding further in the mountains.

I have 1,200 miles on my Giant Revolt e+ pro bike and I’m really glad I bought it. No matter if you are riding slow up a mountain, slow city riding, or riding single track this bike pedals naturally.

The pedaling motion is so smooth you forget you are on a e bike and think you are always on a slight downhill or have the wind at your back. It handles fantastic. It doesn’t steer as fast as a racing bike or as dead as a touring bike.

That and the multiple hand positions of drop handlebars make it a good bike to ride 70 miles day after day. I should know I have ridden other bikes across the country 3 ½ times and have done over 40 week long rides.

I would give it five stars except the only rack you can buy for it is so heavy it must be designed for some industrial application. Also, the bike absolutely needs a 50 tooth cassette as the bike’s low gear is higher than some of the new Giant road bikes with compact double cranksets.

One last thing is that unless they have changed it, the Di2 rear derailleur gets its power from the 500 Wh battery. I. E. if you try to ride the bike without it installed. it won’t shift. SO if you are riding RAGBRAI, GOBA, or Michigan’s Shoreline West the first thing you want to do at 3 PM is put up your tent & then charge your battery.

Battery charging needs to be completed by 9 PM because that’s when the campgrounds must turn off their portable generators. I was fortunate to buy one of the last Giant Revolt e+ bikes that didn’t have Di2 so I have the freedom to ride my bike Downtown, to a historical site, to a Lake Michigan beach, etc without the battery installed.

Have been riding the Stance for 10 months now, I love it. Car drops and lifts at Ski areas are a thing of the past. Why ride mediocre mountain bike park trails when you can ride single your favourite single track top to bottom or multiple times.

Going up trails with assist almost as fun as coming down. The amount of terrain I can ride now is obviously much larger and experience is better. I go places I wouldn’t usually have gone as I don’t have worrying about my legs not getting back.

I get about 4 hours of ride time with serious climbs etc. my average ride is 1. 5 to 2 hours and usually keep it fully charged as range anxiety is a bit of a thing if you go out with partial charge. It is a heavy bike if you have pedal it without assist.

Worrying about weight that I pack is thing of the past. I find riding with too much assist in single track is dangerous. Only usually use higher levels of assist on roads getting me to the trails. I am a 55 year old male with one ligament deficient knee, the ebike has revitalized by mountain biking.

After ten months I have replace the drivetrain and chain because it has that much mileage on it. There is also more torque on drivetrain with the assist which contributes. Took me years to do that on my Reign 2.

The bike so much fun to ride up and down. I plan on riding every last penny out this bike and will upgrade in few years.