Bombtrack Hook 2 Gravel Bike Review: Versatile steel graveler for bargain hunters

Bombtrack Hook 2: The Facts

Frame material: Steel
Wheel size(s): 700c
Maximum tire clearance: 40mm (700c)
Axle dimensions (v/h): 12 × 100/142 × 12
Mudguard Eyelets: Ja
Luggage carrier eyelets (v/h): No Yes
bottle holder: Down tube up, down tube down, seat tube

Weight wheels v/h/total (with tires and brake discs): 1.570g / 1.692g / 3.262g
Weight complete bike without pedals (size M): 10,35kg
Price: 1999 Euro

The small manufacturer Bombtrack from Cologne has had a pretty exciting career. With roots in the fixie and bike courier scene, they have also been able to make a name for themselves among gravel and bikepacking fans in recent years. The forge from the Rhine metropolis is now known far beyond the borders of Germany and wheels can be found in the most remote areas of the world.

One bike in the portfolio that has accompanied this career almost from the beginning is the Hook. The gravel bike with a steel frame is possibly the most versatile bombtrack bike of all and should of course not be missing in the 2020 portfolio. The frame consists of a Columbus tube set and its steel-typically slim profile can visually set the Hook apart from the crowd.

As befits a gravel all-rounder, the Hook comes with plenty of mounting points for accessories and attachments. Mudguards can be mounted as well as a full luggage rack at the rear. Theoretically, a rack could also be attached to the fork, but it is not approved for this - instead, the eyelets can be used for anything cages, with which luggage such as compact sleeping bags or sleeping pads can also be attached to the fork. Thanks to the eyelets on the top tube, a small additional bag can also be attached here, for example for gels. With the three attachment points for bottle holders, you are well prepared for longer trips.

The tire clearance of 40mm is not too generous, but should still be sufficient for most applications. Tip for all those who don't want to do without large-volume tires: With the Hook EXT, the Bombtrack portfolio also has a suitable bike for this.

The geometry of the Hook is no less versatile than its basic orientation, but on closer inspection it does reveal clear sporty undertones. This is supported by the (without spacer) noticeable saddle elevation as well as the rather steep steering angle. However, the dimensions are by no means so extreme that they cannot be mitigated with spacers or a shorter stem, for example, and also adapted for more leisurely tours.

Bombtrack is offering two trim levels of the Hook for 2020. The inexpensive entry-level model Hook 1 had to prove itself in our entry-level test field and was able to put significantly more expensive bikes in their place there. The Hook 2 is priced at just under 2.000 euros in our tourer test field, which is clearly in the cheaper range, which you can see in the equipment in a few points, but the Cologne-based company has dispensed with the notorious red pencil on the decisive points.

The Sram Rival 1 drive has lost a little presence compared to the Shimano GRX, but it hasn't gotten any worse: The rear derailleur has good damping, chain slap is minimized and the STIs are ergonomically convincing. We think it's a bit of a shame that Bombtrack doesn't use a 10-42 cassette, but uses the cheaper 11-42 version. Not only is it heavier, it also offers noticeably less bandwidth – one or two percent more would have been good for the tourer here. We found the crank made in-house to be a success with its 40-tooth ring and 30mm axle.

The fact that Bombtrack relies on mechanical stoppers for the brakes with the TRP Spyre C is tolerable in view of the rather low price, especially since the TRP is one of the better cable pull disc brakes on the market. Nevertheless: They can't keep up with hydraulic discs in terms of braking power or dosage. Only when it comes to maintenance do they prove to be a bit more good-natured, which should be interesting for those who want to take bikepacking adventures far away from civilization under the gravel tires.

The wheels, consisting of in-house thru-axle hubs and WTB i19 rims, are absolutely convincing. The system is not too heavy, the rims can also be used tubeless without any problems. In view of the already limited tire clearance on the Hook, it doesn't matter that the 19mm rims are rather narrow. Mounted on it is the 37mm wide Riddler, one of the best all-rounders on the market, which, however, feels more at home on easy terrain and in dry conditions.

All attachments in the seating area and on the cockpit come from our own company - but this is by no means meant as a criticism, because the post, saddle, stem and handlebars all make a high-quality impression and offer no cause for criticism. The handlebars have a rather moderate angle of 10° - thumbs up for that from us, because for most riders this ergonomics should be better suited than the sometimes extreme flare of modern gravel handlebars.

More tests, products and background information about the Velomotion Gravel Month:

Let's Gravel: The Bombtrack Hook 2

The Bombtrack Hook 2 comes with its attractive steel frame and shows right from the start that it takes gravel tours very seriously. Because with various mounting options and an almost perfect accessory compatibility, the Hook 2 is not only well prepared on paper, but also in practice for longer trips, multi-day tours and bikepacking adventures.

The balanced geometry should be particularly pleasant for the riders on long tours. Despite its slightly sporty touch in terms of seating position, the Boomtrack Hook 2 can also be adjusted to a more upright and relaxed posture by reducing the elevation and stretching using spacers and the stem. During our test, however, we were very satisfied with the basic variant, as it offered us a successful mix of a sporty feeling and relaxed driving.

Unfortunately, the driving comfort was a little less relaxed for us. Even if the frame itself is likely to outperform most aluminum gravel riders in terms of comfort, the classic frame shape does not necessarily ensure the best damping properties. In addition, the wheels also play a decisive role here, since the rim is quite hard for our taste, bumps are passed on to the frame and thus to the driver much more directly.

In terms of acceleration, however, the Bombtrack Hook 2 can even convince a little. Of course not in comparison to the sporty bikes in our other test field, but for a tourer with a total weight of over 10 kilograms the liveliness is more than solid. The handling of the Hook 2 is also very direct and precise thanks to the steep steering angle, which ensures good control even on more technical sections. Equally good control is provided by the smooth running of the Bombtrack Gravel Tourer despite the sporty driving and steering characteristics. Especially on longer routes, this made us a lot of friends, because it made us more relaxed on the road. We would like a little more control from the brakes on a gravel bike, because the mechanical version is unfortunately far inferior to the hydraulic discs in terms of power and effectiveness.

Other gravel bike highlights in the test: