Test Bulls Machete: The carbon gravel bike from the Cologne MTB brand is as UCI race-tested as it is suitable for bikepacking. The latter is immediately possible with the Machete; the former requires a few modifications that reveal the full potential of the edgy bolide.
When you think of Bulls, you first think of mountain bikes, but the Cologne-based company has also had racing bikes in its range for years, as well as all kinds of cross bikes and everyday bikes. It was therefore a natural step to put together a gravel bike from elements of all these genres, and so the Grinder model has been around for years, and is available in various versions from a sporty exercise bike to a fully equipped commuting bike and even with a low step-through. The current second generation of the Grinder, however, no longer has much to do with the original model. A good two years ago, Bulls introduced its first carbon gravel bike, the Machete. Its geometry is now also used in the aluminum models of the Grinder series - and has also proven itself in gravel racing at the highest level.
Bulls Machete: Versatile with numerous mounting options
That sounds versatile, and that's how the Machete is designed. It starts with a wealth of mounting options with which Bulls is trimming the carbon bike towards bikepacking. The four threaded holes under the top tube are used to attach a rubber band, under which a jacket can be clamped, for example; a screwed-on frame bag is also possible. Fork mounts can of course also be mounted; a dynamo cable can be fed through the right fork leg, and there is a mounting platform on the fork head for a special Bulls lamp holder. Mudguards can also be attached, for which there are nicely hidden threads on the rear triangle.
The Machete has a very sporty look. The top tube is flat, the down tube is angular and the rear section looks aerodynamic with low-positioned seat stays and a grooved seat tube. The cables that run inside from the stem ensure a very tidy look. The Bulls fork bike is definitely not run-of-the-mill, rather it looks striking and unique.
Developed with Bulls professionals
Bulls team riders like Karl Platt were involved in the development of the frame geometry, so it's not surprising that the bike borrows from MTB geometries. The steering angle is only moderately flat at 71°, and the seat angle is not too steep at 74°. However, the stack and reach (i.e. front height and seat length) are chosen so that you sit fairly compactly and upright on the Machete. This makes the bike more suitable for touring than racing - so how does the Machete fit in with gravel racing?
With carbon cockpit at the Gravel World Championship
Alban Lakata, the three-time mountain bike marathon world champion, knows the answer. The Austrian rode his Machete to 14th place in the 2023 Gravel World Championships and finished 26th in the Unbound Gravel over 200 miles at the end of May. Instead of the standard 70 mm stem plus aluminum handlebars, Lakata used a Vision carbon cockpit, like the one Bulls uses on its top racing bike. This gave him a much longer and lower seating position. A good idea that Velomotion also followed: Without spacers and with a 110 mm stem, the carbon bike feels much sportier - especially if you choose a slightly smaller frame with a much shorter head tube. The longer stem does not have a negative effect on the steering behavior: While the Machete feels almost too agile and lively with the original stem, it gains in smoothness with the longer model without appearing sluggish. The more stretched seating position also benefits the power transmission, and here the Machete impresses with its perceived high frame rigidity: pressure on the pedal responds to the bike with seamless propulsion; even when pedaling out of the saddle and at high speeds downhill, it is stiff and stable.
On the other hand, you shouldn't expect a lot of comfort, which is not least due to the massive fork and the 31.6 aluminum seat post. You can counteract this with wide tires: the test bike has 45 Schwalbe G-One R tires, and 50 mm wide tires also fit easily in the frame and fork. This means that the Machete is suitable for trail-oriented riders on the one hand, but also fits the trend towards wider tires in gravel racing, where more and more athletes are opting for 50 mm tires, which offer more driving stability and puncture resistance. Not all current "Gravel Race" frames can be ridden with such wide tires.
Anyone who finds their optimal seating position on the Machete can enjoy gravel riding at a high level. The Bulls is handy and has a lot of propulsion, making it ideal for fast tours on challenging terrain; the fairly soft saddle and the pleasantly angled handlebar ends ensure comfort even on longer lower handlebar sections. The equipment is appropriate for the price and functional, although not too luxurious: Bulls uses the SRAM Apex 12 in the mechanical version, which impresses with its pleasant lever shape and powerful brakes. There is also a simple aluminum wheel set with 28 round spokes each, which doesn't look like much but offers quite a lot: At 1.800 grams including rim tape, it's not heavy at all, it can also be ridden tubeless and is tailored to wide tires with a 21 mm rim width.
At 9,75 kilos (size M) plus pedals, the Bulls Machete is not particularly light, especially for a carbon bike, but the completion offers some scope: A light wheel set à la Leeze CH 30 Allroad Basic With tubeless 40-inch tires, you save almost 500 grams, and the saddle and seat post also have potential for savings: Both parts together weigh 690 grams; a carbon seat post and a reasonably light saddle should add up to 500 grams. And Alban Lakata's carbon cockpit should also save a few grams.
Quite cheap for a carbon gravel bike
However, the weight is well in relation to the price, because at 2.799 euros, Bulls' Machete is comparatively cheap for a carbon gravel bike. So replacing a few attachments is definitely possible. Of course, the bike is also a lot of fun to ride in the factory configuration - if you don't want to race with it, you can leave everything as it is. The tubeless conversion is definitely recommended.
If Bulls were planning a Machete 2.0, a slightly lower weight would be almost our only wish; another point could be the conversion to UDH for direct derailleur mounting. And why not offer a "Race Machete" with lighter components and perhaps an aero wheelset? Please don't misunderstand: Such wishes do not reflect the manufacturer's lack of inventiveness - but rather the great potential that the gravel bike from Bulls has.
