Leaderboard: high-end gravel bikes up to 10.000 euros in the test

Update 2022: Gravel bikes tested in two test fields

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High-End Gravelbikes 2020 Test: The best of the best! We have tested numerous current 2020 gravel bikes from the high-end sector.

High-end gravel bikes 2020 in the test: test candidates and area of ​​application

It is difficult to put together a coherent and, under the circumstances, homogeneous test field for every bicycle test. But there is hardly a category in which this is as demanding as with gravel bikes. This is because these bikes are absolute specialists and excellent all-rounders at the same time. Specialists because, strictly speaking, they are "just" another subcategory in the already completely frayed field of road bikes. All-rounders, because their properties significantly expand the actual range of use of the classic racing bike and are therefore well prepared for everyday use, for example.

This diversity of gravel bikes raises the all-important question for us in the editorial department, but also for the manufacturers: What does the target group look like? Who buys a gravel bike? The racing cyclist who also wants to ride gravel roads from time to time? The mountain biker who would like to enjoy a light bike with little rolling resistance? Or the commuter for whom a classic urban bike is simply not sporty and versatile enough? The answer: everyone! Gravel bikes are interesting for all of these groups and the range of available bikes is correspondingly large.

What does that mean for our test field of high-end gravel bikes? In contrast to our beginners, we have not set a price limit for the manufacturers here - true to the motto: high end is what you make of it! There are both complete bikes for well under 3.000 euros and gravel bikes where the frame set alone costs over 4.000 euros. However, the common denominator is their sporty orientation: A racing bike for mountain bikers, a mountain bike for racing cyclists or simply "just" a sporty bike for demanding everyday bikers.

Testing high-end gravel bikes 2020: test criteria

Our test criteria are also based on this area of ​​use: As with the beginners, we attach great importance to a successful geometry and the associated pleasant ergonomics. The same applies here: the wheel must be 'round' and offer a coherent overall concept. Hard as a board frames with a tight gear ratio but toury geometry are just as out of place as comfortable, extremely sporty frames that "don't get out of the quark" when you start and/or do not have appropriate equipment.

There is probably no other component on a gravel bike that has such a big impact on handling – especially in the sporty area – as the wheel and tire system. Weight, rigidity, grip, volume: all of this has an enormous impact on liveliness, comfort and general handling. All the more exciting that there were very big differences between the test candidates. This applies to the material of the rim as well as its height and width and applies equally to the choice of tires.

Last but not least: the circuit. There is a new top dog here with the Shimano GRX, which more than half of the bikes we tested have, but Sram is also involved with the wireless AXS, especially with the very expensive bikes. But not only with the drive manufacturers, there are also different approaches when it comes to the basic understanding: The ratio between bikes with and without a front derailleur is almost 50:50 and the advantages and disadvantages weigh more or less heavily depending on the bike and area of ​​application.

High-end gravel bikes 2020 in the test: That was noticeable

First of all, we noticed that even the most expensive, sporty and lightest gravel bikes value their all-round character. With one exception, all test bikes come with mounting options for mudguards, and quite a few allow mounting a luggage rack despite the light carbon frame. In addition, there are also real long-distance tourers who know how to combine their sporty orientation with bikepacking-capable assembly options.

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