Leaderboard: Entry-level gravel bikes up to 2.000 euros tested
Update 2022: Gravel bikes tested in two test fields
[blog specific=”169771″ posts_per_page=”30″ post_type=”page” taxonomy=”post_tag” order=”desc”] [blog specific=”169813″ posts_per_page=”30″ post_type=”page” taxonomy=”post_tag” order=”desc”]Gravel bike beginners 2020 test: In the past few weeks and months we have tested over a dozen gravel bikes up to 2.000 euros for you. The test field is close together and there were no real outliers, either upwards or downwards - however, it was also shown that with gravel bikes in 2020 a lot depends on the area of application and the type of rider.
Beginner 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.
So what does this mean for our test field of entry-level gravel bikes? Of course, price plays a role here. To avoid tightening our belts too much and making excessive compromises, we've decided on an upper limit of €2.000. A lot of money for an entry-level bike, sure – but hardly any of our test candidates push the envelope; many are well below that. 1.500 Euro.
Beginner gravel bikes 2020 in the test: test criteria
In order to find out the different characters of the bikes, we went to the same test track that had already proven itself in our previous gravel bike test from 2018. Asphalt alternates with solid gravel, light scree and real off-road driving. There are also some steep climbs to be climbed, where most test bikes have to use their full gear range.
For us, the most important criterion for our beginners was the geometry: It's not about whether the bike is particularly sporty or particularly comfortable - but whether the dimensions in combination with the attachments such as the handlebars result in successful ergonomics. The selection of different frame sizes also played a role here. For example, while some bikes are only available in three or four frame sizes, others offer up to eight. After the geometry, we focused on the ride comfort and liveliness of the wheels during our test. Of course, the equipment also played a role, but especially with the beginners it became apparent that other factors have a much greater influence on the driving experience.
It was particularly important to us that the respective bike offers a coherent overall concept: With a more tour-oriented seating position, we expect that mudguards and luggage racks can be mounted and that the bike offers a lot of comfort, while a sporty beginner with a lot of saddle elevation has correspondingly different requirements for the equipment and sets the framework.
Beginner Gravelbikes 2020 in the test: That was noticeable
At first, two things were particularly noticeable, especially in comparison with our last big gravel test, since just under two years have passed: Fortunately, the times of crossers rebranded as gravel bikes seem to be over! In any case, the gravel bike has 'found' itself: Although the range of different bikes is still large, the all-round idea seems to be clearly ahead of niche use, especially in the low price ranges. For example, all entry-level bikes had the attachment eyelets required for mudguards, and most of them also offer the option of attaching a rear luggage rack.
We were also surprised that the overall weight only played a minor role in this price range. Some of the heaviest bikes in the test were impressive with their outstanding comfort and great ergonomics, which in practice has a significantly greater impact on riding pleasure than a kilogram more or less on the scales.
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