5 Steel Frame Gravel Bikes that can do a bit of everything!

Everyone needs a trusty steel framed bike in their stable! These five bikes can do a little bit of everything.

Photo Cred: Instagram-foundinthemountains

[robappleby]

In the good old days before all the marketing bullshit about bike packing and gravel, you used to be able to walk into a bike shop and buy a touring bike. The genuine all purpose bike, built to last a lifetime, for long days in the saddle, that'll handle everything from shopping to the desert to commuting. Nowadays most online shops don't even have a touring bike category. Where I live in Italy, bikes are seen exclusively as sports equipment, so it's all about racing. They sell road and gravel bikes, mountain bikes, etc., but the genuine all purpose touring bike is simply not available. It's a huge disservice to the culture of cycling imo.

[DavidLamon]

Just bought a Straggler frame and an Enve gravel fork, will build it with 1x11 Force, 303s, Zipp stem/bars/post and a Brooks C13 cambium saddle. Should be a fun ride 🙏

[bennetthasty]

I had a steel Salsa Vaya before going gravel specific, loved it

[Daniel-yfiy]

I have a 2022 Kona Rove DL and I really like it. Rides nice and I can do just about anything with it.

[mankev]

There is a frame geometry difference between the Kona Sutra and Kona Sutra LTD. This will affect the ride and feel. The Kona Sutra is more at home on road and gravel whereas the Sutra LTD is more at home on single track. Not mentioned in the video is the Sutra SE, which is slightly lower specked depending on your perspective. It has bar-end shifters, mechanical disk brakes, three front chainrings with 9 speed cassette and shares the same geometry as the Sutra. The SE is my preferred choice and is what I bought, I want three chainrings and use them all. The bar end shifters are simple and easy to service, one is indexed with a friction option and one the other is straight friction. I love the ride on this bike and took it down some single track but justdoesn't feel right in that environment. It feels like a Cadillac on the road and definitely meant for longer rides.

[stevekelly]

I got a Niner RLT 9 Steel Gravel bike and a Surly Krampus this year- and I absolutely love them both. 💯

[michaellorenzen]

Surly Bridge Club with Jones h-bars and a host of pirated components IMHO a perfect SHTF/end times bicycle

[Poolside_Chat]

I've owned two Fargos. Second year in a cream color and then a 2016 with the carbon fork and man... that was the most comfortable bike i've ever ridden. Only changed because I thought I wanted to be more leaned over aka more "cyclist position." First bike was sold to a guy who put 650 by 3" tires on it and it looked so dope! I would use 700 by 2.0's for plenty of mud clearance for the 4 DK100's it completed.

[olinafan]

90's stumpjumper with 1x deore is all I need

[kjwagoner]

+1 for the Ritchey Swiss cross for all around drop bar bike

[Silas-lfcc]

Just bought a Jamis Renegade S3 in the UK with a Reynolds 520 steel frame and a Shimano GRX groupset for £760 brand new!

[sea_hous]

Need a bike for local rides, in state camping and working up to the East Coast Greenway. Which one of these would be the best fit?

Thoughts on a trailer?

Thanks for the great videos and no pressure to respond. : )

[gerlachsieders]

You are forgetting the new kids on the block, the steel Faran and Secan by Fairlight Cycles....

[tariqkamil]

Hahahaha. From aspero to steel. Me too. Looking at the Ritchey Outback v2.

[ffleischer]

Fairlight Secan 2.5 and Faran and Mason Boken

[thigorsoutdoors]

Eu incluiria nessa lista a tumbleweed Stargazer, sem dúvidas uma concorrente de peso.

[JamesFryerCreative]

I test rode both the Straggler and Four Corners back to back and was genuinely surprised how much nicer the Four Corners rode. Maybe too relaxed for some, but in comparison the Straggler felt heavy and harsh and is more expensive. In the end, I bought a Giant Contend which feels superior in every way to the Straggler. I think steel really only has any advantage when it’s a really good tube set, otherwise it seems heavy and harsh. Don’t fall for the hype, aluminum is cheaper, lighter, and with fat tires will feel just as plush.

[amitkumar-wjgn]

Two points:

Considering you are mentioning modern bikes, all such lists should have Surly Croscheck on it. The OG do it all steel bike that was not a world tourer.
Have had marin for five years. Can ride for hours all tarmac and gravel and you will never really go fast but man is it comfy or what. Ditch the front crank, it weighs over 1 kg and has stupid gearing (no one will ride the Marin FC in the 50 chainring when it weighs over 13.5 kilos) and bob's your uncle. I went flat bars on them with hyd brakes, its my fav bike for a do it all bike.

[davidjfife]

Love riding steel bikes. Check out CO-Motion Cycles. Hand built in the great USA, Eugene OR. Currently have two tandems and a single. Awesome bikes Ride quality over a Surly is night a day.

[jeffhildreth]

Definition of "Gravel Bike":
Any bike ridden on gravel.
I have been riding on gravel bikes since 1954.
Currently a Rivendell Hunqapillar.