The 10 BEST Bikepacking Gravel Bikes of 2024

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0:00 - Intro
2:00 - Criteria #1: Upright Frame Design
3:08 - Criteria #2: Low Climbing Gear Ratios
4:00 - Criteria #3: Wide Tyre Clearance
4:42 - Criteria #4: Mounts for Bikepacking
5:02 - Criteria #5: Value For Performance
5:31 - Best Budget Gravel Bike
6:55 - Best Aluminium Gravel Bike
7:52 - Best Steel Gravel Bike
9:26 - Best Carbon Gravel Bike
11:11 - Best Ultralight Gravel Bike
12:44 - Best Suspension Gravel Bike
13:49 - Best Full Suspension Gravel Bike
15:23 - Best Gearbox Gravel Bike
16:47 - Best Rohloff Gravel Bike
17:51 - Best Flat Bar Gravel Bike
18:41 - Summary

[Cyclingabout]

This was a HARD video to make as there are just so many great bike options! What bikes should have made my list, and why? 🤔

[AlaskaMatt]

I enjoy your videos. I will say in one category which is brakes. I have toured in many remote and a very long distance from services and I prefer cable disk brakes as you can repair in the field and is a simple system to maintain. I wish more bikepacking bikes came with this style or as an option.

[cowymtber]

Here's a positive comment Alee: Thanks for the video!

[sphong]

Recently got the Merida Silex 7000 2 with a GRX 1x12 speed. I've been commuting on it (30min ride with large hills) and will be taking it on its first real long distance (125-140Km) next week.

[MrSchattka]

Another excellent Cyclingabout video!

Thank you.

[StandardBubbleBoy]

Thanks for another well thought out, accurate & informative video.
We all appreciate your hard work.

[andrestrd]

If you want something cheaper and more capable offroad get a used hardtail and then put a rigid fork, if you want to use a dropbar get a hardtail with a short top tube. I have 3 bikes right now, a hardtail, a rigid mtb, and a gravel bike. The rigid mtb is the best for gravel but if i have one bike to do it all i take my specialized diverge e5.

[robertgreder]

Thank you for doing the research. It is beneficial.

[heyfellows]

Here in western Europe, it seems that gravel bikes are like SUV. They are mainly used on asphalt roads. Every time I see bikepackers on gravel bikes, their bikes are so clean that I doubt they often ride dirt roads.

[sherab]

Great video! I'd like to just comment on the first criterion of comfort. As far as I know, a more aggressive, sportive position doesn't invariably equal lower comfort. This is a highly individual parameter, dependent on our level of flexibility and core strength. Proper bike fitting also plays a role. On a bike of a size chosen right to our body proportions and set correctly, one can feel equally or even more comfortable than on the frame forcing a more upright position. Said all this, more upward geometry makes probably for a safer choice for most of us.

[crazy-_-Beard]

I’ve been riding mnt bikes for the past 30+ years. I’m thinking
about buying a Gravel bike but
have no idea what tire size
is best. Any suggestions

[Finnv]

Tire choice is more important than frame choice, you should review some tires, from big and small brands.

[nl]

Some interesting choices - thanks for not parroting the same old recommendations we get from the usual suspects.
Thanks for this vid. Very interesting and quite useful

[laurentl]

Hello, thanks for the video :). One thing, I am always surprised to see the canyon grizl in the list of bikes for bikepacking. I had a canyon grail which is similar except for the tyre clearance, and if for sure it was an efficient bike, it was not comfortable bike.
I now ride a chiru vagus with a higher stack on which I put a 70 mm stem so the reach ends up shorter than the canyon and honestly it's day and night in terms of comfort. I feel like the canyon is more a road bike with big tyres rather than a regular gravel

[jameshoward]

Some great bikes there and a really well thought out vid. Well worth checking out Ritchey frames though. Not complete bikes, but very well considered, versatile frames of high quality and reasonable price: the Outback for all around gravel (casual race - bike packing) and the Ascent (bike packing - expedition). My only criticism is a lack of sizes suitable for small riders; but as you say, this is a really common issue.

[adityaschavali]

that's a great list of bikepacking gravel bikes. steel is an emotion 🔥

[_MattyG_]

Great video. I always enjoy your well researched videos

[Spirouist]

Thank you Alee for the video. I Just ordered my Faran 2.5 and looking forward to ride it. Had my eyes open for more than 3 years to find a Frame like that.

[putrid_swamp_juice]

Nice round-up video. I personally wouldn't call 17 gear inches very low gearing, but I guess my legs are noodly and my bags too heavy. :)
I'm looking forward to your video on bike packing bikes for more rugged terrain. I'm looking to buy a Tout terrain outback xplore but definitely open to other suggestions.

[NkB]

The Grizl 8 1by would be my pick over the 7. Costs only a little bit more and you can just change the mech cage to make it compatible with a 10-51 cassette. Admittedly the 2x mech should be able to fit a bigger cassette but I'll admit I'm biased to 1x. To be honest though I feel like even the tire clearance of 700c X 50mm is outdated and not optimal. Given that wider xc tires are generally proven to be faster, more comfortable and less likely to puncture than gravel tires there's just no excuse not to be trending towards fitting them. If I got any of these bikes I would probably try to shove in a 29 X 2.1 mezcal right away but mud clearance would of course suffer. Bikes like the Lauf Seigla or Curve Big Kev are showing what tire clearances can be while still being able to fit a gravel crankset. Hopefully that kind of design thinking shows up in more affordable bikes. I know I'll probably get hit with "just get a mtb bro" but I do think gravel bikes have their place and if xc mtb tires truly are optimal for "gravel" then gravel bikes should be able to fit them. I'm annoyed that wider tires are still largely seen as just for adventure and not speed/racing. Even the recently released new version of the Canyon Grail can only fit 42mm tires, what a joke. Watch Dylan Johnson if you need convincing that mtb tires are the best choice for speed on gravel terrain. Most of the current gravel bikes should be put in the category of allroad bikes and the next generation of gravel bikes(both adventure and racing ones) should be made to comfortably fit 29 x 2.25 tires IMO.