The best carbon gravel bikes offer a wealth of ride options to suit your style and budget. There's a huge range to choose from, with no brand's line-up complete until it has a gravel bike. Many bike makers have two or three different gravel platforms to cater for different gravel riding styles.
The ability to deliver flex where it's needed and stiffness where it can aid pedalling efficiency means carbon fibre is an ideal material from which to construct gravel bikes. Carbon fibre can also reduce vibration transmitted to the rider and micro-suspension elements can be built into the carbon layup to further aid comfort.
Below is a list of the best carbon gravel bikes, all rated and reviewed by our expert testers, who between them have clocked up thousands of riding hours and have years of experience.
You can skip to the end to read our buyer's guide to the different types of carbon gravel bikes and find out how carbon gravel bikes compare to the best gravel bikes made from other frame materials.
* Editor's note: this list was updated on 27 January 2025 to include our latest carbon gravel bike reviews
Best carbon gravel bikes in 2025
GT Grade Pro LE
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- £3,600 / $4,200 / €3,800 as tested
- Pros: Top-notch handling; reasonably priced
- Cons: Non-integrated cables; dry-condition tyres
Our 2024 gravel Bike of the Year, the third-generation GT Grade continues the floating triple-triangle back end, where the lengthened seatstays help to add 30mm of saddle compliance. That's paired with a high-modulus carbon main frame that's stiff and responsive.
The latest frame beefs up clearance to 50mm and there's now a threaded bottom bracket and compatibility with suspension forks.
This top-spec model has a Shimano GRX 1x12-speed groupset and WTB alloy wheels. It's a great all-rounder with enough gears for roads and plenty of low range in reserve for the steepest off-road climbs. It feels lighter than its 9.2kg weight and also handles rough terrain well thanks to the rear compliance.
There's little to criticise here, apart from the need to swap to grippier tyres to get the best of the Grade when it's slippery.
- Read more: GT Grade Carbon Pro LE review
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Fara F/All-Road
- £4,620 as tested
- Pros: Nimble handling; value-packed
- Cons: Not suitable for more technical terrain
Norwegian brand Fara specialises in direct-to-market bikes, with its F/All-Road targeting road rides with some gravel rather than vice versa, with 38mm tyre clearance. It's a type of riding typical in Norway and the Fara F/All-Road delivers versatility, handing and value for money.
The finish of the sub-kilo frame is exceptional and there are no fewer than four bottle mounts, as well as fork and mudguard mounts. It's well-specced too with a 2x SRAM Force AXS groupset that goes below 1:1, a 3T cockpit, carbon Fulcrum wheels and Panaracer GravelKing Light TLR 35mm tyres.
The ride is quick and responsive on-road and fast, and nimble on unmetalled surfaces, although it's not a bike for more technical terrain.
- Read more: Fara F/All-Road review
Giant Revolt Advanced Pro 0
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- £5,599 / $7,000 / €6,800 / AU$8499 as tested
- Pros: Versatile, lively ride; great spec
- Cons: Non-UDH rear dropout
The fourth-generation Giant Revolt tucks the cables into the bar and stem, and adds internal frame storage to what was already a great gravel bike. There's a flip chip in the rear dropout, enabling you to fine-tune the ride and choose between 42mm and 53mm tyre clearance, although this precludes fitting a 13-speed SRAM XPLR groupset.
In Advanced Pro 0 spec, Giant includes a 2x12-speed SRAM Force AXS drivetrain though, providing versatility and setting the bike up for gravel racing. The wheels are Giant CXR 1, which are low in weight and hookless, with 54 points of engagement from the DT Swiss freehub. The 40mm Cadex tyres are delivered already set up tubeless.
The 8.3kg weight and low-mass wheels make for a lively, snappy ride that flows over gravel roads and smooths out choppier surfaces, in part thanks to the D-Fuse seatpost and bar profiles. Despite the gravel-race orientation, the Revolt isn't overwhelmed by more technical terrain either.
- Read more: Giant Revolt Advanced Pro 0 review
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Giant Revolt X Advanced Pro 1
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- £5,500 / $6,200 / €6,000 as tested
- Pros: Burly suspension; spec; tweaked geometry for tougher terrain; quality wheels and mullet drivetrain
- Cons: Dropper post can be bouncy
Adding an X to its name, the Giant Revolt X Advanced Pro 1 also gets a RockShox Rudy XPLR Ultimate 40mm-travel gravel suspension fork, along with chunkier tyres and a tweaked geometry. The dropper post also works as a suspension seatpost with 25mm travel when fully extended.
This transforms the bike from a gravel all-rounder to something geared to more difficult terrain. There's a flippable rear dropout that enables you to fit either 45mm or 53mm tyres, and you can even mount a couple of water bottles on the top tube for a total of five.
Giant specs its own carbon hookless bead CXR 1 wheels with a claimed weight of under 1,400g and 54 points of engagement from DT Swiss internals. There is a mullet drivetrain made up of Rival/GX Eagle AXS components that gives lots of low-speed grunt with a 40x52t lowest ratio.
- Read more: Giant Revolt X Advanced Pro 1 review
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Marin Headlands 2
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- £2,795 / $3,099 / €3,499 / AU$4,399 as tested
- Pros: Quality spec and frame for the money; MTB-style geo enhances off-road performance
- Cons: Slightly stingy tyre clearance
The Marin Headlands 2 is an accomplished gravel bike that combines gravel and mountain bike traits to good effect.
Our tester found the relaxed riding position comfortable over long distances. Dotted with mounting mounts, the Headlands 2 is an ideal bikepacking bike.
The Headlands 2 also climbs and descends well. Its stability and dropper post help you negotiate technical trails.
You won't need to urgently upgrade any of the components, which is impressive at this price.
By today's standards, the Headlands 2's tyre clearance (700x45mm or 650x50mm) is a little conservative though.
- Read more: Marin Headlands 2 review\
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Rondo Ruut CF1 G2
- £4,199 / €4,999 as tested
- Pros: Dramatic looks add ride-smoothing capabilities; flip-chip fork
- Cons: May be too radical for some; tyres need a swap-out for mud
Rondo has adopted a radical frame design for the Ruut G2, with sharp edges and a flat front to the head tube. As with the Specialized Sirrus flat-bar bike, there's a break in the seat tube to add extra compliance, although Rondo got there first.
The bike stands out from the gravel crowd and offers 47mm 700c and 54mm 650b tyre clearance, internal cabling, dynamo routing and a UDH, as well as a flip-chip fork to change the geometry.
With the flip chip in its faster position, the Ruut rides like a fast endurance bike on tarmac and smoother gravel, although the fitted Vittoria Terreno Dry 40mm tyres aren't best suited to the wet or mud.
Swap the flip chip to the low position and there's bags of control on more technical terrain, as well as impressive vibration damping.
- Read more: Rondo Ruut CF1 G2 review
3T Exploro RaceMax
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- £3,849 as tested
- Pros: Tons of versatility; aero design; clever all-rounder
- Cons: Not the best value
The 3T Exploro range has expanded from the one original frame design, with the RaceMax – as its name suggests – the fast option.
Like all Exploros, it's aero-optimised – an oddity for a gravel bike when it was introduced, but now increasingly a feature of the best gravel race bikes.
Also novel at the time was the option to fit a 1x or 2x drivetrain and the ability to use 650b wheels, with the Exploro RaceMax handling rubber up to 57mm on 650b wheels.
It's stiff and responsive, with balanced handling and great versatility. But coming from a niche brand, it's not the best value-for-money option. There's a version with a motor if you want an electric gravel bike.
- Read more: 3T Exploro RaceMax review
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Argon 18 Dark Matter Force AXS XPLR
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- £5,500 / $5,800 / €6,300 as tested
- Pros: Comfortable, planted endurance gravel ride; plentiful mounts
- Cons: May not be aggressive enough if you want to race
Argon 18 says that the Dark Matter's frame is designed to offer compliance as well as power transfer. The kink in the fork legs is claimed to help absorb trail chatter and the headset can be set higher or lower without the need for spacers. There's 45mm tyre clearance.
Our top-spec build included 1x SRAM Force XPLR AXS with plenty of high-end gearing. It's matched to Hunt 42 Limitless Gravel Disc carbon wheels and Vittoria Terreno Mix 40mm tyres.
We liked the Dark Matter's compliant ride and comfortable position, although the bike is aimed not just at gravel adventurers but also gravel racers who might want something more aggressive. It's quick and subtly compliant on mixed surfaces and handles technical terrain well, making it a great long-distance gravel bike.
- Read more: Argon 18 Dark Matter review
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Basso Palta Disc Ekar
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- £5,199 / $7,560 / €5,164 as tested
- Pros: Superb frameset; sensible price; great all-road performance
- Cons: Skinny tyres; geometry not suited to technical terrain
The Basso Palta Ekar is firmly in the go-fast gravel camp, with aero-optimised tubes and a slender fork. The frameset, which is made in Italy, is also lightweight. Our XL-sized test bike tipped the scales at 8.67kg.
The bike is suited to all-road style riding. The geometry is similar to an endurance road bike, but slightly longer and lower, creating a fast ride. The flispide to this is the Palta isn't so suitable for more technical off-road terrain.
The Palta comes with a Campagnolo Ekar groupset and is good value for the money.
We'd recommend it if you're looking for a bike to ride on rough tarmac roads and compact gravel.
- Read more: Basso Palta Disc Ekar review
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Canyon Grail CF SLX 8 Di2
- £4,799 / $4,999 / €5,099 / AU$7,649 as tested
- Pros: Light and fast; integrated storage; high-value spec
- Cons: Chattery over rough surfaces; only 42mm tyre clearance
Canyon bills the Grail as a versatile gravel bike with progressive geometry, rather than a dedicated gravel race bike, although it has excelled at the latter.
You can still load up for extended trips should you wish, with Fidlock in-frame bag fixings, down tube storage and the optional fork load sleeves adding extra carrying capacity. However, the 42mm tyre clearance limits options for more rugged terrain and there are no mudguard mounts.
The tested spec offers value for money, with an 11-speed Shimano GRX Di2 groupset and DT Swiss GRC1400 Spline wheels with 40mm Schwalbe G-One RS Evo tyres.
It's a rapid bike, with a taut frame and wheels, and plenty of high-end gear ratios available – making it feel more of an all-roader than a dedicated gravel bike. That's borne out on more technical terrain, where that's some chatter and careful handling is needed.
- Read more: Canyon Grail CF SLX 8 Di2 review
Cervélo Áspero Rival XPLR AXS
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- £5,200 / $5,500 / €5,799 / AU$8,000 as tested
- Pros: Road-bike like position; great wheels
- Cons: Not the best for more technical riding
The Cervélo Áspero is close to a road bike in its geometry and designed for fast gravel riding. But this new version is less stiff and a little heavier than the previous generation, in response to riders' requests for greater comfort. Tyre clearance is up to 45mm, there are adjustable dropouts for consistent handling regardless of tyre size and the frame is compatible with a dropper post. Cables have gone internal.
The lowered top tube helps when riding off-road because it's easier to shift your weight than on the previous bike. If you want luggage mounts though, look elsewhere.
Cervélo has supplied a SRAM Rival XPLR AXS groupset on this top-spec Áspero, which may seem a low-value choice for the price. Instead, the Áspero boasts a carbon cockpit and impressive Reserve 40/44 carbon wheels.
The Áspero rides like a fast road bike and even handles more technical terrain well, and copes with surface chatter. The handling isn't quite as sharp as rivals with more progressive geometry, though.
- Read more: Cervélo Áspero Rival XPLR AXS review
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Cube Nuroad C:62 Pro
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- £2,499 / $2,400 / €2,199 as tested
- Pros: Versatile geometry works well on road and off; Mixed Shimano GRX spec works well
- Cons: Stiff bar offsets comfortable saddle
The Cube Nuroad is an all-road style bike that, as well as serving gravel duties, can be set up with front and rear racks and mudguards for touring or commuting.
Cube even includes a mounting point for a kickstand. You don't get the extra bottle and bag mounts that many gravel bikes offer though, just the usual two bottle cage mounts as found on road bikes.
The geometry too isn't out-and-out gravel and is closer to an endurance bike. That makes it good for road riding, which is helped by the comfortable saddle. However, the handlebar isn't quite up to the job off-road, feeling harsh and like a compromise too far.
- Read more: Cube Nuroad C:62 Pro review
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ENVE MOG (Shimano GRX Di2)
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- £10,500 as tested
- Pros: Nimble with capable handling; feels fast
- Cons: High price; no off-the-peg builds
The ENVE MOG is well-suited to rough terrain, feeling composed on technical trails and with its generous 700x50mm soaking up the bumps. The build we tested even has a dropper post.
However, the bike is no slouch, either. It proves to be fast and nimble on smoother gravel tracks, creating a versatile all-rounder.
The performance is enticing and our reviewer described the MOG as one of the most impressive gravel bikes going. But the price tag also makes it one of the most expensive.
- Read more: ENVE MOG review
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FiftyOne Bikes Assassin
- £5,450 / $6,923 / €6,499 as tested
- Pros: Low weight; well-rounded handling; adaptable geometry
- Cons: Campagnolo Ekar groupset issues
The FiftyOne Bikes Assassin acts as several gravel bikes in one thanks to its flip-chip dropouts in the fork and rear stays. These give you two trail positions at the front and three wheelbase lengths at the back to speed up or slow down handling.
In the shorter settings, the FiftyOne Bikes Assassin pelts along firm surfaces like a gravel race bike; its slacker modes permit you to to slalom along singletrack.
Rack and mudguard mounts, and dropper post and Di2 cable routing extend the Assassin's versatility. Tyre clearance for both 700c and 650b wheels in 47mm.
But our tester found that the Campagnolo Ekar shifter occasionally misfired and would have wished for gravel-specific wheels.
- Read more: FiftyOnes Bikes Assassin review
Focus Atlas 8.9
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- £4,199 / $4,299 as tested
- Pros: Great build; low weight; balanced handling
- Cons: Frame and fork are stiff; bottom bracket on our test bike developed a creak
The Atlas is all about big bikepacking adventures, and to this end, Focus has even designed specific accessories and racks to maximise the bike's load-carrying potential.
The bike's handling is composed and the relaxed head angle helps the Atlas roll straight over the worst surfaces. A go-far bike like this could miss some ride excitement, but Focus has ensured the Atlas is fun to ride and it can still take on twisting singletrack or rougher downhills.
The frame is firm, but the 700x45mm gravel tyres soften the ride.
Overall, the Focus Atlas is a bit of a chameleon. This will be ideal for some but might be a drawback for others.
- Read more: Focus Atlas 8.9 review
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Liv Devote Advanced Pro
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- £5,559 / $6,500 / €6,499 / AU$8,299 as tested
- Pros: Capable on diverse terrain; adjustable geometry; light frame; good tyre clearance
- Cons: Modest down-tube storage capacity; problems adjusting shifter reach
The Liv Devote Advanced Pro is the women's version of the Giant Revolt Advanced Pro and incorporates tech from its heralded sibling.
The flip-chip dropout can transform the Devote Advanced Pro from a race-ready rocket in the short setting to a calmer handling adventure bike with wider tyre clearance in the longer one.
Although £5,559 / $6,500 is a lot to pay, you do get a top-notch spec, including a 2x SRAM Force AXS groupset, and a classy-looking, lightweight frame.
However, our tester thought adjusting the geometry was laborious and the down-tube storage compartment lacked space. She also experienced issues with the shifter positioning and shape of the handlebar drops.
- Read more: Liv Devote Advanced Pro review
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Merida Silex 7000
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- £3,000 / €3,600 as tested
- Pros: Rides well across a range of conditions; well specced for its price
- Cons: Quite heavy at 10.2kg
The Merida's relaxed head angle and long reach make for MTB-style geometry and well-balanced steering off-road. There's compatibility with suspension forks, cable integration, dynamo routing through the carbon fork, a carbon seatpost and 45mm tyre clearance.
The Silex 7000 has a wide-range 1x12-speed Shimano GRX groupset and Easton alloy wheels with Maxxis Rambler 45mm tyres. It's an impressive spec for the price.
Stable handling enables you to tackle technical trails and there's less tendency to flop when climbing out of the saddle than bikes with even slacker geometry. The Silex is still swift and smooth on tarmac and easier off-road too. It handles a variety of riding very well.
- Read more: Merida Silex 7000 review
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Orbea Terra M41e Team 1X
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- £4,518 / $4,638 / €4,299 as tested
- Pros: Comfortable ride on and off-road; configurable spec
- Cons: Not quite as much clearance as some alternatives
The Orbea Terra is an all-rounder gravel bike with in-frame storage and plentiful mounts. There's 45mm tyre clearance on 700c wheels and 50mm on 650b. The fork crown is shifted forward of the steerer tube, which Orbea says helps damp vibrations and there's scope to add a suspension fork, without affecting the geometry.
The base spec includes Orbea own-brand Oquo alloy wheels, but the MyO online configurator allows you to customise the spec and colour, and we upgraded the wheelset to carbon. Even with the £619 price for the upgrade, the Terra represents decent value.
We found the ride well-balanced, handling roads and off-road nicely, although the 40mm Pirelli Cinturato H tyres don't damp things much. Despite this, they grip well on soggy ground, although you might crave wider tyre clearance to fit grippier tyres on winter rides.
- Read more: Orbea M41e Team 1X review
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Pinarello Grevil F
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- £5,300 / $6,500 / €6,100 as tested
- Pros: Race-specific geometry and spec; stable at speed;
- Cons: Relatively heavy; low-spec wheels for the price
The Pinarello Grevil F shares many of the design features of the Pinarello Dogma F ridden by Team Ineos, with a similar asymmetric frame and fork, and a geometry designed for gravel racing rather than more technical riding.
It's stiff and aero too, really enabling you to put the power down on flatter off-road. As with the Dogma F, components including the one-piece cockpit with integrated cabling come from Pinarello's Most parts brand.
Pinarello has squeezed plenty of tyre clearance into the frame, with room for 50mm tyres thanks to the dropped chainstay design. The ride feels stable for a racier gravel bike.
Our Campagnolo Ekar equipped spec offered plenty of gear range from its 13-speed cassette and the brand's impressive disc braking, although we found the thumb levers awkward to reach. The alloy wheelset needs an upgrade to match the rest of the spec though.
- Read more: Pinarello Grevil F review
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Pivot Vault
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- £8,000 / $6,700 / €7,600 as tested
- Pros: Impressive on fast gravel as well as more technical ground; vibration-damping seatpost design works well
- Cons: Under-specced for the price
Whereas Pinarello comes from a road background, Pivot's starting point is mountain bikes. The Vault was introduced in 2013 and this is its fourth iteration with 700c x 47mm or 650b x 2in clearance.
It also includes Pivot's IsoFlex, which sandwiches an elastomer insert in the seat tube/seatpost junction to add comfort. It comes in two thicknesses, to enable you to fit a 30.9mm dropper post or a 27.2mm standard seatpost.
The IsoFlex seatpost design works really well and helps smooth out bumpier terrain. Pivot's MTB background stand out on more technical ground though, with controlled descents and easy climbing.
We were less impressed by the component spec, which feels low-grade for an expensive bike. The choice of Ultegra over GRX feels like a mis-step too and leads to excess chain slap and chatter.
- Read more: Pivot Vault review
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Ribble Gravel SL Pro GRX Di2
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- £4,959 as tested
- Pros: Fast riding, without extreme gravel-racing geometry; well specced for its price
- Cons: Rather stiff front end; few bar/stem size options
The Ribble Gravel SL Pro strikes a good balance between racy geometry and all-round capability, despite a geometry that's close to a road race bike and aero design features. There's a full set of mounts, including fork leg and mudguard fixing points, and tyre clearance is 45mm for 700c and 47mm for 650b wheels.
The spec tested includes 1x11-speed Shimano GRX Di2 and Zipp 303S wheels, although as usual Ribble lets you fine-tune your choices. It's good value relative to competitors and less than half the price of a similarly specced Enve MOG.
The one-piece bar/stem comes in a single width and two stem lengths – fine for most riders, but possibly a fit issue for those at the extreme ends of the geometry.
The Gravel SL is fast and sporty on gravel roads, with a firm feel up-front. The steering remains stable, which means more effort is required on technical terrain. There's greater comfort at the rear though, which counterbalances the front end well.
- Read more: Ribble Gravel SL Pro review
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Ridley Grifn RS
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- £6,715 / €7,398 as tested
- Pros: Fast ride on smoother gravel and tarmac; road or gravel build options
- Cons: Harder to handle on rougher terrain
The Ridley Grifn RS has added aero features and extra tyre clearance from the original Grifn, now 42mm, while keeping that bike's geometry. It retains a full set of mounts on the frame though. There's a one-piece bar/stem with internal routing.
There are five stock builds, including two road-oriented specs, although you can choose from another six options online. Our bike was specced with SRAM Force XPLR AXS and DT Swiss GRC1400 carbon wheels, with 35mm Vittoria Terreno Dry tyres, and weighed only 8kg.
With its on/off-road capabilities, the Grifn RS is fast on tarmac and smoother gravel, and there's the high-end gearing to match most endurance bikes. At the other end, gearing doesn't go below 1:1, though, and the ride is a little jarring on rougher tracks.
- Read more: Ridley Grifn RS review
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Salsa Warbird C GRX 600 v4
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- £3,300 / $3,500 as tested
- Pros: Sharp handling; many mounting points for bags; well thought-out spec
- Cons: Slow front shifting; long, firm saddle
Salsa is on its fourth iteration of the Warbird, which was one of the first gravel-oriented drop-bar bikes built to race. However, 10 years later it's morphed into more of an all-rounder gravel bike with 45c x 700c or 2.1in x 650b tyre clearance and an excess of mounting points to increase versatility.
This base model has a Shimano GRX RX600 groupset, alloy WTB rims in Shimano hubs and Teravail Cannonball 42mm tyres.
We loved the shape, reach and drop of the Salsa Cowbell bars and, despite what the geometry figures suggest, its balanced ride both off-road and on.
- Read more: Salsa Warbird review
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Santa Cruz Stigmata Force-1x AXS RSV
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- £7,000 / $7,699 as tested
- Pros: Progressive geometry for great technical riding; great spec that balances the stiff frame
- Cons: Pricey as built; limited luggage mounts; stiff frame and wheels
Santa Cruz has tweaked the geometry of the latest Stigmata, which is MTB-inspired, with a slack head tube and steep seat tube angle. It offers build options for both racing and rougher gravel rides, the latter including the test bike with a RockShox Rudy Ultimate XPLR 40mm-travel suspension fork and Reverb XPLR wireless dropper post. You can fit 50mm tyres on a 1x build.
Although you can add mudguards and there's in-frame storage, there's no top tube mounts or cable integration. The spec here includes Reserve carbon wheels and Maxxis Rambler 45mm tyres. It's expensive but in line with similarly high-spec rivals.
The Stigmata and its wheels are stiff, but that's tempered by the suspension fork and the in-built suspension in the dropper post, taking the sting out of rougher surfaces. Handling is spot-on, particularly on tougher terrain, where the quick steering and the Stigmata's stability shine.
- Read more: Santa Cruz Stigmata review
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Scott Addict Gravel 30
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- £2,600 / $3,000 / €3,000 / AU$4,500 as tested
- Pros: Racy position and fast ride; aero tube profiles borrowed from the Addict RC road bike
- Cons: Needs a few spec upgrades to improve the ride experience
The Scott Addict Gravel borrows features from the Addict RC pro-level race bike, including its aero frame profiles and front-end integration. Geometry-wise, it's fast and low, but still allows you to fit 45mm tyres and the 9.4kg weight helps add to the racey qualities.
It's a bike that feels very fast on less techy gravel and balanced when things get more tricky, although the ride position isn't ideal for twisty singletrack. It's fast on tarmac as well.
At 30-spec level, there's a 2x Shimano GRX RX600 groupset and a rather heavy Syncros RP2.0 wheelset. These would benefit from an upgrade to shed some weight. The aero seatpost prevents you fitting a dropper post and a wider-nosed saddle would better suit the ride position.
- Read more: Scott Addict Gravel 30 review
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Specialized S-Works Crux
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- £11,300 / $12,250 / €12,500 / AU$18,000 as tested
- Pros: Top-tier ride experience; among the lightest gravel frameset; Big tyre clearance (up to 2.1in with 650b wheels)
- Cons: Vastly expensive
Formerly a cyclocross rig, the Crux is now a fast gravel bike that can take on 'cross in its spare time. It's super-light, with a stiff 750g frameset and aggressive fast gravel geometry, which leads to a racey ride, although it's not as competent on rougher gravel and techy descents as more planted gravel bikes. You can add comfort by fitting 650b wheels with tyres up to 2.1in.
It's super-expensive and pared down, so if you want bag and mudguards mounts, look elsewhere.
Likewise, if you want a cabled front derailleur, because there's no routing, although wireless or 1x are just fine. The 7.3kg weight makes it one of the lightest gravel bikes out there though.
- Read more: Specialized S-Works Crux review
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Specialized Diverge Comp Carbon
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- £4,000 / $3,900 / €4,499 / AU$6,000 as tested
- Pros: Future Shock 2.0 suspension; fun yet composed ride character; 700×47mm/650×54mm tyre clearance
- Cons: High prices for the specs on offer
Specialized adds 20mm of front-end comfort to the Diverge with its simple, tuneable Future Shock 2.0 suspension system. There's plenty of rear-end comfort too, although you can get even more compliance with the Diverge STR, which adds Future Shock rear suspension.
The Diverge can handle racing as well as it can bikepacking. It's composed whether riding fast or steep technical descents and the SWAT box enables you to hide stuff in the frame.
The Comp Carbon balances performance and value well, although the Diverge is pricey relative to some of the competition.
There's a decent spec, including a Shimano GRX RX810 mechanical groupset and Specialized's Adventure Gear Hover bar, although we'd swap out the 38mm tyres for anything but the driest riding. There's room for 47mm x 700c or 2.1in x 650b.
- Read more: Specialized Diverge Comp Carbon review
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Wilier Adlar GRX
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- £4,170 / €4,000 as tested
- Pros: Comfortable ride position; stable handling
- Cons: Unsuitable tyres for mud; alloy seatpost
The Wilier Adlar GRX 1x12 embraces progressive gravel bike geometry to provide confidence and stability on difficult terrain.
Its relaxed ride position and bikepacking mounts lend themselves to luggage-laden adventures.
The shifting and braking of the new Shimano 12-speed GRX groupset impressed our tester. The Adlar's Unstoppable option has huge gear range from a 10-51t cassette.
Unfortunately, the stock Pirellli Cinturato H tyres are all at sea in the wet and mud. The Adlar could do with a carbon seatpost to save weight and improve comfort too.
- Read more: Wilier Adlar GRX 1X12 review
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Buyer’s guide to carbon gravel bikes
What types of carbon gravel bikes are there?
More than any other material, carbon gravel bikes illustrate the diverse uses for which the best gravel bikes can be designed.
There's still a wide range of all-rounder gravel bikes, typified by the Boardman ADV 9.0 and Cannondale Topstone, that can tackle anything reasonably well. But increasingly, gravel bikes are dividing into clans.
At one end are gravel race bikes. Driven by the ever-increasing popularity of gravel racing, these are bikes designed to travel fast and light off-road. They often include aero features and have geometries that allow you to ride faster, often with more limited tyre clearance. They're typified by the Pinarello Grevil F, Scott Addict Gravel and several other bikes above.
At the other end of the spectrum are gravel bikes designed for more technical riding. These have big tyre clearance, often run on 650b wheels, have sub-1:1 gearing and may include a dropper post and a suspension fork.
The Giant Revolt X is a good example. Based on the Giant Revolt all-rounder, the Revolt X's added features incline it much more towards technical riding.
Yet another category of gravel bikes is geared towards bikepacking and multi-day off-road adventures. As with the more technical gravel bikes, they often include 650b wheels and wide tyres, to provide a comfortable ride when loaded up and very low gearing to help carry the extra weight up hills.
The Salsa Warbird and Vitus Substance CRX are examples above that cater well for this style of riding.
What are the advantages of carbon gravel bikes?
One of the main advantages of carbon gravel bikes over gravel bikes made of other materials is the ability to make them lightweight and compliant, while still stiff enough to pedal efficiently.
Carbon fibre lends itself to the construction of bikes with tuned ride characteristics, as the carbon layup can be adjusted to provide flex or vibration absorption where it's needed, but stiffness where it aids efficient progress.
Often a standard frame design caters for this. However, in bikes such as the Cannondale Topstone Carbon and the Specialized Diverge STR, there are more active suspension elements built in that take advantage of carbon fibre's ability to flex under load without needing the hinges that feature in mountain bike suspension. This saves significant weight.
Are carbon gravel bikes strong enough for off-road riding?
There was understandable initial caution about using carbon fibre for off-road applications. This was even more pronounced in the mountain bike market than for gravel bikes and it's only in the last few years that carbon-framed MTBs have become prevalent.
However, manufacturers have learned where to strengthen bikes for off-road riding, adding more carbon fibre in areas more prone to damage, such as the underside of the down tube. Some brands, such as BMC, add extra frame protection to these areas.
Although carbon gravel bikes are strengthened against impact damage, it's still possible to write off a carbon gravel bike frame in a heavy crash, usually due to delamination of the carbon layers.
How do carbon gravel bikes compare to aluminium gravel bikes?
It's a generalisation, but in general, carbon gravel bikes are lighter and more compliant than aluminium gravel bikes, leading to a better ride quality. They're also usually more expensive, as carbon fibre construction is more labour-intensive than welding alloy frames and the raw materials are more expensive too.
Carbon fibre tends to be used for more specialist designs, whereas aluminium gravel bikes are often lower-priced all-rounders.
What about carbon gravel bikes vs titanium gravel bikes?
The price differential between carbon gravel bikes and titanium gravel bikes is less than between carbon and aluminium, and many carbon gravel bikes will undercut the price of titanium gravel bikes. That's because titanium is an expensive metal both to buy and to manufacture cycle frames from.
There are fewer titanium gravel bike models produced than carbon ones and they often come from titanium specialists, while pretty much every brand that sells carbon bikes will have a carbon gravel bike in its range.
The smaller market volumes mean titanium gravel bikes tend to be all-rounders rather than specialist designs.
Titanium gravel bikes, in general, have a reputation for ride comfort, because titanium, rather like steel, will flex a little under load and damp out vibrations from the surface.
Titanium doesn't rust and the raw metal finish of many titanium gravel bikes is aesthetically appealing. It also has high fatigue resistance and can withstand bashes better than aluminium, carbon or steel gravel bikes.
