Tag: best bikepacking bikes

The 11 Best Bikepacking Bikes For Off-Road Adventures in 2025

If you’re planning to disappear into the backcountry for days on end, you’ll want one of the best bikepacking bikes to get you there.

In this guide, I’ll walk you through the top-performing bikes on the market.

We’ll be cutting through the marketing and focusing on what really matters: a frame geometry that’s tuned for stability and comfort, and components that are optimised for the demands of bikepacking.

We’ll cover the full range of off-road bike types – from fat bikes to full-suspension rigs – with each built for different terrain. Along the way, I’ll break down the key trade-offs so you can zero in on the best setup for your needs.

I’ve used my Bikepacking Bike Buyer’s Guide to compare and select all of these bikes. This guide goes into every detail about bikepacking bikes, before allowing you to compare over 320 current models at the back of the book. Don’t worry about it going out of date, it’s updated yearly for free.

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There are so many great bikes in the guide that I wish I could have included here, so you’ll have to grab a copy and check them all out.

And if your riding leans more toward paved roads or smooth gravel, check out my favourite gravel bikes HERE.

Ok, so how did I narrow down the best bikepacking bikes?

My Criteria For Finding the Best Bikepacking Bikes

Frame Geometry

I started by evaluating the frame geometry of each bike in my Buyer’s Guide. My focus was on bikes that provided stable handling and a more upright riding position than typical.

Some might say an upright riding position holds you back, but if speed is your goal, aero bars are the real game-changer. They can increase your average speed by around 10% while taking pressure off your hands and engaging different muscles.

Gear Ratios

Another important feature of a bikepacking bike is low climbing gears. These help you spin up hills more efficiently, especially when you’re loaded down with gear.

I use a measurement called ‘gear inches’ to compare the climbing gears on different bikes. It’s calculated by dividing the front chainring size by the rear cog size, then multiplying by the wheel diameter (you can calculate them on Gear-Calculator).

For off-road bikepacking, I’m looking for anything under 20 gear inches, with 16 to 18 being the sweet spot. Don’t worry, you never have to convert gear inches into anything – the two-digit numbers are just nice to work with.

Tyre Clearance

Wide tyres are another important feature as they provide better traction, absorb rough terrain more effectively, and make for a more comfortable ride. To narrow things down, I’ve only included bikes that can handle 2.4″ or wider tyres.

You might assume wide tyres are slower, but it’s actually the rubber compound and sidewall construction that have the biggest impact on rolling speed. Research shows that on rough gravel (category 3), wider tyres are the fastest choice, and they even hold their own on smoother gravel (category 2) too.

Mounting Points & Weight

Next, I checked that each bike had mounting points for all kinds of gear, so you’ve got maximum flexibility when setting up your rig.

The bikes I’ve chosen are all reasonably light for their intended use.

Some models do tip the scales at up to 16 kg (35 lbs), but that’s hardly a drawback if it means you’re getting a stronger, stiffer frame or features that boost overall capability. Just remember that your bike has to carry not just you, but your gear and food too.

Value For Performance

And lastly, I’ve filtered the options down so you get the most performance for your money. Ok, some of these bikes are on the pricier side, but they also offer features that I think genuinely enhance your bikepacking experience.

If these bikes are out of your budget, consider hunting down older versions – or using what you’ve learned in this video to find a comparable model on the used market.

Right, let’s sink our teeth into the best bikepacking bikes currently available.

The Best Bikepacking Bikes With No Suspension

Ari King’s Peak Comp (US $2699)

Climbing Gear – 19″ – 5% higher than average
Steering Speed – 117mm – 15% slower than average
Stack Average – 618mm – Same as average
Weight – 13.0kg or 28.7lb (approx)
Tyre Clearance – 4.50″

If you’re planning to ride through soft sand or deep snow, fat bikes are hard to beat. Their oversized tyres spread your weight across a larger surface, keeping you from sinking and making backcountry terrain feel manageable.

The Ari King’s Peak stands out to me not just for its lightweight build and competitive pricing, but for how well it’s designed. The slacker-than-usual head tube angle provides added stability and confidence on steep descents, there’s ample seat tube room for a long dropper post, and the low standover height makes dismounting in deep snow much easier.

The frame also includes plenty of mounting options for bottles and gear, including on the top tube and beneath the down tube.

Although it can accommodate massive 5.0″ tyres on 26” wheels, Ari has opted for slightly narrower but larger-diameter 27.5″ wheels (4.5″ wide), which provide better rollover performance on rocky and icy surfaces.

Component-wise, it’s an impressive package for the price, with a Shimano SLX 1X drivetrain and quality parts throughout. Plus, Ari’s 30-day guarantee shows real confidence – you can ride this bike on your local trails, and if it’s not for you, send it back.

Head over to AriBikes.com to find additional specs, geometry charts, and ordering information.

Surly Krampus (US $1999)

Climbing Gear – 18″ – Same as average
Steering Speed – 92mm – 5% slower than average
Stack Average – 607mm – Less upright than average
Weight – 13.9kg or 30.6lb
Tyre Clearance – 3.00″

Dropping down in tyre size brings us to bikepacking setups with 3.0” tyres, which are known as ‘plus bikes’. These bikes still provide good flotation on soft terrain but offer reduced rolling resistance on firmer ground.

3.0″ tyres hit the sweet spot for rugged routes like the Baja Divide, where they glide over rough dirt roads and sandy riverbeds. If you’ve been following my bike journey across Africa, you already know I’m a big fan of this tyre width.

For a straightforward yet capable bike in this category, I’d recommend the Surly Krampus.

The frame comes loaded with mounts for virtually any setup – front or rear racks, cargo cages, bottle holders, and dynamo lights. It’s also full fender compatible, and you can even opt for a suspension fork if you’re willing to add a bit of weight and maintenance in exchange for better traction and a smoother ride.

The 40 mm internal rim width is perfect for 3.0″ tyres, but this bike can also accommodate 2.4″ and 2.6″ tyres if you want a more zippy bike.

The only drawback is the relatively low frame stack, though this can be addressed with riser handlebars to help achieve a comfortable hand position.

Want to know more?
Head over to PerformanceBike.com to find additional specs, geometry charts, and how to place an order.

Tumbleweed Prospector (US $4875)

Climbing Gear – 16″ – 5% lower than average
Steering Speed – 82mm – Same as average
Stack Average – 632mm – Same as average
Weight – 15kg or 33.1lb (approx)
Tyre Clearance – 3.80″

If my videos have persuaded you that internal gear hubs are a worthwhile investment, the Tumbleweed Prospector is a great bike option.

It’s the priciest bike on this list, but nearly half the cost comes from the Rohloff 14-speed internal gear hub. This robust hub offers more gears and a wider range than a typical 1X drivetrain, all while keeping critical components sealed from the elements. That means minimal maintenance, less cleaning, and fewer gear adjustments. I think it’s ideal for long-haul adventures where durability is key.

What sets the Prospector apart is its versatility with tyre sizes. It can run 3.0” tyres on both 29” and 27.5” wheels, and even accommodates 27.5 x 3.8” tyres – pushing it into fat bike territory. This flexibility lets you customise your setup based on terrain.

Like the Surly Karate Monkey, it’s suspension fork compatible, and it has mounts for racks, cargo cages, and fenders. But unlike the Karate Monkey, the Prospector offers a taller stack, making it easier to achieve an upright riding position.

The main drawback is the price. But don’t worry, I’ve also got a gearbox-equipped option that’s easier on the wallet.

Want to know more?
Head over to Tumbleweed.cc to find additional specs, geometry charts, and ordering information.

Priority Bruzer (US $2499)

Climbing Gear – 18″ – Same as average
Steering Speed – 109mm – Same as average
Stack Average – 618mm – Lower than average
Weight – 15.9kg or 35.0lb
Tyre Clearance – 2.80″

The Priority Bruzer is an off-road bikepacking rig built around a 12-speed Pinion gearbox. These fully sealed gearboxes are renowned for their durability and are often seen as the main alternative to the Rohloff hub.

Pinion gearboxes offer some key advantages over Rohloff hubs, including a broader gear range, longer service intervals between oil changes, and a whisper-quiet operation. However, they also come with trade-offs: larger jumps between gears, added weight, and slightly reduced efficiency. If you’d like to know more, I have a video that compares them head-to-head.

Instead of a traditional chain, the Bruzer uses a belt drive, which essentially eliminates the need for cleaning or lubrication. In the right conditions, belt sprockets can last over 30,000 km – that’s 3 to 4 times the lifespan of a typical chain drivetrain.

The Bruzer frame features a stable mountain bike geometry and fits up to 2.8″ wide tyres. As you’d expect from a capable bikepacking bike, it includes all the mounting points needed for racks, cages, and accessories.

And at $2,499, the Bruzer offers incredible value, especially when you consider that Pinion gearboxes alone retail for nearly $2,000.

Want to know more?
Head over to PriorityBicycles.com to find additional specs, geometry charts, and how to place an order.

Scott Scale Gravel 20 (€1699)

Climbing Gear – 20″ – 5% higher than average
Steering Speed – 102mm – 10% slower than average
Stack Average – 613mm – Same as average
Weight – 11.3kg or 24.9lb
Tyre Clearance – 2.40″

If all these steel frames and gearbox drivetrains have you thinking, “That’s way too heavy for me,” then the Scott Scale might be just what you’re looking for. It’s nearly 5 kg (11 lbs) lighter than the Priority Bruzer!

Designed with weight savings in mind, the Scale features an aluminium frame (1850 grams), a carbon fork (600 grams), and a lightweight wheelset. It accommodates 2.4″ wide tyres, which suit fast gravel roads while handling flowy singletrack with ease.

At under €1700, the Scale offers impressive value. The only real drawback is the headset cable routing for the rear derailleur, which can increase cable friction and slightly affect shifting performance.

Want to know more?
Head over to Scott-Sports.com to find additional specs, geometry charts, and dealer locations.

Salsa Cutthroat GRX (US $3699)

Climbing Gear – 20″ – 10% lower than average
Steering Speed – 87mm – 5% slower than average
Stack Average – 621mm – More upright than average
Weight – 11.0kg or 24.2lb (approx)
Tyre Clearance – 2.40″

There’s a reason the Salsa Cutthroat is so popular with riders completing the 4,440km Tour Divide ultra race – it’s light, and the upright riding position and wide tyre clearance make it comfortable over long distances.

Unlike many drop bar bikes, the Cutthroat’s tall front end makes it easier to stay in the drops, which unlocks more hand and body positions for long days on the bike. I like that the long seat tube yields larger volume frame bags than most bikes, and the direct-mount system protects your paint while giving your bike a clean, streamlined look.

The Cutthroat is also one of the few drop bar bikes that can ride up the same gradients as mountain bikes. The 20″ climbing gear will be low enough for most situations, but it’s easy to swap in a 32 or 34-tooth chain ring if you need more climbing prowess.

Want to know more?
Head over to CompetitiveCyclist.com to find additional specs, geometry charts, and how to place an order.

Kona Sutra LTD (US $2299)

Climbing Gear – 19″ – 15% lower than average
Steering Speed – 79mm – Same as average
Stack Average – 606mm – Same as average
Weight – 13.5kg or 29.8lb
Tyre Clearance – 2.40″

Another solid drop-bar bike for tackling steep climbs is the Kona Sutra LTD. It’s a bit heavier than the Cutthroat, but it trades weight for increased durability and better downhill capability.

That extra capability comes from a few smart design choices: a larger front rotor for added braking power, a low frame standover and long dropper post to keep your centre of mass low, and wide handlebars with a short stem to provide the best steering on a loaded bike. A nice detail is the left GRX shifter, which is cleverly wired to control the dropper post.

The Sutra also offers good tyre clearance and is fully outfitted with mounts for bottles, bags, and all your gear.

Want to know more?
Head over to KonaWorld.com to find additional specs, geometry charts, and dealer locations.

The Best Bikepacking Bikes With Suspension

Cube Reaction C:62 Pro (€1999)

Climbing Gear – 18″ – 5% lower than average
Steering Speed – 94mm – Same as average
Stack Average – 628mm – More upright than average
Weight – 10.8kg or 33.8lb
Tyre Clearance – 2.40″

If you’re after a bike that’s as light and fast on dirt roads as the Cutthroat, but offers greater trail capability, the Cube Reaction is a top choice. This sub-11kg carbon hardtail comes fitted with a 100mm suspension fork that can be locked out via a lever at the bars.

Beyond just improving comfort, a suspension fork boosts traction and control, giving it a clear advantage over rigid setups. The trade-off, however, is maintenance – RockShox recommends servicing the lower legs every 50 hours and performing a full overhaul every 200 hours.

What makes the Reaction especially appealing for bikepacking is its taller stack height, offering a more upright and comfortable riding position compared to most race-oriented hardtails. It also features a lower climbing gear than the previous few bikes, making it more capable when the road pitches up.

That said, if you’re aiming to tackle more technical trails or prioritise descending performance, a slacker bike with more suspension travel will be a better fit.

Want to know more?
Head over to Cube.eu to find additional specs, geometry charts, and dealer locations.

Salsa Timberjack SLX (US $1899)

Climbing Gear – 18″ – 5% lower than average
Steering Speed – 117mm – 20% slower than average
Stack Average – 609mm – Same as average
Weight – 14.9kg or 32.9lb
Tyre Clearance – 2.60″

The Salsa Timberjack is significantly longer and slacker than the Cube Reaction, with a frame that pushes the front wheel 74mm (3″) farther forward. This geometry enhances high-speed stability and makes it much less likely you’ll pitch over the handlebars.

The Timberjack features longer suspension travel, a shorter stem, wider handlebars, more powerful brakes, and a long dropper post – all of which contribute to excellent control and confidence on rough trails. The trade-off compared to the Cube is the extra 4 kilograms you’ll be lugging around.

For under $2000, the Timberjack offers unbelievable value with a reliable Shimano SLX drivetrain and powerful MT420 four-piston brakes that, in my experience, perform nearly on par with Shimano XT four-pistons.

Want to know more?
Head over to AngryCatfishBicycle.com to find additional specs, geometry charts, and how to place an order.

Priority 600HXT (US $3999)

Climbing Gear – 17″ – Same as average
Steering Speed – 127mm – 25% slower than average
Stack Average – 607mm – Less upright than average
Weight – 15.4kg or 34.0lb
Tyre Clearance – 2.60″

The Priority 600HXT shares a similar frame geometry and suspension travel with the Timberjack, making it equally capable on technical trails.

The Pinion gearbox has a key advantage over a derailleur on a mountain bike – there’s no exposed mechanism to get damaged by rocks, branches, or crashes. And best of all, the gears will never skip or be misaligned.

The 600HXT features an upgraded version of the Pinion gearbox compared to the Bruzer. It uses an electronic trigger shifter that delivers lightning-fast gear changes in just 0.2 seconds. More importantly, this gearbox can shift smoothly under heavier pedal loads by precisely timing shifts to occur at the top of your pedal stroke.

The rest of the build is equally well thought-out. Powerful TRP four-piston brakes offer excellent stopping power, and the WTB wheels and dropper post round out a bike that can hit the trails straight out of the box.

Want to know more?
Head over to PriorityBicycles.com to find additional specs, geometry charts, and how to place an order.

Canyon Lux Trail CF 6 (€3349)

Climbing Gear – 19″ – 5% higher than average
Steering Speed – 108mm – Same as average
Stack Average – 603mm – Same as average
Weight – 13.1kg or 28.9lb
Tyre Clearance – 2.40″

For rough terrain and all-around mountain bike fun, a full suspension bike is hard to beat.

These bikes let you handle highly technical terrain while still using light, fast-rolling tyres. This makes them the ideal setup for blending gravel road efficiency with trail versatility. Personally, I also find them the most enjoyable option for singletrack.

One model that stands out this year is the Canyon Lux Trail CF 6. It offers 120mm of front travel and 115mm in the rear, with a convenient three-position lockout switch on the handlebar to firm up the suspension on the fly.

There’s enough room in the frame for a custom frame pack or two water bottles, and it comes equipped with a precise-shifting Shimano SLX 12-speed drivetrain and a long dropper post.

Want to know more?
Head over to Canyon.com to find additional specs, geometry charts, and ordering information.

Summary

There we have it, that’s the best bikepacking bikes for 2025.

But remember that for every bike here, multiple bikes from my Bikepacking Bike Buyer’s Guide came close! To learn more and compare over 320 different bikes from different regions, make sure to get a copy.

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July 18, 2025

The 10 Best Gravel Bikes For Bikepacking In 2024

On a spectrum from road to mountain bikes, gravel bikes sit somewhere in the middle. They are fast and efficient on the pavement thanks to their drop bar body positioning, yet comfortable and capable on the dirt as a result of their wider tyres and more stable frame geometry.

In this article, I’ll examine the best gravel bikes currently available.

I’ve selected these bikes based on many factors, including outstanding overall design, high attention to detail, well-selected components, and excellent value for performance.

I’ll be picking bikes from different sub-categories, and I should note I’ve made these choices through a bikepacking lens.

If you aren’t sure what bikepacking is, it’s essentially a single or multi-night, self-sufficient bike trip with a minimalist setup. The tent, sleeping bag, and cooking pots are all put in bags and strapped to the bike.

The cool thing is that my criteria unearths great commuter and recreational bikes too.

If you want to cover rougher and more technical terrain, you’ll find a better bike in my off-road bike article HERE.

Narrowing Down The Best Gravel Bikes

The four criteria I’ve used to pick the best gravel bikes include:

An upright frame design with stable handling
Low climbing gear ratios
Clearance for wide tyres
Ample mounts for luggage and fenders

I’ve used my Bikepacking Bike Buyer’s Guide to find the models that best match this criteria.

If you haven’t seen my guide yet, it teaches you what to look out for in a gravel bike, as well as how to properly compare over 150 different gravel bikes found at the back of the book. The best bit is that my guides are updated yearly, for free, so you’ll always have the latest copy.

Frame Geometry and Sizing

The handlebar sits tall on the YT Szepter gravel bike. Image: YT Industries

A gravel bike needs to be comfortable over long distances and for multiple days in a row. That’s why the first thing I look out for on the frame geometry charts is a notably upright riding position.

Unfortunately, many gravel frames are inspired by the world of racing, and that means you’re forced into lower and more aggressive ride positions. This is great for going fast, but it also compromises your ride comfort.

With taller handlebars, expect less hand numbness, and reduced strain on your neck and back.

I’m looking for size large bikes with a Stack higher than 600 mm.

I’m looking for size large frames (sometimes marked 56 or 57cm) with a stack height of more than 600 mm. In comparison, race-oriented gravel bikes in these sizes usually have a stack height of ~575 mm.

Upright gravel bikes also allow you to comfortably use the drop section of the handlebar. This position is the best place to access the brakes, better in headwinds, and a nice change from the hoods.

Some might argue that an upright ride position is too slow. But if speed is your aim, make sure to fit some aero bars to your gravel bike. They are undoubtedly the best way to improve your aerodynamics AND take the strain off your hands and wrists.

Low Climbing Gear Ratios

The Hudski Doggler will crawl up hills with its 20 gear-inch climbing gear.

When a bikepacking bike is loaded with gear, food, and water, it’s heavy. To combat the extra weight, a bike should use lower gear ratios than usual. Adequately low gears allow you to repeatedly ride up hills without overexerting yourself.

I use a unit of measurement called ‘gear inches’ to compare the low climbing gear ratios of different bikes. This is the front chainring size minus the rear cog size, and multiplied by the wheel diameter.

Don’t worry, we never have to convert gear inches into anything – the two-digit numbers are just nice to work with, and you can calculate them on Gear-Calculator.

I’m looking for anything under 25 gear inches for gravel, but ideally, it’s at the 22-gear-inch mark.

Tyre Clearance

The Priority Gemini has clearance for 700C x 50 mm tyres.

There are almost no downsides to using gravel bikes with clearance for wide tyres, so I’ve prioritised bikes that can clear 50 mm or 2.0” wide tyres.

Wide tyres handle rougher terrain, offer more traction, and are extra forgiving to ride.

You might think wide tyres are slow, but interestingly, it’s the rubber compound and sidewall design that largely determines how fast they roll. That’s why some road bike tyres (Schwalbe Pro One TLE Performance at 80 psi) have the same rolling resistance as mountain bike tyres (Continental Race King at 25 psi).

If you still prefer narrower tyres, you can fit them to any of these bikes.

Mounts and Accessories

Most of the bikes here have mounts for all occasions. This is simply to give you every luggage-carrying option possible.

I’ve prioritised bikes that can fit fenders, which keep the water, dirt, and grit on the road, rather than on your bike and body. Fenders allow you to stay dryer when the roads are damp, and your bike will experience less drivetrain wear too. The penalty is just 500 grams or less than one bottle of water.

Value for Performance

I’ve made sure to pick bikes that offer great value. This doesn’t mean the prices are low across the board, but rather, the more expensive choices I’ve made will offer something that improves your ride experience.

If these bikes are still too expensive for you, I’d recommend using the knowledge from this article and purchasing a similar bike second-hand.

Right, it’s time to look at the cheapest bike on this list, the Salsa Journeyer.

Salsa Journeyer Advent

US $999 — 11.8kg — 26” Climbing Gear — 50 mm Tyre Clearance — 598 mm Stack

People often think you need to spend thousands on a well-designed gravel bike with a smart component selection, but the Salsa Journeyer proves that’s not the case. The Journeyer ticks so many boxes and scored 19/20 in my recent article about the best budget gravel bikes (under $1000).

It has a perfectly upright frame geometry for long days, clearance for wide tyres, tubeless compatibility (which is quite uncommon at this price), all the mounts, and reliable and user-serviceable components.

It gets better, though. You can choose your wheel size! One model has larger 700C wheels that are faster on the pavement, and another has smaller 27.5” wheels that trade some speed for better comfort, grip, and control.

The Journeyer has a notably low standover height, giving you more confidence if you need to stop quickly. The low top tube also helps get smaller riders onto gravel bikes (142cm / 4ft8), who are highly underserved in the bike industry.

The only downside to the Journeyer is the climbing gear ratio that’s not particularly low, however, this is an easy mod. You can either reduce the front chainring size to 36 teeth or increase the size of the rear cassette up to 46 teeth.

If you’d like to learn more about the Journeyer, check out my best budget gravel bikes article HERE.

Canyon Grizl 7

US $1999 — 10.7kg — 25” Climbing Gear — 50 mm Tyre Clearance — 605 mm Stack

If you’re after something a bit more refined, it’s hard to go past the Canyon Grizl 7. This aluminium bike comes with a lightweight carbon fork and a carbon seatpost that’s been tuned to flex 5-10 mm vertically, providing a silky-smooth ride.

Canyon offers some of the broadest size ranges of any bike company, so you’ll find eight sizes to suit people of all heights (although the Grizl doesn’t quite get as small as the Journeyer).

The Grizl 7 has been specced with the latest 2X12 drivetrain that will work very well over rolling terrain, it has a decent climbing gear ratio, and the brakes are hydraulic, which is a big upgrade over almost anything cheaper.

Canyon also includes some nice DT Swiss wheels wrapped in 45 mm tubeless tyres. If you’re seeking more comfort, make sure to fit 50 mm tyres down the line.

Fairlight Faran 2.5

£1999 — 11.0kg — 23” Climbing Gear — 50 mm Tyre Clearance — 610 mm Stack

If you have a preference for steel bikes, the Fairlight Faran from the UK is my top pick, and you’ll quickly realise why.

The attention to detail of these frames is unparalleled for the price. For example, the top and down tubes have been ovalized just for Fairlight, providing the equivalent lateral stiffness of a bigger tube but without the added weight. The cable guides are interchangeable depending on your derailleur and brake setup, the rear dropouts are modular, and there are stainless washer plates up the back so your rack bolts don’t scuff your paint.

The Faran is not only available in five frame sizes, but each size is offered in a ‘regular’ or ‘tall’, which is the next best thing to a tailor-made frame. This sizing distinction essentially determines the height of your handlebars in relation to the saddle, and can be useful for riders who have long torsos and short legs (where a regular frame is best), or short torsos and long legs (where a tall frame is best).

The Faran will fit 700C x 50 mm or 27.5 x 2.35” tyres, which is the widest of any bike on this list. It can also be configured around your needs – choose between 1X and 2X drivetrains, and 700C or 27.5” wheels, or go wild with the myriad of component upgrades.

GT Grade Carbon Pro

US $2900 — 9.5kg — 24” Climbing Gear — 50 mm Tyre Clearance — 603 mm Stack

The 9.5kg GT Grade Carbon Pro is not only light and capable, but it’s incredibly comfortable too.

The signature design feature on this bike is the seatstays that extend from the top tube to the rear dropouts without attaching to the seat tube at all. This allows the frame and seatpost to flex up to 30 mm vertically, absorbing bumps and impacts while you ride along.

Our vibration tests (on the previous version) show that GT’s floating seat stay design can damp more vibration than an Ergon leaf-spring seatpost on fast gravel roads, which is quite a feat.

The innovation doesn’t stop there. GT employs what’s known as a ‘progressive’ frame geometry.

The GT Grade has a longer frame reach than most bikes, which puts the front wheel further in front of the rider.

The frame reach is longer than most gravel bikes, which puts the front wheel further in front of the rider, providing more stability at speed, and making it harder to pitch over the handlebars. To compensate for the long reach, the stem is short (60 mm), resulting in a more direct steering feel.

The Grade is light enough to be a decent road bike with narrow slick tyres, but capable enough for bumpy forest roads with grippy 50 mm tyres. There are Shimano hydraulic brakes to pull you up on a dime, a 2X drivetrain that’s great for rolling hills, and plenty of mounts for bikepacking accessories. The bike has been designed to accommodate a suspension fork too.

Unlike many carbon bikes in this category, the gear cables do not route through the headset, which is ideal for adventure riding as it makes for less gear cable friction and easier cable changes.

Propain Terrel CF

US $4999 — 8.0kg — 25” Climbing Gear — 50 mm Tyre Clearance — 608 mm Stack

If you want an ultralight gravel bike without breaking the bank, you won’t do better than the Propain Terrel CF. This bike is shockingly good value when compared to all other bikes at the 8 kg (17 lbs) or below mark.

This carbon gravel bike comes with a SRAM 1X wireless drivetrain, DT Swiss carbon wheels, lots of carbon components, and some fast-rolling Continental Terra Speed tyres.

Just because it’s light doesn’t mean it’s less capable. Like the GT, it employs a progressive frame geometry, it has clearance for 50 mm tyres, and it’s compatible with a suspension fork.

In terms of features, the Terrel is thoroughly modern. It features a UDH hanger for SRAM Transmission drivetrains, an oversized T47 bottom bracket, frame storage, a direct mount frame pack, and lots of eyelets for luggage and fenders.

The cables do route through the headset, but as the derailleur is wireless, shift performance isn’t compromised. Thankfully, the cables also run underneath the stem, so you can still change the stem length without needing to re-route the cables.

You can configure the Terrel how you like, with a choice of colours, decals, and bar and stem widths. There are lots of parts upgrades available too, including a suspension fork.

YT Szepter Core 2

US $2499 — 10.8kg — 22” Climbing Gear — 45 mm Tyre Clearance — 611 mm Stack

My front suspension gravel bike pick is the YT Szepter Core 2.

The topic of suspension on gravel bikes is quite polarising. Every time I discuss it, some people are like “Get a mountain bike”, and others are like “This works awesome”.

For gravel riders who split their time between the pavement, smooth dirt roads, and rugged 4×4 tracks, a bit of suspension keeps your front tyre patch glued to the ground, and it allows you to carry more speed over bumps. It also removes some of the fatigue from riding over rough terrain.

The Szepter is designed by mountain bikers, and it shows. It has a progressive frame geometry, a big front rotor for maximum stopping power, a Shimano 1X wide-range drivetrain, and a 40 mm travel Suntour suspension fork. There are even two built-in fenders to minimise the debris on your face and backside, and the direct frame pack mounts are a very neat touch.

Even with all these features, the bike is under 11 kg, has one of the lowest climbing gear ratios here, is cheaper than a GT Grade, and comes in a broad range of frame sizes.

BMC URS LT TWO

€6499 — 9.5kg — 20” Climbing Gear — 45mm Tyre Clearance — 603 mm Stack

The BMC URS LT is a unique full-suspension gravel bike with hidden suspension elements in the carbon fork and rear frame triangle. This makes it the most expensive bike on this list, however, when you consider the riding experience on offer, the price is somewhat justified.

The suspension fork features 20 mm of damped travel that can both remove unwanted shock and vibration coming up from the road and keep your front tyre planted to the ground. Compared to a gravel bike with a rigid fork (Open Wide), we’ve tested the URS front end to reduce vibration by 39% after a big hit, which is huge.

At the rear seat stays are two elastomer springs that generate 10 mm of vertical travel to save your lower back from harsh impacts, and this is combined with a carbon seatpost that provides a further 10 mm of travel. In our vibration test, this combination achieved the same level of vibration damping as the best-performing suspension seatpost (Redshift ShockStop Pro Race), which is seriously impressive.

The amazing thing is that the URS LT is light, stiff, and fast enough to keep up with more pavement-focused gravel bikes, and it has a super low climbing gear ratio too. It’s quite the package; make sure to read our full review HERE.

If you’ve read some of my articles and decided that a gearbox and belt drivetrain is right for you, here are my picks.

Priority Gemini

US $3499 — 12.0 kg — 17” Climbing Gear — 50 mm Tyre Clearance — 600 mm Stack

The Priority Gemini is a tough, low-maintenance, and easy-to-use gravel bike that will conquer the steepest roads.

It’s built around a weather-sealed 12-speed Pinion gearbox that can electronically shift your gears in just 0.2 of a second. The gearbox will change your gears under load, while coasting, and even while stationary at the traffic lights.

Compared to derailleurs, gearbox drivetrains are less susceptible to damage, don’t require any tuning or adjustment, reduce bicycle maintenance significantly, and are unlikely ever to wear out. The only maintenance is the 6,000-mile oil change.

The Gemini comes with a belt drive, which is cleaner, quieter, and longer-lasting than a chain. Through my real-world tests, I’ve ridden belt drivetrains over 30,000 km before my sprockets have worn out, which is 3-4X longer than I expect from a chain.

To round out the Gemini, it features hydraulic brakes, a stable geometry, and an unbelievably low climbing gear ratio. It’s available with a titanium or aluminium frame and it will clear 700C x 50 mm tyres.

If you’d like to know more, check out my in-depth article on the Priority Gemini HERE.

Avaghon Grave

€4499 — 12.5 kg — 20″ Climbing Gear — 50 mm Tyre Clearance — 628 mm Stack

If you’ve read my articles about Rohloff hubs and decided these ultra-reliable, weather-sealed, and surprisingly efficient 14-speed gear systems are for you, you might like the Avaghon Grave.

Avaghon is a company based in a tiny bicycle shop in the Netherlands. But despite their size, they have come up with a steel bikepacking bike with a tall bar height and 50 mm tyre clearance, which is designed around a low-maintenance Rohloff hub and belt drivetrain.

This gear hub is lighter than a Pinion gearbox, with smaller gear steps, and a higher drive efficiency. If you’d like the fastest possible gearbox bike, a Rohloff hub is undoubtedly the way to go.

The only downside is that the lever throw is quite long, and the shift speed is quite slow compared to the Pinion electronic shifters. Unfortunately, you can’t have it all.

It’s worth noting that Avaghon also builds the Grave with flat bars and a regular twist shifter.

Hudski Doggler

US $1600 — 11.0kg — 20” Climbing Gear — 50 mm Tyre Clearance — 606 mm Stack

Speaking of flat bars, the Hudski Doggler is a gravel bike that’s virtually impossible to find flaws in.

It’s well priced, under 11kg, and has a 20″ climbing gear ratio, full carbon fork, 12-speed drivetrain, and a bigger-than-usual front rotor for quick deceleration.

The Doggler leans heavily into mountain bike design principles. The long wheelbase and slack head tube angle create a super stable ride, and the steep seat tube angle puts your weight further forward for cycling up steep roads.

The Doggler comes standard with a tall handlebar with a large grip angle (27 degrees) and less reach than a typical flat bar. This results in a relaxed, upright pedalling position for all-day rides.

Summary

Bike	Category	Price	Weight	Climbing Gear	Stack (Large)
Salsa Journeyer Advent	Budget	US $999	11.8 kg	26 Inches	598 mm
Canyon Grail 7	Aluminium	US $1999	10.7 kg	25 Inches	605 mm
Fairlight Faran 2.5	Steel	US $2550	11.0 kg	23 Inches	610 mm
GT Grade Carbon Pro	Carbon	US $2900	9.5 kg	24 Inches	603 mm
Propain Terrel CF	Ultralight	US $4999	8.0 kg	25 Inches	608 mm
YT Szepter Core 2	Suspension	US $2499	10.8 kg	24 Inches	611 mm
BMC URS LT TWO	Suspension	€ 6499	9.5 kg	20 Inches	603 mm
Priority Gemini	Gearbox	US $3499	12.0 kg	17 Inches	600 mm
Avaghon Grave	Gear Hub	€ 4499	12.0 kg	20 Inches	628 mm
Hudski Doggler	Flat Bar	US $1600	11.0 kg	20 Inches	606 mm

That concludes the best gravel bikes for this year! I hope you can appreciate some of the excellent designs and details that have gone into each of these bikes.

This is just the tip of the iceberg in terms of what’s available, in fact, for each sub-category here, there are multiple bikes in my buyer’s guide that could’ve won.

I’d recommend checking out the Bikepacking Bike Buyer’s Guide if you’d like to see and compare all the bikes available.

July 1, 2024

Here Are The 13 BEST Bikepacking Bikes For 2021

It’s time for my take on the best bikepacking bikes for 2021.

In this super in-depth article, I’ll first explain how I went about selecting these bikes. I’ll then discuss the different bike categories, and finally, we will look at all of the bikes that stand out to me.

I have made this resource particularly informative so that you can learn some cool stuff, and apply my knowledge to any bike – new or second hand, expensive or cheap.

I’m using my Bikepacking Bike Buyer’s Guide to compare and select all of these bikes. The book goes into every detail about bikepacking bikes, before allowing you to compare over 220 current models at the back of the book. Don’t worry about it going out-of-date, it’s updated yearly for free.

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How Did I Select The Best Bikepacking Bikes?

Frame Geometry

I first assessed the frame geometries for each of these bikes to see whether they are suitable for the bike’s intended use. I was looking for bikes that are stable to ride, more upright than typical and with the appropriate steering characteristics for the expected terrain.

Low Climbing Gears

I next looked at the lowest climbing gear on each of the bikes. If you don’t have a low enough climbing gear, you simply struggle more than necessary.

We will use gear inches to compare the climbing gears on different bikes. This is the diameter of the wheel, times the size of the front chainring and divided by the size of the rear cog. With this information, we can compare bikes with different wheel sizes and drivetrain setups.

Don’t worry about the fact that we’re talking in inches – I just prefer the double or triple-digit numbers that it spits out. All you really need to know is that lower is always better, and the benchmark for off-road is less than 20 gear inches, and for gravel, it’s less than 24 gear inches.

Gear inches are also relative: a bike with a 10% smaller number will climb 10% slower using the same RPM.

Maximum Tyre Widths

There are very few downsides to having a bike that can clear wide tyres, so I have prioritised any models with more generous clearances within their bike category.

Price/Value

And lastly, I have narrowed the options down to the point where you get the most performance for your money. If these prices are too high for your budget, you should look for an older version of these bikes second-hand.

Bikepacking Bike Categories

Each of my bike picks represents a different bike category.

29″ Plus bikes use the largest diameter rim and wide 3.0″ tyres.
27″ Plus bikes have the same tyre footprint but the wheel diameter is smaller.
Plus Hardtail bikes are designed to be more fun on trails, using suspension forks and dropper posts.
Full Suspension bikes employ front and rear suspension to maintain excellent traction and make rough trails a breeze.
Fat bikes are snow and sand specialists, with the ability to fit 5” wide tyres.
Mid-Fat bikes are the middle ground between a plus and fat bike.
29″ Flat Bar bikes employ a more agile mountain bike frame geometry and mountain bike tyres wider than 2.1″.
29″ Drop Bar bikes are the curly bar version.
27.5″ Gravel bikes use smaller mountain bike wheels but with 50mm or wider tyres.
27.5″ Gravel (Ultralight) is the weight-optimised version.
700C Gravel bikes are the fastest on smoother surfaces, using 40-50mm wide tyres.
700C Gravel (Ultralight) is the weight-optimised version.
700C Gravel (All-Round) is both weight and tyre clearance optimised.

Coronavirus Supply Chain Issues

One last note, there is some unfortunate news about buying bikes this year – COVID has wreaked havoc on the bike supply chain, and there is also unprecedented demand for bikes. This means that you might not actually get your hands on some of these bikes immediately, and will likely have to wait.

The Best Bikepacking Bikes For 2021

29 Plus – Jones Plus LWB ($2099)

Let’s start with the Jones Plus LWB (long wheelbase), which is a unique bike even within the 29+ category.

Jones take a regular plus bike but stretch out both the front and rear centres. As both ends of the bike are longer, you end up with similar weight distribution on the tyres.

There are two big advantages to this design:
(1) The longer wheelbase provides more stability at speed, which will keep your bike more composed on rougher terrain.
(2) You can more comfortably climb steeper gradients with the longer chainstays. This is because the looping angle at the back of the bike increases, meaning your front wheel will stay planted even on the steepest ascents.

The disadvantages to long chainstay bikes are that it’s harder to lift the front wheel over obstacles, and the bike is a bit less agile on tight, twisty trails. The way I see it, tight trails usually make up a very small percentage of any bikepacking route – so optimising around stability is probably the way to go.

The Jones is my 29+ pick because it’s priced well, it has low gear ratios for climbing and it’s running appropriately wide rims for its 3-inch tyres. The steering is quicker than most plus bikes, which will help change direction with a moderate front load. It also has more than enough mounts for cargo cages and even racks and fenders.

The only change I’d recommend is an upgrade to some hydraulic brakes.

Jones Plus LWB vs. Plus Category Average
Weight: ~15.3kg – Category 14.1kg (9% more than average)
Steering Speed: 83mm – Category 93mm (11% faster than average)
Low Climbing Gear: 18 gear inches – Category 19 gear inches (5% lower than average)

27 Plus – Sonder Frontier SX (£799)

The Sonder Frontier is an excellent value plus bike. According to Sonder, this bike tips the scales at 12.2kg/26.9lb which is substantially lighter than almost all other plus bike offerings. This low weight and great value are thanks to the unrivalled price-to-weight ratio of an aluminium frame and fork, which usually saves 1.0-1.5kg over the equivalent steel offering.

The Frontier is using a SRAM 1X drivetrain with the same 18-inch climbing gear as the Jones. Unlike the Jones, the frame geometry is more on the playful end of things, so you can expect it to ride with more agility.

It’s worth noting that you can get the frameset for £299, and the wheels for £179, which would be a great place to start on a custom build. You can also get the complete bike with 29″ wheels and a suspension fork if you’re after something that is more optimised around recreational mountain biking.

Sonder Frontier vs. Plus Category Average
Weight: 12.2kg – Category 14.1kg (13% less than average)
Steering Speed: 93mm – Category 93mm (same as average)
Low Climbing Gear: 18 gear inches – Category 19 gear inches (5% lower than average)

Plus Hardtail – Salsa Timberjack XT ($1999)

If you’d prefer to have a more multipurpose mountain bike – for the money, I don’t know if you can do better than the Salsa Timberjack XT.

This bike offers a suspension fork with 130mm of travel (which you can lock out) along with a dropper seatpost. These two components alone will transform any plus bike into a trail-shredding machine, allowing you to take on much rougher, steeper and more technical terrain than usual.

The downside to these components is the need to service them – RockShox forks call for a 50-hour service interval for the lower legs and 200 hours for a full strip and rebuild.

The climbing gear is 18 gear inches which is great for bikepacking, and shifting will be sublime given the bike has been specced with a Shimano XT shifter and derailleur.

One of the nicest things about Salsa bikes is that many models have perfectly fitting frame packs available, and the Timberjack is no exception.

Salsa Timberjack vs. Plus Category Average
Weight: 13.9kg – Category 14.1kg (1% less than average)
Steering Speed (Trail): 106mm – Category 93mm (14% slower than average)
Low Climbing Gear: 18 gear inches – Category 19 gear inches (5% lower than average)

Full Suspension – Kona Hei Hei ($2599)

For rough terrain and all-around mountain bike fun, it’s hard to beat a full suspension bike. The suspension allows you to tackle the same technical terrain as a plus bike, but with lighter, narrower and faster rolling tyres – it’s also the fun-est to ride on singletrack, in my opinion.

The model that stands out most to me this year is the Kona Hei Hei. It has a decent space for a custom frame pack, along with the new Shimano Deore 12 speed drivetrain (with an 18″ climbing gear), a long dropper seatpost and 29 x 2.5″ tyre clearance.

Kona Hei Hei vs. Full Suspension Category Average
Weight: ~14.2kg – Category 13.6kg (4% more than average)
Steering Speed: 97mm – Category 103mm (6% faster than average)
Low Climbing Gear: 18 gear inches – Category 18 gear inches (same as average)

Fat Bike – Salsa Mukluk ($1699)

For loose surfaces like sand or snow, you need maximum tyre floatation – and that’s where the wider 26″ fat bike tyres still hold the advantage when compared to narrower 27.5″ fat bikes.

The best value 26″ fat bike this year is the aluminium Salsa Mukluk. It comes stock with 4.6″ tyres but will squeeze in a 4.8″ if you need. The drivetrain is the new Shimano Deore 11-speed with an 18″ climbing gear.

As usual, you can order your bike with a perfectly fitting frame pack, and the Mukluk has all the provisions to carry a bikepacking bag ensemble or rear panniers if you need the volume.

Salsa Mukluk vs. Fat Bike Category Average
Weight: 15.0kg – Category 13.9kg (8% more than average)
Steering Speed – 97mm – Category 94mm (3% slower than average)
Low Climbing Gear – 18 gear inches – Category 18 gear inches (same as average)

Mid Fat – Otso Voytek ($3400)

If you do not need the massive tyre float of the Mukluk, you can use a mid-fat bike that’s a bit more well-rounded on different surfaces. The full-carbon Otso Voytek may be the most expensive in this list, but at 11.5kg/24.5lb, it’s light, and it comes with some unique features.

While most fat bikes have a very wide crank distance between the pedals, the Otso is a just 10mm wider than normal. This reduces knee strain by bringing the pedals closer together, and it provides extra cornering clearance too.

The Voytek is able to adapt to different wheel sizes using special sliding dropouts which change both the chainstay length and the bottom bracket height. This means you compromise much less than normal when choosing between regular mountain bike tyres, 3.0” plus tyres, 4” mid-fat tyres or a full-fat set up like you see pictured.

The entry-level Voytek comes with Shimano SLX gearing, but you can configure the bike from the ground up in the Otso configurator.

Bike Snapshot vs. Fat Bike Category Average
Weight: 11.5kg – Category 13.9kg (17% less than average)
Steering Speed: 92mm – Category 94mm (2% faster than average)
Low Climbing Gear: 19 gear inches – Category 18 gear inches (5% higher than average)

29″ Flat Bar – Marin DSX2 ($1149)

Let’s move onto something a little bit quicker on smoother surfaces.

I’m all about the new Marin DSX2. It’s insane-value at $1149, with the latest 12-speed Shimano Deore drivetrain, a full carbon fork, hydraulic brakes, and a lightweight aluminium frame.

There is clearance for a 2.1″ tyre, so this is not quite as versatile as other bikes in this category (which will fit up to 2.5″). But you’ll find that 2.1″ is ample width for most gravel surfaces.

You can expect the DSX2 to tip the scales at around 11kg/24lb, making it especially light for its price.

Bike Snapshot vs. 29″ Category Average
Weight: ~10.9kg – Category 11.9kg (8% less than average)
Steering Speed: 80mm – Category 79mm (1% slower than average)
Low Climbing Gear: 24 gear inches – Category 24 gear inches (same as average)

29″ Drop Bar – Riverside RT 920 (€1499)

If you’ve decided that drop bars are what your 29er requires, the new Riverside RT 920 is where the value is at.

This aluminium bike is 12.7kg and has been designed for moderate off-road terrain. It has a lower climbing gear than the average bike in this category, it will squeeze in wide 2.4″ tubeless tyres, and it’s running a SRAM 1×11 drivetrain and hydraulic disc brakes.

This is also the only bike on this list that comes with a dynamo hub and USB charger, which I’m pretty stoked on.

You will find the Cycle2Charge USB plug integrated neatly into the steerer tube. This unit is actually a pretty effective charger after 16KPH and it makes excellent power after 20KPH. I definitely recommend a pass-through battery for bikepacking as you will end up losing charge regularly otherwise and your device won’t like that. Please check out my in-depth battery article linked in the description.

The only downside to the RT 920 is that the geometry is a bit quirky – the bike would benefit from a slacker head tube angle, longer fork offset and lower bottom bracket, in particular. But they’re also not a deal-breaker.

Riverside RT 920 vs. 29″ Category Average
Weight: 12.7kg – Category 11.9kg (7% more than average)
Steering Speed: 76mm – Category 79mm (4% faster than average)
Low Climbing Gear: 22 gear inches – Category 24 gear inches (8% lower than average)

27.5″ Gravel – Poseidon Redwood ($899)

Amongst 27.5″ gravel bikes, the Poseidon Redwood honestly seems too good to be true.

This is a ridiculously good value bike at just $899, and it has a more generous 2.5″ tyre clearance than any bike in this category. It’s running a 1X10 Microshift groupset which is generally well-received, it has modern frame features and lots of bikepacking mounts. The 22″ climbing gear is perfect and it’s tubeless-ready too.

My only criticism is that the handlebar will be very low for riders above 180cm/5ft11 – especially if you have long legs for your height.

Poseidon Redwood vs. 27.5″ Category Average
Weight: ~12.5kg – Category 10.8kg (16% more than average)
Steering Speed: 74mm – Category 65mm (14% slower than average)
Low Climbing Gear: 22 gear inches – Category 25 gear inches (12% lower than average)

27.5″ Gravel Ultralight – Diamondback Haanjo 6C ($2500)

I’ve recommended the Diamondback Haanjo ever since it came out, and the 2021 version is no exception.

This full-carbon 27.5″ gravel bike tips the scales at 9.7kg. It has a mid-range SRAM Rival 1X groupset paired with some rather nice Praxis cranks. The wheels are relatively lightweight and the bike is set up tubeless from the factory.

While the tyre clearance is not on the same level as the Redwood, the 50mm wide rubber will be great for the majority of gravel rides.

Diamondback Haanjo vs. 27.5″ Category Average
Weight: 9.7kg – Category 10.8kg (10% less than average)
Steering Speed: 69mm – Category 65mm (6% slower than average)
Low Climbing Gear: 24 gear inches – Category 25 gear inches (4% lower than average)

700C Gravel – Jamis Renegade S3 ($1349)

In the gravel 700C gravel category, I really like the Jamis Renegade steel.

For starters, it has one of the most thought-out frame geometries. The two smallest sizes come with 650B wheels which are a better fit for a smaller rider. They help reduce the frame standover and decreases the toe overlap. The fork offset is longer in the middle frame sizes, which aids in reducing toe overlap for average riders. You’ll notice the chainstays get longer as the bikes get bigger. This is how all gravel bikes should be sized as the long chainstays help to correct the front and rear weight distribution of a tall cyclist.

The Renegade is using a Shimano GRX 2X drivetrain to give it the holy trinity – a wide gear range, small gear jumps when you change gears and a lower climbing gear than almost all gravel bikes. This will make the drivetrain equally as nice to use on-road and off-road.

The frame uses smaller diameter steel tubing to increase the side-to-side flex of the bike when compared to other gravel bikes, which gives it a lively ride underneath you. Even though the frame is made from steel, the full-carbon fork helps to save lots of weight – resulting in an 11kg bike.

Bike Snapshot vs. 700C Category Average
Weight: 11.0kg – Category 10.2kg (8% more than average)
Steering Speed: 61mm – Category 68mm (10% faster than average)
Low Climbing Gear: 23 gear inches – Category 26 gear inches (9% lower than average)

700C Gravel Ultralight – Canyon Grail 7 ($1999)

Have you noticed that this is the fifth green bike in a row? This colour is clearly on trend!

If you’re after something ultralight and good value, it’s hard to go past the Canyon Grail 7. This aluminium bike with a carbon fork tips the scales at just 9.4kg.

It has been specced with a 2X11 Shimano GRX groupset which offers a better than usual 24″ climbing gear and hydraulic brakes. Other notable components on the Canyon include some nice DT Swiss wheels and a carbon seatpost which has been tuned to flex 5-10mm up and down, providing a silky-smooth ride on bumpy roads.

Canyon Grail 7 vs. 700C Category Average
Weight: 9.4kg – Category 10.2kg (8% less than average)
Steering Speed: 67mm – Category 68mm (same as average)
Low Climbing Gear: 24 gear inches – Category 26 gear inches (8% lower than average)

700C Gravel Allround – Trek Checkpoint ALR5 ($2099)

My all-round gravel category favours bikes that can squeeze in a bit more rubber than typical, in the case of the Checkpoint, you can sometimes fit 50mm or 2.0″ wide tyres.

The Checkpoint uses the highest tier of aluminium tubing to create a frame that’s only 1.5kg. It’s using the same Shimano GRX groupset as the Canyon so the climbing gear is also appropriately low and the hydro brakes nice and powerful.

This bike has an adjustable chainstay, which means that taller riders can select the longer length while shorter riders. It’s also available in three different colours, which is unusual on higher-end bikes.

Bike Snapshot vs. 700C Category Average
Weight: 10.2kg – Category 10.2kg (same as average)
Steering Speed: 61mm – Category 68mm (10% faster than average)
Low Climbing Gear: 24 gear inches – Category 26 gear inches (8% lower than average)

January 13, 2021
Touring VS Bikepacking Bikes: What Are The Actual Differences?
How is a bikepacking bike different to a touring bike? Is it just the bags? Or is there something unique about the bikes themselves?

I can already sense the keyboard warriors informing me that you can go touring or bikepacking on any bike. While that’s 100% true, it doesn’t mean we shouldn’t optimise a bike for our purposes. After all, you could drive a Ferrari around the world, but is that really the best car for the job at hand?

This article will be a comprehensive overview of the eight bike distinctions that separate a touring vs bikepacking bike.

Bikepacking Bikes Are Less Overbuilt

Touring bikes are designed to handle very heavy loads. The safety test protocol for most touring and bikepacking frames is usually around a rider and equipment weight of between 125 and 136kg – but this testing sets a floor, not a ceiling. While bikepacking bikes are designed closer to the minimum, top-tier touring bikes are regularly designed to handle more weight – even if the manufacturer doesn’t state it anywhere.

That said, we’ll soon see touring bikes advertising higher maximum weights, as bike testing companies are now providing certification right up to 180kg/400lb.

A bike designer not only needs to engineer their frames for the heaviest expected load of any of their customers, but they need to carefully select components that will not break too. As the wheels are the most likely component to fail on a touring bike, you will usually see very heavy-duty rims and higher spoke counts than on a bikepacking bike.

The downside to an overbuilt bike is that it’s heavier. Most bikepacking bikes are in the 10-14kg range, while similarly priced touring bikes are 14-17kg.

It’s worth noting that the components of your bike don’t really care whether you weigh 50kg and carry 40kg of luggage, or whether you weigh 80kg and carry 10kg. However, the location of weight does matter. If your equipment load is high, your frame needs to be stiff too.

Bikepacking Bikes Usually Have Less Frame Stiffness

Co-Motion uses the biggest diameter steel tubing available to maximise the frame stiffness of their touring lineup.

Frame stiffness usually goes hand-in-hand with an overbuilt bike. The top tube and down tube are the most important frame tubes, as they are the medium that resists most of the twisting forces between the front and rear luggage.

Touring bikes regularly use the largest-diameter, thickest-wall tubing. As the loads are more minimal on a bikepacking bike, frame designers can opt for lighter frame tubes, which aren’t as stiff but result in a more ‘lively’ ride when you go out pedalling without any of your luggage.

I characterise ‘liveliness’ as a frame that has noticeable but very minor amounts of frame flex. Optimising the liveliness of a bike requires a look at the riding style, power output and weight of the rider. It’s essentially impossible to create a ‘lively’ feeling bike that is also stiff enough to carry a heavy front and rear load. You can, however, use a lighter built frame, and carry a load at just one end, or you could carry your gear in a trailer instead.

Bikepacking loads can also be very heavy, especially if you’re carrying food for a week and 10 litres of water. If this is the kind of riding you do, you’ll want to make sure your bikepacking rig is just as stiff as a touring bike.

Bikepacking Bikes Have Different Mounts

The mounts are usually different between touring and bikepacking bikes, but the lines are getting pretty blurry these days.

A touring bike will always have rack and fender mounts, while a bikepacking bike will only sometimes have them. A bikepacking bike will almost always have a few cargo cage mounts, while a touring bike may not.

Additionally, bikepacking bikes can have mounts for a direct-mount frame pack and top tube bag, along with occasional mounts on the seatstays and chainstays too.

It’s pretty rare to find a kickstand mount on a bikepacking frame, but that’s ok – it’s easy to lean your bike to its handlebar with narrow bikepacking bags. A bike with panniers doesn’t lay down well, so that’s why kickstands are commonplace on touring bikes.

Bikepacking Bikes Have Shorter Chainstays

A touring bike has long chainstays for three reasons:
1. There is usually a significant rear weight bias due to the larger rear bags, and longer chainstays help to shift the centre of mass further forward.
2. By extending the wheelbase, you get a stability boost at speed with a heavy load.
3. To make sure your heels don’t strike your panniers when you ride.

In comparison, bikepacking bikes usually have 20-30mm shorter chainstays. Given the differing bag designs and low expected load, a bikepacking bike shouldn’t have any problems with heel strike or ride stability. The shorter chainstays will make the bike feel a bit more nimble and it will also be easier to lift your front wheel over obstacles.

If you’ve ever heard people say that short chainstays make a bike accelerate faster, well, it could be true when you factor in a handful of grams saved from the frame – but generally, it’s a pretty nonsensical claim.

Bikepacking Bikes Are Usually Intended For Off-Road Terrain

My Bikepacking Bike Buyer’s Guide bike categories:
Gravel & All Road Bikes – with 700C Wheels
Gravel & All Road Bikes – with 27.5″ Wheels
Off-Road Adventure Bikes – with 29″ Wheels
Off-Road Plus Bikes – with 3.0″ Tyres
Full Suspension Bikes – with 2.2-3.0″ Tyres
Fat Bikes – with 4.0-5.0″ Tyres

Just a quick look through the categories in my Bikepacking Bike Buyer’s Guide, and it’s clear these bikes are generally more purpose-built for off-road terrain. I classify bikepacking bikes based on the wheel specification because this is a key factor in determining how capable a bike will be on off-road terrain.

That said, bikepacking bikes can be purpose-built for the road too. Many of the gravel bikes in my book are really just fat tyre road bikes, which makes them the speediest option for a lightweight road tour.

My Touring Bicycle Buyer’s Guide bike categories:
Long Distance Touring – with Drop Handlebars
Long Distance Touring – with Flat Handlebars
Long Distance Trekking – with Flat Handlebars
Off-Road Touring – with Drop Handlebars
Off-Road Touring – with Flat Handlebars
Light Touring / Bikepacking / Gravel – with Drop Handlebars
Step-Through Touring – with Flat Handlebars

In comparison, a typical bike tour is conducted on much less varied surfaces (predominantly smooth roads), so the handlebar type is usually the best place to start when you’re choosing a touring bike.

There is a lot of crossover between bikes! Heavy-duty off-road bikes feature in both of my books, and provided gravel bikes have the mounts for racks and fenders, they often work their way into the “light touring” section of my Touring book too.

Bikepacking Bikes Have Higher Gear Ratios (Sometimes)

A touring bike should ideally have a climbing gear of around 20 gear inches or less. A bikepacking bike can get away with a higher climbing gear, as you are likely to be carrying less weight up a hill.

That said, bikepacking bikes are often focussed around off-road riding where the gradients are both steeper and more slippery. As a result, the best bikepacking bikes will have the equivalent climbing gears as a touring bike, and sometimes less.

Bikepacking Bikes Use 1X Drivetrains More Often Than Not

Across the majority of bikepacking bike categories in my book, 1X drivetrains are definitely the most popular option (42%, 66%, 36%, 70%, 100%, 95%). The notable exceptions are 700C gravel bikes, which are often built around road riding too, and strangely, 29″ off-road bikes.

1X drivetrains offer more tyre clearance and shorter chainstays when compared to a front derailleur setup. While they have larger gear jumps between each gear, on steeper terrain, you won’t need to make fine gear adjustments like you do on the road.

Bikepacking Bikes Use Less Field-Serviceable Components

The expected bikepacking trip duration is often shorter than a touring trip. This typically means that you spend more time around bike shops, so if something goes wrong, you can send parts in for warranty, obtain spares, or get a professional repair.

It’s common to find press-fit bottom bracket bearings, suspension forks, hydraulic brakes, integrated shifters, and titanium or carbon fibre on bikepacking bikes, but these are much less common features on a dedicated touring bike.

A touring bike usually has the simplest parts available, which require the basic tools found in shops anywhere in the world. That said, more complex parts such as integrated shifters and hydraulic brakes have recently proven to be quite reliable, so expect to see more of them on touring bikes in the coming years.

Can A Bike Be Designed For Both Bikepacking and Touring?

Absolutely!

The Co-Op Cycles ADV 4.2 is an excellent example. The bike uses overbuilt components that are kept somewhat simple (thumb shifters!). It has super low gear ratios (16″ climbing gear!), is very off-road capable (3.0″ tyres!) and has provision for touring racks and fenders, or cargo cage bags.

The build is tough, and it shows, with its 16kg/35lb weight. The frame geometry is much closer to a touring bike, with a long wheelbase and upright handlebars. You could set the bike up with panniers for a long tour, or alternatively, as a lighter and faster off-road setup.

Touring vs Bikepacking Bike Summary

TOURING BIKES:
- Tougher frames and components
- Stiffer frames to handle higher loads
- Ride great with luggage
- Lower gear ratios on average
- Rack and fender mounts at a minimum
- Simple components
BIKEPACKING BIKES:
- Less overbuilt frames and components
- Reduced frame stiffness for lighter loads
- A more ‘lively’ ride unloaded
- Slightly higher gear ratios on average
- Cargo cage mounts at a minimum
- More advanced components
Which Bike Should You Use?

I need to reiterate: you can use whatever bike you want for touring and bikepacking!

But if you want to optimise your setup, you should consider your total load, the surfaces you will ride, the steepness of the terrain, the bag setup you prefer and whether you will have access to spare parts or workshops with the appropriate tools.

A decent bikepacking-touring hybrid is an off-road bike that’s overbuilt, has generous tyre clearances, and mounts for racks, fenders and cargo cage bags.
July 8, 2020
The 16 Best Bikepacking Bikes For 2020

There are more than 190 bikes across six different categories in my Bikepacking Bike Buyer’s Guide – and in this article, I’m going to choose the top 2 or 3 best bikepacking bikes, for each genre.

The categories include:
Gravel & All Road Bikes – with 700C Wheels
Gravel & All Road Bikes – with 27.5″ Wheels
Off-Road Adventure Bikes – with 29″ Wheels
Off-Road Plus Bikes – with 2.6-3.0″ Tyres
Full Suspension Bikes – with 2.2-3.0″ Tyres
Fat Bikes – with 4.0-5.0″ Tyres

The Bikepacking Bike Buyer’s Guide takes a close look at the best bikepacking bikes, including their frame features, steering speeds, tyre widths, gear ratios, weights and more. It’s designed so that the front section of the book informs you about the key bike characteristics, then I teach you how to size up a bike, compare the different bike models using a few tools, and at the end, you’ll find the bike listings section. You can find out more information about it HERE.

Selection Criteria

The bikepacking bikes I’ve picked have been narrowed down based on price, which means everything I talk about here, represents great value for the performance it offers.

I’ve also carefully considered whether the components, frame geometry and features match to the intended use of the bike. This includes details like the maximum tyre widths, the climbing gear ratios, the mounting points on the frame and, of course, the bike’s weight.

And lastly, most of the bikes listed here are available in multiple regions of the world – as what’s the good in a bike which you cannot buy?

Here are the best bikepacking bikes for 2020.

Best Bikepacking Bikes: Gravel & All-Road 700C

Cannondale Topstone Sora

~10.5kg and US $1299

Even with the price jump this year, the Cannondale Topstone Sora undoubtedly comes out on top in the gravel category. For a bit over a thousand dollars, you get a lightweight aluminium frame with multiple bottle cage mounts, a cargo cage mount and a top tube bag direct mount. The fork is full carbon, including the steerer tube, which is unheard of at this price. And thanks to the sub-compact crankset and wide range cassette, the 24” climbing gear is as low as it gets in this bike category. If you need lower gears, the 9-speed Shimano gearing makes it very easy to retrofit a mountain bike derailleur and cassette for tackling even steeper climbs. The only downside is the lack of fork mounts, but there are many cargo cage options these days which will fit a regular carbon fork.

Fuji Jari 1.1

9.5kg and US $2149

Stepping up to $2149 gets you a lot of bike! The Fuji Jari 1.1 is well under 10kg and is equipped with Shimano’s second-tier road groupset, Ultegra, along with an FSA 46-30t sub-compact crankset. This also provides the same low climbing gear of 24 gear inches as the Cannondale. The frameset will clear 45mm tyres but that number can stretch to 47mm if you throw in a 650B wheelset. On the frame, you’ll find 3 bottle cage mounts, there are top tube direct mounts, and on the carbon fork, there are cage mounts on either side. The Jari also has a particularly broad size range with frames in seven sizes from XXS to XXL.

Marin Headlands 1

~9.6kg and US $2399

My final pick in the 700C gravel category is the Marin Headlands 1. This full-carbon bike has more mounts than most, including a few under the top tube so that you can fit a direct mount frame pack. While most carbon bikes use press-fit bottom brackets, the Headlands has kept servicing simple with a threaded bottom bracket shell. The Headlands long frame geometry has been designed to suit short stems – if you’d like to find out more I’d suggest checking out my bikepacking trends article. Being carbon, this bike tips the scales at just 9.7kg and offers a relatively low 26 inch climbing gear out of its 1X drivetrain. Other notable frame features are the provision for full fenders and internal cable routing for dropper seatposts.

Best Bikepacking Bikes: Gravel & All-Road 27.5″

Salsa Journeyman

11.3kg and US $999

My budget bike of choice is the flat bar Salsa Journeyman Sora. This bike has a frame geometry ripe for an alt handlebar conversion such as my KOGA Denham Bars or the Surly Molokos, which will provide both an aerodynamic hand positioning along with the stability of a wide flat bar. The Journeyman uses an aluminium frame and carbon fork to keep the weight down to 11.3kg, which is really decent for a bike under a thousand dollars.

All City Gorilla Monsoon

13.2kg and US $2099

The most capable 27.5 gravel bike is the Gorilla Monsoon. This is one of the only drop-bar bikes that can squeeze in 2.4″ off-road tyres, and it’s designed to also happily accommodate some 47mm slicks with full fenders. Yep, with just a simple tyre change, the Gorilla Monsoon can be both incredibly capable on the dirt, but also fast on the pavement. The 1X drivetrain is perhaps a little limiting for both on-road and off-road, but you can play with the front chainring to get the ratios right. I really like the fade paint job on this bike, along with the twin-plate fork crown and the fact it has mounts for Surly-8 and 24-Pack rando racks.

Diamondback Haanjo EXP

9.7kg and US $1999

This is the 27.5 gravel bike with the lowest climbing gear! At just 21 gear inches, you should be able to comfortably ride up the steepest road gradients, and given the bike weighs just 9.7kg, it certainly won’t hold you back either. While the frameset uses a modern lightweight carbon construction, Diamondback has kept the parts simple, fitting bar-end shifters, TRP cable disc brakes and a threaded bottom bracket to the bike. This bike will clear 27.5 x 2.0″ tyres, it has 3x bidon mounts on the frame and provision for front and rear racks. The Haanjo’s $1999 sticker price is particularly low when you consider the weight and specification.

Best Bikepacking Bikes: Off-Road Adventure 29″

Breezer Radar Expert

12.9kg and $969

The Breezer Radar Expert is perhaps the most underrated bikepacking bike available! For under a thousand dollars, you get a steel drop-bar bike that will clear 2.2″ mountain bike tyres. It has five bottle mounts on the frame and fork, along with a sub-compact road crankset to achieve a climbing gear of 24 gear inches. If that’s not low enough for you, I suspect the rear derailleur will be able to squeeze in a cassette, with a 40 tooth bailout gear. The only downside is that the Radar Expert is a bit on the porky side – it’s 12.9kg – but that was always going to be the case for a bike at this price.

Ghost Fire Road Rage

9.6kg and €2599

Here is a bike you may not have seen before… and it is wild! The Ghost Fire Road Rage is a full carbon rig that weighs just 9.4kg with mountain bike tyres. It has more mounts than a Surly, including a very neat cargo cage mount under the top tube. The bike comes stock with moderately low 25″ climbing gear, but the nice thing with SRAM components is that you can easily fit a larger cassette and mountain bike derailleur if steep off-road riding is your jam. For such a light and capable bike in this category, the €2599 price tag is high, but not totally unreasonable.

Salsa Fargo Apex

12.7kg and US $1999

In 2009, Salsa released the first drop bar 29er to the market, and it took years for other manufacturers to catch up. These days the Fargo is still one of the most capable drop bar bikes, offering 29 x 2.6″ tyre clearance, compatibility with 3.0” tyres on 27.5+ wheelsets, and the ability to fit a Rohloff 14-speed gearbox hub and belt drivetrain – in fact, you can even build the Fargo up from a frameset if you like. The Fargo frame geometry is super upright and stable with its long wheelbase and slow steering. The SRAM Apex model is actually $400 cheaper than last year, and that’s even with the awesome Salsa Firestarter carbon fork running 2 cargo cage mounts on either side. Like many Salsa bikes, perfectly-fitting frame packs are available for the Fargo in all sizes.

Best Bikepacking Bikes: Plus Bikes 2.6″ to 3.0″

Bombtrack Beyond+

13.8kg and €1899

Your classic 27.5+ bikepacking bike is the Bombtrack Beyond+. This steel bike has top tube bag direct mounts, as well as triple cage mounts on both seat stays, on both sides of the down tube, and on both sides of the fork. It’s running a SRAM NX Eagle drivetrain that provides a 17” climbing gear to take you right up into the mountains, and a stable frame geometry to get you back down.

Surly Bridge Club

14kg and US $1200

The Surly Bridge Club is one of my favourite flat bar bikes. This simple steel rig is $1200, it has an 18 gear inch climbing gear from the new SRAM SX 1X drivetrain and it will clear 27.5 x 2.8″ tyres (26 x 3.0″ or 700C x 47mm too). It’s also got all the braze-ons you need for bikepacking, including mounts for the Surly-8 and 24-Pack rando racks. And should you fit some fat 2.4” Schwalbe Super Moto-X slicks and fenders, this bike will be great on a dirt road tour too.

Kona Unit X

~14.1kg and US $1399

While 29 x 2.6 inch is technically not a plus bike size, it’s close enough, and the Kona Unit X is such a great value adventure bike. It offers the same SRAM 1X drivetrain and hydraulic disc brakes as many of its rivals, but it often undercuts them on price. Given the long frame reach, short stem and slack head angle, the bike will handle technical terrain particularly well. The Unit X is also a pretty economical way to complete a Rohloff build, as it’s fitted with sliding dropouts to get the job done. Actually, scrap that, the single-speed version would be the best bike to start with.

Best Bikepacking Bikes: Full Suspension

Scott Spark 950

13.9kg and US $2899

The Scott Spark 950 has everything you want out of a full suspension trail bike: a slack head tube angle, a long top tube, a short stem, wide handlebars, a dropper seatpost and clearance for 2.6″ tyres. It’s running a Fox fork and shock, and Scott’s suspension lockout system which stiffens everything up using a single lever on the bars. The vertical shock arrangement of the Spark provides ample space for a frame pack, and the bike’s weight of 13.9kg is quite decent considering it’s running 120mm front and rear travel, a dropper post and a sticker price under three thousand dollars.

Giant Anthem 29 2

12.7kg and US $2940

If you’d prefer something lighter and faster, check out the Giant Anthem 29 2. I’ve spent a fair bit of time riding Anthems over the years, they’re definitely fast and capable, and this model, in particular, has decent mid-tier Fox suspension, and the new Shimano SLX 12-speed drivetrain. The sub-$3K Anthem offers a large frame triangle for a frame pack, and it tips the scales at about 12.7kg.

Best Bikepacking Bikes: Fat Bikes 3.8″ to 5.0″

Kona Woo

~13.4kg and US $2099

The new Kona Woo is your classic fat bike. It’s running 4.8” wide tyres, a 1X drivetrain and a lightweight frameset. The aluminium frame and full carbon fork help to keep the weight of the bike down at around 13.4kg. The Woo is running particularly short chainstays for a fat bike which should make it especially playful on the trails.

Otso Voytek

11.5kg and US $3400

If you’d like something lighter and more versatile, you can’t go past the Otso Voytek. This carbon bike may be the most expensive in this list, but at 11.5kg, it’s light, and it comes with some great features. While most fat bikes have a very wide crank distance between the pedals, the Otso is a just 10mm wider than normal. This reduces knee strain by bringing the pedals closer together, and it provides extra cornering clearance too. The Voytek is also able to adapt to different wheel sizes using special sliding dropouts which change both the chainstay length and the bottom bracket height. This means you compromise much less than normal when choosing between regular mountain bike tyres, 3.0” plus tyres, 4” mid-fat tyres or a full-fat set up like you see pictured.

WANT TO COMPARE THE BEST BIKEPACKING BIKES?

Check out my new book, the 2020 Bikepacking Bike Buyer’s Guide which compares steering speed, sizing, gear ratios, weight, pricing and more. This guide is updated annually with the latest models at no extra cost!

THE CHAPTERS INCLUDE:

What is a Bikepacking Bike?
Frame Material and Construction
Bike Weight
Optimizing Overall Weight
Bike Positioning
Comfort – Handlebars
Comfort – Saddles
Comfort – Components
Gear Range
Gear Shifting and Parts
Pedals and Clipping In
Brakes
Tyres
Wheels – Size Options
Wheels – Components
Suspension
Full Suspension
Dropper Posts
Important Upgrades
Mounting Luggage
Price and Value
Different Types of Bikepacking Bike
Narrowing Your Options

YOU THEN HAVE THE TOOLS TO COMPARE BIKEPACKING BIKES:

How to Best Use This Guide
How to Size Up and Compare Bike Sizes
Advanced Sizing Factors
Comparing Steering Feel
Comparing Gear Inches

THERE ARE 190+ BIKE LISTINGS:

50+ Gravel & All Road Bikes – with 700C Wheels
40+ Gravel & All Road Bikes – with 27.5″ Wheels
20+ Off-Road Adventure Bikes – with 29″ Wheels
30+ Off-Road Plus Bikes – with 3.0″ Tyres
20+ Full Suspension Bikes – with 2.2-3.0″ Tyres
20+ Fat Bikes – with 4.0-5.0″ Tyres

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November 3, 2019
Analysing The Key Stats From 191 Bikepacking Bikes: Drivetrains, Weights, Frame Materials

Every year I update the Bikepacking Bike Buyer’s Guide, which provides me with a huge amount of data around bike geometry, parts, tyre clearance, pricing, bike weights and more. Today we’ll be taking a look at some of the key statistics from the 2020 update.

I’ve split bikepacking bikes into six distinct categories in my buyer’s guide, and that’s how I’ll present them here too. Everything is broken down using percentages to show the popularity of each of the bike features and components. I’ve also included average bike weights and climbing gear ratios.

Today we’ll be comparing:
Frame Material – The construction material used for the bike frame.
Drivetrain Type – 1X (no front derailleur), 2X (front derailleur and two chainrings) or other (3X, Rohloff hub, Pinion gearbox).
Max Tyre Width – The maximum tyre width that the frame and fork can accommodate.
Weight – The bike weights averaged out from the bike category.
Climbing Gear – The lowest climbing gears, in gear inches, averaged out for each category.
Colour – The most popular colour in each category.

700C Gravel & All-Road Bikes

The GT Grade is a typical gravel bike for 2020, utilising a carbon frame, 2X drivetrain and with clearance for 700x42mm tyres.

Gravel and all-road bikes are built to be fast on both sealed and dirt roads. The majority of bikes in this category are constructed out of carbon to keep the weight down, in fact, the lightest gravel bike in my book is just 8.5kg (18.7lb) and more than 50% tip the scales at under 10kg (22lb).

Frame Material
1. Carbon (40%)
2. Aluminium (27%)
3. Steel (25%)
4. Titanium (8%)

Given the need for higher gear ratios on sealed surfaces, it’s not surprising to see that 2X drivetrains are preferred over 1X. While the reduced gear range and bigger jumps between gears are fine for mountainous terrain, 2X is still the preference for smoother, rolling terrain.

Drivetrain
1. 2X (58%)
2. 1X (42%)
3. Other (2%)

Most gravel bikepacking bikes have a tyre clearance of between 42 and 45mm, but there are still many options that can squeeze in a 50mm tyre too.

Maximum Tyre Width
1. 41-45mm (62%)
2. 46-52mm (25%)
3. 35 to 40mm (13%)

The average weight across this category is 11.2kg, and the lowest climbing gear works out to be 29 gear inches. In my experience, this is a little over-geared for a loaded bikepacking bike, but you can easily choose the bikes with a more appropriate 23 gear inch low gear if you’re looking to be the best climber you can. As more manufacturers spec sub-compact cranksets and wider range cassettes to their gravel bikes, we can expect the climbing gear to lower over time.

Averages
Weight (11.2kg)
Climbing Gear (29 gear inches)

Interestingly, a third of all gravel bikes are given a grey colourway!

Most Popular Colour
Grey (33%)

27.5″ Gravel & All-Road Bikes

The Fairlight Secan is a typical 27.5″ gravel bike for 2020, with a steel frame, 1X drivetrain and clearance for 27.5×2.2″ tyres.

While steel frames only made up a quarter of the 700C gravel bikes, they make up over a third for the rougher-road-oriented 27.5″ bikes. Carbon is almost as popular (with another third of the share), and aluminium + titanium make up that final third.

Frame Material
1. Steel (35%)
2. Carbon (32%)
3. Aluminium (26%)
4. Titanium (7%)

Given the intended use of many 27.5″ gravel bikes, it’s not surprising to see that 1X drivetrains are more popular here. 1X drivetrains also help provide extra tyre clearance at the chainstay for knobby mountain bike tyres (2.1″ or wider) like those pictured on the Fairlight Secan above.

Drivetrain
1. 1X (66%)
2. 2X (30%)
3. Other (4%)

Maximum Tyre Width
1. 2.1″ or wider (68%)
2. 2.0″ or narrower (32%)

The average bike weight between the 700C and 27.5″ models is almost identical (11.2kg vs 11.1kg). The climbing gear drops a touch too, thanks to the wide range cassettes (often 11-42t) on the 1X drivetrains.

Averages
Weight (11.1kg)
Climbing Gear (27 gear inches)

Grey is the most popular colour for both 700C and 27.5″ gravel bikes, so it can be assumed that the majority of people who buy gravel bikes are accountants. 😬

Most Popular Colour
Grey (26%)

29″ Off-Road Bikepacking Bikes

The Genesis Vagabond is a typical 29″ off-road bike for 2020, with a steel frame, 2X drivetrain and clearance for 29×2.1″ tyres.

Switching to the 29er off-road bikepacking bikes results in more steel and less carbon frames. Steel is often preferred in the backcountry as it provides great defect tolerance – if it’s going to fail, it bends and dents rather than shattering or snapping. It’ll also handle more directions of force, for example, a side impact or stick in the wheel.

Frame Material
1. Steel (54%)
2. Aluminium (23%)
3. Carbon (14%)
4. Titanium (9%)

Strangely, there are quite a few 2X drivetrains found on 29″ off-road bikepacking bikes! This is actually quite nice to see, as the 2X bikes almost all have lower climbing gears than the 1X options in this category.

Drivetrain
1. 2X (45%)
2. 1X (36%)
3. Other (19%)

You can use a 2.1 to 2.3″ tyre with most 29er bikes and many more are fitting even wider tyres too thanks to wider cranksets/BBs and ‘boost’ rear axle spacing.

Maximum Tyre Width
1. 2.1 to 2.3″ (68%)
2. 2.4″ or wider (32%)

The average 29er bike is a bit heavier than a 27.5″ gravel bike, but not by much (11.8kg vs 11.1kg). In addition, you get lower gear ratios for off-road use, and if you shop around, you’ll find many bikes with 20-23″ climbing gears too.

Averages
Weight (11.8kg)
Climbing Gear (24 gear inches)

The most popular colour for a 29″ off-road bikepacking bike is blue.

Most Popular Colour
Blue (18%)

Bikepacking Plus Bikes

The Bombtrack Beyond+ is a typical plus bike for 2020, with a steel frame, 1X drivetrain and clearance for 27.5×3.0″ tyres.

In the plus bike category – bikes which are tailored around off-road backcountry riding – the frames are overwhelmingly steel. And there’s not a single carbon bike in sight!

Frame Material
1. Steel (81%)
2. Aluminium (12%)
7. Titanium (7%)

Drivetrains for plus bikes are overwhelmingly 1X. This is mostly because a front derailleur almost always constrains the rear tyre clearance, especially if the bike manufacturer is looking to use short chainstays.

Drivetrain
1. 1X (70%)
2. 2X (19%)
3. Other (11%)

27.5+ bikes are twice as popular as 29+ bikes! One of the main reasons for this is that you can fit a regular 29×2.2″ wheelset into a 27.5+ bike to make it faster and lighter when you need. This is good for manufacturers because they can have one frame with two different build options, but it also means you can have one bike and two different wheelsets to optimise for all kinds of different terrain.

Maximum Tyre Width
1. 27.5+ (59%)
2. 29+ (30%)
3. 29×2.6″ (11%)

Plus bikes, with their steel framesets, tip the scales at 13.9kg on average. The climbing gears are almost all under 20 gear inches which is almost ideal for off-road backcountry stuff.

Averages
Weight (13.9kg)
Climbing Gear (19.5 gear inches)

The most popular colour is again blue!

Most Popular Colour
Blue (22%)

Full-Suspension Bikepacking Bikes

The Specialized Epic Comp Evo is a full-suspension bike for 2020, with an aluminium frame, 1X drivetrain and clearance for 29×2.4″ tyres.

Full suspension mountain bikes are either aluminium or carbon. Usually, it’s aluminium under US $3000 and carbon over $3000 but there are exceptions. These two frame materials are best for full suspension frame construction as they’re much more customisable (frame shapes, forming, butting profiles etc) than steel or titanium – in addition to being lighter.

Frame Material
1. Aluminium (50%)
1. Carbon (50%)

1X drivetrains make up 100% of mountain bike builds. A full suspension bike sees almost all of its time on trails, so this keeps things simple and allows for better frame design thanks to not needing space for a front derailleur mount.

Drivetrain
1. 1X (100%)

Most full suspension bikes that I’ve chosen for my book are designed around xc tyres, but as the 29×2.6″ tyre size becomes more popular, almost half of all bikes in this list will happily accept something fatter.

Maximum Tyre Width
1. 29×2.2″ to 2.4″ (55%)
2. 29×2.5″ or wider (45%)

Interestingly, a full suspension bike is on-average lighter than a rigid plus bike. While price certainly has something to do with this, it just goes to show how heavy most steel frames are. As you’d expect, the climbing gears on mountain bikes are universally suited to off-road terrain.

Averages
Weight (13.4kg)
Climbing Gear (18.6 gear inches)

Blue strikes again! Over one-third of full suspension bikes come in a blue tone. Must be the colour of 2020!

Most Popular Colour
Blue (35%)

Fat Bikes

The Kona Woo is a typical fat bike for 2020, with an aluminium frame, 1X drivetrain and clearance for 26×5.0″ tyres.

And finally, we have fat bikes! It might surprise you that the sheer majority are either aluminium or carbon, but this makes sense. Fat bike rims and tyres are really heavy, so if you can shave a few kilograms from the frame and fork the bike is going to ride much nicer. Not to mention that the tyres absorb so much shock that nobody could possibly tell if a steel or aluminium frame was underneath them…

Frame Material
1. Aluminium (47%)
2. Carbon (26%)
3. Steel (16%)
4. Titanium (11%)

All but one bike was using a 1X drivetrain to maximise the tyre clearance.

Drivetrain
1. 1X (95%)
2. 2X (5%)

26″ fat bike wheels are still the most popular size (and the only ones available in a 5.0″ width), although the 27.5×3.8″
mid-fat bike options are certainly growing.

Rim Diameter
1. 26″ wheels (68%)
2. 27.5″ wheels (32%)

Again, fat bikes are on average lighter than a plus bike because they employ much lighter frameset materials. The climbing gears are appropriate for fat bike use – you may even want to go lower.

Averages
Weight (13.7kg / 30.2lb)
Climbing Gear (18.4 gear inches)

Blue is again the most popular colour for fat bikes!

Most Popular Colour
Blue (25%)

If You’re Keen To Learn Everything About Bikepacking Bikes, Find My Buyer’s Guide HERE

October 29, 2019
The 16 Best Bikepacking Bikes In 2019

I’ve spent the last few months writing a new book on bikepacking bikes! The Bikepacking Bike Buyer’s Guide takes a close look at the best bikepacking bikes, including their frame features, steering speeds, tyre widths, gear ratios, weights and more. It’s designed so that the front section of the book informs you about the key bike characteristics, then I teach you how to size up a bike, compare the different bike models using a few tools, and at the end, you’ll find the bike listings section.

I thought I’d share my personal bike picks based on the extensive research and time I’ve put into mulling over the data. There are more than 180+ bikes across six categories to compare in the Bikepacking Bike Buyer’s Guide; I’ve broken this article into the same six categories.

The categories include:
Gravel & All Road Bikes – with 700C Wheels
Gravel & All Road Bikes – with 27.5″ Wheels
Off-Road Adventure Bikes – with 29″ Wheels
Off-Road Plus Bikes – with 3.0″ Tyres
Full Suspension Bikes – with 2.2-3.0″ Tyres
Fat Bikes – with 4.0-5.0″ Tyres

Without further ado, here are my picks for the best bikepacking bikes of 2019.

Selection Criteria

Capability
Factors in the frameset features including the geometry and mounts available. Also accounts for the maximum tyre width, the gear ratios and the weight of the bike.

Price
All the bikepacking bikes that I have listed represent very good value for the performance and features that they offer.

Availability
What’s the good in a great bike that’s impossible to buy? The bikes I’ve selected here are often available in multiple regions of the world.

Best Bikepacking Bikes: Gravel & All-Road 700C

Cannondale Topstone Sora // ~10.5kg and US $1050
When you factor in price, the 2019 Cannondale Topstone undoubtedly comes out on top in the gravel and all-road category. The aluminium frame features a threaded bottom bracket shell (big tick), rear rack mounts, internal cable routing in the downtube, routing for a dropper seatpost, 3x bidon cage mounts, a cargo cage mount and top tube bag mount. The frame is able to accommodate 700 x 42c tyres and probably 650B x 47c too. The fork is full carbon (unheard of at this price) and thanks to the sub-compact crankset and wide range cassette, the climbing gear ratio is 24 gear inches. If you need lower gears, the 9-speed Shimano gearing makes it very easy to retrofit a mountain bike derailleur and cassette for tackling even steeper climbs. The only downside is the lack of fork mounts, but there are many cargo cage options these days which will fit a regular carbon fork. Oh, did I mention a Topstone Sora is just a thousand bucks??

Fuji Jari 1.1 // 9.5kg and US $2149
Stepping up to $2149 gets you a lot of bike! The aluminium Jari 1.1 is equipped with Shimano’s second-tier road groupset, Ultegra, along with an FSA 46-30t adventure crankset to achieve a 24″ low gear. The frameset will clear 700 x 45c tyres but that number can stretch to 47c if you throw in a 650B wheelset. There are 3x bidon mounts on the frame, 2x on the carbon fork and there’s also space on the top tube for a direct mount bag. The Jari also has a particularly broad size range with frames in seven sizes from XXS to XXL.

Best Bikepacking Bikes: Gravel & All-Road 27.5″

All-City Gorilla Monsoon // 13.2kg and US $2099
I really like what All City have done with the Gorilla Monsoon. This is a bike that can accommodate 27.5 x 2.4″ rubber, or alternatively 650B x 47c slicks with full fenders. That makes this steel bike incredibly capable on the dirt, and with a quick tyre change, you could also be motoring along the road with a wide set of slicks. It has a super cool twin-plate fork crown and the mounts for Surly-8 and 24-Pack rando-ish racks. The All City is fitted with a 1x drivetrain with a 24-94″ gear range which is a little overgeared for steep off-road terrain, but will be good for most occasions. Should you want lower gears, the wider-than-usual 73mm threaded bottom bracket shell makes fitting MTB front derailleurs and MTB cranksets very easy (eg. 48/36/26t or 42/28t). The cherry on top is the dropper seatpost which allows you to reduce your centre of mass for steep descents.

Bombtrack EXT-C // 9.6kg and €2999
The lightweight alternative to the Gorilla Monsoon is the EXT-C. This carbon bike tips the scales at just 9.6kg, yet will still squeeze in 27.5 x 2.1″ mountain bike tyres (or 700 x 45c slicks). The frame features a relatively upright geometry, space for 3x bidon cages and has front and rear rack provision. The fork will mount 2x cargo cages while the Hunt Adventure Sport wheelset tips the scales at just 1549 grams, giving the bike a light feel thanks to its low rotating mass. The gear range is a touch high with a 26″ low gear, but that’s easily changed either with a smaller chainring or a larger cassette.

Diamondback Haanjo EXP // 9.7kg and US $1999
This carbon bike is a unique fusion between proven touring components and modern materials. You’ll find a 27-speed touring groupset with a super low gear of 21 gear inches, barend shifters, TRP cable disc brakes and a threaded bottom bracket shell. These well-proven touring parts are blended with an ultralight carbon frameset that clears 27.5 x 2.0″ tyres, resulting in a sub-10kg build. This bike has 3x bidon mounts on the frame and provision for front and rear racks. It also has a particularly low sticker price when you consider the weight and specification.

Masi Giramondo // ~12.5kg and US $1349
The Giramondo is another really overlooked bike. It’s not the lightest, but it’s a super sturdy steel build with provision for lots of bidon cages, as well as rack and fender mounts. I particularly like the 3x touring groupset which achieves a very wide gear range of 19-111 gear inches, which is perfect for all riding conditions. It’s also running reliable and field-servicable parts including TRP cable disc brakes and barend shifters. This bike should be capable enough on rougher trails given the 27.5 x 2.1″ tyres that come fitted.

Best Bikepacking Bikes: Off-Road Adventure 29″

Breezer Radar Expert // 12.9kg and $1069
This is perhaps the most underrated bikepacking bike available! For a touch over a thousand dollars, you get a steel dropbar bike that will clear 29 x 2.2″ mountain bike tyres. It has 5x bidon mounts on the frame and fork, along with a 46-30t adventure crankset to achieve a climbing gear of 24 gear inches. If that’s not low enough, I suspect the long-cage Deore rear derailleur should be able to squeeze in a SunRace 11-40t cassette with a few adjustments. The only downside is that the Radar Expert is a bit on the porky side, but that was always going to be the case for a bike at this price.

Ghost Fire Road Rage // 9.6kg and €2599
Here’s another bike you may not have seen before, but it’s wild! This full carbon bike is under 10kg with 29 x 2.0″ mountain bike tyres. It has more mounts than a Surly, including a neat cargo cage mount under the top tube. It comes stock with moderately low gearing (25″ climbing gear), but the nice thing with SRAM components is that you can easily fit a wider range cassette and mountain bike derailleur if steep off-road riding is your jam.

Salsa Fargo Tiagra // 12.7kg and US $1999
In 2009, Salsa released the first drop bar 29er to the market, and it took years for other manufacturers to catch up. These days the Fargo is still one of the most capable drop bar bikes, offering 29 x 2.6″ tyre clearance, 27.5+ wheel compatibility and the ability to fit a Rohloff 14-speed hub and belt drivetrain. The Fargo geometry is super upright and stable with its long wheelbase and slow steering, so this bike will undoubtedly offer a super comfy ride. I particularly like the Tiagra model which is under $2K with the Firestarter carbon fork (4x cargo cage mounts!), TRP cable disc brakes and a 2x setup. Lastly, Salsa EXP framebags are available for the Fargo in all sizes!

Best Bikepacking Bikes: Plus Bikes 2.8″ to 3.0″

Kona Unit X // ~14.1kg and US $1299
When it comes to 27.5+ hardtails with a trail geometry, the Unit takes the cake. It offers the same SRAM NX drivetrain (19″ low gear) and hydraulic disc brakes as many of its rivals, but easily undercuts them on price. The Unit X is also a pretty economical way to complete a Rohloff build, as it’s fitted with sliding dropouts to get the job done. If you’re attempting steep technical descents or just want to squeeze more capability out of the bike, I recommend fitting a suspension fork to make it slay even harder. Given its long reach, short stem and slack head angle, it will handle technical terrain particularly well.

Surly Bridge Club // 14kg and US $1200
The Surly Bridge Club is one of my favourite flat bar bikes. It’s just US $1200, it has a 17 gear inch climbing gear and it can fit 27.5 x 2.8″, 26 x 3.0″ or 700 x 47c tyres. It has also got all the braze-ons you need for touring, including mounts for the Surly-8 and 24-Pack rando-ish racks. Fit some fat slicks (Schwalbe Super Moto X) and fenders and you can take this bike on a long road tour too.

Tumbleweed Prospector // ~15kg and US $4300
Here’s another bike you might not have heard about. The Tumbleweed Prospector is designed around a 14-speed Rohloff hub but can fit derailleurs too. There’s room for 26 × 4.0″ fat bike tyres, 27.5 × 3.25″ plus tyres or even 29 × 2.6″ rubber. The front and rear axle spacing is the same width, allowing you to fit a rear wheel on the front at a pinch. The frame will also allow you to fit a suspension fork, front and rear racks, cargo cages and full fenders – all of these details make it incredibly versatile. It’s not cheap at US $4300 for a complete Rohloff build, but the frame has some really nice finishing touches and the internally geared hub elevates the price by at least a thousand dollars too.

Best Bikepacking Bikes: Full Suspension

Scott Spark 950 // 13.9kg and US $2899
This rig has everything you want out of a full suspension trail bike. A slack 67-degree head angle, long top tube, short stem, wide handlebars, dropper post and clearance for 29 x 2.6″ tyres. It’s running a Fox fork and shock and Scott’s suspension lockout system which stiffens everything up using a single lever on the bars. The vertical shock arrangement provides ample space for a custom framebag which will lower the bike’s centre-of-mass on the trail. The bike’s weight is also quite decent considering it’s running 120mm front and rear travel, a dropper post and a sub-3K sticker price.

Canyon Lux CF SL 6 // 11.8kg and US $2999
If weight and speed is your priority, it’s hard to go past this carbon race bike. For US $2999 you get a bike that tips the scales at just 11.8kg/26.0lb, is fitted with mid-range RockShox suspension and uses a wide 1x gear range with 50t bailout gear. The horizontal shock arrangement leaves a very generous space for a large framebag too. To travel faster, you can switch the Maxxis tyres out to some Vittoria Mezcal or Continental Race Kings which have a reduced rolling resistance.

Best Bikepacking Bikes: Fat Bikes 3.8″ to 5.0″

Salsa Mukluk Deore // 14.7kg and US $1899
The Mukluk offers everything you want out of an ultra-capable fat bike. It’ll squeeze in 4.8″ rubber on 26-inch rims, and the cool thing is that these tyres are a similar overall diameter to 29 x 3.0″, giving you the option to run a faster wheelset if you like. The frame has full-length internal cable routing which keeps the cables hidden from the elements, and the Alternator dropouts allow you to fit a Rohloff 14-speed hub. The aluminium Mukluk comes with a carbon fork, 1x drivetrain (20″ low gear), hydraulic brakes and ample provision for bidon and cargo cages. The Mukluk is also available with a carbon frame which sheds 900 grams off the bike’s weight, EXP framebags are available for all sizes too.

The Rocky Mountain Suzi Q bikepacking bike.

Rocky Mountain Suzi Q 70 // 11.5kg and US $3199
With a bit of extra cash, you can get a carbon bike that sheds 3kg from the typical weight of a fat bike. The Rocky Mountain is running 27.5 x 3.8″ tyres which have the same diameter as a 29 x 3.0″ wheelset, giving you the option for a faster ride. The crank q-factor (distance between pedals) on the SuziQ is just 10mm wider than a regular mountain bike, which is considered to offer a more optimal biomechanical fit (most fat bikes have cranks that are 30mm+ wider). The SuziQ comes with a carbon fork, a 1x drivetrain, Shimano hydraulic brakes and multiple cargo cages on the frame and fork.

Want To Compare The Best Bikepacking Bikes?

Check out my new book, the 2019 Bikepacking Bike Buyer’s Guide which compares steering speed, sizing, gear ratios, weight, pricing and more. This guide is updated annually with the latest models at no extra cost! It’s currently on pre-sale for 25% off and will be launched on June 25 this year.

THE CHAPTERS INCLUDE:

What is a Bikepacking Bike?
Frame Material and Construction
Bike Weight
Optimizing Overall Weight
Bike Positioning
Comfort – Handlebars
Comfort – Saddles
Comfort – Components
Gear Range
Gear Shifting and Parts
Pedals and Clipping In
Brakes
Tyres
Wheels – Size Options
Wheels – Components
Suspension
Full Suspension
Dropper Posts
Important Upgrades
Mounting Luggage
Price and Value
Different Types of Bikepacking Bike
Narrowing Your Options

YOU THEN HAVE THE TOOLS TO COMPARE BIKEPACKING BIKES:

How to Best Use This Guide
How to Size Up and Compare Bike Sizes
Advanced Sizing Factors
Comparing Steering Feel
Comparing Gear Inches

THERE ARE 180+ BIKE LISTINGS:

50+ Gravel & All Road Bikes – with 700C Wheels
40+ Gravel & All Road Bikes – with 27.5″ Wheels
20+ Off-Road Adventure Bikes – with 29″ Wheels
30+ Off-Road Plus Bikes – with 3.0″ Tyres
20+ Full Suspension Bikes – with 2.2-3.0″ Tyres
15+ Fat Bikes – with 4.0-5.0″ Tyres

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May 28, 2019