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Which Gravel Bike would be best for me?


Speedldew

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First off - I'm new here, hello! :)

Sooo, I'm really torn on this one. I'll have saved up enough to buy my first Gravel Bike very soon. Right now I ride a touring bike which feels more and more limiting due to its weight, the somewhat inconvenient shifting with the 3x10 system, rim brakes, outdated geometry, etc.

So, the Votec VRX Pro was my first choice - very good price/performance, very nice components, comes tubeless ready (sealant and valves included) and overall has no real downside except for maybe the 1x11 shifters which are arguably better suited for a CX bike rather than a gravel bike but on the other hand, it uses the double tap lever which is likely better for trails and the 1x SRAM Rival derailleur basically eliminates chainslap which is really cool imho. Here's a link with all the specs in english: https://www.bikester.co.uk/votec-vrx-pro-cyclocross-bike-red-black-562139.html and in polish for your convenience: https://www.bikester.pl/votec-vrx-pro-rower-przeajowy-cycloross-czerwony-czarny-562139.html

Then there is the recently released Canyon Grail - also very nice price/performance, especially if you concider the carbon frame, comes almost tubeless ready (wheels are taped but no sealant or valves included) and has a 2x11 Shimano 105 drivetrain which is propably nicer on long rides but not as nice on trails. It also has clearance for slightly fatter tyres (42mm vs 40mm on the Votec VRX). Aaaand the big elephant in the room - the handlebar. I really think it looks very cool, but that's subjective. Now here's the thing - Comfort on the handlebar is very important to me, especially because I actually got some ulnar nerve entrapment after a long ride on my Touring bike which had a flatbar at the time (now I have one with a 14° backsweep). I did recover from it for the most part but on some days I still feel some numbness on the skin of my pinky fingers - nothing more than a slight inconvenience but it shouldn't get any worse, obviously. Soo, the handlebar should be comfortable and ergonomic. Thing is, the Grail is confirmed to be very comfortable on the hover bar but I'll propably mostly ride on the hoods on long rides and only occasionally on the flat part of the bar and I haven't found any information about how comfy the ride would be on the hoods. Also the bar is not at all adjustable, so if it doesn't fit - tough luck for me - still they advertise the advanced comfort pretty heavily. Here are the links in english https://www.canyon.com/en-gb/road/grail/grail-cf-sl-7-0.html and polish: https://www.canyon.com/pl/road/grail/grail-cf-sl-7-0.html

So, concidering all that, I'd love to know your opinion about these two bikes, and/or some other conciderations I could use to make an educated purchase decision. Also please keep on keeping on with your videos - you're doing great!

Edited by Speedldew
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Nothing? Welp, I guess my opinions about Star Trek Discovery are just too controversial these days. ;) Anyway, I actually found a solution on my own and comes in the form of cool new tech which is the best kind of solution! :) Namely, the Redshift ShockStop Suspension Stem which, according to quite a few reviews, seems to be a very efficient way to improve comfort on the frontend of pretty much all bikes with an Ahead system. So, I can just buy the Votec VRX Pro which gives me the advantage of an adjustable/replacable standart frontend and upgrade it later if it turns out that it's not comfortable enough - and it's gonna be cheaper than the Canyon Grail either way (although that one is still pretty cool). Maybe that's somewhat helpful to you or someone else on the forum. Definately worth a look! Here's a link: https://redshiftsports.com/shockstop-suspension-stem

Edited by Speedldew
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  • 5 years later...

Hey, I wanted to mention that I found this bike, https://sklep.rowery.pl/rower-kands-toro-1-0-claris-2023, and it seems to be priced really reasonably, even though the brand isn't very well-known. I quite like the design, and from what I've read, the Shimano Claris components should be perfectly adequate for folks who are just getting into gravel riding. It could be a solid choice for someone looking for an affordable way to start out.

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