The best gravel bikes under £2,000 / $2,000 are a great way to sample the delights of gravel riding.
At this price point, gravel bikes start to get very good, with quality frames and components on many of the latest bikes.
As well as venturing off-road, buying a gravel bike can be a smart decision if you want a versatile all-weather machine that can take mudguards or a pannier rack, for winter riding or cycling to work.
With this in mind, gravel bikes have largely replaced cyclocross bikes as the go-to for year-round practicality.
They open up a new realm of riding, with wide gravel tyres and disc brakes enabling them to ride on unpaved surfaces, whether that’s smooth singletrack, fire roads or just your local towpath.
We've tested more than 200 gravel bikes here at BikeRadar. The bikes in this buyer's guide, costing between £,1,000 and £2,000, have all been ridden and reviewed by our test team, who have ridden gravel bikes since their inception in the early 2010s.
This best list was written by our staff writer, Nick Clark, who has brought together expertise from across the team while adding his personal experience in the saddle.
The reviews in this buyer's guide were written by Warren Rossiter, Simon Withers and Katherine Moore.
Editor's note: this list was updated on 14 September 2026 with our latest high-scoring reviews, including the Trek Checkpoint ALR 5 Gen 3, Whyte Verro, Boardman ADV 8.9 and Focus Atlas 6.7. We have also removed bikes no longer available for purchase.
Best gravel bikes under £2,000 / $2,000
Trek Checkpoint ALR 5 Gen 3
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- £1,700 / $2,099 / €1,999 as tested by Warren Rossiter
- Pros: Modern frame design; agile handling; great ride quality
- Cons: Tyres won't suit all conditions
The Trek Checkpoint ALR 5 Gen 3 is a thoroughly modern gravel bike that offers excellent performance without a huge price tag.
Our tester found the aluminium frame and carbon fork deliver a responsive but comfortable ride, while the geometry gives it a useful balance of road manners and off-road capability.
The 50mm tyre clearance and plentiful mounting points also make it well suited to bikepacking and commuting.
At 10.56kg, it feels quick on the road and climbs well, while the SRAM Apex XPLR drivetrain shifts reliably. The main limitation is the stock Bontrager Girona Pro tyres, which struggle in mud.
- Read more: Trek Checkpoint ALR 5 Gen 3 review
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Orro Terra S GRX600
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- £2,000 as tested by Warren Rossiter
- Pros: Steel-framed with lively handling; great value for money
- Cons: Brakes set up soft
The Orro Terra S GRX600 is a lesson in how to build a steel bike with slim tubing bringing plenty of life and zip to the ride. Its lively handling is matched with a smooth and steady feel, making it at home on double-track gravel roads and singletrack trails.
Orro has matched the impressive frame with a compelling spec list for the price tag. The bike comes with a Shimano GRX600 1x drivetrain, Fulcrum wheels, Continental tyres and a Deda cockpit.
With its mounting points, this bike would be equally suited to commuting, winter road riding and bikepacking, as well as gravel riding.
It's a shame it isn't set up tubeless and the brakes were a little soft in testing, but this doesn't detract too much from a practical yet fun ride.
- Read more: Orro Terra S GRX600 review
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Boardman ADV 8.9
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The Boardman ADV 8.9 is a hugely capable gravel bike that offers excellent value at £1,200.
Its well-finished 6061 aluminium frame has sensible geometry, 50mm tyre clearance and plenty of mounts for bikepacking, commuting or longer adventures.
The compact riding position and stable handling make it comfortable on the road, while the bike feels surprisingly agile and confident when the trails get rough.
Shimano GRX 2x10 provides a useful spread of gears, and the tubeless-ready wheels and Goodyear tyres are impressive at this price.
The main issue is the front derailleur, which can suffer from chain rub and needs regular adjustment.
- Read more: Boardman ADV 8.9 review
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Cannondale Topstone Alloy 2
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- £1,800 / $1,925 / €2,199 / AU$3,199 as tested by Katherine Moore
- Pros: Bang up to date with mounting points and plenty of tyre clearance
- Cons: Tyres are narrow
The Cannondale Topstone Alloy 2 is an aluminium version of the Cannondale Topstone Carbon, bringing many of the same features to a more affordable price point.
The Topstone’s geometry is fairly conservative for a gravel bike, but this isn’t too surprising considering it's intended to cover road to light off-road riding.
When riding, the Topstone performed immediately on the road. Its build is suited to fast riding and it feels a lot like an endurance road bike.
A flared handlebar helps navigate rougher terrains, but lumps and bumps are exaggerated by the lightweight 37mm Vittoria Terreno Dry tyres. If you want to make this bike more suitable for riding off-road, it can fit up to 700x45mm gravel tyres.
Elsewhere, the bike has a 2x drivetrain with a 10-speed cassette. This feels like a compromise, with 11-speed and now 12-speed being commonplace.
- Read more: Cannondale Topstone Alloy 2 review
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Focus Atlas 6.7
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- £1,899 / €1,999 as tested by Warren Rossiter
- Pros: Handles tough terrain well; comfortable ride without being dull
- Cons: 2x drivetrain can be noisy; front derailleur requires regular adjustments; heavy
The Focus Atlas 6.7 is a versatile gravel bike with the handling to tackle surprisingly rough terrain.
Its stable front end, wide 45mm tyres and broad handlebar give it impressive confidence on technical trails, while the comfortable ride makes it well suited to longer adventures.
The aluminium frame is packed with practical features, including rack, mudguard and multiple luggage mounts.
Shimano GRX 2x10 provides reliable shifting and the brakes are excellent, although the front derailleur needs regular adjustment.
At 11.42kg, it’s not a lightweight, and the 11-34 cassette leaves it lacking a really low gear for steep climbs.
- Read more: Focus Atlas 6.7 review
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Genesis Fugio 30
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- £2,000 as tested by Warren Rossiter
- Pros: Great-looking; competitive price; bundles of fun
- Cons: A few downgraded parts; ponderous on the road; not tubeless-ready
The Genesis Fugio 30 embodies what’s so great about gravel riding, proving to be bundles of fun and capable of covering big miles.
Previous Fugios had steel frames, but this version is alloy, saving 500g over its predecessor.
The Fugio 30 may not be the fastest on roads, but its relaxed geometry and clearance for 57mm tyres make it ideal for exploring and riding terrain and trails beyond your comfort zone.
The price has been kept low with the odd downgraded component, which is the only thing holding this bike back from a higher score.
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Marin Gestalt X10
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- £1,255 / $1,549 / €1,599 as tested by Warren Rossiter
- Pros: Great off-road handling; comfortable
- Cons: Brakes lack feel
The Marin Gestalt X10 is a gravel bike inspired by mountain bikes.
Its geometry isn't massively different from a hardtail mountain bike, with a long wheelbase and slack head tube. So it might come as little surprise that the Gestalt isn’t so quick on paved surfaces. But when it comes to pure off-road riding and technical trails, it’s excellent.
Our tester said the Marin is one of the most comfortable budget gravel bikes he’s tested, with the front end minimising vibrations and taking hits in its stride.
The Microshift drivetrain offers great shifting and ample range for off-road riding.
The TRP mechanical disc brakes have enough power, but are less progressive than pricier hydraulic brakes.
- Read more: Marin Gestalt X10 review
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Ribble CGR 725 Steel
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- £1,349 as tested by Simon Withers
- Pros: Classy looks; supremely versatile
- Cons: Weighty
The CGR 725 Steel from Ribble is defined by its charming Reynolds 725 steel chassis, which is compatible with 700c and 650b wheels, and tyres up to 47mm.
It’s a classy looking, comfortable bike to ride with heaps of practicality. It’s about as versatile as bikes get thanks to rack mounts, mudguard fittings and bosses galore.
The bike we tested didn’t stray far from Ribble’s off-the-peg configuration and featured Shimano’s Tiagra groupset, Tektro mechanical disc brakes and Mavic Aksium Disc Clincher wheels.
Riders looking for a different spec can toy with Ribble’s BikeBuilder service, which allows individual component upgrades, from groupsets and wheels right the way through to different handlebars. Similarly, those who seek a more individual look can opt for Ribble’s custom colour option.
- Read more: Ribble CGR 725 Steel review
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Whyte Verro
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- £1,799 as tested by Warren Rossiter
- Pros: Wonderfully capable on technical terrain; clever and well thought-out specification
- Cons: Not quite as fast on the road as it feels off it
The Whyte Verro is a gravel bike built for riders who want to take on seriously rough terrain.
Its progressive geometry, 50mm Maxxis Ravager tyres, wide handlebar and dropper post give it impressive confidence on technical trails.
The SRAM Apex Eagle 1x12 drivetrain uses a huge 10-52t cassette, giving it plenty of low-end range for steep climbs.
The frame and fork have plenty of mounts for racks, mudguards and bikepacking bags, making it a useful commuter and adventure bike, too.
At £1,799, the specification is particularly well thought out. The Verro's main drawback is that it isn’t as quick on tarmac as some gravel bikes.
- Read more: Whyte Verro review
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How we test sub-£2,000 / $2,000 gravel bikes
We test sub-£2,000 gravel bikes in the same places we test all gravel bikes over a range of surfaces, from paved roads to light singletrack trails and, of course, in their natural environment on gravel roads.
Our team of testers have been involved in the world of gravel bikes since their inception. Our senior technical editor, Warren Rossiter, first tested a thoroughbred gravel bike at the beginning of the 2010s and since then he reckons he’s reviewed close to 200 gravel bikes.
We use long test cycles to ascertain how the bikes live up to real-world riding and go out in wide-ranging conditions to see how they perform in the wet and dry.
Ultimately, our gravel bike reviews are based on the following criteria:
- Handling characteristics – how does the bike handle and does it inspire confidence on descents?
- Specification – does the bike feature decent components that will live up to the rigours of gravel riding?
- Performance against brand claims – does the bike perform well for the intended use?
- Value vs competition – is the bike a good deal compared to others in the market?
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