The best budget gravel bikes under £1,000 are a great place to start if you’re new to cycling or dipping your toe into gravel riding.
While the bikes here are considerably more affordable than some gravel bikes, it doesn’t mean they’re not worthy of a place among our list of the best gravel bikes.
Sporting features such as disc brakes, modern 1x drivetrains and wheels that can be set up tubeless, these bikes pack in a lot of tech for their price tags.
Gravel bikes are also built to be versatile. Often, you can fit them with mudguards and racks for panniers, making them suitable for riding in the winter or cycling to work.
Check out our list of the best gravel bikes under £2,000 or our pick of the best aluminium gravel bikes, if your budget can stretch a bit further.
Editor's note: this list was updated on 31 July 2025 with the addition of the Genesis Croix de Fer 10 Flat Bar to our 'also consider' section. We have also added individual pros and cons for each bike, as well as sharing information on how we test budget gravel bikes and why you can trust BikeRadar.
Best budget gravel bikes under £1,000 in 2025
Marin Nicasio +
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- £845 / $899 / €899 / AU$1,499 as tested
- Pros: Brilliant ride; fun nature; great value
- Cons: Hard to fault at this price; on the heavy side
The Marin Niasio + might not be the most impressive budget gravel bike on paper, with a modest steel frame and fork, own-brand wheels, cable disc brakes and a Microshift drivetrain, but don’t let that fool you.
This is possibly the most bang-for-buck bike we’ve tested in recent times. The ride is cushion-comfortable, the handling is stable over rocky terrain, and the position is set ideally between sporty and relaxed.
The Microshift Advent drivetrain might be unfamiliar to some, but its shifting is as crisp as Shimano and as rapid as SRAM. The clutch rear derailleur stops the chains from bouncing and the FSA Tempo chainset is equipped with a 1x-specific chainring that holds the chain well.
At 12.9kg for a 58cm frame, the Nicasio + is heavy, but this doesn’t stop it from being a lot of fun to ride.
- Read more: Marin Nicasio + review
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Voodoo Nakisi
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- £650 as tested
- Pros: Good spec for the price; 9-speed shifting; comfortable contact points
- Cons: Not the lightest
The Nakisi's alloy frame is gusseted at the head tube for strength and paired with an alloy fork. There are comfortable components such as the oval-section flared bars.
Kit is good for the Voodoo's price, with 9-speed Shimano Sora shifting and a Prowheel sub-compact 48/32t chainset, Tektro mechanical disc brakes, WTB Riddler 37mm tyres and a WTB Volt saddle. You could fit even wider tyres, a rack and mudguards if you wanted.
It's a good ride on drier gravel, although the tyres struggled a little in muddy conditions. On the road, the bike rolls nicely, although its weight holds you back a little on hills. There's a sub-1:1 lowest gear that helps though.
- Read more: Voodoo Nakisi review
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Boardman ADV 8.6
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- £750 as tested
- Pros: Comfortable ride; versatile mounts; good value
- Cons: Brakes are so-so
The Boardman ADV 8.6 is the less expensive version of the Boardman ADV 8.9, which won our budget Bike of the Year category in 2021 and 2022.
Boardman has specced the neat-looking aluminium frame with Shimano Sora, tubeless-ready wheels and a wide range of gears.
There are wide handlebars and decent 38mm tyres, which both provide comfort and control when you swap the tarmac for the trail.
Our only real criticism is the cable-actuated brakes. These have a single-piston design and are really a case of making do. But overall, the Boardman is great fun to ride and would make a good do-it-all bike, from commuting to gravel riding.
- Read more: Boardman ADV 8.6 review
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Also consider...
The following gravel bikes scored fewer than four stars in testing, so we haven't included them in our main list. However, many still perform very well while offering good value for money.
Genesis CDA 30
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- £999 as tested
- Pros: Practical features; versatile frame; good stability
- Cons: Could do with better brakes
This aluminium gravel-cum-adventure bike from Genesis is a spin-off from the brand’s well-respected Croix de Fer and has an array of fittings, meaning you’ll be able to easily load it up with all you need.
The bike has a long wheelbase and a shallow head angle for stability. Out on the road, it is a pleasure to ride, but it’s best for cruising along rather than riding fast.
Genesis has specced the CDA 30 with a 10-speed Shimano groupset. We found the gearing to not go as low as we needed, but you’ll rarely run out of gears at the top end.
Unfortunately, we found the braking to be disappointing and you really do need to grab the lever for maximum stopping power.
Having said that, it's still a very enjoyable – and practical – bike to ride.
- Read more: Genesis CDA 30 review
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Genesis Croix de Fer 10 Flat Bar
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- £1,100 as tested
- Pros: Comfortable; hydraulic brakes; plenty of mounts
- Cons: No drop bar; tyres lack speed and grip on the road
The Croix de Fer's steel frame gets the flat-bar treatment, making this a good bike for commuters as well as off-road riders who don't want drop bars.
Like the drop-bar bike, it's got loads of mounts, including for a front rack and a third bottle. The brakes are a spec highlight, with the Shimano BR-MT200 hydraulic numbers adding consistent feeling stopping to the ride.
It won't work for those looking for a drop bar setup, and the tyres don't offer the most secure feeling on the road, but it's a good option if you want a comfortable and versatile bike.
- Read more: Genesis Croix de Fer 10 Flat Bar review
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How we test budget gravel bikes
We test budget gravel bikes in the same way as we test the best gravel bikes, by seeing how they perform on various terrain, from tarmac to light singletrack.
Our testers have reviewed hundreds of gravel bikes over the years and have plenty of experience in separating the good from the bad.
There are more concessions to value in this segment. However, our ultimate criteria is as follows:
- Handling – how well does the bike handle? Does it have good manners down a road or trail?
- Versatility – does the bike give options on how it can be set up? Could it be used for bikepacking or commuting?
- Comfort – how comfortable is the bike? Is the sitting position good for long rides?
- Value – does the bike represent a good deal compared to others in the market?
Why you can trust BikeRadar
BikeRadar has been an authority on bikes and cycling tech since its inception in 2007, delivering the world’s best riding advice.
We have experts testing all types of bikes, parts, clothing and accessories, from road, mountain and gravel bikes to commuting, bikepacking and electric bikes.
Our reviews are always editorially independent – with no exceptions. Our reviewers comprehensively test all products in the real world, always reflecting on performance, value and the wider market when delivering their verdicts and review ratings.
We have more than 15,000 product reviews available at your fingertips, as well as expert buying, maintenance, training, skills, health and fitness advice.
Our annual Bike of the Year test is an industry benchmark and the BikeRadar team consists of some of the most experienced riders and testers in the business.
Other cheap bikes
If you still haven’t found what you’re looking for, we have plenty of other best lists for bikes costing under or around £1,000.
Our list of the best road bikes for around £1,000 has plenty of options that will likely prove faster on tarmac than the gravel bikes at this price point, even if they are less versatile.
If these gravel bikes aren’t quite off-road enough for you, why not take a look at our lists of the best mountain bikes for around £1,000 and the best mountain bikes under £750.
