Reilly Gradient review

British titanium for the rough stuff

Our rating

4.5

3249.00

Robert Smith

Published: February 27, 2020 at 10:19 am

Our review
A beautiful machine that stands out and doesn’t cost the earth

Pros:

Awesome handling all-rounder that’s as quick as it is beautiful

Cons:

GRX 600 series gears needed adjustment after a few days’ riding

Mark Reilly is a famed British bike builder specialising in titanium. His decades in the industry have led to his eponymous brand working with fellow builder and designer Damon Fisher on bikes made from steel, carbon and Reilly’s speciality, titanium.

Like any metal, titanium needs to be manipulated correctly to enable the best to come to the fore. The Gradient’s frame does exactly that with what Reilly defines as ultra-butted tubing, which it calls Reilly Axis.

This multi-wall thickness material imbues the Gradient with a lively, light-feeling ride that’s complemented by the full carbon fork. The liveliness is increased further by the use of Hunt’s 1,629g 4Season tubeless-ready alloy gravel wheelset, here shod with Panaracer’s excellent Gravel King SK tyres.

The 43c beauties offer tenacious grip on dry dirt, yet their rounder profile means they roll well on tarmac.

Shimano GRX groupset on road bike
GRX mech groupset with low 40/42 bottom gear. - Robert Smith

Things are finished off with Shimano’s new mechanical GRX groupset in 1x guise and from the 600 series. The gear range suits its off-road intentions with a ludicrously low 40/42 bottom gear.

The GRX’s clutch-equipped rear mech stops the chain bouncing off in the rough and keeps chatter to a minimum; although after a few days’ riding the mech needed adjustment because it wasn’t quite engaging the 11-tooth sprocket when downshifting at speed.

Shimano GRX groupset chainset
1x GRX chainset; the frame can take a 2x option. - Robert Smith

If you wanted to use the Gradient beyond gravel and on the road more often, consider opting for a 2x setup (the frame can take a front mech).

Equipment-wise there is little to fault: great gears, solid wheels, excellent tyres.

Reilly’s own stem and post with Ritchey EvoMax Comp bar
Reilly’s own stem and post with Ritchey EvoMax Comp bar. - Robert Smith

The cockpit, which matches Reilly’s own sleek Vector stem with Ritchey’s brilliantly shaped EvoMax bar, is perfect and the combination of a Reilly carbon post and Reilly saddle make things comfortable at the back, too.

It really is the chassis where the Reilly wins big: the brushed finish and mirror graphics on the frame ooze quality and my large (57cm) test rig has geometry that’s the right side of sporty with a steep 73.5-degree seat angle and a 72-degree head combined with a stack of 589mm and reach of 395mm.

The brushed finish of the chassis on the Reilly Gradient is a class act
The brushed finish of the chassis is a class act. - Robert Smith

It completely hits the sweet spot between comfort and speed and it all adds up to a ride that feels road-bike precise on tarmac, yet controllable on the rough stuff.

Reilly's Gradient is an artisan bike handbuilt in the UK that represents very decent value for money.

Reilly Gradient geometry

  • Seat angle: 73.5 degrees
  • Head angle: 72 degrees
  • Chainstay: 43cm
  • Seat tube: 53cm
  • Top tube: 57cm
  • Head tube: 15.5cm
  • Bottom bracket height: 27.5cm
  • Wheelbase: 1,038mm
  • Stack: 58.9cm
  • Reach: 39.5cm

Product

Brandreilly
Price3249.00 GBP
Weight9.3400, KILOGRAM (57cm) - 57cm

Features

ForkCarbon
br_stemReilly Vector
br_frame3AL-2.5V ultra-butted titanium
TyresPanaracer Gravel King SK 43c
br_brakesShimano GRX hydraulic disc
br_cranksShimano GRX
br_saddleReilly Titanium RS
br_wheelsHunt 4Seasons gravel disc
br_shifterShimano GRX 600
br_seatpostReilly Vector carbon
br_availableSizes52, 54, 55, 57, 59cm
br_rearDerailleurShimano GRX 600