Saracen Levarg

£1,299 Small wheels for big adventures

“The smaller wheel size helps the Levarg feel the nippiest, sharpest bike when riding technical stuff”

Weight 10.98kg (L) Frame Alloy Fork Carbon Gears Shimano 10-speed (46/30t, 11-34) Brakes TRP Spyre C Wheels Jalco 27.5” Finishing kit Saracen Alloy 60mm stem, Saracen Flare Alloy 46cm handlebar, Saracen Alloy seatpost, Saracen Custom Crmo saddle, Maxxis Rambler Silkshield TR 47c tyres

British brand Saracen are best known for their gravity-focused mountain bikes and World Cup-winning factory team. So it’s no surprise that their affordable gravel offering takes its inspiration from mountain bikes and is aimed at the rowdier end of gravel riding.

It’s the only bike here to opt for smaller-diameter 650b wheels, which were popular in the earlier days of gravel thanks to the increase in tyre clearance and the much wider choice of off-road tyres available. They have their charms alongside a pitfall or two.

The frameset is a smartly finished 6061 aluminium with plenty of shaped and sculpted hydroformed tubes and lots of mounting points: triple mounts on the legs of the full-carbon fork, dual-position bottle bosses on the down-tube and seattube, mudguard mounts front and rear and even a spare cable port to run a mountain bike-sized 30.9mm dropper post.

The geometry’s the same as the original version, with a relaxed 70.5° head angle, steeper 73° seat angle and a long reach of 424mm on our Large test bike. This extended reach is offset using a short stem (60mm) while the stack height, at 609mm, is a sporty mid height for a gravel bike.

The build is based around a mixand-match Shimano drivetrain that combines the 2x GRX600 chainset with an adventure-ready 46/30 chainring. There are GRX400 derailleurs front and back, while the shifters are Shimano’s road-going Tiagra. A Shimano 10-speed 11-34 cassette driven by a 10-speed KMC chain finishes things off.

Own-brand kit

The finishing kit is all own-brand. The wide, 46cm flared Saracen bar is nicely shaped and the flare isn’t overdone so the brake levers are still at an ergonomically agreeable angle. The short stem is solid quality too and it all adds up to a very user-friendly cockpit.

At the rear, a simple in-line two-bolt seatpost is topped with a familiarly shaped own-brand saddle. The contact points throughout the Levarg are all simple, good-quality items that do the job well. The Saracen-branded Jalco rims are wide, suited to oversized gravel tyres and are tubeless compatible.

The tyres are Maxxis Ramblers in the tubeless-ready Silkshield that helps protect the tyres from cuts and tears. The huge 47c width is most welcome for winter riding, as is the excellent tread pattern that grabs loose dirt and muddy trails superbly, shedding mud as it goes. All this helps the Levarg ride brilliantly off-road too.

Small wheels

The smaller wheel size also helps the Levarg feel the nippiest, sharpest bike when riding truly technical terrain. The combination of the long-front-centre, short stem and swift acceleration all makes for a bike that excels on tight, twisty stuff. However, on the road, the smaller wheels make it harder work. The large 47c tyres do run well on tarmac for such a generous size with an equally generous tread, but next to a slimmer tyre on a larger wheel (such as on the Merida Silex for example), it’s more of a grind.

The mix-and-match drivetrain works well enough. The shifting is good though I did have a bit of cable stretch after the first few rides, and the combination of the external under-bottom-bracket routing for the rear gear cable and disc cable along with the chainstay bridge does create a mud trap. As do the front derailleur and two chainrings. I had to stop several times on a muddy ride to dig out clods of earth. The gearing works well off-road: the 34/30 bottom gear is ample for most steep, slippery climbs. I used the top-end 46/11 frequently on tarmac too. The drivetrain can be a little chattery, but the Levarg never dropped the chain, even on the rowdiest of descents.

The braking comes from TRP’s original Spyre C cable-actuated disc brakes. Lever pull is initially met with little resistance but then the power comes in quickly. They do, however, have all the power you need and are easy to adjust and maintain.

If you want a bike that’s at its best the rougher the going gets, and you’re happy that it’s a little more ponderous on tarmac, this is an awesome option.

Verdict Superb off-road handling makes the Levarg a seriously fun ride off the tarmac