Go-prettyMuch-anywhere Machines
3 metal gravel bikes with a range of options
Specialized Diverge Base E5 $1,549
Specialized has taken some cues from its mountain bikes and mixed them into the design and spec of its Diverge gravel bike. In size 54, the head-tube angle is a slack 71.25 degrees. The Diverge comes with a fairly short stem: 80 mm in length. There’s clearance for 47-mm tires on 700c wheels. You can go as wide as 2.1" with 650b hoops. Shifting is handled by Shimano Claris derailleurs. The frame is aluminum, which provides great power transfer as you muscle your way across rough roads.
Trek Checkpoint ALR 5
No. 22 Drifter X $2,800
Trek hydroforms the alloy tubes of the Checkpoint alr 5. By shaping those tubes with water and pressure, designers can tune the ride of the bike, making it stiff where it needs to be and more compliant in other areas. The fork is carbon-fibre with an alloy steering tube. Shimano’s gravel-specific group, grx, takes care of all the shifting and braking. You have 46/30-tooth rings at the crank and an 11–34 tooth cassette at the back. The gear range will have you spinning up even the steepest climbs on your routes. The 40c Bontrager GR1 tires provide traction. If you need bigger contact patches, the frame can clear 45c tires.
$6,800 (frameset)
No. 22, the Toronto-based brand, has a speedy titanium gravel rig in the Drifter X. It has a more nimble geometry than its sibling, the Drifter. If you want to race on bumpy surfaces, this is your machine. Since the frame is handmade in Johnstown, N.Y., it is a premium product. You can further customize it with anodized finishes. As for build options, there are a bunch, including Shimano grx and sram Red axs. If Campagnolo is your jam, you can get a frame for an eps gruppo. In the fall of 2020, No. 22 introduced its coupler system. Your frame can come apart at the top and down tubes. You can disconnect hydraulic lines with the company’s Brake Breaks, and then pack everything away in a compact travel bag. It’s an elegant system to match the refined frame.— MP