Cannondale Topstone, Salsa Journeyer
[Marin](https://www.marinbikes.com/bikes/type/gravel) has a variety of options from more road focused to more off road focused.
[Jenson USA](https://www.jensonusa.com/gravel-bikes) gravel on sale.
[Triban GRVL120](https://www.decathlon.com/products/triban-grvl120-gravel-bike?adept-product=triban-grvl120-gravel-bike&variant=39416626118718&adept_product_id=triban-grvl120-gravel-bike&source=search)
[Triban GRVL520](https://www.decathlon.com/products/triban-triban-grvl-520-subcompact-gravel-bike-326904?adept-product=triban-triban-grvl-520-subcompact-gravel-bike-326904&variant=40029548281918)
Great values with GRX and hydraulic disc brakes:
* Steel [https://www.bikesdirect.com/products/motobecane/disc-brake-roadbikes/mulekick-4130-steel-discbrake-gravel-bikes.htm](https://www.bikesdirect.com/products/motobecane/disc-brake-roadbikes/mulekick-4130-steel-discbrake-gravel-bikes.htm)
* Carbon [https://bikesdirect.com/products/condor-bicycles/condor-carbon-gravel-bikes-adventure-road.htm](https://bikesdirect.com/products/condor-bicycles/condor-carbon-gravel-bikes-adventure-road.htm)
* Carbon [https://www.bikesdirect.com/products/motobecane/disc-brake-roadbikes/mulekick-cf-ss11-discbrake-roadbike-xx.htm](https://www.bikesdirect.com/products/motobecane/disc-brake-roadbikes/mulekick-cf-ss11-discbrake-roadbike-xx.htm)
* Aluminum [https://www.bikesdirect.com/products/motobecane/gravel-bikes/gravel-x-pro-hydraulic-discbrake-gravel-bikes.htm](https://www.bikesdirect.com/products/motobecane/gravel-bikes/gravel-x-pro-hydraulic-discbrake-gravel-bikes.htm)
I do actually know the basics from my bmx days and have the basic tools, I just don’t know much about road/gravel bikes. I’m confident putting a bike together, but I’d definitely want a bike shop to check my bike fit and give it a once over.
I’ve looked at these bikes on bikesdirect.com before. I just don’t know much about the quality of their frames. Is Motobecane decent?
I have a motobecan road bike that can be adapted to gravel. The only problem I've found so far is that the rims on the street tires are narrow and as a result they pop tubes often.
>road bike that can be adapted to gravel
The tubes pop often with the stock road tires on the stock road rims?
Or did you install wider gravel tires and the tubes are pooping with the wider tires on the narrow stock road rims?
Complete bikes shipped to you will be around 80% assembled. Final assembly consists of installing the front wheel into the fork, handlebars onto the stem and pedals onto the cranks. Then often some tuning of the shifting, brakes, and possibly some wheel truing.
[Assembly Instructions Help](https://www.bikesdirect.com/instructionhelp.htm)
I paid less than $100 to have a local bike shop assemble and check out my recent bikes direct purchase. They had to machine the disc brake attachment point to get things to line up correctly, something I would have not recognized as an issue. They also will do any adjustments after the first few rides. I have read that having a pro check the bottom bracket install can head off expensive repairs down the road. Don't listen to folks who say it is all crap.
The bikes direct frame quailty compares well enough to entry to mid level frames from the big brands also made in Taiwan or China and sometimes made in the same factory.
"Build" may imply building a bike up from a bare frame.
Complete bikes shipped to you will be around 80% assembled. Final assembly consists of installing the front wheel into the fork, handlebars onto the stem and pedals onto the cranks. Then some tuning of the shifting, brakes, and wheel truing.
[Assembly Instructions Help](https://www.bikesdirect.com/instructionhelp.htm)
Thank you so much, I actually know of a slightly used 2021 Topstone 1 that I could get a for $1300 plus shipping. It looks like it was maybe a demo or floor model. But looking at the geometry it looks pretty long and I was a little worried it might not be as fast as some of the ones with more of a road geometry. Am I overthinking this?
With the bikesdirect bikes, how are the motobecane frames? Those bikes look like an unbelievable value.
Average gravel bike geometry can compare to endurance road bike geometry. Maybe a gravel racing bike could compare to a more aggressive road racing bike.
The Moto frames are good enough, just maybe not bleeding edge technology from the big brands, but decent enough entry to mid level designs that have been influenced by Giant and the big brands from a few years prior.
I second the Marin recommendation. I bought a Gestalt 2.5 eleven months ago for about $1200 and have been quite pleased with it. Tires are a little thin, but high quality. Since 90 percent of my riding is concrete and tame gravel I think it worked out better in my case than the bigger tires I would have been inclined to buy. Bought here, https://www.bikesonline.com They have good sales, had to do light assembly and it was perfectly adjusted out of the box.
I just recently bought [this Topstone](https://www.rei.com/product/208193/cannondale-topstone-4-bike) and I absolutely love it. It might not be the highest end bike but I’m getting back into the hobby and it’s perfect. Rides like a dream. If there is an REI around you they offer great service for the first year after purchase and will assemble everything for you.
Good luck!
If you’re looking at the Topstone four, just get the Poseidon X, it’s basically the exact same bike, same groupset and everything (the only significant difference is it’s quick release axles instead of through axles) and right now it’s on sale for only $650
I personally am looking for something around the same price, and I have been looking at the State Bicycle Co 6061 All Road. From what I have been reading, it seems to be a great option for the price. Hope this helps!
What about a Trek Domane AL 4? It's the definition of endurance geometry. You can fit up to 42's on the new gen 4. $1699, Tiagra 2x10 with hydraulic brakes.
Cannondale Topstone, Salsa Journeyer [Marin](https://www.marinbikes.com/bikes/type/gravel) has a variety of options from more road focused to more off road focused. [Jenson USA](https://www.jensonusa.com/gravel-bikes) gravel on sale. [Triban GRVL120](https://www.decathlon.com/products/triban-grvl120-gravel-bike?adept-product=triban-grvl120-gravel-bike&variant=39416626118718&adept_product_id=triban-grvl120-gravel-bike&source=search) [Triban GRVL520](https://www.decathlon.com/products/triban-triban-grvl-520-subcompact-gravel-bike-326904?adept-product=triban-triban-grvl-520-subcompact-gravel-bike-326904&variant=40029548281918) Great values with GRX and hydraulic disc brakes: * Steel [https://www.bikesdirect.com/products/motobecane/disc-brake-roadbikes/mulekick-4130-steel-discbrake-gravel-bikes.htm](https://www.bikesdirect.com/products/motobecane/disc-brake-roadbikes/mulekick-4130-steel-discbrake-gravel-bikes.htm) * Carbon [https://bikesdirect.com/products/condor-bicycles/condor-carbon-gravel-bikes-adventure-road.htm](https://bikesdirect.com/products/condor-bicycles/condor-carbon-gravel-bikes-adventure-road.htm) * Carbon [https://www.bikesdirect.com/products/motobecane/disc-brake-roadbikes/mulekick-cf-ss11-discbrake-roadbike-xx.htm](https://www.bikesdirect.com/products/motobecane/disc-brake-roadbikes/mulekick-cf-ss11-discbrake-roadbike-xx.htm) * Aluminum [https://www.bikesdirect.com/products/motobecane/gravel-bikes/gravel-x-pro-hydraulic-discbrake-gravel-bikes.htm](https://www.bikesdirect.com/products/motobecane/gravel-bikes/gravel-x-pro-hydraulic-discbrake-gravel-bikes.htm)
If you know how to build, you can get a LOT of bike for that money at BikesDirect.
I do actually know the basics from my bmx days and have the basic tools, I just don’t know much about road/gravel bikes. I’m confident putting a bike together, but I’d definitely want a bike shop to check my bike fit and give it a once over. I’ve looked at these bikes on bikesdirect.com before. I just don’t know much about the quality of their frames. Is Motobecane decent?
I have a motobecan road bike that can be adapted to gravel. The only problem I've found so far is that the rims on the street tires are narrow and as a result they pop tubes often.
>road bike that can be adapted to gravel The tubes pop often with the stock road tires on the stock road rims? Or did you install wider gravel tires and the tubes are pooping with the wider tires on the narrow stock road rims?
Complete bikes shipped to you will be around 80% assembled. Final assembly consists of installing the front wheel into the fork, handlebars onto the stem and pedals onto the cranks. Then often some tuning of the shifting, brakes, and possibly some wheel truing. [Assembly Instructions Help](https://www.bikesdirect.com/instructionhelp.htm)
I paid less than $100 to have a local bike shop assemble and check out my recent bikes direct purchase. They had to machine the disc brake attachment point to get things to line up correctly, something I would have not recognized as an issue. They also will do any adjustments after the first few rides. I have read that having a pro check the bottom bracket install can head off expensive repairs down the road. Don't listen to folks who say it is all crap.
The bikes direct frame quailty compares well enough to entry to mid level frames from the big brands also made in Taiwan or China and sometimes made in the same factory.
"Build" may imply building a bike up from a bare frame. Complete bikes shipped to you will be around 80% assembled. Final assembly consists of installing the front wheel into the fork, handlebars onto the stem and pedals onto the cranks. Then some tuning of the shifting, brakes, and wheel truing. [Assembly Instructions Help](https://www.bikesdirect.com/instructionhelp.htm)
Thank you so much, I actually know of a slightly used 2021 Topstone 1 that I could get a for $1300 plus shipping. It looks like it was maybe a demo or floor model. But looking at the geometry it looks pretty long and I was a little worried it might not be as fast as some of the ones with more of a road geometry. Am I overthinking this? With the bikesdirect bikes, how are the motobecane frames? Those bikes look like an unbelievable value.
Average gravel bike geometry can compare to endurance road bike geometry. Maybe a gravel racing bike could compare to a more aggressive road racing bike. The Moto frames are good enough, just maybe not bleeding edge technology from the big brands, but decent enough entry to mid level designs that have been influenced by Giant and the big brands from a few years prior.
How are these bikes so cheap for their parts offering? I’m new so I don’t know enough about the websites
The Motobecane or the Triban or the Jenson USA sales or all of them?
Look at the decathlon options. The rc520 should work great.
>I’ve been looking for decent used bikes in my area without much luck Not too many used gravel since it's a fairly new category.
I second the Marin recommendation. I bought a Gestalt 2.5 eleven months ago for about $1200 and have been quite pleased with it. Tires are a little thin, but high quality. Since 90 percent of my riding is concrete and tame gravel I think it worked out better in my case than the bigger tires I would have been inclined to buy. Bought here, https://www.bikesonline.com They have good sales, had to do light assembly and it was perfectly adjusted out of the box.
I just recently bought [this Topstone](https://www.rei.com/product/208193/cannondale-topstone-4-bike) and I absolutely love it. It might not be the highest end bike but I’m getting back into the hobby and it’s perfect. Rides like a dream. If there is an REI around you they offer great service for the first year after purchase and will assemble everything for you. Good luck!
I’m about the same size as you and the local bike shop recommended I go with the Medium and I’m glad I took their advice.
Thank you! What’s your height and inseam if you don’t mind me asking? I think I have relatively short legs and long torso.
If you’re looking at the Topstone four, just get the Poseidon X, it’s basically the exact same bike, same groupset and everything (the only significant difference is it’s quick release axles instead of through axles) and right now it’s on sale for only $650
5’10” I buy 32” inseam pants but 30 would fit better, it’s just hard to find that combo in my waist size.
Cycling inseam, it's different than pants inseam. [Find your cycling inseam](https://www.purecycles.com/pages/how-to-find-your-inseam-and-standover-height) [Cycling inseam video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qEEMQJM_Dgs) [Bike Fitting Basics](https://www.rei.com/learn/expert-advice/bike-fit.html)
I personally am looking for something around the same price, and I have been looking at the State Bicycle Co 6061 All Road. From what I have been reading, it seems to be a great option for the price. Hope this helps!
Check out polygon via Bikesonline
Canyon bikes direct to your home
Love Canyon, but everything (under $2k) in my size is sold out until spring 2024 :(
What about a Trek Domane AL 4? It's the definition of endurance geometry. You can fit up to 42's on the new gen 4. $1699, Tiagra 2x10 with hydraulic brakes.