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WhichBike

Updated September 2026

Best gravel bikes under £1,500

Gravel bikes take wide tyres, carry low gears and usually take mudguards and racks. If a meaningful share of your riding leaves the tarmac, this is the category that will not fight you.

We ranked 16 bikes for this list. The order comes from the same engine behind our recommendation quiz — published stack, reach, weight, tyre clearance and gearing, never commission rates. See the method.

Our pick

89%

Alloy gravel bike with a 1x10 Shimano CUES drivetrain, 42mm tyres and rack, mudguard and frame-bag mounts.

Why it wins

  • 50mm tyre clearance and mudguard mounts for rougher surfaces
  • a gravel bike is the right tool for the riding you described
  • relaxed 1.54 stack-to-reach and 42mm tyres keep you comfortable over long days

The trade-off: the weight and gearing make steep climbs harder work.

Best price found£1,200AtBrand websiteCommissionnone — we earn nothing here
✓ Checked

The rest of the ranking

  1. 2. Trek Checkpoint ALR 4 Gen 3

    87%

    A close alternative ✓ Checked

    Alloy gravel bike with 1x11 Shimano CUES hydraulic disc gearing, a 40T ring and 11-50 cassette for loaded climbing.

    £1,400 · 10.4kg · 50mm clearance · 22in bottom gear

  2. 3. Cube Nuroad ONE

    86%

    £301 cheaper ✓ Checked

    Entry gravel bike with 45mm tyres, mudguard and rack mounts, and quick-release wheels rather than thru-axles.

    £899 · 12.3kg · 50mm clearance · 23in bottom gear

  3. 4. Cube Nuroad Race

    84%

    Faster ✓ Checked

    Alloy gravel bike with 12-speed GRX, 45mm tyres and full mudguard and rack mounts, so it also works as a commuter or tourer.

    £1,499 · 10.4kg · 50mm clearance · 23in bottom gear

  4. 5. Cube Nuroad Pro

    84%

    Slightly cheaper ✓ Checked

    Alloy gravel bike with an 11-50 cassette for steep loaded climbing, plus mudguard and rack mounts and a carbon fork.

    £1,199 · 11.4kg · 50mm clearance · 22in bottom gear

  5. 6. Ribble Gravel AL Comp

    84%

    More comfortable Unverified

    A cheap way to find out whether you actually want a gravel bike, without wasting money if you do.

    £1,499 · 10.6kg · 47mm clearance · 23in bottom gear

  6. 7. Specialized Diverge 3 Alloy - Shimano CUES

    84%

    A close alternative ✓ Checked

    Entry alloy gravel bike with Shimano CUES 2x10 gearing, 40mm tyres and 47mm clearance, for mixed surfaces and light bikepacking.

    £1,299 · 10.5kg · 47mm clearance · 22in bottom gear

  7. 8. Canyon Grizl 5

    82%

    Most tyre clearance ✓ Checked

    The cheapest Grizl: alloy frame clearing 54mm tyres, 1x11 CUES with an 11-50 cassette, and rack and mudguard mounts.

    £1,249 · 11.3kg · 54mm clearance · 22in bottom gear

This list assumes a typical rider

Yours might not be. Answer seven questions and we will re-rank these against how you actually ride — terrain, distance, and whether you want comfort or speed.

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