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WhichBike

Updated September 2026

Best gravel bikes under £5,000

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 106 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

90%

Carbon gravel bike with 2x12 GRX Di2, carbon wheels, a power meter and 45mm tyres, plus mudguard and rack 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 1.47 stack-to-reach and 45mm tyres keep you comfortable over long days

The trade-off: you pay a brand premium for it.

Best price found£3,699AtBrand websiteCommissionnone — we earn nothing here
✓ Checked

If you want to spend the whole budget

Our pick above wins because it balances how well the bike suits this riding against what it costs — which often means the answer is not the most expensive bike you could buy. If you would rather use the full £5,000, this is the one to get.

90%

Carbon gravel bike with SRAM Force XPLR AXS, a 10-52 cassette, Zipp wheels and 45mm tyres, plus mudguard and rack mounts.

£4,299 at Brand website

The rest of the ranking

  1. 2. Cube Nuroad C:62 SLX

    90%

    Better on climbs ✓ Checked

    Carbon gravel bike with SRAM Force XPLR AXS, a 10-52 cassette, Zipp wheels and 45mm tyres, plus mudguard and rack mounts.

    £4,299 · 8.4kg · 50mm clearance · 21in bottom gear

  2. 3. Trek Checkpoint SL 6 AXS Gen 3

    88%

    £449 cheaper ✓ Checked

    Carbon gravel bike on 1x13 SRAM Rival XPLR AXS with a 10-46 cassette, 42mm tyres and 50mm clearance.

    £3,250 · 9.5kg · 50mm clearance · 23in bottom gear

  3. 4. Trek Checkpoint SL 7 AXS Gen 3

    86%

    More comfortable ✓ Checked

    Carbon gravel bike with SRAM Force XPLR AXS 1x13, carbon wheels, 42mm tyres and rack and mudguard mounts.

    £4,750 · 9.3kg · 50mm clearance · 23in bottom gear

  4. 5. Cube Nuroad C:62 Pro

    85%

    Cheapest here ✓ Checked

    Carbon gravel bike with mechanical 2x12 GRX, carbon wheels and 45mm tyres; the frame takes 50mm and carries mudguard and rack mounts.

    £2,699 · 8.7kg · 50mm clearance · 23in bottom gear

  5. 6. Trek Checkpoint SL 5 AXS Gen 3

    84%

    Better value ✓ Checked

    Carbon gravel bike with wireless SRAM Apex XPLR AXS, downtube storage, 42mm tyres and rack and mudguard mounts.

    £2,750 · 9.5kg · 50mm clearance · 25in bottom gear

  6. 7. BMC URS ONE

    84%

    Lowest climbing gear ✓ Checked

    Carbon gravel frame with rack and mudguard mounts, wireless AXS shifting, a 38T ring and a 10-52 cassette on 45mm tyres.

    £3,399 · 9.4kg · 47mm clearance · 20in bottom gear

  7. 8. Marin Headlands 3

    83%

    More comfortable ✓ Checked *

    Carbon gravel bike with wireless SRAM Rival XPLR 13-speed, carbon rims, a dropper post and 45mm tyres.

    £3,799 · 9.4kg · 45mm clearance · 23in 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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