Boardman TRVL 8.9 DB vs Fairlight Faran 3.0 GRX RX610 1x
Both are gravel bikes at a similar price. Here is what actually separates them.
The short answer
For a typical all-round rider the Fairlight Faran 3.0 GRX RX610 1x comes out ahead (66% against 64%). That is not a universal verdict — change the terrain or the priority and the order can flip.
What actually separates them
- Price
- The Boardman TRVL 8.9 DB is £50 cheaper — £1,800 against £1,850.
- Weight
- The Boardman TRVL 8.9 DB is 0.2kg lighter, which you notice on long climbs more than anywhere else.
- Riding position
- The Boardman TRVL 8.9 DB sits you more upright (1.49 stack-to-reach against 1.45). The Fairlight Faran 3.0 GRX RX610 1x is the more aggressive of the two — quicker if you can hold it, harder work if you cannot.
- Tyre clearance
- The Fairlight Faran 3.0 GRX RX610 1x takes 53mm tyres against 50mm — the single most common thing buyers wish they had more of.
- Climbing gear
- The Fairlight Faran 3.0 GRX RX610 1x has the easier bottom gear (21 gear inches against 25), which matters more than weight on anything genuinely steep.
Side by side
| Spec | TRVL 8.9 DB | Faran 3.0 GRX RX610 1x |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £1,800 | £1,850 |
| Weight | 11.3 kg | 11.5 kg |
| Frame | alloy | steel |
| Groupset | SRAM Apex 1x12 mechanical | Shimano GRX RX610 1x12 mechanical |
| Stack / reach | 1.49 | 1.45 |
| Tyre clearance | 50 mm | 53 mm |
| Lowest gear | 25 in | 21 in |
| Mudguard mounts | Yes | Yes |
| Comfort | 69 | 68 |
| Speed | 15 | 19 |
| Climbing | 39 | 45 |
| Value | 6 | 5 |
Neither might be the right answer
This page assumes an average rider. Tell us how you actually ride and we will rank these two against everything else at the price.
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