Hey r/whichbike
For the past few days I’ve been thinking about buying a bike and did as much research as I could, but I’m at a point where all the different models and terms start to get overwhelming, especially with zero experience. So I’m hoping to get some advice from here.
This autumn/winter I needed to give my knee a break from all the running, started indoor cycling in the gym and liked it a lot. So now I’m leaning towards buying a gravel or all-road/hybrid E-Bike, something that works well on bike/trails roads with the occasional gravel part (around an 80/20 split, I guess) with a focus on fitness rather than leisure. It would be great if the price would be around 4000$ or below, but according to my research that seems rather conservative for an E-Bike? My height is 185cm and I weigh 79kg, if that helps.
I did some research which brands are considered good, which brands are available at my local shops and within my budget and narrowed it down to something from Merida, SCOTT, Trek or Canyon. But I’m having trouble with finding the right model, so far I’ve considered:
* [Canyon Roadlite:On 5](https://www.canyon.com/de-ch/e-bikes/city-e-bikes/roadlite-on/roadlite-on-al/roadlite-on-5/3283.html?dwvar_3283_pv_rahmenfarbe=BK) **or 7**: The most visually appealing and recommended by their bike recommender for me, but it I don’t think it’s supposed to handle gravel well?
* [Merida eSPEEDER 400 EQ](https://www.merida-bikes.com/de-at/bike/2813/espeeder-400-eq): This again seems more geared toward roads?
* [Merida eSILEX+ 600](https://www.merida-bikes.com/de-ch/bike/2810/esilex-600): I never used a bike with a drop bar before, so I’m a bit wary of them, but it seems like a solid option?
* [Trek Domane+ AL 5](https://www.trekbikes.com/us/en_US/bikes/electric-bikes/electric-road-bikes/domane-al-5/p/36145/): Looks nice, but I haven’t read much about this brand.
* [SCOTT Speedster Gravel eRide](https://www.scott-sports.com/ch/de/product/scott-speedster-gravel-eride-50-bike?article=293372049): The website doesn’t really explain much, but this was the only option from this brand that fit the budget.
I’d be grateful for any insight and recommendations, even for other brands and models which might be a good fit (as long as they’re available in Europe/Switzerland). Thank you!
by Swissendo