dear fellow cyclists,
I'm in need of opinions as I need to choose a gravel bike to kick off my mid life crisis gravel-phase.
Currently the mentioned Stevens bike is in favourite.
I need the bike for commuting, light backpacking and easy (long) rides, no racing or anything planned at the moment.
can somebody recommend this bike or even heavily advise against it? if yes, what would be possible alternatives in a similar price range?
by Responsible-Art-9741
2 Comments
Seems quite a mashup of GRX and Tiagra components, quite weird. In that price category I would take a look at Cube Nuroad Race if you want a 2x system and Cube Nuroad Ex if 1x is better for you.
Other than that visit a local bike store and see what they have on hand and test them.
While I kinda like Stevens (had a [Vapor ](https://www.stevensbikes.de/de/be/cyclocross/vapor-2×12/)for years, very capable bike despite the relatively limited tire clearance), I don’t think this model is a good deal. It’s quite heavy (11,7 kg), has an aluminum fork and no-name / OEM wheels. The Tiagra / GRX mix would be okay for me, even if it’s a bit weird (seems to be a Stevens thing … they do this on many of their models). The [COM](https://www.stevensbikes.de/de/be/gravel/gravel/gavere-com/) seems to be a better option, if you want to go with Stevens. Sometimes you can negotiate a discount with the dealer, I payed 1800 € for my Vapor instead of the 2000 € list price.