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Help needed with a new gravel bike decision

ralph.dickinsonralph.dickinson Posts: 12
in Road buying advice
Hi all,

I'm weighing up two different gravel bikes, and I'm struggling to decide. Please can you help steer me in one direction or another?

Number 1: https://www.evanscycles.com/pinnacle-arkose-d3-2020-gravel-bike-EV339948

Number 2: https://www.evanscycles.com/cannondale-topstone-alloy-tiagra-2020-gravel-bike-EV360983

I think I prefer the aesthetics of the Cannondale, but is it advisable to go for the Pinnacle due to its 105 groupset?

thanks!

Posts

  • oxomanoxoman Posts: 11,730
    Firstly do you need a gravel bike or are you just following the trends. Dependent on use you might be better with something lighter. Of the 2 I'd be going for the pinnacle 105 / ultegra mix 11spd as opposed to tiagra 10 spd. Both have hydraulic brakes and through axles. The Cannondale trumps on weight as slightly lighter, however if loading up with bags and bottles etc then that's not even a consideration. Personally I'd be getting the pinnacle.
    Too many bikes according to Mrs O.
  • CargobikeCargobike Posts: 748
    Aesthetics?!
    I'm with oxoman, 105 trumps Tiagra all day long.
    The Pinnacle would be my choice too.
  • mrfpbmrfpb Posts: 4,569
    Arkose use the same team for gravel (D range) and road (R range) so sticking a pair of road wheels and a road cassette is an easy seasonal switch on a 105 group set.
    Having seen the Arkose it looks pretty decent. It was on my C2W list until I realised I couldnt use Evans.
  • ralph.dickinsonralph.dickinson Posts: 12
    oxoman said:

    Firstly do you need a gravel bike or are you just following the trends. Dependent on use you might be better with something lighter. Of the 2 I'd be going for the pinnacle 105 / ultegra mix 11spd as opposed to tiagra 10 spd. Both have hydraulic brakes and through axles. The Cannondale trumps on weight as slightly lighter, however if loading up with bags and bottles etc then that's not even a consideration. Personally I'd be getting the pinnacle.

    Thanks Oxoman, I live in the forest of dean, have moved from downlill mountain biking to now exploring the miles of forest tracks we have nearby, hence why I thought a gravel bike would be a good option. Weight isn't a concern for me, I don't really mind how light or heavy it is, within reason. Thanks for your advice on 105, seems most people are saying the same thing.
  • oxomanoxoman Posts: 11,730
    Ralph firstly I'm jealous, FOD on the doorstep. Not into DH myself more XC like cannock etc. Evans have been doing pinnacle for a long time certainly longer than the cannondale topstone has been about. As peeps have suggested after me it's any easy purchase / transition to a roadbike. The arkose also has slightly bigger tyres, so might be a bit easier in your neck of the woods. The only things to worry about on any gravel / offroad road bike is hydraulic discs not cable and through axles.
    Too many bikes according to Mrs O.
  • joe_totale-2joe_totale-2 Posts: 1,333
    The Arkose has an Ultegra rear mech with a clutch which is a far better rear mech than a Tiagra one if you're predominantly riding off road, no risk of dropping the chain which can occasionally happen with 2x set ups.

    The tyres are a fair bit bigger on the Arkose which again will suit off road riding more and probably are the main reason the Arkose is a bit heavier.
  • fenixfenix Posts: 5,437
    Bargain option.

    https://road.cc/content/tech-news/decathlon-launch-new-entry-level-triban-rc-120-gravel-bike-273833
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