Adventure means different things to different people. To a leisure rider, it might be exploring the local towpaths, while to an experienced road cyclist, it could be exploring backcountry gravel tracks. Meanwhile, to a mountain biker, it might mean swapping groomed bike-park trails for epic rides on natural singletrack and wild-camping overnight.
These riders have very different needs when it comes to bikes, which is why we’ve included a broad range of machines here. However, all adventure-ready steeds share certain things in common – tyres designed for more than just tarmac, fixtures for carrying supplies, and a degree of built-in comfort, without sacrificing too much rolling speed.
Whatever your budget and fitness, you should find something to suit you, from a light ‘all-road’ bike that’ll double up as a rapid commuter, to a 20kg electric hardtail, which will supplement your pedalling with motorised assistance to help you get to places you couldn’t via pedal power alone. We’ve got two very different takes on a gravel bike, plus both hardtail and full-sus MTBs for rough terrain.
These bikes all serve various purposes, so we’ve scored them compared to other category options. Read on to see which bike will sate your appetite for adventure.
THE BIKES
NUKEPROOF DIGGER RS V3
SURLY GRAPPLER
COTIC ESCAPADE ROAD PLUS PLATINUM
TREK MARLIN 8 GEN.3
JULIANA WILDER CC X0 AXS TR RESERVE
ORBEA URRUN 10
KEY FEATURES
Suspension
This can vary from 150mm of sophisticated air-sprung suspension on adventure-focused mountain bikes to elastomer inserts on all-road frames, or even taking the form of chassis compliance.
Dropper seatpost
Allowing you to drop your saddle with the push of a lever, these aid manoeuvrability on descents and technical trails. They add weight, but are found on almost all MTBs, and increasingly on gravel bikes, too.
Pedalling assistance
Ebikes use a battery-powered motor to supplement your pedalling. This only kicks in when you’re turning the cranks, and cuts out at 25kmh, but delivers ample assistance on climbs and flatter tracks.
Storage
If you’re going on an adventure, you’ll likely want to carry extra provisions and gear or camping kit. Look for multiple sets of bottle bosses, accessory mounts or integrated frame storage for tools.
Tyre choice
Lower-profile tyres tend to roll faster, saving you energy. Yet it’s worth fitting something with bigger tread blocks for cornering in the mud. Extra width adds comfort, if your frame/fork has the clearance.
NUKEPROOF DIGGER RS V3
£2,999.99 Slackened suspension-equipped graveller
Weight 11.28kg (size XL) Frame Aluminium Fork Rock Shox Rudy Ultimate 30mm travel Gears SRAM Rival 1 (40t, 11-42t) Brakes SRAM Rival Hydraulic disc Wheels DT Swiss GR1600 Spline Finishing kit Nukeproof Horizon 60mm stem, AL-6061 500mm bar, Brand X Ascend 125mm drop 31.6 post, Nukeproof saddle, Schwalbe G-One Bite TLE ADDIX 40c tyres
From its Michigan roots to its reimagining by Northern Ireland downhill racer Michael Cowan, Nukeproof has been associated with the more extreme side of mountain biking. But what kind of gravel bike would it come up with? At first glance you can tell the Digger is different. It’s a third-generation model that stems from a training bike co-developed with mountain-bike legend Sam Hill. The original long wheelbase and slack geometry remains, but it’s been pushed further with a 2° slacker head angle and a longer reach, not to mention a huge increase in tyre clearance to 45mm, or 47mm 650b wheels.
The original steep seat angle remains for
