Top 7 Best Gravel & Adventure Bikes Under $700

Gravel bikes, also known as adventure bikes are an extremely fast growing segment of the bicycling community! These flexible bikes allow you to go quickly on the road, but also easily be able to take on some mountain bike trails. Sure they aren’t the fastest on the road, and they aren’t the most capable on the trails, but they can do it all, and that isn’t something other bikes can do.

This article is going to go through our favorite gravel (adventure) bikes under $700. This is a difficult price point, as so many manufacturers focus on higher end bikes, even though so many beginners want to get started at a lower price point.

I hope this list helps you find the right bike for you! Make sure however to stay tuned till the end, when we discuss expectations for a bike at this price point, and what you should be looking out for.

Please Note: Availability on many of these bikes are ranging heavily right now due to everything going on in the world, and the growing popularity of bicycling worldwide. Even while writing this article, availability changed.

1. Kent 700c Eagle Ridge Adventure Gravel Bike

Sometimes you just need to break free. The Kent 700c Eagle Ridge Adventure Bike is the companion for your journey through life, traveling at a more leisurely and comfortable pace with its hybrid design frame that falls somewhere between traditional thin-tired road bikes and fat-wheeled mountain bikes. You’ll find 21 speeds of Shimano drivetrain muscle on this hefty 700x40c wheelset along with powerful commuter brakes, stopping you whenever necessary to gaze around in awe at all the beauty there is both on this earth as well as in it.
The striped patterned saddle makes even the longest trips comfortable.

Strange Side Note: The twist shifters onto the middle of the handlebars, the handlebars actually split in the middle, instead of all being one component like every other bike I have seen.

Specifications

2. Schwinn Sporterra Adventure Gravel Bike

The perfect bike for all your exploring needs, the Sporterra Adventure Gravel Bike builds on the success of Schwinn bikes made from 1983 – 1987 with its alloy adventure frame and rigid fork. Ideal in off-road conditions or even paved paths, this multifunctional bicycle comes equipped top to bottom with features meant to enhance your ride like 14 speeds and Shimano shifter/brake lever combo. With an easy dependability on your side every time you hit that pedal shift, these thrilling additions make it 25% tougher than before. Keep pedaling as the anticipation of unexplored territory takes over.

Specifications

3. Giordano Trieste Gravel Bike

Giordano pays homage to our original Crosstown, but this new Trieste Gravel Bike has been upgraded and customized for the needs of today’s gravel rider. From spinning up technical climbs on your lunch hour off-road excursion to conquering steep hills on your commute home, we have taken our classic Crosstown geometry and updated it with a few modern touches for bike computers, fenders and racks.

Fit: The Giordano is designed for medium sized riders looking for a comfortable bike that will be able to conquer both roads or trails. Geometry: A relaxed

This steel frame gravel bike is a great bang for your buck, with cool styling, disc brakes, a legit stem. Unfortunately it only comes in small and medium, which leaves out the larger riders. However if you are one of those that are within the smaller rider category, this should be a great option!

With 16 gears, you should have plenty of range for both trail, and road riding. The 700c wheels will get you there efficiently and quickly.

Specifications

4. Kent 700c Nazz Gravel Road Bike

Designed for a different type of road than the 700c, this bike is perfect for long rides on mixed terrain. It has Adventure Bike geometry with durable components that will make it to the end of your adventure and get you back home.

The Kent 700c Nazz comes standard with features like front and rear mechanical disc brakes, a 2x drivetrain w/ Shimano shifters and rear derailleur, 38/48 tooth crank which helps you tackle any hill or mountain top, 14-28 tooth freewheel so you can go as fast as you want without having to pedal constantly,

Specifications

5. Mongoose Elroy Adventure Bike

The Mongoose Elroy Adventure Bike has adventure bike geometry and an efficiently designed steel fork, alloy frame construction with internal cable routing for added control.

With a 2×7 drive’s Shimano Tourney derailleurs and disc brakes, the Elroy is lightweight and comfortable on all terrain types while it can easily carry your riding essentials in the stylish Stash Pack.

Specifications

6. Motobecane Gravel X1

This bike is unique on this list for two reasons, one is that it uses SRAM equipment all around, rather than Shimano. However it also is unique due to its 1 x 11 gearing. This means it can be lighter, while still maintaining its wide range of gear ratios, meaning easy to get up hills, but you also won’t run out of pedal while going back down.

Stopping you will happen via Shimano Hydraulic Disc Brakes which is uncommon in this price point.

If you are like me, you also like the darker gray styling with all of the black accents, making for a very cool bicycle to take on your daily commute, or relaxing ride.

Specifications

7. Kent Takara Shiro Adventure Bike

Kent Takara Shiro Adventure Bike: a perfect blend of sport and leisure. This bike is not only for long-distance rides, but tough terrain as well. The 48 cm frame has 700c x 40mm tires to take on the world’s toughest obstacles with ease! Shimano gear shift gears make it easy to get up any hill in style (and speed!).

Key features include strong high tensile steel frame, powerful front & rear disc brakes, shimano drivetrain that can handle virtually any terrain, and padded handlebar tape so you can go just about anywhere without discomfort.

Specifications

The ABCs of Buying a Gravel Bike for Under $700

The best way to get a bike for under 700 is to look at what you need out of your bike. You may be looking for something that can handle the road, but also offers some off-road capabilities. Or maybe you are looking for a bike that will just handle trails and gravel roads. No matter what type of bicycle you’re looking for, I’m going to show you how to find it in this post!

Gear Amount

In this price range, these gravel bikes have a huge range of styles of gears. You are still seeing the 3 x 7 gears that are on lower end bikes, as well as 1 x 11, 2 x 8 and more. However they all should be name brand by names like Shimano and SRAM and should be of decent quality.

If you see a non-name brand drivetrain at this price point, it probably will be worth walking the other way and finding something a bit better for you.

Wheel Size

Every bike on this list is sitting at the 700c category of wheel, which is basically a thinner 29r wheelset. This is actually one of my personal favorite sizes, as it allows for more distance with less effort, and with less weight as well.

Tire Size

Most tires on these gravel bikes will be in between 38 to 42 centimeters. If you are looking to take your gravel bike more on the road, you will want one on the thinner side of things, but if you want more gravel riding, thicker will be better for your situation.

Think of it this way, gravel bikes don’t have suspensions (as we are about to learn) so you will be relying on your tires to soak up that impact. If you have more impact, you need bigger tires.

Suspension Type

One of the big differentiating factors between a gravel bike and a hybrid bike (along with drop handlebars) is the fact that gravel bikes don’t have any form of suspension, making them a rigid bike.

This is due to its lean towards more road bike, while the hybrid leans more towards mountain bike.

Because of this, gravel bikes are lighter, and faster, but you still have to find a way to compensate for that off-road riding in the way of thicker tires.

Brake Type

I believe every bike on this list (and in this price range) is going to have disc brakes, which is the new standard for bikes nowadays. However don’t be put off if you see one with rim brakes, as they are still a great alternative. I would really only be ware if you see mismatched where it is disc in front and rim in back, as that tends to mean you are just trying to be sold on something shiny.

The other brake component you should think about, is if it is mechanical or hydraulic disc brakes. Gravel bikes tend to be used while going quite a bit faster, and hydraulic brakes are going to allow for quicker and more effective braking. However at this price point, it isn’t to be expected, so don’t be disappointed if your favorite option doesn’t have it.

Weight

Gravel bikes tend to be lighter than mountain bikes, but heavier than road bikes . If you are looking for something that is going to be easy on your back, then a heavier bike might not work well.

When you are going on the lower end of gravel bikes, you will tend to find heavier bikes due to cheaper materials .

The weight of a bike is going to be one factor that will affect the price. The heavier it gets, typically cheaper materials are used.

Available sizes

Thankfully, no matter what price you pay for a gravel (adventure) bike there are sizes for all people.

Frequently Asked Questions

Conclusion

In this article we talked about different types of gravel bikes that we like for under 700, as well as we learned about the ABCs of buying a gravel bike.

Adventure bicycles are a ton of fun, and are one of the most versatile bikes out there right now.

There are a lot of different types and styles to choose from, so it is important that you do your research before buying one. We hope this article has helped! Good luck on finding the perfect bike for yourself.