Anybody care to comment on these as there seems to be some great sales on them at the moment.
Tiagra for about £650 and 105 from around £750.
Are they a proper gravel bike that will handle off road ok? Or more of a road bike.
Also what size is recommended for 5’10.
I have been looking at Pinnacle akrose and giant revolt type bikes(as have a lot of people on here lately it seems) for a mix of on/off road but these GTS look excellent vfm.

Not a looker, but apparently ride very well. Friend has one, and likes it.

I know a few people who’ve ridden GT Grade bikes. They seem to like them and definitely ride off-road on them.

The 105 version looks a great spec. Sensible 32T cassette, TRP HR-RD brakes plus those Alex rims are quite light and tubeless compatible

Mate has one and loves it. Absolutely perfect for non-technical off road. It was quite happy with, for example, the Dalwhinnie – Ben Alder – Loch Laggan track & Glen Ogle/Glen Ample.
Go 105 & tubeless.

I’m ready to buy but worried about sizing.Thinking 55cm,any owners in?Unable to try unfortunately but wouldn’t know what I was looking for anyway as I’ve never had this kind of bike.
I was sized for a m/l giant defy recently but decided against a road only bike.

http://grit.cx/reviews/gravel-under-a-grand-three-bikes-tested

Hopefully this answers a few of your questions. I’m 5foot 9.5, so a shade smaller than you.

I had a Sora Grade as a commuter, but did some off road with it, but preferred my MTB off road. I sold it to fund a new mtb when I changed jobs, but looks aside I found it a really good bike, and if situation changed, I would happily have one back again.

Size wise, I am somewhere between 5’9-10, and I went with the 55cm. Whilst it was fine for me with a 100mm stem and slammed, I would get a 53cm next time as I would have liked it a little more compact. I tend to ride 54cm road bikes.

[/url]IMG_20161117_150822 by IamDeathside, on Flickr[/img]

I don’t have one (but would) and actually like the look of them. They review very well and from your original post there seems to be bargains around.

I like the look of them, always loved the triple triangle look of their early 90’s frames.

Grade is handsome although I believe the xxls are a bit of a sight. Any photos of the 58 on the forum?

General advice seems to be size down one size IF you intend to chuck it about a bit. At 5ft 6in I went for XS and it seems to fit well (S was too high at the front). I have the alloy 105. It’s an amazingly capable bike. Negatives….standard wheels are very poor and not up to off road work and there’s not as much clearance for bigger tyres as on some gravel bikes. I got some 33mm clements and they rubbed a little on the fork.

Tyre clearance for me would be a deal breaker, especially if you want to do gravel events and run decent tubeless tyres

Tyre clearance for me would be a deal breaker, especially if you want to do gravel events and run decent tubeless tyres

Good point here. The Grade, like the pre-18 Diverge is on the faster end of the gravel spectrum (If there is such a thing!) more of a fast bike for mixing up road and trail sections than a proper “off road” gravel bike.

Horses, courses, etc.

Here’s my 58cm Grade hiding in gate last Sunday. Broken spoke culled ride 10 miles in. Was sitting waiting for international rescue to pick me up.

It may be hiding, but we can still see that bar angle….! 😯

I’ve got the Boatman’s old 55cm grade. I’m 5’9″ and it’s a bit on the long side of comfortable but fits better since I swapped to a 70mm stem. I think a 53cm would’ve been better.
With 28c slick tyres it zips along just as fast as my old Triban3 road bike but can tackle easy off road tracks and trails too.
I’ve got 35c WTB Cross Boss tyres on it at the moment, they fit but there’s very little mud clearance.

I got the flat bar version last year as a cycle to work scheme bike. As a commuter it’s great. I like riding it on road too, but now want to convert it to a drop bar bike. Not sure whether to sell what I’ve got and start again as it’s a medium size and I think I’d need to size down with drops, but I’d definitely be looking for a grade again, excellent bikes

I’m 6′ 4″ and have a size XXL 60cm which was the recommended size for my height. However, I have always felt like I would have liked to have tried the next size down. If you are between two sizes I would advise getting a test ride before you buy.

I have the carbon Ultegra version by the way but have never ridden it off-road although I would like to. It’s my main road bike and I just haven’t got round to getting some more nobbly tyres for off-road.

Thanks for all the information folks.Still not sure what to do.hmmmmm.I think I need to see one in the flesh for sizing,also a bit concerned about the clearance as I am an off roader at heart.

But then again I have mountain bikes for proper off road.

I never really got on with mine – felt sluggish commuting, was not up to any mild off road (fire roads) and the TRP hybrid brakes were awful – I replaced it with a rigid 29er Inbred which seems better in every way

The new Cube Nuroad gravel bike range look good value

In support of sizing, I went with a 54cm Crosslight 5T disc at 178/5’10” and it’s perfectly compact for chucking around but still capable of being used for commuting and stuff like Way of The Roses.

It fits me very much better than the 58cm frame of another manufacturer it replaced, although according to Kinesis I’m actually over the size range for the frame.

Too much choice these days lol.

I’ve had the Alloy 105 equipped Grade for a year now, like it a lot.
I’m 5’11” and find the 56cm suits me fine.
Tyre wise I’ve settled on some Kenda happy Medium 35c for off-road, and the stock conti tyres for road use (two sets of wheels means it’s a 2 minute job to swap over).
35c is about the max tyre that will fit, the only slight disappointment in what is a great bike.
I’ve used mine on Sunday club road rides, tackled the Dirty Reiver around Kielder, and done countless miles on Zwift.
A great all-rounder.

I’ve had one for 18 months and think it’s outstanding (and great value). Fast, comfortable and soaks up a load of punishment – I take mine down my MTB trails quite happily. Depending on your budget, I’d strongly recommend a carbon frame with hydro brakes – the carbon frame has the seatstays that flex. Size – I’m 6’+ and on a 58. Reckon 56 might suit 5’10.

Thanks,not looking to spend that much though to be honest as it will just be a winter bike to encourage me to keep up a bit of fitness and dip my toes into a bit of not too serious road riding with a few fire roads,canals and bridleways thrown in.Currently torn between the Al tiagra for£650 and the Boardman cx comp with sora but tougher wheels and more clearance so I’m told which can be had for £500 at the moment!

I’ve been looking around at this sort of price as well – need a winter “gravel” bike to get dirty in the new forest as I’m not riding roads anymore. Actually very tempted by this:

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/charge-plug-grinduro-single-speed-adventure-road-bike/

Looks great, single speed definitely not for me though!

Yeah fair one – it’s horses for courses. I’d ride that round the new forest all day long but wouldn’t go near the South Downs on it that’s for sure.

Great bikes. Two years with my carbon 105, I’ve thought about chopping it in for the Orbea version, but apart from the Orbea being better looking I haven’t been able to justify it.
I do my commute, 2 to 2.5h per day on steep hilly backroads, some of which are cement, and some crap weather long training runs with full guards in winter. Off road, with slick 32mm tyres, I can just about manage the easier mtb trails with a bit of common sense in mud and walking the odd rock garden. It’s not a mtb obviously, but I can link up two or three off road loops by road which would be a chore on knobblies.
Downsides… Neither is it a great road bike. I find the steering a bit slow and ponderous especially when descending into hairpins and it’s hard to get a decent tuck ( 55cm and 1m78 here). I’m not that impressed with the disk brakes either, they’ve squealed and rubbed on and off throughout the time I’ve had it. The hoods are bulkier than the Ultegra level ones. The cycle parts, headset, freehub, didn’t last a winter and the BB is in some weird adapter I’d like to get rid of.
It’s more or less become my main bike by default as my mtb has been laid up for ages waiting for parts, and I’m finding it hard to get motivated to ride much on the road proper.

Well after all the indecisiveness I picked up a

Pinnacle arkose 2, lovely looking bike ,only ridden it for a couple of miles so far and it feels straaange. No surprises really as I am used to riding a fat bike!
Thanks for all the opinions and advice.

Good choice o.p.

Personally I’m loving my Arkose (3). I’ve only had it 3 weeks but have put over 400 miles on it so far with a mix of road, bridleway and commuting duties. Last weekend I did a 65 mile road ride with a small group and it didn’t feel any slower than my Ritchey.

And it’s great in 650b flavour

Nice, I’d put a picture of mine on but I don’t know how.

View post on imgur.com

Hmmm,that never worked.

Got one without trying it and plugged on for a wee while but the seat tube was just too long for me and I never got comfy on it, sold it after not a lot of use.
I kinda liked the look of it in a so ugly it’s cool kinda way at the start but grew to resent it for costing me money (my own fault) and came to the conclusion it’s just plain ugly.