Why FSA’s all-new Gradient range should be on your shopping list

As a combined setup, Gradient is about ride feel and consistency with less fuss and maintenance.

The FSA Gradient range is designed as a cohesive component system for the sort of trail and enduro bikes we ride week-in week-out. Wide bars, short stems, purposeful rise options, and durable finishing kit built to handle real-world riding rather than being a pure weight-weenie shootout.

Pair that with the Gradient i30 Carbon wheels and you’ve got a practical, hard-wearing setup aimed at riders who want confident handling, fewer creaks, and less maintenance faff in between rides and races.

Below is a run-through of the key products, what they do, and – more importantly – what they’re designed to feel like on the trail.

Gradient i30 Carbon wheels

There are plenty of carbon wheels out there that exist to win a scale contest. And that’s fine. The Gradients aren’t overly concerned about scale wars; these are carbon wheels that exist to be ridden hard, in all conditions, on the kind of trails where you’re more than likely to hear a rim ping.

FSA’s Gravity i30 Carbon wheels are a modern-width carbon wheelset built to support modern tyres, track accurately through rough turns, and keep the bike feeling direct when you need it to.

For FSA, as regards carbon rims for mountain bikes, the point isn’t ‘stiff’, it’s ‘consistent’. Whilst carbon rims are certainly less flexy than alloy rims, the better way to think about them is shape retention. Under load – compressions, berms, drops – the rim is part of the tyre’s structure and helps with traction predictability.

What else is useful with FSA’s carbon rims? Impact-oriented layup priorities (aimed at real trail hits, not just lab stiffness). Precise bead seat geometry for reliable tubeless setup. More immediate steering: when you change direction, the wheel responds now, not half a beat later.

The PRS X-900 hubset is excellent too. The rear’s freehub has 72 point of engagement (or 5°), which is a good option when you’re not pedalling smoothly. On real trails you’re rarely spinning perfect circles. You’re ratcheting, half-stroking, and reapplying power at awkward moments. Quicker freehub pickup can make it easier to stay centred on slow, technical climbs. Less dead travel means you can time pedal strokes more precisely.

A wheelset isn’t just a rim and a hub. The build is what determines whether it stays quiet, straight, and predictable after months of riding. The Gradient i30 wheels have appropriate spoke count for strength and longevity. Quality spokes and nipples (corrosion resistance matters in the UK). Less truing, fewer surprises: a well-built wheelset stays round and stays quiet.

Gradient Carbon & Alloy handlebars

Covering both carbon and alloy materials, 35mm and 31.8mm diameter clamp standards, and coming in multiple rise options (20 to 40mm), there’s certainly a Gradient handlebar for you here.

The two things all these bars have in common is the width and sweep angles. The width is 800mm (they’re all trimmable too, with the correct saw blade). The sweep angles: 8° back and 5° up; a neutral set of sweeps, tuned for longer day on the hills with plenty of technical descending.

All Gradient bars feature reinforced clamping zones and clear alignment markings for setup too.

So, carbon or alloy? It’s not really a choice of pure weight. The two different materials exhibit different characteristics. The alloy bars are often prized by riders hitting big impacts regularly, as alloy bars can offer more mm of flex. Carbon bars are frequently the choice of riders wishing to damp and mute trail buzz and smaller vibrations.

Gradient Alloy 35 and 31.8mm stems

You’re going to need something to hold your handlebars, right? FSA have a Gravity stem range to suit.

Available in suitably modern (read: short) lengths to match with modern mountain bike geometry. From dinky-doo 33mm (in 31.8mm diameter) through to 50mm in (31.8 or 35mm diameter). All Gradient stems offer a 6° rise.

Wide 4-bolt faceplate for secure bar clamping. CNC-machined aluminium construction for strength and stiffness.Low 35mm stack height to help keep your bar height options flexible. A solid faceplate, a zero-gap design and top quality machining reduce the odds of creaks and bar slip.

Gradient Modular 1X CK Cranks

Cranks can be one of those parts you only notice when something’s wrong: a creak you can’t locate, a pedal insert that’s had enough, a chainline that’s nearly right but not quite, or a rock strike that turns an clumsy day into an expensive month.

FSA’s Gradient Modular 1X CK cranks are aimed at riders who want the kind of durability that suits year-round trail riding. The ‘CK’ suffix denotes FSA’s construction concept: stiffness where you need it, without turning the bike into beating stick. CK cranks try to balance stiffness for power transfer, strength for impacts, and a ride feel that doesn’t punish you.

Let’s be honest, cranks are a great place on a bike to show some style. Cranks don’t have to be ugly, boring lumps. As well as the Gradient cranks looking cool, due to the robust finishes that resist scuffing and corrosion, they will continue to look cool for longer.

What else is nice? Quality pedal inserts/threads (because pedals are where ham-fisted installs happen).General hardware that doesn’t round instantly and can be removed after months of filth. Less workshop time: fewer seized bolts and fewer “why is this stuck?” moments. More reliable torque retention: parts stay tight, stay quiet.

Quick buyer’s guide: what to choose first

If you’re prioritising upgrades: 1. Wheels/tyres + a good tubeless tyre): biggest immediate change in grip, comfort, and cornering stability. 2. Bar + stem (Gradient cockpit): biggest change in handling and body position. 3. Cranks: no-nonsense but high performance with style to boot.

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