Should be comfy, interesting, usable, nice looking.
X1 is fine, won't need suspension or dropper post but hopefully something lively and fast, I'm going to be mostly doing commuting off road on it (by off-road I mean it's mostly shared paths, river and canal side toe-paths and stretches of tarmac) don't really care what it's made off, should be able to fit mudguards I guess, don't want it festooned with mounts though - it's never going to be used for bike packing. It can have drop bars, I suppose but I'd rather not, I do have standards, I'm not some wide-trouser wearing, mustacheod weirdo after all.
Don't know anything about this market - let's call it gravel...never paid any attention to it, so assume I have no clue but y'know; N+1 an all that.
These Tripsters are a good price at the mo. I ride offroad home on my old Mk1 Ti and its great. It's not a munter though 😀
Trek checkpoint.
Are you in Manchester? Try out mine....
Budget?
I'd personally go drop bar for what you describe but in terms of slightly spicy hybrids then maybe a Cube Nulane C:62 SLT?
Sonder Broken Road? Currently waiting for a 2nd hand small frameset to become available myself...
Budget?
right now, it's not important. By festooned with mounting points - I will exclude anything that has those two on the top tube near the stem. We all have red lines, those are mine.
Sonder Camino in frame material/groupset to suit your budget. Said before on similar threads but my alloy one with the lowest 1x groupset spec (SRAM something or other) and hydro brakes (a must have for me) is superb. Really, really like it (apart from the thin bar tape - I need to resolve that - I like my grips girthy as thats what I'm used to 😛 ).
Yeti ARC with a carbon rigid fork/seatpost 😀
Or I went for a Ritchey P29er with a 120mm SID and rigid post/fast 2.2" XC tyres which is a rocketship and really comfy - built up with 1x11 Deore and as big a chainring as you fancy/will fit.
I'd be tempted by a flatbar Camino or Ribble CGR too as they both offer factory builds, but only if my way to/from work didn't involve any potential fun offroad diversions and trails.
Kona Unit X
I have an older unit set up geared, was running a 110mm suspension fork & dropper post for a while, but its better with the P2
How far is the commute?
Windover Beacon
WINDOVERBIKES.CO.UK Stooge Rambler
STOOGECYCLES.CO.UK The Rambler can be built up with flat bars
HALFORDS.COM Pictures of Clandestine Carrier bikes from the bespoked show coverage looks like a seriously nice bike for just riding about.
CLANDESTINE.CC If your budget is smaller I don't think you can go far wrong with an aluminium framed hybrid like a Kona Dew or similar from other brands.
Kona Unit X
I'm certainly interested in the new Kona Unity if/when it becomes available here; fills the OP's thread title requirements but probably not what he's after.
This looks interesting, if the size fits
Kinesis 4S Tiagra Road Bike - Graphite Grey – Kinesis Bikes
add a pannier rack if really needed but I commuted along similar terririty for years on a previous version of this.
I looked at a bunch of stuff recently, Kinesis and Niner (at Paul's cycles) had blinding deals
Gravel Bikes | Adventure & Bikepacking Bikes | Pauls Cycles
In the end it was down to a Croix De Fer 40 or a Ti Camino. After test rides & as I tend to keep bikes quite a long time, the Ti Camino is on order 🙂
I have fancied the Ribble cgr in titanium:) there are deals on at the moment for £5k with dura ace. Perhaps a little spendy for a commuter bike but it's titanium so won't rust or show marks from chains /bike stands
Looks good as well
Apologies it's the allroad Ti - looks sweet and is £1000 off
A timely thread. I'm probably going to be buying a Trek Checkpoint 4 at the weekend. Suffering from pre-purchase buyer's remorse at the moment, but I'll fight through it.
List price is £1,400, but I've been offered £1,200 in two LBSs with Evans offering just a bit more.
Going to but a bright pink one.
Trek Checkpoint ALR 4 Gen 3 2026 Gravel Bike | Evans Cycles
Double Post
