Found the Mrs an ex demo salsa veya at the weekend which she loves…..

Trouble is so does her friend she cycles with most.

now her cycling buddy wants a gravel bike to match as her aged racy Cannondale cx bike is quickly outgunned off-road.

Needs to be a small /5ft5 suitable.

Seen anything anywhere. All the usual suspects showing February and I suspect the only reason we were able to find something in stock was the ex demo nature of it.

My usual tame shops can’t help

Our local shop https://www.rootscycles.co.uk/ seems to have a fair bit of stock.

On One Free Ranger at £1400 ish? Quoting 12-14 day build times on the website?

Cube?

https://www.chainreactioncycles.com/cube-cross-race-cyclocross-bike-2022/rp-prod209249

Merlin gravel with Claris £600

https://www.merlincycles.com/merlin-malt-g2-claris-gravel-bike-2021-197226.html?utm_source=PHG&utm_medium=AffiliateMarketing&utm_campaign=phg-GB&ucpo=118059&from=kelkoo&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIrMfQl8KP8wIVEed3Ch1CBwmGEAQYASABEgJPwfD_BwE

On One 10 months interest free.

Merlin looks good. There’s a nice steel framed one coming in at about the 1200 mark.

On-one not an option. The px/on-one alignment means the friend won’t have another. Customer service significantly lacking even if the headtubes not aligned with the rest of the bike….

That cube isn’t a gravel bike.

https://www.wiggle.co.uk/gt-grade-carbon-elite-gravel-bike-2021

Think you’ll struggle to get better value than this.

I’ve the Merlin frame with nicer kit on.

It is ok. Comfy fork, much more stable than the other two gravel/CX/hybrid/do it all bikes in the house.

However, it didn’t have the top mounting for mudguard moulded in, the folk leg guard mounts are in backwards, the rear frame / rack mounts foul the bolt through. Someone has ordered a factory catalogue frame in nice colour, but never actually ridden or fitted things to it.

what mudmuncher says.

There’s a minty Raleigh Mustang comp with Apex/hydros on ebay at the min.

Often overlooked but they are good bikes. Bloke I know had one and I was impressed. Won’t set the world on fire but is more than decent for the price.

https://www.bikeradar.com/reviews/bikes/gravel-bikes/raleigh-mustang-comp-review/