Real world reviews or why I shouldn’t should get one. Currently riding an old RX9 Orange for road/bridleway duties in Lakes and Wales but would like wider bars, bigger gearing so new bike obviously needed. Will be doing a bit of touring/bike packing with it as well. Magazine articles are all nonsense so who has one and loves it or hates it!

The reviewers will tell you it’s great and you can ride it on more tech than a gravel bike should be capable of. Or that’s what most say.

Real world. It’s nice, comfortable riding position, can do road, touring and off road all well. Tho even with 700 x 50 tyres and a redshift suspension stem I still don’t like to use for long on anything other than Landy tracks, smooth trails. Anything a bit rougher and I end up death gripping. And it’s hanging on getting rattled not nice at all.

Don’t get me wrong I rate them and happy with mine. Just take the rose tinted reviews with a pinch of salt. It’s not a Mtb replacement in my view.

Got the v4 version Sram rival with the upgraded wheels.
On the 700cc with stock tyres. I seem to be either have to the tyre pressure high or the rims get a battering over small cobbles etc.
If buying again I would go for hardtail mtb just not feeling the love for gravel bike.

Got a older version and it rides very steadily, you can chuck it down quite technical stuff and it’ll not throw you off. Cruises along well too. New version has bigger clearances too so no downsides really. Just get the GRX version rather than SRAM

Thanks. Looking to use it as tourer pannier bikepacking and de baggage and have some fun on really. Happy chucking current gravel bike down most things, test ride I think.

I really like my Camino (bought in 2020 so V3 I think?), but that’s more because it’s a nice and good value version of a very versatile type of bike, rather than the Camino itself being an exceptional example of the genre.

It sounds like you’re familiar with what a gravel bike can / can’t do. If you want a new one, the Camino seems decent value and ticks all the boxes for me but equally I’d be surprised if it revolutionised your riding.

would like wider bars, bigger gearing so new bike obviously needed.

I presume this is sarcastic. Kind of hard to tell.

I’m torn between one of these and a cotic cascade. Not ridden either and it will take me ages to get around to doing it.

Cotic is heavier but I wonder if the steel might be more compliant.

Interesting to read the real world comments on the V4

@onzadog

I’ve only ridden the previous QR axle version but it was no less comfortable than my Reynolds Steel framed Jamis Renegade.

I also had my eye on one of these, however i think i’m gonna buy a Nukeproof digger – 1700euro for GRX groupset with hydro brakes from CRC.

I think the Sonder at the same price has cable discs which put me off a bit.

Digger looks good, not too concerned about cable brakes as easy fix when away from home. SonDer has the advantage you can demo ride it I guess just thinking by time I’ve done upgrades I’d like to do if I sold current bike I could buy a new one throwing in a bit of extra cash, you know how it goes.

I have the previous version Camino which I’ve had two years. Yes it’s harder work off road than a mtb but that’s kind of the point IMHO, and it’s much quicker on the road for those rides with mixed surfaces. I’m in no way a Sonder fan boy or suffering confirmation bias, I just think any gravel bike will have its limitations off road, not just the Camino. What the Camino does have is very good clearance to help provide some cushion.

I got the grx 1 x version and have been really pleased with it. Goes fine on road, not that much slower than road bikes I’ve had in the past and if I put thinner slicks on would probably be the same. Stock wheels aren’t light but have stood up to quite a beating. The flared bars are great once you I get used to them off road.

The newer Camino has even more ground clearance, a lighter fork, slighter slacker head angle and dropper routing should you want it. Effectively it’s moving further towards the off road side which you’ll probably notice coming from the orange – my mate has one and it’s nice but it’s more roady from what I can tell.

Had an arkose before a few years back and the Camino is a much more comfortable place to be and better when off the tarmac.

I have an Al V2, thru axle F&R+carbon fork&hydros. 700 vrs 650b wheels, found it suites 700s better, more in keeping with its capabilities. 45 degree Bomber bars put the levers at an odd angle for me, otherwise its a comfortable bike for daily use. Frame finish might be a bit cheep but then bikepacking doesn’t have to be so hip(ster)insta.

I’ve done about 1300 miles on my V3 which I got as a frameset and swapped most bits over from my old Arkose. I really rate it for its versatility and good handling. It’s not there to replace a hardtail, but it excels at mixed terrain routes and makes tarmac pleasurable enough. I’ve tried lots of tyre combos but actually prefer 650×47 as you get some tyre volume and off road grip but it also remains quite nimble and nippy, which I didn’t find with 700×50. As others have said, get the GRX hydros if you can, seems a great value build.

The Cotic Cascade is very much a drop bar 29er, so not directly comparable. I’d expect that to be more capable off road but a bit more of a chore on road. They do look nice, but full build not the greatest value.

I have v3 Al. I bloody love mine.

It’s not a replacment for MTB, but so much fun whizzing through narrow singletrack on it. I use to to do 30 mile loops usually, covering mixed terrain.

I’m considering converting it to a full mudguarded winter road bike soon, big flaps! The gravel riding around my way is pretty rubbish once it gets wet and muddy, so more likley to take the hardtail out when it’s grim.

Thanks folks, very happy with my hard tail and in no way see a gravel bike as a replacement more a happy on the road to get to the easy off-road bike that could be a tourer for bigger trips as well. Too much choice!

Hiya,

Following this thread with interest. Been looking at Gravel bikes and this one seems to fit the spec well. The thing to note also is the fork on this one can mount luggage unlike quite a few others at similar spec. The Vitus Substance AL is interesting, but on this bike it is worth noting no fork mounts.

JeZ

I have a V3 AL Rival 1 and love it. I have two wheelsets withn the stock 42 resolutes and a second set with 28 gatorskins for dedicated road.

The flaired bars are fantastic and as has been said before the capabilities and what I ride it over have amazed me.

Hiya,

Another to look at is this one:

https://www.wiggle.co.uk/nukeproof-digger-comp-alloy-bike-2022

BR
JeZ

I’m very happy with my recent Camino Rival purchase.

I’ve used it loads since I got it in June and it’s rekindled my love of riding bikes locally from the front door – there’s no real decent mountain biking locally without a drive. I’ve taken it further afield too and enjoyed exploring on it. It works well on gravel (obviously), roads and light rocky / rooty trails – I’ve not tried to take it down anything serious, I’ve got a mountain bike for that.

It’s my first drop bar bike of any kind and I find it very comfortable and can’t believe how well it wafts along with minimal effort compared to what I’m used to riding. I changed the chainring and cassette to gear it a bit lower (it’s now 11-46 x 38) and am glad I did, despite the FB groups telling me “you just need stronger legs, that’s not gravel gearing”.

I went for the upgrade 700C wheels and it was supplied with superstar wheels as that’s what they could supply at the time. I’m considering getting some 650 wheels and chunkier tyres for the winter, I’ll borrow my wife’s wheels for a test ride at some point.

I’ve also started to buy bags to strap to it to dip my toe into some bikepacking.

The Nukeproof Digger and Ragley Trig also looked interesting, but I could get a demo on the Camino.

Love my v4 which I’ve had since June, done a bit of bike packing and a bit of gentle offroad, handles all that very well. Nippy on road too. Obviously not a replacement for an mtb, but as a versatile road/ gravel bike I think it is fantastic value.

Yep the forks are a good point with luggage. Pretty rubbish from my door for mtbike but I’m on the Wirral so can link lots of parks with roads and easy off road stuff so gravel bikes work well. Do my bikepacking on a hardtail but thinking of bigger future trips doing some classic European routes linked up by road. The Digger does look good but can’t try before I buy. Thanks for the input.

Are the Camino wheels tubeless ready?

Mines got the alpha wheelset and they set up as tubeless (requested when ordering on website)

Hey all,

Found that the Nukeproof Digger Comp was on sale at Chainreaction:

https://www.chainreactioncycles.com/nukeproof-digger-comp-alloy-bike-2022/rp-prod202649

For the money and spec nothing close and suits my riding style. The spec and write ups look good and I’m a cheapskate anyway.

Anyway posting this after I got my order in 😉

BR
JeZ