Carbon gravel bikes are typically light and responsive, as well as still delivering plenty of comfort and versatility. But they don’t come cheap, which makes these deals from Decathlon very appealing - there’s £1000.01 off the SRAM Force AXS model, while the Sram Rival AXS specced version will save you £800 from the original price.
Decathlon’s in-house Riverside RCR gravel bike is built around a carbon frameset designed to blend stiffness with compliance. It’s a combination that you see on some of the best gravel bikes, making them ideally suited to a variety of trails as well as for longer days in the saddle.
With a maximum tyre clearance of 42mm, this is a bike that's designed for speed rather than off-grid bikepacking, making it a good choice if you're planning on entering any gravel races or events in the future. It also likely means that the bike should adapt well to road use when needed.
Both models rely on SRAM’s well-proven AXS wireless shifting. A full electronic 12-speed groupset at these prices is hard to come by, which only adds to the appeal of these deals. Here it's the gravel-centric XPLR versions, which use a single chainring alongside a wide 10-44t cassette, delivering plenty of range.
Similarly, both models offer an impressive list of components from brands that include Reynolds, Fizik and Hutchinson.
It's worth delving into the details a little more here, especially when it comes to the wheelsets.
Both models are set up tubeless, but you'll need to add one of the best sealants to complete the job. The carbon Reynolds hoops on the Force-equipped model are 40mm deep and have an internal rim measurement of 23mm. This makes them ideally suited to running wide gravel tyres, like the 40mm Hutchinson Touareg fitted to both bikes.
The Rival bike comes equipped with Fulcrum Rapid Red 900s, which again have a wide internal rim width designed around wide, tubeless tyres that run at low pressures - it's here where gravel bikes get much of their comfort and grip from.
Other noteworthy components are the flared gravel bars and the Fizik Argo Terra saddle, both designed specifically for the trails.
