3 New Electric Gravel Bike Models Worth Discovering

Not one, not two, but three major brands have announced the release of an electric gravel bike model this spring of 2024. Three gravel bikes to conquer the mountains this summer (or cross the cobbles of the Champs-Élysées, we won’t judge): Canyon GRIZL:ON, Cube Nuroad Hybrid and Cannondale Synapse Neo Allroad. Enough for great walks on sunny days. All are equipped with a lightweight Bosch SX engine.

Electric gravel bike 2024: Canyon, Cube and Cannondale unveil their mounts

There will always be purists for whom cycling is never complete without assistance, be it road, gravel or mountain biking. Why put an engine on a gravel bike? Gravel is a bike, bikes are becoming more motorized, so gravel is becoming more motorized. Syllogism aside, manufacturers are following a general trend in the bicycle industry – upmarketing. The offering of electric gravel bikes is part of this push into the luxury segment.

Apart from this aspect, electric gravel allows you to overcome the limitations of its mechanical counterpart. Who has never climbed a very steep hill on a bicycle? (don’t laugh, this happened to me three weeks ago in the Meudon forest). With electric assistance there is no need to push.

Lighter Bosch Performance SX motor.

Engine manufacturers have also made great efforts to reduce the weight of equipment. The Bosch Performance SX engine, which powers our three current models, weighs only 4 kg (motor + battery). That is, less weight than some batteries separately. And all this for the sake of a torque of 55 Nm, sufficient for sports use.

Equipping the cranks of gravel bikes, this small motor, of course less powerful than those that today equip the impressive VTTAEs we encounter in the forest, allows the assembly of lightweight electric gravel bikes, some of which exceed the 15 kg limit.

Cube Nuroad Hybrid: a range of five sport gravel bikes

The Bavarian brand announced on Wednesday, April 10, the release of a new line of electric gravel bikes. A segment she has been missing from so far. From the frame side we see a typical cube shape with the rear stays offset from the cross member.

The Cube gravel bikes are based on the Nuroad mechanical range (see our test of the unassisted version here). The C:62 carbon used by the Cube allows them to weigh less than 2kg with the frame and fork empty.

Cube Nuroad Hybrid SLT: electric gravel bike weighing less than 13 kg

In detail, the Cube catalog of electric gravel bikes includes three series, two of which can be installed in “daily” mode with mudguards and footrests: Race and SLX. The difference between the two models is mainly due to equipment. Shimano group for the first and Sram for the second.

Weight varies by more than 14 kg for the first versus 13.8 for the second. Both models are equipped with a twelve-speed single chainring cassette. The fifth model, the SLT, is the brand’s top-of-the-range model with Newmen Advanced carbon wheels. A choice that allows you to reduce weight up to 12.9 kg. Not bad for electric gravel! Expect €3,999 for the Race version and up to €6,999 for the SLT version.

Canyon Grizl:ON: All-purpose gravel

Despite the unpronounceable name, this electric gravel, announced by Canyon last March, offers good performance and versatile use. It can accompany you on muddy singletracks or on a family bike ride through the Loire. In terms of weight, it weighs slightly more than its Bavarian competitor. The lightest model exceeds 15kg, which promises lactic acid in the thighs when the assistance level is low (or in case of fuel shortage).

The German brand has focused on cabin comfort. Comfort is made possible through the use of our own carbon fiber and slightly raised frame geometry. A choice that, according to the brand, “Helps level the hardest surfaces for hard riding while keeping you cool“. The bike is equipped with a 400 Wh battery. Battery to which you can add a 250 Wh extender (Bosch Powermore).

In terms of performance, the GRIZL:ON models feature a Rockshox Rudy fork and the innovative Lupine Nano Headlight system. Canyon offers this gravel bike for everyday use with a rack, mudguards and a Shimano GRX drivetrain. Expect €4,999 for the entry-level model, €5,499 for the day version and €7,999 for the Trail model. The latter is equipped with a Sram Eagle drivetrain, and its geometry allows for 50 tires.

Cannondale Synapse Neo Allroad: a long-distance bike

The American company Cannondale announced on April 9, 2024 the release of a line of electric gravel bikes called Synapse Neo. What makes it special is that it’s not derived from gravel frames, but from the Synapse line of long-distance road bikes. A road bike that is designed to be versatile and very durable.

The fork and seat have been widened to accommodate 40mm tires. The Synapse Neo Allroad 1 comes with a Sram Force AXS groupset (version 2 has a Shimano GRX 800 groupset).

Its biggest advantage is perhaps the lugs. Eyelets that allow you to place on it all the equipment you need for a hike or travel (trunk, crutches, etc.) or lightly for a weekly walk. Expect to pay between 5,899 and 6,999 euros for the Synapse Neo Allroad, depending on version 1 or 2.

For you, is gravel with or without outside help? What do you think of this selection of electric gravel bikes? Feel free to tell us in the comments. In all cases, we can only welcome the work of equipment manufacturers and suppliers to increasingly simplify the models they offer.