Gravel bikes are no longer a niche segment; they’re a booming category in cycling. Following this surge, many mountain bike companies have ventured into designing drop-bar bikes. Revel Bikes, known for their high-quality mountain bikes, is one such brand. When the prototype Revel Rover surfaced, it piqued our interest. Revel doesn’t typically release subpar products. However, being somewhat skeptical of carbon fiber for gravel applications, the Rover didn’t immediately grab us. Large tube profiles and robust forks often suggest a stiff, unforgiving ride. After putting the Rover through its paces on familiar gravel routes, those initial assumptions were pleasantly overturned. While not without minor drawbacks, the Rover challenged preconceived notions about carbon gravel bikes, proving to be a surprisingly smooth and enjoyable ride. Let’s delve deeper into what makes this bike stand out.
Gravel Bikes from Mountain Bike Companies: A Growing Trend
The trend of mountain bike brands offering gravel bikes is undeniable. Over the years, we’ve tested several “gravel bikes” originating from companies primarily known for their mountain bikes. Brands like Ibis, with the Hakka, and Santa Cruz, with the Stigmata, were early adopters in expanding their flat-bar catalogs to include drop-bar options. These brands recognized the increasing demand for versatile bikes capable of handling varied terrains. Revel, while a younger company compared to industry veterans like Ibis and Santa Cruz, is clearly responding to this same customer demand, bringing their mountain bike expertise to the gravel scene.
Engineering for Comfort: Challenging Carbon Stereotypes
While carbon fiber might not be everyone’s first choice for bike frames, modern carbon engineering offers a unique ride quality. When done right, carbon frames can exhibit impressive flex, effectively absorbing harsh terrain vibrations. This is precisely the case with the Revel Rover. It delivers one of the more comfortable carbon experiences we’ve encountered.
When we reached out to Chris Reichel, Revel’s “Director of Stoke,” to commend the Rover’s ride quality, he emphasized the engineering team’s focus on rider comfort. Unlike brands solely pursuing maximum stiffness and minimal weight in their carbon gravel frames, Revel prioritized a smoother ride, understanding that overall enjoyment trumps absolute rigidity for most riders. While we aren’t frame engineers, this design philosophy resonates deeply. For non-racers who value comfort and all-day rideability, the R&D invested in the Rover’s frame is genuinely appreciated.
Component Specs: Built to Perform
Spec’ing a gravel bike in today’s market is straightforward. With dedicated gravel component groups from Shimano and SRAM, building a capable gravel machine is almost foolproof. Despite ongoing supply chain challenges, Revel equipped the Rover’s carbon frame with the dependable Shimano GRX groupset. GRX offers a wide-range 1x drivetrain, road-optimized Q-factor, and the crisp shifting Shimano is known for. This choice ensures reliable performance across diverse gravel conditions.
Beyond the groupset, Revel opted for proven components. The Rover features a Zipp cockpit and a Revel seatpost for key contact points, ensuring rider comfort and control. However, the real highlight of the build is the wheelset.
Revolutionary Revel Fusion Fiber Wheels
Revel’s Fusion Fiber wheels represent a significant innovation. Manufactured by CSS Composites, these wheels utilize a unique carbon fiber matrix that balances ride quality and sustainability. Remarkably, these wheels are completely recyclable at the end of their lifespan, a crucial step towards environmentally responsible product development, unlike traditional carbon fiber which ends up in landfills. Adding to their appeal, these wheels are proudly made in the USA.
The Fusion Fiber wheels, much like the Rover frame, contribute to the bike’s comfortable ride. They offer a noticeable flex, acting almost like suspension. Sharp impacts are muted, washboard surfaces are smoothed out, and even out-of-saddle efforts feel more refined. Having tested these wheels on other bikes as well, their performance is truly impressive, and a separate in-depth review is warranted. Revel Wheels are available as an upgrade across all three Rover build levels.
While the Rover comes standard with 40mm tires, it comfortably accommodates up to 700x50mm or 27.5×2.1 tires, offering versatility for varied terrain.
Geometry and Handling: Familiar and Functional
Geometry charts are a common reference point for gravel bike comparisons. The Rover’s geometry is closely aligned with bikes like the Santa Cruz Stigmata and Ibis Hakka. It features a slightly steeper seat tube angle and a marginally slacker head tube, paired with a consistent 70mm bottom bracket drop. While the numbers aren’t revolutionary, the magic lies in the carbon layup. The Rover prioritizes ride feel over radical geometry figures.
Ride Quality in Detail: Smoothness and Responsiveness
Carbon forks have often been criticized for stiffness, transmitting road vibrations directly to the rider. The cycling industry has explored various solutions, from suspension forks to elastomer inserts, to mitigate this issue. However, Revel demonstrates that carbon itself doesn’t have to be inherently stiff.
The Rover features a carbon chassis that stands out for its smoothness. It’s the first carbon bike we’ve ridden that minimizes fatigue on rough roads. This is largely attributed to the fork, which exhibits surprising flex despite its robust appearance. Even with 40mm Maxxis Rambler tires inflated to 25-30psi, the ride quality is noticeably compliant. You can visually observe the fork flexing on washboard descents and feel a subtle sway at the bottom bracket during steep climbs. For a complete bike weighing around 18lbs as tested, the Rover feels light and responsive while remaining comfortable for extended rides.
Minor Gripes: Versatility Limitations
Finding significant flaws in modern bikes is challenging, and the Rover is no exception in terms of ride quality, design, aesthetics, or weight. However, some minor limitations arise concerning its versatility. While gravel bikes are increasingly used for touring and bikepacking, the Rover lacks cargo bosses on the fork and additional mounting points in general. Fender compatibility is limited to strap-on options, rather than more secure bolt-on fenders.
While the clean aesthetics of a carbon gravel bike are appreciated, the absence of cargo and fender mounts does limit versatility for riders wanting to use the Rover for more than just fast gravel rides.
Final Verdict: A Standout Carbon Gravel Bike
In a crowded market of carbon gravel bikes, differentiating offerings is crucial. Revel has achieved something special with the Rover. It delivers a remarkably compliant ride, is available in an eye-catching turquoise (along with a black option), features recyclable US-made carbon fiber wheels, offers three build kit options, and boasts a lightweight frame. While the Rover isn’t a radical departure from existing gravel bike designs, its exceptional ride quality, mirroring Revel’s mountain bike reputation, sets it apart. Despite the lack of cargo and rack mounts, the Rover’s off-road capability and comfortable ride make it a compelling choice.
Pricing and Availability
The Revel Rover GRX build starts at $4,600, with SRAM Rival and Red AXS build kits available at $3,999 and $8,199 respectively. Upgrading to Revel Wheels adds $900 with 1:1 i9 hubs or $1100 for Torch i9 hubs. For more details and to explore build options, visit Revel Bikes. Good news for those who pre-ordered – Rovers are shipping this week!
Conclusion
The Revel Rover gravel bike successfully blends performance and comfort in a carbon package. Its standout feature is the surprisingly smooth ride quality, challenging the typical stiffness associated with carbon frames. Combined with innovative Fusion Fiber wheels and a well-considered component spec, the Rover excels on gravel roads and beyond. While lacking some versatility for heavy touring, it’s an ideal choice for riders prioritizing a fast, comfortable, and enjoyable gravel riding experience. Discover more about the Revel Rover and their full bike range at Revel Bikes.
Links:
- Revel Bikes
- Revel Wheels
- CSS Composites
- Shimano GRX (Optional, link to GRX review)
