Gravel bikes usually offer plenty of mounts for carrying front and rear luggage on bikepacking trips. But once the bags go on, only stiff gravel bikes can properly handle the twisting forces your gear creates. Without enough rigidity, the frame can feel unstable, or even start to wobble, when riding under load.
The issue is that the stiffness required for stable loaded riding is often overlooked by bike manufacturers. Many current gravel bikes are designed to be as light as possible, reflecting what most riders expect to see on a spec sheet.
Fortunately, several brands continue to produce genuinely stiff gravel bikes that cope with these forces exceptionally well, delivering a notably more stable and confidence-inspiring ride under load.
In this article, we’ll take a closer look at the 15 stiffest gravel bikes ever tested – all of which prioritise frame rigidity and are excellent choices for bikepacking or light touring.
Right, let’s get into it.
Why Frame Stiffness Matters for Bikepacking
A gravel bike that lacks sufficient stiffness can develop a front-to-rear wobble when carrying luggage, making the ride feel unstable and unsettling – something many readers here have likely experienced.
The best way to counter this is with a stiff gravel frame. This is particularly crucial for drop-bar bikes, where limited steering leverage makes correcting a wobble more difficult once it starts.
When your gravel bike has the right torsional rigidity for your body weight, luggage load, and riding style, it will feel noticeably more stable under load, giving you greater confidence, especially at higher speeds.
Testing Stiff Gravel Bikes
Over the past two decades, the German cycling magazine TOUR has tested the stiffness of more than 1,500 different frames and forks, giving us a comprehensive view of which stiffness levels work best for different bicycles. Their detailed stiffness data is available via a subscription to the magazine.
TOUR measures frame and fork stiffness in several directions:
- Vertically at the front (comfort)
- Vertically at the rear (comfort)
- Horizontally at the front (ride stability)
- Horizontally at the crankset (ride stability)
For this article, we’ll focus on the measurements that most affect ride stability, since that’s the key factor when carrying luggage.
Frame and Fork Lateral Stiffness Test
The lateral stiffness test measures how many newtons of force are needed to flex the frame and fork sideways by one millimetre. The load is applied at the tyre’s contact patch and transmitted through an extremely stiff dummy wheel, replicating the forces coming up from the ground.
This metric provides a reliable indication of a bike’s riding stability – essentially, how much the frame twists or wobbles beneath you. High lateral stiffness becomes especially important when carrying luggage, as the frame must also resist the extra torsional forces created by bikepacking bags or panniers.
Across dozens of gravel frames tested, the average bike required 8.9 N of force to produce 1 mm of lateral deflection.
At the extremes, the stiffest gravel frame measured 12.5 N/mm, while the most flexible (Wilier Adler) reached only 5.7 N/mm – making it 2.2 times less stiff. That difference is very noticeable on the road, and even more pronounced when the bike is loaded with gear.
The lowest stiffness values TOUR Magazin has ever recorded came from an early carbon-fibre Vitus frame, famously raced in the 1988 Tour de France. It needed just 5 N to deflect 1 mm, meaning it’s around 2.5 times less stiff than today’s stiffest gravel bike.
Bottom Bracket Stiffness Test
TOUR Magazin also evaluates bottom bracket stiffness, which measures how many newtons of force are needed to deflect the crankset area sideways by one millimetre. This test reflects how a bike behaves when you’re sprinting or pushing hard out of the saddle.
Across 200 gravel frames tested, the average bottom bracket required 63 N of force for 1 mm of deflection.
The range is significant: bottom bracket stiffness reached as high as 94 N/mm on the Bulls Grinder, whereas the Lauf True Grit measured only 44 N/mm. A 2.1× disparity like that produces a highly perceptible difference in ride feel.
Ranked: Top 15 Stiff Gravel Bikes
Ridley Kanzo Adventure Alu (15th)
- Lateral Stiffness: 9.5 N/mm – 7% more than average
- Bottom Bracket Stiffness: 67 N/mm – 6% more than average
- Frame: Aluminium
- Fork: Carbon
Purpose: The Kanzo Adventure Alu is designed for bikepacking, touring, and even commuting to work. Ridley markets it as a workhorse and bombproof, emphasising durability and the ability to carry full loads over long distances. The maximum tyre clearance is 700C x 52 mm with a 1X drivetrain, allowing it to handle rougher terrain and light off-road trails.
Handling: A long wheelbase and slack head tube angle provide stable, predictable steering. Combined with a relatively steep seat tube, the rider’s weight is shifted slightly forward, improving front-wheel traction on climbs. Steering is slower than sportier gravel bikes, prioritising stability over agility.
Features: With 18 mounting points on the frame and fork, the Kanzo Adventure Alu is ideal for racks, fenders, cages, and bags. Internal fork routing supports a dynamo cable, and the rear dynamo light is routed along the top tube. The “EQ” version comes equipped with fenders, a rear rack, and dynamo lighting.
VSF GX-500 (14th)
- Lateral Stiffness: 9.5 N/mm – 7% more than average
- Bottom Bracket Stiffness: 74 N/mm – 18% more than average
- Frame: Steel
- Fork: Aluminium
Purpose: The VSF GX-500 is the only steel gravel bike on this list, and it’s well-suited to bikepacking and light touring. Steel is often renowned for offering a lot of lateral frame flex; however, with enough material and large-diameter tubes, it can easily equal the stiffness of aluminium and carbon gravel bikes. This bike is a case in point: the stiffness measurements at the bottom bracket are on the level of some of the best on this list.
Handling: This bike has slower steering and a longer wheelbase, which favours stability over rapid direction changes. Combined with 50 mm tyre clearance, the GX-500 should deliver a smooth ride when loaded with gear.
Features: The steel frame with aluminium fork keeps the weight surprisingly reasonable. Internal cable routing for a dynamo is included, and 18 mounting points allow racks, fenders, cages, and frame bags.
Rondo Ruut AL (13th)
- Lateral Stiffness: 9.7 N/mm – 9% more than average
- Bottom Bracket Stiffness: 69 N/mm – 10% more than average
- Frame: Aluminium
- Fork: Carbon
Purpose: The Rondo Ruut AL is designed for riders who want a stiff, responsive gravel bike without sacrificing rear-end comfort. Its carbon seatpost provides noticeable flex over larger bumps, smoothing out rough terrain while maintaining efficiency under load.
Bike Handling: A standout feature is the fork “flip chip,” which lets you adjust the TwinTip fork offset. Use the “HI” position for quick, road-bike-like steering, or switch to “LO” for a more stable, relaxed feel. In addition, short chainstays make the bike nimble and easy to lift over obstacles, enhancing handling on technical gravel or trail sections.
Features: The Ruut AL is well-equipped for carrying gear, with numerous mounts for racks, fenders, cages, and bags. Combined with its stiff frame and flexible rear, it offers a stable and comfortable platform for bikepacking or touring.
Carver Gravel (12th)
- Lateral Stiffness: 9.8 N/mm – 10% more than average
- Bottom Bracket Stiffness: 69 N/mm – 10% more than average
- Frame: Aluminium
- Fork: Carbon
Purpose: The Carver Gravel is built around a high-stiffness aluminium frame, delivering a solid, reliable platform for gravel riding and light touring. Its large-diameter hydroformed tubes ensure stability under load while still allowing for a sporty feel.
Bike Handling: With a relatively quick steering feel and sporty geometry, the Gravel 220 puts the rider in a slightly stretched position for faster rides. The tyre clearance of 45 mm means it can handle rough roads and gravel tracks pretty comfortably.
Features: Mounting points are plentiful, allowing racks, fenders, cargo cages, and bags to be fitted. The carbon fork includes internal routing for dynamo wiring, and Carver actually offers a “Street” version that comes fully equipped with racks, fenders, and dynamo lights straight from the factory.
Rose Backroad Carbon (11th)
- Lateral Stiffness: 9.8 N/mm – 10% more than average
- Bottom Bracket Stiffness: 60 N/mm – 5% less than average
- Frame: Carbon
- Fork: Carbon
Purpose: The Rose Backroad Carbon is the first carbon frame on this list. Unlike many carbon frames, which prioritise weight savings over stiffness, Rose has added material to boost stability – particularly beneficial when the bike is loaded with bags. With 18 mounting points, it can be configured for lightweight day rides or fully loaded multi-day tours.
Handling: The bike offers generous tyre clearance for knobby tyres up to 53 mm, improving grip and comfort over rough terrain. The steering is stable and typical of most modern gravel bikes.
Features: The standout feature on the “Unsupported” model is the fully integrated dynamo system: a SON 29 S hub, Busch & Müller power bank, Supernova lights, and a Power Switch that directs power to lighting or device charging. The frame bag and optional top tube bags use Fidlock mounts for quick attachment and removal. An integrated down-tube storage compartment protects tools and spare parts, while also housing the power bank, which charges devices via a USB-C port at the handlebars.
Rose Backroad AL (10th)
- Lateral Stiffness: 9.8 N/mm – 10% more than average
- Bottom Bracket Stiffness: 76 N/mm – 21% more than average
- Frame: Aluminium
- Fork: Carbon
Purpose: The Rose Backroad AL is a touring-focused gravel bike that emphasises stability with a top-10 stiffness and load-carrying capability. Its frame geometry supports an upright, back-friendly riding position for long days in the saddle.
Bike Handling: A long wheelbase and slack-ish head tube angle create stable handling typical of a touring bike. Steering should remain predictable even when fully loaded.
Features: Build quality is excellent, with neat welds and partially integrated cables. A wide Ritchey handlebar gives extra leverage for carrying front luggage, and a large 180 mm rotor ensures braking is powerful enough to support a heavy load. Multiple mounting points allow for lots of gear configurations. Riders can also choose the “EQ” model with fenders, dynamo lights, a rear rack, and USB charging.
Fuji Jari Carbon (9th)
- Lateral Stiffness: 9.9 N/mm – 11% more than average
- Bottom Bracket Stiffness: 71 N/mm – 13% more than average
- Frame: Carbon
- Fork: Carbon
Purpose: The Fuji Jari is a high-stiffness carbon gravel bike, engineered to carry bikepacking loads. The bike’s polarising design, including a kinked down tube near the bottom bracket and a toolbox mounted underneath, balances functionality with a strong visual identity – some might even mistake it for an eBike at first glance.
Handling: The Jari features a steep seat tube angle paired with a steep head tube angle, an unusual combination that shifts the rider’s weight forward. This improves front-wheel traction on steep climbs while keeping the steering responsive. The flip-chip on the fork allows the rider to switch between a 45 mm and a 55 mm offset. This lets you tune the bike for road-bike-like precision in the “short” offset or a more stable, traditional gravel feel in the “long” position.
Features: Fuji’s D-shaped carbon seatpost flexes effectively over bumps, maintaining rear-end comfort without sacrificing efficiency. Tyre clearance accommodates wide tyres for aggressive gravel and light off-road riding. The frame offers multiple mounting points for racks, cages, and frame bags, making it suitable for minimalist touring or fully loaded bikepacking setups.
3T Primo2 (8th)
- Lateral Stiffness: 10.0 N/mm – 12% more than average
- Bottom Bracket Stiffness: 67 N/mm – 6% more than average
- Frame: Carbon
- Fork: Carbon
Purpose: The 3T Primo2 is the stiffest carbon gravel bike tested, designed for riders who prioritise stability with luggage. It measures roughly 12% stiffer laterally than the average gravel bike, and 21% stiffer than the average carbon model, making it ideal for bikepacking trips. Its design merges gravel capability with road bike speed, creating a dual-purpose machine for both loaded tours and fast road rides.
Bike Handling: The bike handles like a road bike, with quick steering and short chainstays for an agile ride feel. Despite its responsive geometry, the frame is designed to remain stable under heavy loads, given its high stiffness.
Features: Aerodynamics are a major focus on the Primo2. The oversized 50 × 75 mm aero downtube has a truncated profile to manage airflow around a wide front tyre, including the water bottles, which are positioned in protected airflow. The fork, seatpost, head tube, and seat stays are all aero-shaped. Despite the use of an oval-shaped aero seatpost, the monostay design and generous tyre clearance (700C × 45 mm or 27.5 × 2.0”) maintain excellent rear-end compliance.
Trek Checkpoint ALR (7th)
- Lateral Stiffness: 10.2 N/mm – 15% more than average
- Bottom Bracket Stiffness: 62 N/mm – 2% less than average
- Frame: Aluminium
- Fork: Carbon
Purpose: The Trek Checkpoint ALR5 is a sporty aluminium gravel bike, bridging the gap between road and gravel disciplines. Its 50 mm tyre clearance allows riders to mix slicks for smooth roads or knobby tyres for rougher dirt and gravel tracks. The frame is built primarily for stability when loaded for light touring.
Handling: Oversized hydroformed aluminium tubes create a stiff frame that responds predictably to power input, giving a sporty yet stable ride. The geometry balances comfort with sporty handling characteristics.
Features: Multiple mounts allow for racks, fenders, and cages, enabling full bikepacking setups. The carbon fork improves compliance while reducing weight, and the bike can be equipped with a wide variety of accessories for adventure or touring use.
Bulls Grinder (6th)
- Lateral Stiffness: 10.5 N/mm – 18% more than average
- Bottom Bracket Stiffness: 94 N/mm – 49% more than average
- Frame: Aluminium
- Fork: Carbon
Purpose: The Bulls Grinder 3 is a high-stiffness aluminium gravel bike optimised for stability when carrying gear. Its extremely stiff bottom bracket reduces frame “liveliness,” however, that also makes it well-suited for bikepacking and loaded touring.
Handling: A tall front end paired with a short stem provides a comfortable upright riding position while keeping handling precise. Steering remains responsive even with front luggage.
Features: Mounting points accommodate water bottles, racks, fenders, and frame bags. Four threaded mounts under the top tube allow optional frame bags, and fully equipped models called the “Daily Grinder” come with all accessories included.
Canyon Grizl AL (5th)
- Lateral Stiffness: 10.6 N/mm – 19% more than average
- Bottom Bracket Stiffness: 87 N/mm – 38% more than average
- Frame: Aluminium
- Fork: Carbon
Purpose: The aluminium Canyon Grizl 7 is a versatile gravel bike designed for bikepacking and light touring. Its extensive size range (3XS to 2XL) and wide 50 mm tyre clearance make it suitable for riders of all sizes and a variety of terrain.
Handling: Sporty geometry creates a stable yet responsive ride. The aluminium frame offers excellent lateral stiffness for luggage carrying (top-5 result!), while the carbon seatpost smooths out bumps over long distances. The bike should handle well under loaded conditions, maintaining stability without feeling sluggish.
Features: Multiple mounts allow racks, fenders, cages, and frame bags. The bike’s design supports long-distance rides while offering a comfortable, more upright riding position for extended hours in the saddle.
KOGA Colmaro (4th)
- Lateral Stiffness: 10.9 N/mm – 23% more than average
- Bottom Bracket Stiffness: 71 N/mm – 13% more than average
- Frame: Aluminium
- Fork: Carbon
Purpose: The Colmaro Extreme is a stiff, durable aluminium gravel bike from KOGA, designed for gravel riding and multi-day trips. Its focus is on both strength and the ability to carry full loads without compromising stability. You can also choose a model with a suspension fork for more off-road capability.
Bike Handling: The Colmaro offers a comfortable riding position for long rides. The steering is stable and typical of most modern gravel bikes. Combined with 50 mm tyres, it will have more comfort than most over rougher terrain.
Features: Smooth welds, hydroformed tubes and a durable powder-coated paint make this a premium-looking bike. The bike’s aluminium frame and carbon fork combination maintains a light overall weight relative to its durability. Extensive mounting points on the top tube, down tube, fork, and rear enable racks and cargo attachments. You can configure these gravel bikes from the ground up with a rigid or suspension fork, or even include a Rohloff 14-speed internal gear hub and belt drivetrain.
Scott Speedster Gravel (3rd)
- Lateral Stiffness: 11.0 N/mm – 24% more than average
- Bottom Bracket Stiffness: 70 N/mm – 11% more than average
- Frame: Aluminium
- Fork: Carbon
Purpose: The Speedster Gravel is a super robust aluminium gravel bike for dirt road rides and light touring. Its primary focus is on providing a high level of ride stability while maintaining decent comfort.
Handling: The bike features a slack head tube angle, long wheelbase, and low bottom bracket, which enhances control on bumpy roads.
Features: The Speedster Gravel comes with an aluminium seatpost that flexes about 7 mm vertically, providing a level of comfort comparable to many carbon seatposts. Mounting points for racks and cages enable a wide variety of bikepacking configurations. The bike is available in multiple specifications, including the “EQ” commuter-friendly version with full fenders.
Stevens Gavere (2nd)
- Lateral Stiffness: 11.4 N/mm – 28% more than average
- Bottom Bracket Stiffness: 77 N/mm – 22% more than average
- Frame: Aluminium
- Fork: Aluminium
Purpose: The Stevens Gavere is an aluminium gravel bike, tailored for touring and bikepacking on smooth roads and light forest trails. It blends the second-highest frame stiffness with good vertical compliance.
Bike Handling: The Gavere offers a notably upright geometry, long wheelbase, and 45 mm tyre clearance. Despite its upright touring bias, it actually retains agile steering reminiscent of a road bike.
Features: The frame includes mounts for racks, small bags, and a rear kickstand. A broad size range (48–61 cm) makes it accessible to a wide range of riders, and additional mounting points under the top and down tubes allow for versatile accessory setups. Look for the “FEQ” models that come with all accessories included.
Focus Atlas (1st)
- Lateral Stiffness: 12.5 N/mm – 38% more than average
- Bottom Bracket Stiffness: 87 N/mm – 40% more than average
- Frame: Aluminium
- Fork: Carbon
Purpose: The Focus Atlas is the stiffest gravel bike ever tested by TOUR Magazin. And it’s not just marginally stiffer – it exceeds the next stiffest frame on the list by more than 10% in both lateral and bottom bracket stiffness. It is explicitly designed for loaded bikepacking and light touring, with stability and stiffness that handle fully loaded setups without compromising speed or control.
Handling: Sporty, road-bike-inspired geometry keeps steering lively, even under full load. A wide handlebar supports balance when carrying front-mounted luggage, while the overall geometry maintains a comfortable, performance-oriented posture.
Features: The carbon fork offers multiple mounting points for racks and cages, internal dynamo routing, and a front dynamo light mount. The “EQP” models come fully equipped with fenders, racks, and lights for maximum touring readiness.
Untested But Likely Stiff Gravel Bikes
And lastly, TOUR Magazin has tested a wide range of gravel bikes over the years. However, a few models were evaluated using slightly different protocols. Based on their results, these bikes would likely rank among the stiffest in today’s testing.
Cube Nuroad
Tested back in 2020, the aluminium Cube Nuroad recorded one of the highest lateral stiffness scores of any gravel bike at 136 N per degree, with a bottom bracket stiffness of 77 N/mm. For comparison, the Focus Atlas, tested under the same protocol, measured 143 N per degree laterally and 88 N/mm at the bottom bracket. This suggests the Cube Nuroad could easily place in the top few on a modern stiffness ranking.
Centurion Crossfire
This aluminium gravel bike was tested back in 2016 and also demonstrated impressive lateral stiffness: 132 N per degree and 75 N/mm at the bottom bracket. Scores like these would likely put it in the top five of today’s stiffest gravel bikes.
Merida Silex
The 2020 aluminium Merida Silex wasn’t far behind, achieving 127 N per degree in lateral stiffness and 77 N/mm at the bottom bracket. These results would probably land it somewhere in the top ten.
Corratec All Road Travel
The 2023 Corratec All Road Travel also performed very well, recording 122 N per degree laterally and 73 N/mm at the bottom bracket. This positions these aluminium models as another top-10 stiff gravel bikes.
Stiff Gravel Bikes Scatter Plot
Here’s a visual representation of the top 15 stiff gravel bikes featured in this article.
You can see the Focus Atlas is virtually off the chart! The Canyon Grizl AL and Bulls Grinder are also both outliers, with their very impressive bottom bracket stiffnesses.
Summary
That’s the complete list of the stiffest gravel bikes ever tested by TOUR Magazin, all of which prioritise frame rigidity and are excellent choices for bikepacking or loaded touring.
But frame stiffness is just one way to compare bikes. To understand other aspects of a bike’s design, such as gear ratios, steering speed, sizing and much more, I’d recommend checking out my Bikepacking Bike Buyer’s Guide to see and compare hundreds of bikes available in much more detail.
