I’m a big fan of metal gravel, cough… all-road, bicycles because they are generally cheaper, and you have the assured durability of metal; should your style of play also include pushing the envelop a bit. That’s not to say of course, that there isn’t a place for carbon gravel bikes, there certainly is, just that there are trade-offs involved. So I was thrilled to see this new 4130 All-Road from State Bicycle. The chromoly frame should be plenty durable, but you also get a level of compliance that generally isn’t found on aluminum bikes.
Obviously the spec isn’t going to be top-end on a $800 bike; let’s pause for a moment and let that sink in… Yes, I did say $800, for a complete disc brake gravel bike. For your $800, you get either a 700c or 650b wheelset with Panaracer GK tires, disc brakes, and a 1×11 drive chain. The brakes are mechanical, hydraulic would have been impossible at this price point, but they’re flat-mount, so should you decide to upgrade later, you can rock the latest + greatest from either Shimano or SRAM. There are also mounts galore, making it easy to plop some fenders on there, or whatever cargo racks suit your fancy.
State built the All-Road frame from 4130 Chromoly steel which is sturdy and durable, but also very compliant on the dirt. One will be quick to notice the fork and rear end both feature a multitude of mounting points, giving the rider endless possibilities as to rack, fender, bottle-cage, and cargo-carrying options. The bike’s geometry is tailored to be comfortable for long days in the saddle on and off the road. The 4130 All-Road comes in 2 frame colors and 4 sizes. Finally, the frame uses thru-axles with 100/142 spacing, a feature practically unheard-of in the sub-$1000 category. This along with massive tire clearance (700×45 or 650×50) gives the bike compatibility with a myriad of wheelset options/sizes which brings us to our favorite feature…