BH’s new GravelX AL is not just an affordable aluminum gravel bike ready for adventure. It’s also a killer value for a bike made in Europe, with complete GRX 12-speed pricing starting under two thousand euros. For anyone looking to get into gravel riding, this looks like a great aluminum bike that balances modern looks and the latest standards – like UDH & cable integration, while retaining classics like a threaded bottom bracket and 27.2 post for timeless serviceability.
BH GravelX AL affordable alloy adventure gravel bike
You now get similar aero-inspired tube shapes and dropped seatstay designs, like the top carbon GravelX R, just now in triple-butted, hydroformed 7005 aluminum. And then, the same Air Bow carbon fork with 2-bolt mounts on the legs as the micro rear suspension Gravel X AT. It’s a much more accessible gravel bike price-wise. And the fact that the alloy frame is made in Portugal is just icing on the cake.
The alloy bike leans a bit towards all-day stability and comfort with a slightly longer rear end on 426mm chainstays. It’s exactly the same as the carbon race model, actually, just with the addition of a smaller XS size too, now. But that has the added benefit of keeping clearance for full-size 45mm tires on the aluminum frame, even with clearance for a front derailleur and 2x gravel drivetrain setups, thanks to a machined chainstay yoke.
It also gets plenty of bikepacking-ready mounts. The frame features a double set of downtube cage mounts, so you’ll almost certainly be able to fit a proper water bottle even with a partial frame bag. Plus, there’s the standard 2nd mount on the seattube, a bag mount on the toptube, more cage mounts under the downtube, and fork cage mounts. There’s even a classic rear rack mount.
Standards-wise, the aluminum GravelX gets the new ones you want for future-proofing: UDH, fully integrated cable routing with a 2-piece bar & stem, flat mount brakes, and tool-free 12mm thru-axles with integrated levers that slide out of the way back into the axle. But it also keeps a couple of no-hassle classics like a threaded bottom bracket, a round 27.2mm seatpost with the hard-to-beat external clamp, and even that integrated routing works for a mechanical 2x drivetrain thanks to external routing on the chainstays.
Tech details
- hydroformed 7005 triple-butted aluminum frame
- full carbon tapered steerer fork with 2-bolt cage mounts on each leg
- oversized headtube with fully integrated internal cable routing through the headset
- 45mm max tire clearance
- 1x or 2x ready
- 27.2mm round post
- BSA threaded bottom bracket
- UDH
- 12mm thru-axles with hidden integrated levers
- rear rack mounts
- 5 sizes (XS-XL)
- made in Portugal
2025 BH Gravel X AL – Pricing, options & availability
The new aluminum Gravel X AL is available now through your local BH dealer bikeshop. It comes in 3 standard earth-tone-ish colors – teal & bronze, light gray & red, and brown & turquoise. And there are just two Shimano builds to choose from.
The BH GravelX Alu 1.5 sells for just 1999.90€ with a solid Shimano GRX 1x build. For that affordable price, you still get 12-speed GRX 820, but with tighter gear spacing 40T x 11-45T, plus Shimano RX180 alloy wheels with fast rolling 38mm Hutchinson Overide tires for a more all-road leaning setup.
The slightly more expensive BH GravelX Alu 1.8 build sells for 2500€, also with Shimano GRX but a 2x drivetrain. Here, then, you get GRX 820 2×12 with a 46/30T chainset and 11-34T cassette, and a set of 23mm internal alloy Vision Team TC30 AGX wheels wrapped in 40mm wide Hutchinson Touareg tanwall gravel tires.
Either option looks like a killer all-road to gravel adventure value.
