After discussing the differences between gravel and cyclocross bicycles a few days ago, taking a look at both types, the Fuji Bikes Altamira CX 1.1 for gravel and the Basso Bikes Palta for cyclocross, now we are going to take a look at the Aventon Kijote bicycles.
Aventon is a very young brand, created in 2013, focused on the fixed gear world, where its two models Mataro and Cordoba stand out year after year. This is their first venture outside the fixies, and we have to admit that nothing has gone wrong. From the Aventon Kijote model, we are surprised by its price (only € 799.95), which is extremely low for a gravel bike. It complements its design with a frame halfway between the gravel and the classic, and finally caputred us for the quality of its components.
It has a frame and fork made of Cromoly 4130 steel, very durable and not too heavy, Tektro Mira 160mm mechanical disc brakes, Kenda Small Block 8 700x35C tyres perfect for almost any surface, KMC chain, Shimano 8S 11-32T cassette with internal wiring, double chainring 34-50T and other components that you can check on our website. It comes with holes to mount panniers, which is always a plus point when planning a trip for several days on the bike. The colours available are dark gray Charcoal Skid and Orange Sunset Yellow.
In terms of sensations, the Aventon Kijote can take you to perfection on asphalt by adopting a comfortable, almost road bike position. Rolling over the mini-knobs of the Kenda Small Blocks eight tyres you won’t notice drag like the one you feel when cycling with mountain bike tyres, but you’ll have enough grip to move safely and loosely on gravel and dirt roads. Even on broken trails, riding tyres with more knobs and contact points will make it feel almost like a mountain bike. The routes you normally do on road or MTB’s will become shorter with a bicycle like the Aventon Kijote, you can combine sections of both types of terrain without any problems apart from the time of arriving back home.
For this price we believe that you will not find another bicycle that can give you the feel of a gravel bike and at the same time be a good option for moving around the city or making long road trips. Obviously there are gravel bicycles with better components and materials, but we believe that this bicycle deserves to be highlighted for its versatility at a great price. If you can only have one bicycle and you want to use it for different disciplines, the Kijote is your bicycle. Start climbing and fly over the windmills.
Check out both the Kijote Sunset Yellow and the Kijote Charcoal Skid at Santafixie.
