£2,795 Unconventional mountain bike-inspired gravel bike
4.5/5
Weight 9.6kg (56cm) Frame Carbon Fork Carbon Gears Shimano GRX RX-800 11-speed (11-42t, 42t) Brakes Shimano GRX hydraulic Wheels Marin Aluminium Double Wall Finishing kit Marin 3D Forged Alloy stem, Marin Butted Alloy bar, TranzX YSP38J 27.2mm seatpost, Marin Beyond Road Concept Elite saddle, Vee Tire Co. G-Sport 70x 44 tyres
THE HEADLANDS 2 IS DESIGNED as a do-it-all gravel bike for dirt, roads, singletrack trails and everything in between, plus bikepacking, with upright geometry, a short stem and a wide 'bar.
It cuts a distinctive silhouette with its short stem and reasonably low-slung top-tube. It's made from unidirectional carbon fibre, with a claimed frame weight of 1,390g in a size 56cm (painted, including frame bosses and grommets) and 510g fork, the steerer cut to allow for 30mm of headset spacers.
It's not just a carbon transplant of the brand's Gestalt X aluminium gravel bike: they sport different geometries and the Headlands has lots more mounting points. The Headlands' oval tubes help to balance strength and compliance and its downand top-tubes are relatively boxy, with the top-tube tapering a little as it reaches the seat-tube junction. The seat-tube's shaped to accept a pannier rack and shed debris, but this means the bike can only be run with a 1x drivetrain.
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