Commencal says their new alloy 365 isn’t just one other gravel bike – and we are able to most likely agree with that. As an alternative, it appears to be like like what Commencal does finest – creating strong efficiency aluminum bikes constructed to be ridden laborious over any terrain at inexpensive costs. Commencal doesn’t construct unique or superlight bikes, however they aren’t sluggish, heavy, or outdated both. Their bikes are progressive and constructed to be ridden day in and day trip – delivering worth that’s laborious to argue with.
Commencal 365 aluminum do-it-all gravel bike
That’s simply what the 365 appears to be like like – a lightweight and punctiliously optimized triple-butted 6069 alloy body paired to an identical 6069 aluminum fork, impressed by mountain bikers and constructed for on a regular basis using… therefore the 365 title. This can be a bike that desires to function your common commute-to-work bike, crank out fast-paced hour-long lunch rides, discover gravel tracks after work within the evenings, then head out on huge journey rides for the weekend.
And full bike construct begin at solely 2000€… simply not this one.
Tech particulars
Commencal says since everybody says {that a} gravel bike is just “a mountain bike from the early 90s, simply with the addition of recent applied sciences“, they took that actually and constructed the 365 like a modernized premium alloy hardtail.
As a lot as we all know alloy continues to evolve, it’s nonetheless laborious to wrap my brains round it, however Commencal assures that the 365 was actually developed for consolation. Cautious premium alloy tubing choice, butting, and shaping make sure that bumps aren’t all transmitted as much as the rider. Particularly, the body will get skinny, spherical & dropped seatstays to soak up vibration with a little bit of flex.
Pair that with tall chainstays and a boxy downtube with a concave backside that’s each stiffer and designed to deflect highway spray off the rider.
Even the 365’s matching alloy fork is alleged to filter out vibration. However simply to make sure, Commencal do give the gravel bikes some soft bar tape wrap, too.
Into the main points, the body and tapered steerer fork function absolutely inner cable routing via the Acros headset, even for a dropper submit, with the entrance brake routed inside down via the left fork leg. The body additionally features a customized crown-mounted fork fender, an built-in downtube protector, and a molded chainstay protector. The 365 contains a normal pair of bottle cage bosses inside the primary triangle, a mount beneath the downtube, and direct body bag mounts beneath the highest tube. However no fork leg mounts, no toptube bag mount, and no rack or full-coverage fender mounts.
Requirements-wise, it will get flat mount disc brakes with 180mm rotors for max stopping energy (FM160 + normal adapter plates), 12mm thru-axles, a 27.2mm spherical seatpost, a PressFit 86.5mm backside bracket, 1x-only setups, plus quick stems & large bars. Max tire clearance is 700 x 47mm. And claimed mixed weight for the alloy body AND fork is 2800g.
Off-road centered geometry
Commencal says they reached again to their mountain bike roots to ensure the 365 was succesful not solely of metropolis commutes and straightforward gravel highway rides, but additionally the odd singletrack, too. It’s not particularly slack with a 71° head angle (various with dimension), as a substitute geared extra for long-distance using. However with quick chainstays, a bit longer wheelbase, longer Attain, and a extra upright place, they see it as a flexible center floor that may serve mountain bikers as a chill all-road bike, and nonetheless be enjoyable to slip via free filth highway turns at velocity.
Plus, Commencal offers the smallest XS body 650b wheels to protect these dealing with traits for smaller riders with out toe overlap or every other unfavorable head angle & fork path impacts.
Commencal 365 – Pricing, choices & availability
The Commencal 365 is obtainable in three spec ranges to swimsuit all types of riders. The 2000€ 365 Trip is by far essentially the most inexpensive in Chalk white with a mixed-spec GRX 11speed 11-42T group, a Spank Flare bar, tubeless-ready DT/System wheels with 45mm Maxxis Rambler tires.
For one more half extra, you’ll be able to choose up the 365 Race for 3000€ in Frozen Brown with a higher-spec GRX RX810-sereis drivetrain however the identical 11sp gearing, the identical Spank bar, however a KS Lev Si dropper and alloy DT Swiss GR1600 wheels.
And on the prime of the spectrum, if the 4500€ Commencal 365 Signature with a shiny SRAM Drive AXS XPLR groupset, a wi-fi Reverb XPLR dropper submit, and alloy DT Swiss GR1600 gravel wheels wrapped in 45mm Rambler tires.
All three bikes can be found to pre-order at the moment in 5 sizes (XS-XL) with deliveries slated for September 2023.
