It would be fair to say that until now Pashley is probably not a brand that many gravel riders would have considered if they were thinking about purchasing a new gravel bike. Previously, Pashley had played on their hundred-year heritage and an image of tradition, craftsmanship, tweed and leather may well have been what riders pictured in their minds eye when they thought of the brand. That is all to set to change with the launch of their new Roadfinder X and XE range though. Combining impressive craftsmanship, meticulous attention to detail and cutting-edge technology, the new range is sure to put a cat among the pigeons of the gravel world.
“Our most adventurous bicycles ever - The Roadfinder X range adapts to any road or trail you take it to.” That is how Pashley describe their newly launched Roadfinder X and Roadfinder XE bikes. Pashley probably used the word adventurous to describe the type of rider (and rides) that their new models are aimed at, but it equally applies to the technology used in constructing the frames. The heart of the X and XE bikes is a “hand-brazed frame, built with our unique blend of Reynolds double butted tubing and 3D printed stainless steel elements.”
From a distance, the slim profile of the tubing and the classical shape hark back to the time-served traditions of bikes built at Pashley. Look closer at the Roadfinder X however and you’ll find a 3D printed lug forming the junction between the seat stays and the top tube, 3D printed dropouts/removable front mech hanger/stainless steel cable ports, flat-mount disc brake fittings, a T47 bottom bracket, internal cable/hose routing, clearance for 700x45mm tyres, a UDH compatible mech hanger and routing for an internal dropper post. In short, while it might look traditional, the Roadfinder X is actually anything but! Pashley are offering either fully built Roadfinder X bikes fitted with Shimano GRX groupsets (which start from £2795 and will ship from February 19th) or framesets (which start from £1595 and ship from the same date). Both come in a choice of three colours (Oak Green, Azure Blue and Rich Burgundy) and a range of sizes from XS (which equates to a 48cm frame) to XL (which equates to a 56cm frame)
Not content with ‘just’ launching the new Roadfinder X, Pashley have also launched the sister model – the XE, where the E (obviously) relates to the inclusion of electric assistance. Again, it’s hard to spot from a distance, but the classically shaped frame cunningly hides a 250Wh battery in the downtube. 55Nm of electrically powered assistance is delivered to the rider through a Mahle X20 rear hub.
Many of the frame details are shared between the X and the XE models, but there are some subtle differences – the X is constructed from Reynolds 853 double-butted tubing, whereas the XE’s frame is constructed from a mix of Reynolds 725, 631 and 525 double-butted tubing. The frame on the XE has different dropouts – unique to Pashley and designed to work with the rear hub motor. There is also a controller for the rear hub “seamlessly brazed” into the top tube. The Roadfinder XE is offered in the same range of colours and sizes as the X and prices start from £3995 with a Shimano GRX 1x12 groupset. Pashley sell a bolt-on range extender battery which they say should offer riders up to an additional 60km range. Both the Roadfinder X and the XE are available with colour matched mudguards for the full factory look.
With the combination of classic good looks, high tech design, “hand made in the UK” kudos, great specs and reasonable prices, it looks as though Pashley have arrived at the gravel party dressed to the nines and ready to party!
You can find more details about Pashley’s “contemporary” range on their website.