Nobody Asked: Here’s The First Foldable Gravel Bike

Riding gravel in the morning, but have to take the Tube to a meeting in the afternoon? It’s such an unlikely scenario that you were previously out of luck. Until now: VELLO has announced the world’s first foldable gravel bike.

VELLO presented the imaginatively named VELLO Gravel at the Pro Days in Paris. The Viennese folding bike manufacturer says it combines the flexibility of a folding bike with riding performance for off-road use. The folding bike company has previously targeted urban commuters, so this is quite the diversion. You have to have a gravel product in 2021. It’s good for stakeholders.

VELLO told us that “the VELLO Gravel opens up a whole new range of applications: foldable to pack in the car or train to access gravel routes, then unfolded for endurance sport. As a gravel bike for everyday use, it has the intakes on the frame for a front and rear rack, matching bags and other accessories, such as the VELLO mudguards – the VELLO Gravel is thus the perfect bike for longer tours.”

We love hearing the word ‘thus,’ so we’re allowing it.

Here are the technical details, in case this somehow sounds right up your alley:

Frame: Multisize, unisex, chrome molybdenum steel frame/ shock absorber with elastomer magnetic folding.
Color: Anthracite
Handlebars, Grips: Dropdown handlebar
Saddle: Selle Royal, Matrix foam
Seatpost: Satori aluminum 30.9 mm x 500 mm
Stem: Fully adjustable height (VELLO BIKE Design)Gear System: Shimano 105 series 10-gears, non-electric
Shifters: STI integrated shifters and brake levers, 10-speed
Front chainring: 54T with double chain guard
Cassette: 11-36 T (chain)
Brakes: disc brakes
Tires: 20’’inch 2.0 Schwalbe Billy Bonkers Performance
Bell: light and elegant
Pedals: Full aluminium folding pedals
Weight: 11,9 kg (approx., without pedals, +/- 5%)
Folding size: H: 57 cm x L: 79 cm x l: 29 cm

So there. Folding gravel bikes are a thing now.