You better put your sunglasses on! It’s titanium as far as the eye can see on this adventure gravel bike! This doesn’t just make for a very classy look, but also promises to be incredibly durable. Does the Falkenjagd Aristos Trail Gravel only sparkle in the sun or can it also shine once it’s covered in mud in our adventure bike group test?
This bike was tested as part of our 2024 adventure gravel bike group test – you can find an overview of the group test and the featured bikes here:
Real adventures hardly ever go according to plan, and it can put some serious strain on your gear. Carrying luggage, falling over, and bouncing fully loaded down rough trails is very hard on the bike. All the better if you’re confident in the fact that your gravel bike is bombproof. Titanium is considered to be particularly robust and should work perfectly on all adventures big and small. It’s a good thing, then, that almost every component on the Falkenjagd Aristos Trail Gravel is made of this element. In theory, that should make it a robust adventure rig. Does it deliver in the real world?
Falkenjagd Aristos Trail Gravel – A blaze of glory?
Although the durability of titanium and steel makes them ideal frame materials for adventure bikes, the Falkenjagd Aristos Trail Gravel is the only titanium bike on test. But it’s not just the frame that’s titanium – this gravel bike isn’t afraid to show what it’s made of. Besides the frame, the in-house fork, seat post, and stem are also made of titanium. Even the headset spacers, and the rails of the Selle Italia SLR Boost TI 316 Superflow saddle are made of titanium. The clean, simple lines blend well with the brushed titanium finish, for what should prove to be a timeless, durable, and corrosion resistant bike. Furthermore, there’s no carbon to break when you crash. However, all this simplicity and peace of mind comes at a relatively high price and weight – € 9,440 and 9.36 kg to be exact. The Falkenjagd Aristos Trail Gravel also has a lot going on when it comes to branding: you’ll find the falcon logo or the brand name itself on all of the in-house components. Overall, this makes the design look a bit cluttered.
Titanium as a frame material is one thing. But Falkenjagd have taken the concept of a titanium gravel bike to the next level: almost all components on the Aristos Trail Gravel are made of the precious element.
When it comes to the branding, Falkenjagd went slightly overboard. You’ll find both the name and the logo wherever you look – even on the headset spacers.
The Campagnolo Levante wheelset, coupled with a pair of tan wall 45 mm Schwalbe G-One R tires, further underlines the bike’s chic and high-quality look. The frame and fork have a maximum tire clearance of 50 mm. The carbon handlebar is supplied by sibling brand Parapera, and offers plenty of support for your hands with wide, raised tops and flared drops. The Campagnolo Ekar drivetrain looks great and suits the bike perfectly, both visually and functionally. With a 10–44 t cassette and 38 t chainring, it offers plenty of range for all your adventures – both on and off-road. However, we know from experience that Ekar can be a bit sensitive to misalignment, and might need a few tweaks to keep it running smoothly, which can be difficult on long adventures. The Falkenjagd Aristos Trail Gravel offers a lot of mounting points, including bosses for three bottle cages – two inside the front triangle and one on the down tube. You can also fit mudguards and a luggage rack. It can also accommodate a hub dynamo lighting system with internal cable routing.
Due to the geometry, spacer stack, and rise on the handlebar, the saddle is almost at the same height as the handlebar. This results in a very relaxed and upright riding position.
Even with the 45 mm Schwalbe G-One R tires, there is still room for mudguards. Of course, the Falkenjagd Aristos Trail Gravel has the required eyelets, too.
The Campagnolo EKAR uses a thumb lever to shift to smaller sprockets.
Tuning tip: Schwalbe G-One RS tire on the rear for more speed
Falkenjagd Aristos Trail Gravel
€ 9,440
Specifications
Fork rigid fork
Seatpost Falkenjagd
Brakes Campagnolo Ekar 160/160 mm
Drivetrain Campagnolo Ekar 1x13
Stem Falkenjagd 90 mm
Handlebar Parapera 440 mm
Wheelset Campagnolo Levante
Tires Schwalbe G-One RS 28"
Technical Data
Size S M L XL XXL
Weight 9.36 kg
Specific Features
Titanium frame
Very relaxed geometry
Campagnolo drivetrain
Lots of branding
| Size | S | M | L | XL | XXL |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Top tube | 540 mm | 565 mm | 585 mm | 605 mm | 630 mm |
| Seat tube | 470 mm | 500 mm | 550 mm | 580 mm | 610 mm |
| Head tube | 130 mm | 155 mm | 170 mm | 185 mm | 210 mm |
| Head angle | 69° | 69° | 69° | 69° | 69° |
| Seat angle | 75° | 75° | 75° | 75° | 75° |
| Chainstay | 430 mm | 430 mm | 430 mm | 430 mm | 430 mm |
| BB Drop | 71 mm | 71 mm | 70 mm | 69 mm | 58 mm |
Falkenjagd Aristos Trail Gravel – Robust, relaxed, and a little quirky
The geometry figures of the Falkenjagd Aristos Trail Gravel suggest that this gravel bike is an easy going companion. The long head tube and steep seat tube angle result in a fairly upright riding position. As such, it encourages leisurely cruising and taking in the scenery. It’s not the kind of bike that motivates you to put down the power or sprint. In addition to the very upright riding position, you’re also positioned very centrally on the bike. Some will call it comfortable, while others might say it’s boring. Either way, it’s not fun because it’s fast, but more because it’s comfortable and predictable. As such, it instils you with lots of confidence, especially in combination with the 440 mm wide handlebar. The Falkenjagd Aristos Trail Gravel is excellently suited to long woodland tracks and country roads due to its composure, allowing you to take in the sights while riding. Despite this, the adventure bike remains surprisingly nimble on moderate off-road trails. You can also hit the descents with an agile and dynamic riding style when keeping your hands in the drops.
In terms of compliance, the Falkenjagd Aristos Trail Gravel cannot compete with its suspended opponents as intense vibrations and big impacts are passed on to the rider unmitigated. That said, it does a good job of absorbing small bumps – it’s most comfortable on well-groomed gravel roads. This is also where the 45 mm G-One R tires perform at their best. They provide sufficient compliance and are fast and easy rolling. Even light trails are possible, but you won’t want to venture into rough terrain aboard the Aristos Trail Gravel.
Just pack your bags and roll off into the horizon: this is the perfect bike for it.
What adventures is the Falkenjagd Aristos Trail Gravel destined for?
The Falkenjagd Aristos Trail Gravel is just the bike for slow adventure touring. When it’s more about the journey than the destination, it’s an ideal companion. Speed or Strava KOMs don’t matter at all on rides like this – the feeling of freedom and enjoying your surroundings takes priority. Of course, it’s exceptionally well suited to bikepacking thanks to the robust titanium frame and components. Thanks to the option of installing dynamo lights, a rack, and mudguards, it also serves as an ideal winter training bike and commuter.
Our conclusion on the Falkenjagd Aristos Trail Gravel
Falkenjagd deliver an absolutely coherent package with the Aristos Trail Gravel, prioritising relaxed and easy-going rides. It encourages you to ignore your bike computer, slow down, and explore your surroundings, or to pack up and head off for a multi-day adventure. When doing so, it feels most at home on woodland roads and smooth gravel. It’s superbly well thought-out overall and has a lot to offer, both visually and technically. It offers everything you need for bikepacking or just cruising around. Don’t worry, ride!
Tops
- titanium through and throughexclusive, high-quality Campagnolo components
- timeless frame design
Flops
- finicky drivetrain
- unsubtle branding
For more information visit falkenjagd-bikes.de
The testfield
This bike was tested as part of our 2023 adventure gravel bike group test – you can find an overview of the group test and the test field here:
All bikes on review:Argon 18 Dark Matter | BMC URS 01 ONE | Cannondale Topstone Carbon 1 Lefty | Canyon Grizl CF SLX 8 Force AXS Trail | Falkenjagd ARISTOS TRAIL GRAVEL | Focus Atlas 8.8 | Ghost Asket Advanced | Giant Revolt X | Merida Silex 10k | Mondraker Dusty XR | Orbea Terra M21e Team Custom M | Ridley Kanzo Adventure | Rose Backroad AL Plus | Santa Cruz Stigmata | Scott Solace Gravel eRIDE 10 | Specialized Diverge STR Pro | Trek Checkpoint SL 7 AXS | Wilier Adlar | YT Industries Szepter Core 4
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Words & Photos: Martin Staffa
