Norwegian performance adventure cycling brand, Fara Cycling, has unveiled its fourth-generation gravel bike and successor to the F/Gravel model, the Gr4. The brand describes it as “a category-defying gravel bike engineered to deliver race-ready speed and long-distance capability in one lightweight platform.”
Despite living in the shadows of more established off-road marques, Fara is no stranger when it comes to success among the best gravel bikes, with wins at The Traka and commendable results at ultra-endurance events such as Badlands, the Atlas Mountain Race, and the Transcontinental Race.
While we’ve seen similar frame blueprints employed over the last 12 months, most notably the 3T Extrema Italia gravel bike, Fara’s Gr4 is claimed to be lighter thanks to the use of Torayca T1000 and M40X fibres and an integrated handlebar arrangement. While there’s no weight figure for a complete bike, a medium frameset is said to tip the scales at 970g β some 129g lighter than the Extrema Italia.
Fara Gr4 gravel bike cockpit assembly
(Image credit: Fara Cycling)
Gr4 specifications
As has become par for the course in this category, the frame and fork utilise a full range of cargo mounts and hidden fender mounts as well as a threaded T47 bottom bracket. There’s also an improved in-frame storage system in the downtube to help keep your jersey pockets tool-free.
High-speed stability is an area that Fara addressed, outfitting the Gr4 with a wheelbase of 1,037mm (medium). The other key geometry numbers, such as the head angle, come in at 71.2 degrees β this is quite steep when looking at bikes such as the YT Szepter (69.4) and 3T Extrema (70.5). The 395mm reach and 570mm stack figures represent the middle ground in the category and should deliver better comfort and improved control. An 80mm BB drop rounds off the key metrics. Four sizes are available: 49, 53, 56, and 59cm.
While outfitting a bike in wider rubber might sound counter-intuitive, higher-volume tyres have proved to supply better traction and speed over rutted and corrugated g-roads. Fara has jumped onto this idea and given the Gr4 space to clear 57mm or 2.0-2.2in tyres β the same as the 3T Extrema.
Another neat development is the integrated modular cockpit, which looks a lot like the new Cervelo’s S5 two-piece V-stem Hb19 handlebar. The bar is available in widths ranging from 36 to 44m, with adjustable stem lengths of 80-90mm, 100-110mm, and 120-130mm. This arrangement is claimed to improve comfort over longer distances, including additional flexibility for covering rugged surfaces.
SRAM’s UDH hanger creates and strong and stable interface for the shifting system, improving accuracy and robustness in the shifting system, whilst simplifying set up.
(Image credit: Fara Cycling)
Pricing and model range
There are three builds and an individual frameset available for purchase, and customers have the option to choose handlebar width, stem length, and crank length. At β¬5200/$5200, the frameset and fork come with an integrated handlebar, carbon seatpost, and CeramicSpeed bottom bracket and SLT headset bearings.
Complete bike builds get all the hardware of the frameset but gain 2.1in Schwalbe Thunder Burt tyres across the board. Pricing starts at β¬6,200/$6,500 for the Fara Gr4 Rival XPLR model, which gets a Rival XPLR groupset and Fulcrum RapidRed300 wheels.
The middle-range Fara Gr4 Force XPLR build will set you back β¬8,000/$8,500 complete with upgraded Zipp 303 S XPLR wheels.
The range-topping Fara Gr4 comes with a β¬9,900/$10,500 sticker price and a fancier SRAM Red XPLR AXS groupset and βZipp 303 SW XPLR wheels.
