IN BRIEF
Decathlon is offering its Van Rysel E-GRVL AF HD electric gravel bike in a “taupe pink” colourway, at €2,899 — exactly the price of the black model. Behind the new shade lies the real change: a 45 Nm Mahle X30 motor replaces the 40 Nm X35+, so 5 Nm more torque. A 250 Wh battery, a claimed 100 km of range and 15.9 kg in size M. Everything else carries over: a SRAM Apex 1×12 drivetrain, hydraulic disc brakes, Hutchinson 700×45 tyres and eleven mounting points for luggage. A targeted refresh rather than a new bike.
| Motor | Mahle X30, rear hub, 45 Nm |
| Battery | 250 Wh integrated into the frame |
| Claimed range | Up to 100 km |
| Drivetrain | SRAM Apex 1×12 XPLR |
| Chainring / cassette | 40 teeth / 10-44 teeth |
| Brakes | SRAM Rival hydraulic, 160 mm rotors |
| Wheels / tyres | Van Rysel alloy wheels / Hutchinson Touareg 700×45 tyres |
| Frame / fork | 6061 aluminium / carbon, luggage mounts |
| Weight | 15.9 kg (size M) |
| Connectivity | Bluetooth and ANT+ |
| Price | 2 899 € |
The change is obvious at a glance: Van Rysel’s electric gravel bike swaps its usual black for a powdery “taupe pink”. But the important part is under the paint. Decathlon is taking the opportunity to change motors — a 45 Nm Mahle X30 in place of the 40 Nm X35+ — without moving the price tag, still set at €2,899. Five newton metres more torque for the same money, then. The rest of the spec sheet, meanwhile, doesn’t change by a single bolt.
Five newton metres you feel through the pedals
On paper the gap looks slim: 45 Nm against 40, five small newton metres. In gravel riding they should make themselves felt where it counts — getting back up to speed out of a tight corner, on a rocky ramp, on a false flat that drags on. The unit, housed in the rear hub, remains as compact and discreet as the X35+, with the same 250 Wh battery integrated into the frame and a claimed range of 100 km.
The three assistance levels are controlled from the handlebar, and Bluetooth as well as ANT+ connectivity allows the bike to talk to a smartphone or a Garmin computer.
Motor aside, a familiar recipe
The step up stops at the motor. Everything else carries over unchanged from the black model. The drivetrain is a SRAM Apex 1×12 XPLR, with a 40-tooth chainring and a 10-44 cassette: enough to spin up climbs, even loaded. Braking is handled by SRAM Rival hydraulic calipers and 160 mm rotors front and rear, sized to suit a bike of this build.
The cockpit plays the endurance card: a 420 mm flared aluminium handlebar, a 90 to 110 mm stem depending on the size, and a Fizik Argo Vento saddle. The aluminium wheels are shod with Hutchinson Touareg 700×45 tyres, a compromise between rolling speed on tarmac and grip on trails. Eleven mounting points spread across the frame and the carbon fork take bags, bottle cages and racks, while the front and rear lights draw on the main battery. On the scales, Decathlon claims 15.9 kg in size M: at the upper end of the segment’s average.
The Mahle app extends the bike’s life
Choosing a recent motor also means staying current on the software side. The X30 benefits from the latest updates to the Mahle mySmartBike app: customisable assistance curves, detailed consumption tracking, better integration with computers and sensors. The gravel bike then becomes as much a connected device as a sports bike. These settings don’t change a single screw on the chassis, but they extend its commercial lifespan — a way for Decathlon to keep a platform up to date without redesigning it.
Who this €2,899 gravel bike is for
The E-GRVL AF HD X30 targets the rider who wants a single bike for everything: the weekday commute, the sporty weekend ride, the occasional spot of light bikepacking. The assistance smooths out the bumps without spoiling the fast sections, the endurance position spares the back over distance, and the eleven mounting points open the door to luggage. For replacing the car on journeys of less than 30 km, the equation adds up.
A few reservations remain. The 250 Wh battery is enough day to day but comes up short for long-distance touring, and no range extender is offered. At this price, we would also have been glad to see SRAM Force brakes rather than the Rival. Finally, there is no shortage of competition in this niche, from Canyon to Specialized via Cube and Origine.
At €2,899, Decathlon’s calculation is clear: more torque, same price, same proven base. Between the 40 Nm black and the 45 Nm taupe pink, choosing your colour now means choosing your power.
