An excellent option for all round adventuring

Sonder have played a blinder with the Camino, producing a fast, fun and comfortable bike with no obvious flaws. Often we test bikes that have a but… , such as a high cost, a press fit BB or feeling weighty but not here. The Camino lives up to the ideal of an Adventure bike, a compromise of road vs trail, but without ever feeling out of its depth.

Up front, it was flared drops that really had us surprised, thinking they were just a quirky, beard stroking addition; they are fundamental to the stability of handling in the rough.

The comfortable position is perfect for gravel excursions or riding long distances loaded with luggage.

With its flexible wheel size options and plenty of tyre clearance, there’s scope for building the Sonder Camino AL however you want it. However, as built, this Rival 1 option seems to me to be a great fit straight out the box. If you can’t fork out for this higher end build kit straight away, the ride quality is such that the frame makes a good candidate for later upgrades, and the handling is simply excellent. Unless your heart is set on steel, titanium, or carbon, I can’t think of a reason why you wouldn’t want this bike. I do want this bike, and I’m genuinely sorry to be sending it back.

A great value bike capable of much more both on and off road than the price might suggest.
