Devinci

Hatchet Apex Gravel Bike

DeVinci’s Hatchet returns for your any- and all-terrain adventures. It's a bike built to be capable enough for bouts of singletrack, but built for exploring down the road less traveled, through poorly-graded gravel, and well beyond the last cell tower. It comes to us with eager geometry that's ready for lofty tires, and long rides in rough conditions. It features a similar overall shape to its predecessor, but with a slightly longer head tube, and shorter seat tube. Its seat tube is designed for a dedicated zero-offset post, and with its lower height this means two things: first, it fits shorter riders better than before, and second, you can add in a dropper post of enhanced comfort on rides that take you down singletrack adventures. This particular model pairs the aluminum Hatchet frame with SRAM’s Apex drivetrain, for a capable and durable build that’s ready for the end of the tarmac and the start of the real ride.

This Hatchet is happy adventuring on seldom-used forest service roads, flying down fresh tarmac, or even mixing it up on some buff singletrack, maybe all while on the same ride. Sleek internal cable routing via a port behind the headtube, including dropper post compatibility for getting really rowdy, accommodates mechanical and electronic drivetrains and keeps things looking tidy and out of harm's way. Lastly, the hidden fender mounts allow you to find the bike comfortably year around keeping mud and road spray from dampening spirits.

We would best describe the Hatchet's ride as mountain bike-esque with the speed and multiple hand positions afforded by drop bars. A quick peek at the geo chart confirms why this is. Headtube angles encroach on hardtail 29er numbers, while the longer reach encourages the use of a shorter stem and wide bars. The chainstays and subsequent wheelbase are quite longer than the average cyclocross bike, and to that, the Hatchet is stable when the going gets fast and rough, yet it still manages to be very responsive and quick to change lines on washboard descents. This frameset will accommodate tires up to 45mm wide and DeVinci specs 40c Maxxis Ramblers that are eager to bite into the dirt. Its 12mm thru-axles at the front and rear keep things stiff and tracking nicely and seem to have become the industry standard on drop bar disc bikes, as have the flat-mount disc brakes. This particular build pairs the aluminum Hatchet frame with SRAM Apex. With technology trickled down from their higher-price components, Apex is stronger than ever and offers consistent performance without breaking the bank. Its 1x setup pairs a 42t chainring with a wide 11-42t cassette for ample gear range to get up and over the next ridegeline. The V2 rims are tubeless ready allowing you to drop the pressure for better traction and comfort and running some sealant helps ward off punctures.