Commencal says the new 365 isn't just another gravel bike
French brand brings alloy expertise to gravel platform
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Commencal is best known for its aggro, super-progressive full-suspension mountain bikes but today, like many others, the brand has looked to occupy the burgeoning gravel bike space. With the new 365, Commencel stays well away from carbon in a bid to remain environmentally friendly, while offering a versatile and racey platform.
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Commencal says that the 365 is a bike that's been designed with every kind of adventure in mind, so it can adapt to a rider's needs. As expected from a mountain bike focussed, brand, it gets an MTB DNA but the 365 has been sculpted towards comfort and manoeuvrability.
With that in mind, the 365 is built around a 6069 T4/T6 aluminium frame to make for a comfortable gravel bike that doesn't hold back on responsiveness. To achieve this, the brand's designers have worked on the stiffness of aluminium at specific points of the frame in order to absorb vibration.
2023 commencal 365 DT.jpg, by Liam Mercer
To boost stiffness in areas where it's required, Commencal has formed the downtube so it surrounds the bottom bracket. This should result in responsive pedalling.
At the front, the 365 rocks a full aluminium fork that's been designed by Commencal. Paired with thick handlebar tape, the brand says that the combination reduces hand fatigue. The fork comes complete with an integrated mudguard, too.
The cockpit gets a bit of a mountain bike flare, employing a short stem and wide bars. Continuing with the mountain bike inspiration, there's then a 1x drivetrain chosen for its simplicity, better chain retention and reduced maintenance. The frame is also dropper post friendly as Commencal reckons that it's a total no-brainer as it offers confidence, convenience and descending efficiency.
2023 commencal 365 seat stay.jpg, by Liam Mercer
As for the geometry, this bike benefits from a head angle that ranges from 70.5- to 71.4-degrees depending on the chosen frame size and the effective seat tube angle goes from 74-degrees to 73.8-degrees. There's a 595.5 top tube on a large frame and a 1079.5mm wheelbase.
There's then clearance for up to 700x47c tyres and the frame can accommodate large, 180mm disc rotors.
Commencal's new 365 gravel bike comes in three builds with the top-of-the-range 365 Signature model rolling with SRAM Force XPLR eTap 12-speed shifting and a RockShox Reverb AXS XPLR dropper. There's a pair of DT Swiss GR 1600 Spline alloy wheels which are wrapped with 700x45c Maxxis Rambler tyres.
2023 commencal 365 fender.jpg, by Liam Mercer
Next up, the 365 Race also gets a dropper but this time it's from KS with the Lev Si. Shifting is provided by a Shimano GRX RX8100 drivetrain with Hollowtech technology which drives a set of DT Swiss G1800 Spline wheels.
Last but not least is the 365 Ride which gets a Shimano GRX RX600 drivetrain with a 40T chainring and an XXL cassette. It rolls on the very same tyres as the rest of the range but it gets a wide Spank Flare 25 handlebar and forgoes the dropper post.
Prices sit at €4,500, €3,000 and €2,000, respectively.
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Comments
I'd honestly like to know how in the world an aluminium fork reduces hand fatigue?
Erm, since when has an aluminium fork led to 'reduced hand fatigue'? Who writes this nonsense, and as a journalist, why don't you challenge it? Otherwise it's just a regurgitated press release. Do better!
Sounds to me like just another gravel bike...
Not that there's anything wrong with gravel bikes - I own one! Just that it would be nice if the marketing spiel had at least a modicum of substance behind it.
I would also argue that with a name like "365" you would expect versitility to be king - and yet this bike seems to be lacking in this regard. In particular, it lacks mounting points - there are none above the top tube (for a bolt-on top tube bag; I don't know what you would use the mounts underneath the top tube for); none on the underside of the downtube (unless you can co-opt the bolts that are holding the protection in place?); none on the fork; and none for proper mudguards or a rear rack. The max 47mm tyre clearance is probably wide enough for most uses but by no means exceptional (especially on a gravel bike with MTB tendancies). I would also prefer it to be 2x compatible - not everyone will want to run 2x, but nice to have the option (especially if versitility is paramount).
This will be challenged once we get hands-on with the bike.