Sonder Camino Ti, First ride first impressions - video

This is my new gravel bike, a Sonder Camino Ti.  That's the titanium version of Alpkit's popular Sonder gravel bike.

Initial impressions are that it is staggeringly good value.

I specified the top of the range build and it cost £2349.

That's slightly cheaper than listed because I swapped the forks from all carbon to carbon with a aluminium steerer, allowing me to add a front mudguard.  This bike will double as my new winter bike, the titanium frame being ideal for Scotland's winter conditions.


As you'll have read, I was looking and trying to buy a Kinesis Tripster but that would have cost £1000 more than this bike.  I had set aside the cash for it, so I treated myself to a Stages powermeter crank, sent it to the Alpkit team, and they added it during the build.

I collected it as I drove past Nottingham last week. We're house-sitting in Richmond (again) which isn't the best place to try a gravel bike, but hey-ho, I'll be back in the highlands soon enough.


In the meantime, this video records my honest first impressions during my first real ride.  (I went to the shops on it the day before and punctured the tyre with a bit of glass - that doesn't count as a ride!)  My views will undoubtedly change as I ride the bike more.  {edit - on the next ride I felt a little stretched out, so I've flipped the stem and moved the saddle - the result is much better.}

Just a disclaimer about the video.  I cut it on my iPhone so the result isn't quite as smooth as I'd like, but I will tidy it up once I'm home and on my good MacBook Pro).