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We asked ourselves: Is it possible to reconcile a brisk commute by bike with a sporty kilometre scrub? Or does this balancing act work with one and the same bike? Our bike of choice was the Bulls Daily Grinder 3, a fully equipped gravel bike from the ZEG bike brand. The 2023 model of the Commuter bikes costs 2299 euros, is equipped with a pannier rack, fixed mudguards and pre-mounted lighting including a hub dynamo. If you compare the Bulls gravel bike with other popular all-season racing bikes or gravel bikes such as the Rose Backroad Randonneur or the Bergamont Grandurance RDIt is noticeable that our black aluminium test bike plays a league below in terms of price. The Bulls Daily Grinder 3 doesn't have to hide from the slightly cheaper Cube Nuroad Race FE (1899 euros) in terms of price/performance. The basis is a classic aluminium frame with a sloping top tube and carbon fork, which Bulls equips with a Shimano GRX 810 drivetrain and single chainring. A Shimano Deore cassette with 11-42 teeth provides a manageable range of 382 per cent total gear ratio. But what are the strengths of the fully equipped gravel bike and how wide is the commuter bike's real range of use? To find out, we tested the 500 kilometres of the Festive 500 Challenge unwound on it. The Bulls bike had to prove its suitability for everyday use during winter commuting on mixed surfaces.
Bulls Daily Grinder 3 - the facts
- Frame material: Aluminium
- Gear system: Shimano GRX 810 1x11 gears
- Gear ratio: 40, 11-42 teeth
- Brakes / discs: Shimano GRX 400 hydraulic disc brakes / 160/160 mm
- Wheels: Bulls XC-21 Evo aluminium rims, Shimano XT hubs
- Tyres: Schwalbe G-One Allround Performance / 40 mm
- Frame sizes: S to XL (4 sizes)
- Price: 2299 Euro
- Weight: 11.54 kg (without pedals/size M)
- Weight front/rear wheels: 2086 g / 2358 g
- Stack to Reach: 1.57
Bulls gravel bike: Equipped for luggage, bad weather & darkness
Between Christmas and New Year's Eve, the permanently installed mudguards and lights were the perfect basis for a week of collecting kilometres on wintry roads. The mudguards sit wobble-free even on gravel tracks and are long enough to protect your bum and feet from water spray. Above all, the rear mudguard is not fazed by anything, as it is additionally fixed to the luggage carrier. If the Festive 500 laps extended into the twilight, the daylight sensor on the headlight switched on the lights during the ride. The cone of light generated by the Fuxon LED headlight is sufficient. The compact rear light also shines a little to the side and ensures permanent visibility with its parking light function when stopped.
How the Bulls Daily Grinder 3 rides
In contrast to the Bulls Machete carbon gravel bikes the Daily Grinder favours a geometry that is more suitable for everyday use. The stack to reach value is 1.57, the seating position is correspondingly compact and does not position the rider too stretched out between the handlebars and saddle. The 1075 millimetre long wheelbase and the 70.5 degree steep steering angle ensure a smooth ride, whereby the Bulls gravel bike is one of the most agile and manoeuvrable bikes in its class. In terms of riding comfort, the stiff aluminium frame and carbon fork do not offer too much flex. To ensure that rough gravel tracks don't turn into a bumpy ride, Bulls has installed its oval Duroflex carbon seatpost (27.2 mm diameter), which is also used on Bulls MTB hardtails. An additional wedge is required to clamp the oval, comfort-trimmed seatpost in the round seat tube, which makes handling fiddly when adjusting the saddle height. The 40 millimetre wide Schwalbe G-One all-round tyres in the performance version can be another guarantee of comfort. Provided you ride them with adapted, low air pressure and/or convert them to tubeless.
You can't expect light-footed acceleration from the Bulls like you would from a purist racing bike or gravel bike. The overall weight and especially the wheels are too heavy for that. But we regularly managed a 27 km/h average with the Bulls Daily Grinder 3 on tarmac and on routes with little elevation gain.
Test conclusion on the Bulls gravel bike as a commuter bike
During our test rides, the Bulls Daily Grinder proved to be a versatile commuter bike that is suitable for any rider who needs a reliable and robust bike for commuting. The frame and fork also offer mounting points for a variety of panniers and mounts. There are four threaded eyelets on the underside of the top tube alone, with two more on top. Bulls combines everyday equipment (mudguards, lights, pannier rack, bell) with solid and proven Shimano GRX components. Only the range of the single drivetrain limits the universal use somewhat. Another small point of criticism is the somewhat carelessly laid light cables on our test bike.
Bulls Daily Grinder: A total of 3 models from 1399 euros
Overall, the ZEG retail brand offers three models of the Bulls Daily Grinder Commuter Bikes. It starts at 1399 euros for the entry-level version with mechanical disc brakes. In addition to a sporty version with a diamond frame, the bike is also available with a trapezoid frame. The 2-seater model of the fully equipped gravel bike costs €1999 and has a Shimano GRX 400 drivetrain with 2x10 gears. The permissible total weight for all models is 125 kilos.
