First released in 2016, the Sonder Camino Ti is as old as the Sonder itself. From that time until now it remains one of the most popular bikes in the range and is often recommended on many “What gravel bike…?” Wire.
Cycling Weekly has thought deeply about this too, and back in 2020 we crowned it Editors’ Choice Award. The Camino’s design has changed a bit since then, so now is a good time to see how it fares in this year’s annual Gravel Bike Test.
construction
This year we have a titanium frame version of the Camino which looks great with just a straight tube with a pristine finish and is hard to beat (and not just because they are really easy to clean). An added bonus is that the finish is more durable than a painted or carbon fiber frame, which is a real bonus if you want to add luggage. If you’re on a more modest budget, there’s also an alloy version available (titanium frame only £1,999, alloy version £599).
Regardless of the terrain, riding the Camino is always fun
(Image source: Future)
To maintain a clean look, the cables are routed internally through the downtube. To make repairs faster and easier, there’s an access hatch underneath the bottom bracket housing so you can reroute the wiring without the need for professional tools. There are additional cable ports to run various shifter/mechanical combinations as well as dropper posts and a range of mounts. The position where the seat post is mounted on the small frame means that if you put a standard frame bag under the top tube, you won’t be able to fit a 600ml bottle.
The Camino is an unabashed bike designed for technical gravel roads and long-distance adventures. This is reflected in the geometry, with the wheelbase (small frame, 1050mm) and chainstays (434mm) being longer than most other bikes we tested, and the head tube angle also being slacker (69oh). The stack is relatively high to maintain a more upright and comfortable position on the saddle for longer periods of time (up to 380mm, stack 564mm). If you want to increase the technical capabilities of your Camino, you can also fit 700cc tires up to 50 mm or 650b wheels with 2.2-inch tyres.
These are Sonder’s flared poles, but you can specify a variety of alternatives
(Image source: Future)
The Camino has a variety of build options to choose from, with 11 titanium models alone (frame only) listed on the website, each of which can be customized to the exact specs you want. So many options will either excite you or scare you, either way, it’s not as complicated as it sounds.
The main difference between these models is the drivetrain, with almost every level of SRAM XPLR, SRAM Road, Shimano GRX and Shimano Road available, including 1x, 2x, mechanical and electronic. Campagnolo Ekar is also an option.
Our bikes come standard with a 12-speed Rival AXS drivetrain
(Image source: Future)
Once you’ve selected a drive chain model that suits your make, gearing, and budget, you can select virtually any remaining component or stick with standard construction. Some changes are like this, so there’s no extra cost, others are upgrades. This kind of affordable customization is also a feature of Cotic Cascade. With the Camino, you can even ask Sonder to build the bike using components you source yourself, and the price will be reduced accordingly.
For our review, we opted for the standard Ti Rival 1 AXS XPLR, which at £3,199 was well within our budget. In addition to the 12-speed Rival AXS drivetrain and brakes, the model also features a monocoque carbon fiber fork and Sonder Alpha alloy wheels (made at Sonder’s Nottingham headquarters) with Goodyear Connector 45mm tyres. The entire kit is entirely Sonder designed, including the flared alloy bars and saddle, which are very similar to the popular Fabric Scoop.
riding
The moment you put your legs over the Camino you’ll feel like you’re about to have a great time. This isn’t a bike that dictates what and how you ride, it’s a bike that asks you what you like to do and is instantly ready for adventure. In fact, my first few days on the Camino proved its adaptability and ability to do it all.
On my first bike ride, I brought a lot of luggage full of bikes to go on my son’s first bike trip. The load is heavy and the pace is slow, but the Camino makes it enjoyable. Even when fully loaded, the Camino remains agile and responsive to steering and pedal inputs.
The Camino feels very stable when your weight is in the center of the bike
(Image source: Future)
Once the evening arrived, I unpacked, adjusted my tire pressures, and headed out to my usual technical trails for mountain biking. It is well known that the geometry of the Camino is influenced by the geometry of the MTB and this has been shown. Since your weight is in the middle of the bike, it’s very stable and easy to maneuver on twisty and rocky roads, limited only by tire size.
The next morning I was out on my own again, this time doing a tempo session on the road. The Camino will never be as fast as more race-focused gravel bikes, but it does it very well. Whether you’re spinning along or out of the saddle, it responds to pedaling pressure. If I planned on riding a lot of tarmac, I would consider changing the tires to narrower ones to reduce drag.
There are many racks for bike backpacks
(Image source: Future)
On the last ride of the weekend I came back fully loaded and ready for the second part of the family ride as we headed back down the long gravel road. Now that I’m carrying a lot of fatigue and luggage, I really appreciate the comfort of the wide tires and titanium frame. If you’re considering bike luggage and know your luggage won’t wear away at the paint or carbon layers, titanium frames have another pleasing benefit. This saves a lot of time and the hassle of adding tape to multiple parts of your bike to protect them from strap damage.
Many riders like them, but personally I’ve never really been a fan of the flared Bomber handlebars because I miss the width at the top of the handlebars, both for riding and fitting on a larger handlebar In the bag. If you feel similarly, Sonder’s build selector offers standard drop bar options in a variety of widths at no extra cost.
value
£3,199 is a great price for a titanium framed bike with a full Rival AXS drivetrain. If you factor in the enjoyment factor and the range of gravel riding, the value increases exponentially.
Specification
- Frameset: Camino Ti frame and monocoque carbon fiber fork
- Gear lever: SRAM Competitor AXS | 12-speed
- brake: SRAM Competitor AXS | Hydraulic
- Rear derailleur: SRAM Competitor AXS XPLR | 12-speed
- Crankset: SRAM Rival1 wide chainring | 12-speed
- Cassette: SRAM XG1251 | 10-44 tons | 12 speed
- chain: SRAM Competitor | 12-Speed
- Bottom bracket: SRAM DUB | BSA | 68mm
- wheel: Sandor Alpha 700c
- tire: Goodyear Connector | 700c | 45mm | Tan Wall
- handlebar: Sonder Bomber Alloy
- Dry: Sonder Storc Alloy
- Seat post: alloy
- saddle: No place to stay
- size: XS – XL
