Bulls Machete R2 Review: With its new racing machine, the Cologne-based manufacturer demonstrates just how close road bikes and gravel race bikes have become. In its 2x12 configuration, the new model proves so versatile that you can practically save yourself the additional purchase of a gravel bike.
The road bike scene has changed dramatically in recent years. Alongside the classic racing machines, endurance models with a more upright riding position and easier gears eventually emerged. Then cyclocross (re)gained popularity, raising awareness that drop handlebars and off-road riding weren't mutually exclusive. From this, and from the trend of riding long-distance races on unpaved roads, the gravel bike was born; this, in turn, inspired the industry to create endurance road bikes with added functionality – clearance for wider tires, mounting points for bags and accessories, and much more.
Bulls Machete R2: Anything that works is allowed.
And ever since the typical road bike tire became 28 to 30 mm wide, visual perceptions have changed. With road bikes, anything goes today, as long as it looks good (and works) – and that has led to road bikes like the Bulls Machete R2, which would have been unthinkable ten years ago.
What have the Cologne-based team been up to? The model name "Machete" has been familiar from Bulls for a few years now: It was the brand's first carbon gravel bike, developed from a mountain bike perspective to reflect their commitment to MTB racing, featuring a high front end, slack head angle, and the option for a suspension fork. Of the Bulls factory riders, Alban Lakata was the one who used the Machete most intensively: The multiple MTB Marathon World Champion rode it to 29th place at the first Gravel World Championships in 2022 and competed in numerous other gravel races in the following years.
New development for road, gravel and cyclocross
It must be said, of course, that the Bulls Machete wasn't really designed for gravel racing and had to be adapted by Lakata with different components and a low-profile carbon cockpit. Even back then, Bulls may have been considering a more suitable bike, and this was presented at their 2025 in-house trade show as the Bulls Machete RX. Its key features: significantly sportier geometry, a good 45 mm tire clearance, UDH rear suspension, and SRAM 1x13 drivetrain.
At the same time, Bulls showcased a road bike based on the same frame – and that finally brings us to the point. As the Bulls Machete R2 with Shimano Ultegra Di2, this bike proves that the industry has now reached a point where it practically no longer needs to differentiate between road bikes, cyclocross bikes, and gravel bikes. At least not when targeting a general audience that doesn't have very specific requirements in one of the three disciplines.
An interest in the Bulls Machete R2, however, presupposes a certain level of sporting ambition. The synthesis of road, cyclocross, and gravel only works with an aggressive riding position, which the Bulls takes its cues from genuine professional racing machines as well as gravel race bikes like the Specialized Crux. The sporty posture on the Bulls is softened by a full 5 cm of spacers under the stem, but those who remove these and shorten the head tube accordingly will find themselves in a racer's position. With a head angle of 72° across all four frame sizes, the Bulls is also in good company: this value corresponds to typical race gravel bikes and is also found on endurance road bikes designed for stable straight-line tracking. The 425 mm chainstays are also common on many gravel racers.
Road bike groupset and carbon wheels
The inclusion of the reliable and precise Shimano Ultegra Di2 groupset is another plus. Bulls also specifies a "Mavic Allroad" wheelset, well-suited for wider road tires like the fast 38mm Schwalbe Pro One, as well as gravel tires. With a climbing gear ratio below 1:1, the Bulls can tackle steep sections; at high speeds, the modern frame design and the aerodynamically optimized carbon rims prove their worth. A weight of just under nine kilograms seems realistic for a medium frame size, making the bike impressive in this respect as well. And of course, the Machete impresses with details like the concealed axle thread on the right side of the fork, the integrated seat clamp, and high-quality components such as the carbon seatpost and the one-piece carbon cockpit. And naturally, the Bulls allows for the aforementioned mounting of accessories like a bag under the top tube.
For world champion Alban Lakata, Bulls has created the perfect racing and training machine – the Austrian uses his Machete for both road training and off-road racing, eliminating the need to deal with adjustment issues. Of course, the Bulls Machete R2 isn't (only) aimed at racers: with 4.999 The Cologne-based manufacturer is asking a reasonable price of €100 for its versatile road bike. All the more so since buying the Machete R essentially eliminates the need for a separate gravel bike – a second wheelset with knobby tires is all you need…
