Cervélo Aspero - Gravel bike built entirely for speed

Gravel bikes have become massive and the latest to enter that market is racing brand Cervélo. Dave gives you the run-through of key features on this race bike.
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[@chrissinclair3136]

I bought one used. The bike is amazing. I have two sets of wheels....zipps for road. Builds at 8.5kg and it rips. I have heavier more basic wheel for gravel

[@rainZSlayer]

Looks pretty good I must say!

[@AccFinEco]

Great review! 👍

[@roadcc]

Hold your horses! Full review will be coming in a month or so, let's call this an overview 👍

[@PatrickDelorenzi]

Great bike! What's the weight?

[@scdillar]

A gravel bike review without mentioning max tire clearance, for shame.

[@wirooudejans4939]

scott dillard tires are 42 wide

[@roadcc]

We will check this during the full review process... See this vid as more of a "this is an interesting bike and first thoughts"

[@chrisjong8412]

@@roadcc it's more than a first thought, he is talking about trail and everything And max tyre info is the most important spec people want to know

[@davidarthur]

Clearance is 700x44 and 650x49

[@steveco1800]

So this has a 10-33 cassette and 36t chainring? Interested to find out how you get on with the range of gears. Got a Shimano GRX bike on order with 11-42 and 40t, which is roughly the same top end gear.

[@Paddyhudson]

40Tx11-42 is the best gearing imo; good choice. (I would probably go with 10-42 if it was a simple switch for me.)

[@troycollett8540]

I’m getting a cross bike that has 42 on the rear

[@steveco1800]

@@Paddyhudson Nice to hear, thanks. Yeah the 10 tooth cog makes a big difference to the range, worth it if an option.

[@monty2078]

Why bot use a 50/34 Di2 with an 11/42 . Gives tremendous range for both road, steep gravel and bike packing

[@steveco1800]

@@monty2078 Would be nice in a way, but 1x appeals because don't have to deal with the huge gap between chainrings and less maintenance. Over winter going to be setup with 32c slicks and mudguards, so hopefully enough range because won't be all that quick anyway.

[@casparwhittey]

No fender mounts are a deal killer. Why do brands keep doing this? It can’t be that hard to include hidden mounts.

[@LeoInterHyenaem]

Concurred!

[@ethicworld9552]

Interesting bike indeed, but I see a few issues : how can you claim speed with a 36x10, it will so quickly spin out ; playing with the fork trail (front axle) is a great feature, but what about the disc calliper that will necessit adjustment every time you change the geometry ?

[@josh33172]

I believe a caliber spacer ships w/ the frame when you change the dropout position. As far as spinning out on 36x10.....maybe. It's a little over 26mph on 38c tires and 175mm cranks at 90rpms. I really think it should be 42 or 2X system w/ 46, but if your use case is spinning out is on descents, even if it were a 46T it would be 33.6mph and 38.8mph with a 53T. No matter what you're likely to spin out no matter what unless you push the cadence higher. In the end, this was build for offroad but to race off road more like road, but off road, the rider just isn't going to push the speeds as you would on road, not for any sustainable amount of time.

[@teridzard1776]

Keen on hearing the sound when the first little rock squeezes itself between the rear tyre and the seat tube.

[@justinjewell1043]

This. I ride a Canyon Grail Al with plenty of clearance and yet the first time I hit some sticky mud and gravel, I got scratches on the seatstays, chainstays, as well as the seat tube before I knew it was happening. God only knows what it would've done to this Cervelo with it's tight clearance around the seat tube. Dry weather only gravel bike haha.

[@monty2078]

Titanium is a much better material for a gravel bike

[@jimbink1892]

hi i need second opion my height is 170cm and inseam 27 inch. is it size 54 suitable for me. some1 is selling 2nd hand and im very tempted

[@Jardas1234]

Those wheels though. I wish they're gonna make that black logo a standard.

[@myYotarunner]

Awesome video.. Where did you get your shorts? Thanks

[@roadcc]

They're Sportful Giara overshorts, ideal for gravel riding and very comfortable

[@AmsterDanTheAmerican]

Did I miss the update on the review for this bike? I haven't seen anything since this was posted and I"m curious of your review.

[@roadcc]

Hi Dan, you did just happen to miss it 🙂 kzbin.info/www/bejne/g4PVcnaObbyUbKc

[@AmsterDanTheAmerican]

@@roadcc Cheers Mate!

[@AmsterDanTheAmerican]

@@roadcc Bye the way, can you review those wheels? I'm considering picking up a pair and would love to know your thoughts on them? Did you happen to measure how much wider they made the tires that were mounted on them? Did they ride super stiff or were the compliant like the G23's?

[@scotchgod8478]

Looks really good to me except for that minute chainring ,which i would rather call a sprocket.

[@kofikeelson2493]

Please who knows where I can order this [or any other super gravel bike] internationally to West Africa

[@chrispyy606060606]

Cervelo should have done hidden fender mounts and skipped the rack mounts. It looks like I’ll be going with the Giant revolt pro force. (I’m a big Cervelo fan, have two of their bikes but need fenders for wet training rides

[@schuey999]

If this bike is built for speed, why does their top of the line, $6k offering come with cheap DT Swiss 370 hubs?

[@Andy_ATB]

Is this the basis of the bike that a few of the Sunweb team may use in Cyclocross - instead of a 'blacked out' Giant TCX??

[@troycollett8540]

Hafren LMP1 it’s not a cross bike

[@RyonBeachner]

I’d check to see if it’s on the UCI approved list. If it isn’t, then it definitely isn’t.

[@hugoyoung4890]

@@RyonBeachner I thought the approved sticker was shown in the video.

[@RyonBeachner]

Hugo Young Just looked back, sure enough it is approved. Looks like that’s exactly what this is for, and likely the whole reason for the “trail-mixer” to allow for faster CX geometry but still usable for ‘gravel’.

[@davidarthur]

It's UCI approved and I've heard rumour the team will be able to use it for CX which will be really interesting

[@AlexandreLegerCatt]

Looking forward for the full review. How does it compare to the 3T Exploro ?

[@roadcc]

Funny you should ask as we have the 3T Exploro being reviewed right now. Here's the link to the written Cervelo review road.cc/content/review/266758-cervelo-aspero-force-etap-axs-1-disc

[@perseverance86]

road.cc how would you compare the 3T, Aspero and the Ibis Hakka MX? Rival vs 1x GRX...is Shimano worth the extra $?

[@martinuteng1403]

Why not mentioning the criticism of QA on Cervélo bikes? The Rose Backroad is a mutch better buy/value.

[@roadcc]

QA? We have reviewed the Backroad somewhere on the channel and on the site

[@chrisjong8412]

The company is or used to be Canadian / Dutch. Now it's owned by Pon which is a Dutch investor

[@williamstamper7217]

Still HQ in Toronto Canada thou

[@troycollett8540]

Cervelo is the sister company of Focus so I’m surprised Focus haven’t got a dedicated gravel bike

[@LeoInterHyenaem]

I like Focus bikes' visuals. But a max. load of 110kg., including luggage and bike's own weight - is a joke. A joke worth shunning Focus bikes for.

[@troycollett8540]

Leo_inter_Hyaenaem and what sort of bike would you put luggage on anyway?

[@jonpoon3896]

How much did they steal from Vroomen

[@brody5211]

What size is this 54?

[@roadcc]

It was a 56cm and Dave is 5 foot 11. Hope this helps!

[@LeoInterHyenaem]

No mudguard and rack mounts. Cervelo's complacency is quite offputting.

[@roadcc]

Playing devil's advocate, I'm sure Cervelo would argue that it's a race bike and doesn't need racks or mudguards. That said it would make sense to have that option available for people

[@grahamspringett9410]

Why would you put mudguards and a rack on a race bike? I applaud Cervelo for leaving the mounts off

[@LeoInterHyenaem]

@@grahamspringett9410 Because not everyone lives and rides exclusively in California (and even so, I hear it rains there, too). And the lack of carrier mounts is only partially redeemable by the existence of the PREPOSTEROUSLY EXPENSIVE TailFin carbon rack. I don't understand your objection to a couple of eyelets in the seat stay. Concealed ones if you will. You clearly represent the demographics that hate all progress, 'cause "analog cameras were fine - no need for the digital technology"; "ancestors were animal abusers and ate meat, thus so must we"; "the earliest bicycles rode fine - no need for bike tech evolution", or "mass nonwhite "migration" (read: invasion) has been the norm for the last 50 years, so let's keep borders open". I beg to differ on every one of the related points. Entirely.

[@grahamspringett9410]

Leo_inter_Hyaenaem if you want to carry stuff and put mudguards on, get a different bike. I have no need nor desire for mudguards. So I like this bike. You clearly have different needs and your needs are met elsewhere. Would you like me to criticise a bike you like if it needs your needs and not mine?

[@LeoInterHyenaem]

@@grahamspringett9410 It's not that the mudguards and racks are glued or welded to the bike. Why object to compatibility? Don't want to use them - don't use them. A rack and carrier eyelets wouldn't compromise the riding experience in any way, whether you ever use them - or you don't. Doesn't make sense! Look, I have eschewed a purchase of a road bike for some 20 years just because they're fragile and have no rack and mudguard mounts. I resorted to buying mountain bikes, setting them up with slicks and mudguards (if compatible) to ride on tarmac, to tour, commute, do weekend rides, etc. All - because the industry catered exclusively to folksy folks who with a penchant for road dirt, aching backs and butts (from hauling luggage on their backs) and wheels and frames that buckle under a rider weighing over 100kg. Now, with the emergence of the gravel / adventure class, I (and hundreds of thousands of serious cyclists who don't own to race (or pretend to) exclusively), but can't stand the sight, the weight and the assembly of city bikes! And you express a whim to revert back to the era pre- adventure riding discipline era. Your resolve against versatility baffles Me.

[@awesomesloppyjoe]

My Diverge Expert 2017 with 34c wtb exposure tires should be as fast as the cervelo. Almost same geometry. At the end it is the rider that makes the bike fast.

[@rudyelizondo1935]

Diff is this bike is very light at 17 lbs Vs diverge at over 24 lbs. that’s a ton when cycling in gravel.

[@EvilBambo0]

the intro could go a little faster IMO. Good run-thru, if it comes with mounting bosses and hide the cables I would buy it

[@arnoldv1540]

Only speed what about durability?

[@roadcc]

We can't comment on things like durability this early into the review process. Dave should (if he didn't) in the video that he had only had the bike for a few days at this point and will be doing an extensive review over the next month or two

[@shibaburn7725]

Cervélo, please stop screwing your customers with your proprietary BBRight bottom bracket. Aren't you aware of BB386EVO, which is better in every way? Also the front center distances are too short for larger tires.

[@RyonBeachner]

Shiba Burn I have a new S5, I was annoyed by the BB standard, and then I realized it really doesn’t matter once the bike is built. It was no more or less difficult to assemble, it doesn’t creak after 4000 miles, and shows no sign of wear. 🤷🏻‍♂️

[@shibaburn7725]

@@RyonBeachner If you are riding your bike, bottom bracket bearings wear out. The use of a proprietary bottom bracket limits your replacement choices and increases the cost of replacement. BB386EVO is a better standard than Cervelo's BBRight anyway, as it has a wider shell and is symmetric.

[@RyonBeachner]

Shiba Burn I ride 4-5 days a week, and typically get in 150-200 miles a week. I have no concerns regarding getting replacement bottom brackets for my bike when they wear out. It’s a non issue. I’m sure BB386EVO is a lovely standard, but it doesn’t make any appreciable difference to the performance of the bike so long as it lasts a reasonable amount of time, isn’t unnecessarily expensive and stays silent. Cervelo isn’t ripping anyone off... 🤦🏻‍♂️

[@shibaburn7725]

​@@RyonBeachner Sure they are. Why are they using a proprietary bottom bracket when the open standard is better?

[@jansenteo656]

Seriously the bb is a dealbreaker. That aside seems well priced.