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If you want to get on a high quality carbon gravel race frameset without dropping big dollars, the Cervelo Aspero Apex 1 Disc Bicycle is your affordable entry into a brave new world. With the new A-Series Aspero, Cervelo wasn't trying to make one bike for all, but the Aspero is a great gravel bike with capabilities from road to gravel to XC trail use. It wasn't built for bikepacking or loaded adventure riding. Fast, capable, fun, and more like a road bike than any gravel option we have seen to date, the Aspero will surely deliver for those who love to go out and rip it up.

Inspiration from the Aspero frame construction and features has come from several Cervelo models, yet the design has been engineered from the frame up for the race gravel concept for which it was conceived. You will see the R3's Squoval.Max tubeset shapes in the Aspero, along with details from the C, S, and P series models. Aero inspiration has always a driving force for Cervelo, and the toptube shares the shape and a hidden 2-bolt SmartPak bag mount of the P5 that is compatible with several aero and storage bags available today. The internal reference design points exemplify elements of Cervelo's best engineering to date, and all serve the gravel race concept: fit, speed, balance, handling, and set-up flexibility.

That said, it is the engineering behind the frame geometry, fork design, an adjustable trail set-up, and overall frame stability that define the Aspero. One major goal was to provide the clearance necessary for 650b x 51mm tires, or 700c x 43mm tires with at least 4mm on either side to spare. This was accomplished in a few key ways. Up front the fork legs have a new carbon lay-up and shaping from the large 12mm thru-axle dropout on up, with an integrated crown that isn't as vertically thick as you'd expect, yet still inherently strong and gravel ready with great rounded tire clearance. Cervelo also was able to maintain a standard front-center measurement, by elongating the top tube, maintaining a road-style seattube angle, and proper trail via an adjustable front dropout design. More on that below. The center of gravity is moved rearwards, as the headtube angles are more gravel/cyclocross than road. The 56cm toptube of the Aspero is 9mm longer than the 56cm R3. The headtube itself was kept essentially at R3 road lengths per size, which along with the impressive fork design and integrated headset means that the forward cockpit position feels more like a road bike- your saddle drop to bar can be more like your road fit. At the rear triangle a 420mm chainstay length was achieved with the familiar dropped chainstay design, and a seat-tube cut-out.

The engineers were particularly focused on making sure the Aspero handled properly regardless of wheel/tire size, without compromising the headtube angle. Cervelo is using what they call their Trail Mixer system to allow the rider to keep effective Trail at 62mm. Larger variations in tire size effect the rearward position of the tire- affecting handling and toe-overlap clearance. By using off center, bolt-in 12mm thru-axle drop outs, the rider can select the +5 forward position or the -5 rear position of the axle. With a 700x42 gravel tire set-up, similar to the stock Aspero Force eTap AXS Disc bike, the +5mm forward is the proper position for best active handling and nimble bike control, which is what faster, race-oriented users want on more technical surfaces. If you moved it to the -5mm rearward position, it would slow the handling down. Cervelo has a more complete explanation of the mechanically simple Trail Mixer system on their website.

The use of the modified Squoval.Max tubeset is clear with the Aspero featuring a substantially larger downtube and massive bottom bracket junction over the R3. The integrated fork crown and downtube design resembles the Dropped Downtube of the aero bikes but it seems more functional for strength and visual balance from the tapered headtube through the downtube. The seattube features a squared back, cut-out design, but carries a 27.2mm round seatpost, which can provide more vertical compliance and offers more options. Everything, from the dropped, oversized chainstays, slightly curved, shaped aero seatstays, rear dropouts and Flat Mount disc interface are all stouter for increased strength and torsional stiffness. A modified Future Proof cable guide and internal routing system has an option for a cabled or hydraulic dropper seatpost, and a bolt-on downtube protector handles the debris coming off the front wheel.

This SRAM equipped complete bike features a 1x11 Apex drivetrain and Apex HRD hydraulic disc brakes. The Alexrims Boondocks 7-D Wheelset is strong, fast and ideal for wider tires than the included 38mm Panaracer Gravel King SK Sport tires can be used to keep you in control on the ground, while the Easton cockpit and Cervelo saddle build out your riding position on this impressive gravel race bike.