Cervélo has updated its Áspero gravel bike, giving it more tire clearance and improved ride quality, drawing inspiration from the brand’s Soloist road bike to balance out the new gravel grinder’s off-road capabilities with comfort.
Indeed, the new Áspero sees slightly more dropped seatstays to bolster compliance, as well as new tube profiles borrowed from the Sololsit to improve its aerodynamic signature, while the geometry remains the same.
Also, under the skin, engineers opted to use a different carbon lay-up to increase comfort, effectively decreasing stiffness at the headtube while increasing stiffness at the bottom bracket without losing pedaling efficiency.
Other design tweaks include a threaded bottom bracket for added durability and ease of service, along with a UDH rear derailleur hanger and tidier cable routing, resulting in an updated Áspero that’s easier to live with and maintain.
But, perhaps the biggest change to the Áspero is the increased frame clearance, allowing for tires up to 42mm and the use of both mudguards and bigger chainrings.
However, while the Áspero’s doesn’t offer complete cable integration through the stem, a D-shaped steerer tube allows brake hoses to run along the sides of the steerer, again making the bike easier to service.
Elsewhere, Cervélo’s “Trail Mixer” flip chip-style dropout adjuster also carries over to the Áspero, allowing the wheel to be repositioned by 5mm, providing a more consistent balance whether running narrow road tires or wider rubber. The bike is also fitted with a round 27.2mm seatpost that can easily be swapped out for a dropper post.
The new Áspero is available in six different build options, or as a standalone frameset for $2500.
Here’s how the models breakdown:
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