BikeRadar....you guys rock. There is nowhere else on UA-cam to get reviews this well produced and unbiased. I swear, those knobs over at GCN just read off the manufacturer marketing blurb. Please keep it up!!
Love the look of this bike, especially the Olive color way. The frame set is 2500 and the bottom spec is 2800, so seems like no-brainer to get the full kit for 300 more and choose your upgrade priorities.
I really like the combo of a fantastic frameset with affordable kit and groupset. It would be a good bike for both road and gravel. I can live rack mounts, but no fender mounts is a bit disappointing.
Thanks for this great review. I bought this bike based on this, and I am super happy with it! Just to clarify the tubeless setup: The rims are tubeless ready, but valves are not included in the box, and the tires are not tubeless ready and have to be swapped. Also the bartape is 2.5mm, and is not wraped from the factory.
I really love the look of this bike and I want to buy it, but the “too stiff for techy singletrack” I keep hearing is putting me off. This bike would fly on most of my local trails, which are generally road/gravel in the forest, but it can get a bit technical at times with rocks and roots. Based on your experience, would this bike handle it?
@@mrobertsch I use it most on tarmac and gravel, an some times on easy singletrack with litte roots and rocks. For this the bike is perfect, and I do not miss more compliance or any type of suspension in seatpost, fork or stem. I run WTB ByWay 700x44 (still 5mm+ clearance), and these big tires with low pressure defiantly helps when going high speed on bumpy gravel roads. If the bike does not feel too stiff for this, then I think gnarly singletrack where the speed is lower would be no problem. I have also put on some Cinelli AVS Gel Handlebar Padding on the drops, and this also help a lot on vibrations. I have had this bile for 5 months now and ridden it about 3.000km, and can still highly recommend it. It is a great starting point for later upgrades and you get the same frame as the top model.
How is the ride on road? Looking for a winter bike to smooth out rough roads and potholes more on the endurance side of the house. I have an S3 and it is fast but seems fragile. You definitely feel every crack in the road. If this was more like a smoother version of the R3 with a bit more comfort and compliance I think i would be perfect.
Really like the reviews of the more realistically priced models, seems like the level I always end up buying... I get the upgrades I want as I wear out the parts it came with, not stuff I didnt really need/want. Not following what makes this a "race bike" other than not having mounts for bags/fenders... is it frame weight stiffness? its almost identical geo to my gravel bike with mounts for bags and fenders.... geometry seems really similar to most every gravel bikes I see , the 3T Exploro and a couple others seem more race like with lower stack and steeper HTA. Gravel bikes cover a such a wide range of fits/styles but this seems pretty average (good do it all geo) Being 6'3" 95% are a little overly "racy" for me, my saddle towers above my hoods like time trail bike :o
How did you neglect to mention that it was actually designed around Joris Nieuwenhuis riding for Team Sunweb for the whole of the CycloCross season hence why it is UCI approved (sticker on seat-tube) ?! Of-course it is aggressive and racy when that's the purpose! It just conveniently fits into other markets these days aswell as CX. Many blurred lines...
i love the shift and brake performance from my 10-42 Sram 1x force group and my gxp bsa bb works also fine since 2 years and cost 20-30 € only... I don't like Pressfit bb in general and i would never buy a used expensive carbon frame without warrenty... The same with cervelo and open. I ride both brands and this are very fast light fun to ride highend cross race bikes (on my rides they don't creak)
I understand and like the appeal of a racy gravel bike. But... Apex, garbage wheels and basement level Easton everything else for $2,800? That is... not a good deal. Add in the apocalyptic combination of BBRight and GXP and I will not be buying this.
@@fender10g thats good to know. I beat the hell out of my bikes so I have to ask, do you think even with apex and relatively low end stuff this bike will take abuse? Apex is honestly my main concern as i had nx (basiclly apex but for mountain bikes) and it shifted really crappy. Thanks Ps i know you commented a lomg time ago so you very well may not see this :)
@@griffinclubb2961 Haha joke's on you I opened my notifications for the first time in years just now. Yeah, it should be fine. NX eagle is shit--sram's x12 system runs on really tight tolerances, so the low end stuff that gets knocked out of spec easier is really difficult to work with. I've not had an issue with the cervelo, and it's much more forgiving to adjust yourself as well.
I recently rode both the Aspero and a Santa Cruz Stigmata. Both felt like rocket ships (okay maybe that's a bit of an exaggeration) compared to the Salsa Journeyman I'm currently riding; but they both did feel much zippier, faster and more like proper road bikes, which is what I'm looking for. Any thoughts on how those two compare?
This bike was really easy to assemble ua-cam.com/users/postUgkxMesz3KOGEmwmvyKQfLfrRSUXLFzfVHZA and required very few adjustments out of the box. The wheels did not require any truing/adjustments. The frame had some small scratches, but nothing major.I did replace the seat though - the seat it came with was very uncomfortable. The tires need to be re-inflated every 4-5 days, but this appears to be quite common for the narrow 700x25 tires.Overall, in my opinion, this bike looks and rides like a much more expensive bike.
Great bike, don't get me wrong. But for that price... Apex????... My 1600 euro bike has rival 1..... Ok, not a carbon frame. But this bike should have rival. At least!
@@87cigs I love cervelo bikes, don't get me wrong... But damn... Just give me a 500 dollar discount and give me the frameset.. I'll build a proper one myself ;)
Mind blown about that tyre double screw up. My set from 2013 reads Clement MSO, not Challenge M50. Next time he will probably tell us how great these new Schwalbe GP6000s are... Kind of reminds me how this one biggish and serious youtuber in my country reviewed a gravel bike and consistently pronounced gravel like you would say rave or grey.
Really appreciate the honesty. Definitely helps narrowing the field of potential bikes for new purchase.
BikeRadar....you guys rock. There is nowhere else on UA-cam to get reviews this well produced and unbiased. I swear, those knobs over at GCN just read off the manufacturer marketing blurb.
Please keep it up!!
Love the look of this bike, especially the Olive color way. The frame set is 2500 and the bottom spec is 2800, so seems like no-brainer to get the full kit for 300 more and choose your upgrade priorities.
5:17 Do you mean Clement, not challenge? Am I confused or was that a mix up?
Also, not an M50 but rather MSO which is the airport in Missoula MT, which Donnelly names their tires after airports, don’t know why though.
Yes he is that wrong
I really like the combo of a fantastic frameset with affordable kit and groupset. It would be a good bike for both road and gravel. I can live rack mounts, but no fender mounts is a bit disappointing.
Donnelly is the new name for Clement tyres.... NOT Challenge 🤫
martbaischful you need a good ride
Thanks for this great review. I bought this bike based on this, and I am super happy with it! Just to clarify the tubeless setup: The rims are tubeless ready, but valves are not included in the box, and the tires are not tubeless ready and have to be swapped. Also the bartape is 2.5mm, and is not wraped from the factory.
Kenneth Røgeberg not wrapped from the factory ? Who wraps it 😍
I really love the look of this bike and I want to buy it, but the “too stiff for techy singletrack” I keep hearing is putting me off. This bike would fly on most of my local trails, which are generally road/gravel in the forest, but it can get a bit technical at times with rocks and roots. Based on your experience, would this bike handle it?
@@mrobertsch I use it most on tarmac and gravel, an some times on easy singletrack with litte roots and rocks. For this the bike is perfect, and I do not miss more compliance or any type of suspension in seatpost, fork or stem. I run WTB ByWay 700x44 (still 5mm+ clearance), and these big tires with low pressure defiantly helps when going high speed on bumpy gravel roads. If the bike does not feel too stiff for this, then I think gnarly singletrack where the speed is lower would be no problem. I have also put on some Cinelli AVS Gel Handlebar Padding on the drops, and this also help a lot on vibrations.
I have had this bile for 5 months now and ridden it about 3.000km, and can still highly recommend it. It is a great starting point for later upgrades and you get the same frame as the top model.
@@kennethrgeberg2217 Thank you so much! I actually bought the Aspéro since I wrote this and collect it next week :)
Fantastic Presenter . Inspiring and informative .
How is the ride on road? Looking for a winter bike to smooth out rough roads and potholes more on the endurance side of the house. I have an S3 and it is fast but seems fragile. You definitely feel every crack in the road. If this was more like a smoother version of the R3 with a bit more comfort and compliance I think i would be perfect.
I like this bike. But i am still Happy with my diverge expert 2017. You helped me with your review from your other channel. Thanks for that.
Really, really good review. Really, really honest content. Really, really helpful. Really, really thumbs up! Really.
My local shop has this bike discounted to make space for new stock….and Im very tempted!
Really like the reviews of the more realistically priced models, seems like the level I always end up buying... I get the upgrades I want as I wear out the parts it came with, not stuff I didnt really need/want. Not following what makes this a "race bike" other than not having mounts for bags/fenders... is it frame weight stiffness? its almost identical geo to my gravel bike with mounts for bags and fenders.... geometry seems really similar to most every gravel bikes I see , the 3T Exploro and a couple others seem more race like with lower stack and steeper HTA. Gravel bikes cover a such a wide range of fits/styles but this seems pretty average (good do it all geo) Being 6'3" 95% are a little overly "racy" for me, my saddle towers above my hoods like time trail bike :o
I really like their take on a gravel race bike.
How did you neglect to mention that it was actually designed around Joris Nieuwenhuis riding for Team Sunweb for the whole of the CycloCross season hence why it is UCI approved (sticker on seat-tube) ?! Of-course it is aggressive and racy when that's the purpose! It just conveniently fits into other markets these days aswell as CX. Many blurred lines...
Imagine a conversation with him and Raoul from Luescher Teknik :-D
What’s the name of the bell it looks good.
Didn't know Guy Garvey was such a keen cyclist
Sounds like a great gravel option. How does it compare to a 3T Exploro ?
Alexandre Léger more comfy apparently the 3T is very harsh
@@brody5211 i confirm. way more stiff. Seatpost has issues. Some MK1 frames too. Avoid the exploro...
Lol, I have a thumbnail of Hambini under this video.
Of course Hambini sells a BBright insert to fix creaking
and he has been not so kind to Warren Rossiter in the past !
That's because he has good opinions on SRAM and Cervelo 😂
i love the shift and brake performance from my 10-42 Sram 1x force group and my gxp bsa bb works also fine since 2 years and cost 20-30 € only... I don't like Pressfit bb in general and i would never buy a used expensive carbon frame without warrenty... The same with cervelo and open. I ride both brands and this are very fast light fun to ride highend cross race bikes (on my rides they don't creak)
What shorts are those? They look just the right amount of baggy.
His top is a bit tight though, a bit revealing
I understand and like the appeal of a racy gravel bike. But... Apex, garbage wheels and basement level Easton everything else for $2,800? That is... not a good deal. Add in the apocalyptic combination of BBRight and GXP and I will not be buying this.
hiro111 don’t sit on the fence what do you really think ?
idk boss ive beat the shit out of mine and it's totally fine---only a kilo more than a canyon that costs like 1.5k more
@@fender10g thats good to know. I beat the hell out of my bikes so I have to ask, do you think even with apex and relatively low end stuff this bike will take abuse? Apex is honestly my main concern as i had nx (basiclly apex but for mountain bikes) and it shifted really crappy. Thanks
Ps i know you commented a lomg time ago so you very well may not see this :)
@@griffinclubb2961 Haha joke's on you I opened my notifications for the first time in years just now. Yeah, it should be fine. NX eagle is shit--sram's x12 system runs on really tight tolerances, so the low end stuff that gets knocked out of spec easier is really difficult to work with. I've not had an issue with the cervelo, and it's much more forgiving to adjust yourself as well.
Race is fun :) Love that they didn't go all mtb with dropbars
I recently rode both the Aspero and a Santa Cruz Stigmata. Both felt like rocket ships (okay maybe that's a bit of an exaggeration) compared to the Salsa Journeyman I'm currently riding; but they both did feel much zippier, faster and more like proper road bikes, which is what I'm looking for. Any thoughts on how those two compare?
What’d you buy ?
What’s the weight limit on this bike?
MSO tires, not M50.
Jeez, someone really phoned this in didn't they
This bike seems more all-road with emphasis on the roads and not trails.
Anyone who doesn't like proprietary bottom brackets should not buy this bike. Shame on Cervelo for not using BB386EVO.
Why are you talking so fast??
Scott Simon you must be American
He’s a fast thinker and a fast talker . He likes fast cars fast bikes and fast women
would that mean that i would be okay with riding some small easy gravel events on my cervelo r 3 ultegra disc?
Cédric Driver not really, the clearance on the rear stays of the R3 is very tight, 25mm tyres max and no room for much debris
This bike was really easy to assemble ua-cam.com/users/postUgkxMesz3KOGEmwmvyKQfLfrRSUXLFzfVHZA and required very few adjustments out of the box. The wheels did not require any truing/adjustments. The frame had some small scratches, but nothing major.I did replace the seat though - the seat it came with was very uncomfortable. The tires need to be re-inflated every 4-5 days, but this appears to be quite common for the narrow 700x25 tires.Overall, in my opinion, this bike looks and rides like a much more expensive bike.
this or pinarello Grevil??
Which size is your bike on the video?
If the Aspero is a "serious racing" bike, why do they offer crappy DT Swiss 370 hubs on the $6k offering?
That back wheel is close to the seat post down tube, get some English winter mud in there and its game over
Geht some 650b‘s and its game on.
Not everyone likes thick bar tape on a race machine. I ran thinner tape for Dirty Kanza and didn’t have any problems.
So this is what Wout Van Aert will be racing in January/February at the cyclocross races unless Cervelo bake up a true CX bike quickly.
BBright and GXP.. The worse of the worse in BB designs
What about BB90 GXP?
Donnelly is the new name for cement tires
Great bike, don't get me wrong. But for that price... Apex????... My 1600 euro bike has rival 1..... Ok, not a carbon frame. But this bike should have rival. At least!
C E R V E L O B R O
@@87cigs I love cervelo bikes, don't get me wrong... But damn... Just give me a 500 dollar discount and give me the frameset.. I'll build a proper one myself ;)
I Really like it. Fast, quality
im a 177cm with an inseam of 77cm. what size should i get?
thats a beautiful bike
Mind blown about that tyre double screw up. My set from 2013 reads Clement MSO, not Challenge M50. Next time he will probably tell us how great these new Schwalbe GP6000s are... Kind of reminds me how this one biggish and serious youtuber in my country reviewed a gravel bike and consistently pronounced gravel like you would say rave or grey.
Hambini warned us about this.
Needs a T47 BB to even be considered.
Most of this review is spot-on. but the critique of the bar tape is pretty meh. come on...
This or the Stigmata
Want.
Big daddy.
Actually challenge is the name. I know the guy who makes them. Who cares anyway. Chill bro
Envió a argentina
true racer? hahaha i pick an cervelo p3x change tires,put xtr cassette and i have a "group b" monster gravel bike
Front-center ain't long enough
bet this thing is a qc nightmare. i'll never buy a cervelo
A kind of bike tired middle class 40 yrs old dad would buy
One day you ll be this tired middle class 40yrs old dad, and you ll buy this cervelo. On EBay...
At 70 years old 40 doesn’t seem that bad..I’ll trade you my Moots & NSX for whatever age you are..Ill even throw in the wife…
This is like the perfect bike… if the Open UP and UPPER wouldn’t exist.
IBIS :)
No thanks, Cervelo. Never cared for your snobby bs. Overpriced and nothing new.
Why it is not for everyone?Look at the guy he has big belly
Uninspiring geometry
Bro, you need fat bike)