Cervelo Aspero-5 Red AXS 1

Cervélo describes the new Áspero-5 as the most aerodynamic gravel bike it has built, drawing on the aero development the brand has applied to its road bikes for decades. Cervélo says this generation is 37 watts faster than the outgoing Áspero and 34 watts faster than its nearest competitor, with the aero handlebar and stem alone accounting for nearly 6 watts of that savings. Whatever the exact number on a given day, the intent is clear in the shaping: the front end, cockpit, and tube profiles are all cut for speed on open, fast gravel roads, not just styled to look aggressive.

That speed focus doesn't come at the expense of usability on race day. Cervélo also built in downtube and top tube storage, and this build comes with Cervélo's in-frame storage rolls for a flat kit and spare tube, plus a Smartpak top tube bag, front and rear accessory mounts, and two Arundel Mandible carbon bottle cages. The bottom bracket is a threaded T47 design rather than a press-fit unit, a detail gravel riders who've dealt with creaking press-fit bottom brackets on rough terrain will appreciate. Cervélo's stated goal with this build is a bike that's ready to race the moment it leaves the shop, and the combination of tire clearance, storage, and race-ready gearing backs that up.

The drivetrain is where this build gets interesting: it's a mullet setup, pairing SRAM Red AXS E1 shifters and hydraulic disc brakes with a single 48T aero-shaped chainring and Sram's XX SL Eagle AXS T-Type mountain bike rear…