Review: The Cervelo Aspero Smooths Its Rough Edges

Okay, so you put the first-generation Cervelo Aspero beside the new second-generation Aspero. And now, all you're thinking about is the Spiderman meme. But rather than an art thief impersonating Spiderman, it's a bit more surface level: this new second-generation Aspero looks a whole lot like the first-generation Aspero.

Sure, there are changes here and there. The new Aspero receives quite a bit more tire clearance for 700c tires. Cervelo claims it's more aero than before, at least partially due to the move to internal cable routing. There are also real improvements to how the bike rides. But the key here is that their formula hasn't changed all that much.

And with that comes a review of the second-generation Cervelo Aspero, a bike I was basically able to ride in plain sight.

Quick hits: Eight things to know about the Cervelo Aspero Gen 2

• The second generation of the Aspero gravel bike is more of a refinement than an overhaul.
• Max tire clearance of 700c x 44 mm with 6 mm mud clearance.
• A claimed 32 grams or 4.2 watts faster than Aspero Gen 1.
• Frame/fork weight: 1141 g/452 g (size 56 cm with all hardware)
• Cervelo claims the bike is less stiff up front than before to improve ride smoothness and to complement the smoother rear end.
• Updated chainring clearance to fit 46T 1x or 52/36T 2x configurations.
• Price: starting at $3,200/€3,699/$4,100 CAD for an Aspero GRX 610 1×12 mechanical bike.
• For more: cervelo.com

Frame details

Cervelo has a well-developed design language, and you can tell just by how the Aspero gravel bike has developed from the first to the second generation. You get the same vaguely aero-looking tube sets as before; the down tube has a U-shape profile before flattening out on the side where a bottle cage mounts. The head tube is shaped too to smooth air flow around that leading edge.

It all looks very similar to the previous generation bike. So what's changed? More than you'd think from an initial glance.

The obvious answer is that the Aspero has hidden away its cables. The move pulls from the lighter Aspero-5 by routing hoses and cables through the head set. It's a fairly user-friendly system despite it running brake hoses through the headset, as the cables run externally from the handlebar and under the stem before entering the bike. It looks clean but offers enough slack in the hoses to swap stem lengths without issue.

Interestingly, Cervelo says they've removed stiffness from the front of the bike compared to the previous generation. The seat stays out back are dropped to further add some flex and therefore some seated comfort on dirt and gravel roads.

As for tire clearance? Cervelo says the new Aspero now fits a 700c x 44 mm tire with 6 mm space to spare, or a 650b x 48 mm tire. That number doesn't change regardless of whether or not the bike is built with a 1x or a 2x drivetrain.

Cervelo has updated the bike to accommodate a threaded T47 bottom bracket. It isn't like all the other bottom brackets though: it's a special T47 BBright bottom bracket. Sometimes called T47a or BBcorrect (used by Factor), the bottom bracket positioning is just different enough to require its own variation.

Cervelo asymmetrically offsets the bottom bracket to create more space for a physically wider chain stay without compromising on tire or chainring clearance. A wider chainstay is a stiffer chainstay, leading to a more responsive bike when pedaling.

The Aspero now uses a SRAM Universal Derailleur Hanger (UDH), allowing for easy derailleur hanger swaps and the use of a SRAM Transmission derailleur down the line. The prior Aspero's TrailMixer flip chip at the fork dropouts continues to this bike, changing fork rake by 5 mm. More on that in the geometry section.

There's a sturdy-feeling cover to protect the downtube and bottom bracket area from rock strikes, as well as a strip of rubber along the drive side chain stay to protect the frame as your chain slaps along on gravel roads.

Elsewhere, you'll find two bottle cage mounts with a third under the bottom bracket. There's also a top tube bag mount that comes with a plastic cover when it's not in use and a neat top tube storage bag made specifically for the bike.

The first generation Aspero focused directly on going as fast on gravel roads, and despite this new Aspero seemingly smoothing out its hard-edged personality, the new bike still doesn't have fender mounts, much less any extra cargo mounts.

Really, if you're looking closely between the first and second-generation bikes, you'll see that the top tube slopes a bit more, which works to expose the seat post to flex just a bit more. The seat stays are dropped slightly lower than before. The seat tube cutout around the rear wheel is a bit more pronounced as well. But again, you'll have a tough time distinguishing the first bike from the new one.

Geometry

Wait, did someone post that Spiderman meme again? Nope! It's just that the second-generation Aspero carries over its geometry and six sizes from the previous bike. The exception is the chain stay length, which has increased by 5 mm to 425 mm.

The important bit to note here with regard to geometry is Cervelo's flip chip they've implemented at the fork dropouts. Called the 'Trailmixer,' the chips can be swapped between two positions that change fork rake by 5 mm. It's used to ensure the bike has the same ~62 mm trail figure - and therefore consistent front-end handling - regardless of tire size.

A little overview of how it works. The Aspero comes from the factory with the Trailmixer in its forward position, offering roughly 62 mm trail across sizes. As a result, handling will feel quicker and more responsive at speed.

Want to add some straight-line stability on gravel roads? Flip the chip into its rearward position. This increases the trail figure to roughly 68 mm with a 700c x 42 mm gravel tire, helping the bike feel more planted at speed. The Aspero's steering might also feel slightly floppier at low speeds, particularly if you do a lot of technical, slow-speed climbing.

Overall, the Aspero's handling geometry is on the quick side of gravel. The bike isn't quite as reactive as a normal road bike, due largely to its longer reach and lower bottom bracket measurements across sizes. Front center lengths are about par for the course for a performance-oriented gravel bike, with rider positioning to match.

In short, the Aspero is positioned as a fast gravel bike. Those looking for something a bit more casual might be better suited elsewhere.

Riding the Cervelo Aspero

In for review is the top-spec version of the Cervelo Aspero dubbed the Aspero Rival XPLR AXS 1. Cervelo claims a size 56 Rival AXS 1 build weighs 8.65 kg (19.1 pounds); actual weight for my size 51 cm bike without tubes weighs in at 8.4 kg (18.5 pounds).

The previous Aspero reminded you at every moment that it could go even faster than you were currently riding. Stand on the pedals and it would move forward with urgency reminiscent of a road bike despite its wider and heavier gravel tires, with plenty of stiffness under power.

That first-generation Aspero still felt stable in a straight line on gravel roads thanks to a lower bottom bracket and long front end measurement, and far more eager to turn in on tarmac than you'd expect from a gravel bike. Outside of gearing, folks weren't missing too much riding this gravel bike on the road.

Balancing that stiffness and agility is a challenge; as a result, the previous generation Aspero could feel unforgiving on chunky gravel. There wasn't much damping from the frame, as Cervelo was busy optimizing for out and out speed.

And above all else, the bike is literally named 'aspero;' roughly translated from Spanish, it means 'rough' or 'harsh.' Making the Aspero ride smoother makes this bike fundamentally less Aspero, right? Not at all.

The new Aspero manages that balance much better than before. There's still a sporting side to the bike, but that added comfort allows the rider to feel more comfortable pushing the bike when the gravel gets particularly choppy. That can be credited to any number of things - wider tires, a carbon handlebar and seat post, or the comfort-specific changes to the frame - but it is clear that the team behind the Aspero did a lot of work here.

I suspect most folks won't use that Trailmixer flip chip all that much. And when they do, they'll find it's not just something they can move around mid-ride while at a gas station. The rider has to take off the front wheel, unbolt the fork dropouts to flip them around, and then swap to an included front brake adapter. The Aspero's handling changes more than you'd think for such a small swap, but the stock forward setting should suit the vast majority of riders just fine.

As for the rest of the bike? These Reserve 40|44 wheels feature Zipp ZR1 hubs rather than the DT Swiss 350 hubs earlier wheels came with. The wheels themselves are on the deeper side for a gravel bike wheelset but an all-rounder for the road. Swapping between the Reserve wheels and my standard test gravel wheelset revealed them to be willing performance-oriented gravel wheels. They're stiff standing out of the saddle and stiff enough to lean on them and feel direct when handling the bike, but not so stiff to feel jarring.

SRAM's Rival AXS drivetrain is as good as it's always been. Shifts aren't quite as precise as you'd get on Force and RED drivetrains, but they're quick enough and consistent. Lever ergonomics are top-notch as well, fitting my smaller-than-average hands comfortably. Braking requires a bit more effort than the equivalent Shimano system, but overall performance is plenty good.

There's also quite a bit to like about the Cervelo AB09 carbon handlebars too. The tops of the handlebars are pleasingly flat, both offering a comfortable position while likely aiding aerodynamics slightly. The drops flare out while keeping the brake levers fairly vertical as well. They're good bars.

Don't discount the top tube storage bag that comes with the bike either. It's relatively narrow in shape and won't carry more than a couple of Clif bars, but it doesn't flop around when loaded, and it looks good on the bike.

This Rival AXS XPLR build is the top-spec version of the Aspero, at least for now. While the lighter Aspero-5 hasn't seen similar updates, I wouldn't be surprised to see that change down the line.

Cervelo Aspero vs the competition

While the gravel bike genre is generally a catchall for dirt-ready bikes with drop bars, gravel bikes have slowly separated into two main categories: performance gravel bikes and adventure gravel bikes. The Cervelo Aspero firmly finds itself in the performance category.

While there are several performance or race gravel bikes out there, four recent competitors that come to mind include the BMC Kaius, Ventum GS1, 3T Exploro Racemax, and Canyon Grail.

Both the Ventum and Canyon bikes share characteristics with regard to handling geometry, with longer reach figures, shorter stem, and handling geometry that is dialed for the straight but rugged roads that usually come with riding gravel bikes fast. BMC Kaius has the longest reach of the group, feeling extremely stable in a straight line at the expense of some cornering agility on the road. The Exploro Racemax places the rider in a fairly aggressive position, but its short reach numbers make the bike feel most similar to a road bike of the bunch.

The Aspero fits right in the middle when it comes to price point: more expensive than the Canyon and Ventum, but less expensive than the equivalent BMC Kaius and 3T Exploro Racemax. None of these bikes are cheap, and you're likely not looking at the Aspero for how good of a value it is, but the Aspero provides a compelling set of builds at different price points.

Choose the Aspero if you're looking for a fast gravel bike that rides just as smoothly if not moreso over light to medium gravel than the competition.

Conclusion

Okay, putting the first-generation Aspero vs the new, second-generation Aspero isn't quite like the Spiderman meme. As similar as the two bikes look, the new Cervelo Aspero shows a level of well-roundedness that the previous bike didn't quite manage. It still feels fast both on smooth gravel and even on the road, just with an improved ride smoothness that won't punish the rider eight hours into a ride.

Does that newfound smoothness result in a substantial upgrade over the previous Aspero? Not really, unless you want the extra tire clearance, internal cable routing, SRAM UDH. But it does make the bike much more approachable for the average person.

Sure, the Aspero doesn't look all that different from the old bike. But if you're looking for a performance-oriented gravel bike - or your gravel roads are more smooth dirt than singletrack - then the Cervelo Aspero should be around the top of your list.

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