Cervelo Áspero Gravel bike

The spirit of Grav-lo-cross. No but seriously, cyclocross and gravel go here!

Moderator: Moderator Team

Post Reply
tritiltheend
Posts: 83
Joined: Sat Jun 02, 2012 2:42 am

by tritiltheend

Despite conflicting info in some of the articles referring to increased tire clearance and new tube shapes, it appears to me the Cyclingtips article that mentions no change in tube shape is correct and the same mold is used for both frames. The exact same 700C tire clearance of 42mm is listed on the Cervelo site for the Aspero-5. The fork, of course, is revised with the C-shaped steerer and no external hose port.

maquisard
Posts: 3772
Joined: Thu May 01, 2008 8:51 pm
Location: France

by maquisard

Interesting statistic in the CyclingTips article on Aspero-5 - "As of March 2021, the Aspero, along with the fresh do-it-all Caledonia, made up approximately 60% of Cervelo’s global sales, a staggering fact given the company continues to be a leader in the triathlon world and is best known as a performance road brand."

by Weenie


Visit starbike.com Online Retailer for HighEnd cycling components
Great Prices ✓    Broad Selection ✓    Worldwide Delivery ✓

www.starbike.com



gSporco
Posts: 949
Joined: Mon Jul 13, 2020 4:58 am
Contact:

by gSporco

The cycling tips article is accurate gents.. No need for confusion here..
Aspero 5 has identical frame shape and geo over the Aspero
D shaped steerer for internal cable routing through the front of the steerer using the same 1 1/8th headset bearings.
Tire clearance not changed
Options are Force/Red AXS 1x with Powermeter
or 2x with GRX Di2
@gSporco - Instagram
Specialized Aethos
State All Road 6061
Retired Cervelo Aspero

FrederickVCyclestein
Posts: 33
Joined: Sat Feb 06, 2021 7:22 pm

by FrederickVCyclestein

maquisard wrote:
Tue Apr 20, 2021 2:33 pm
Interesting statistic in the CyclingTips article on Aspero-5 - "As of March 2021, the Aspero, along with the fresh do-it-all Caledonia, made up approximately 60% of Cervelo’s global sales, a staggering fact given the company continues to be a leader in the triathlon world and is best known as a performance road brand."
I know it's a little dissapointing to not see performance/race bikes as top sellers but it really shouldn't be a supprise that practical bikes make up the majority of sales.

sigma
Posts: 695
Joined: Mon Apr 02, 2018 4:12 am

by sigma

FrederickVCyclestein wrote:
Tue Apr 20, 2021 4:43 pm
maquisard wrote:
Tue Apr 20, 2021 2:33 pm
Interesting statistic in the CyclingTips article on Aspero-5 - "As of March 2021, the Aspero, along with the fresh do-it-all Caledonia, made up approximately 60% of Cervelo’s global sales, a staggering fact given the company continues to be a leader in the triathlon world and is best known as a performance road brand."
I know it's a little dissapointing to not see performance/race bikes as top sellers but it really shouldn't be a supprise that practical bikes make up the majority of sales.
Price point undoubtedly has something to do with it. Aspero 5 at 4200 a frameset puts it squarely into higher end territory, and I would suspect Caledonia outsells the 5 significantly too.
Lots of bikes: currently riding Enve Melee, Krypton Pro, S Works Crux, S Works Epic Evo, SL7.
In build: SW SL8

gSporco
Posts: 949
Joined: Mon Jul 13, 2020 4:58 am
Contact:

by gSporco

Call me crazy, but just by looking at the pictures of the detailed frame and steerer on Cycling tips.. I am wondering, if it were possible to get your hands on a new fork if it would fit on the regular Aspero.. If so all we would need is the headset asemmbly for routing.. But as I am writing this, I am thinking this maybe a NO, as the the top bearing area maybe larger to hold an insert that allows the cables and the bearing to sit in.. But maybe I am wrong..
@gSporco - Instagram
Specialized Aethos
State All Road 6061
Retired Cervelo Aspero

sigma
Posts: 695
Joined: Mon Apr 02, 2018 4:12 am

by sigma

gSporco wrote:
Tue Apr 20, 2021 5:39 pm
Call me crazy, but just by looking at the pictures of the detailed frame and steerer on Cycling tips.. I am wondering, if it were possible to get your hands on a new fork if it would fit on the regular Aspero.. If so all we would need is the headset asemmbly for routing.. But as I am writing this, I am thinking this maybe a NO, as the the top bearing area maybe larger to hold an insert that allows the cables and the bearing to sit in.. But maybe I am wrong..
Plus the chances of getting a stand-alone fork in this market are basically zero.
Lots of bikes: currently riding Enve Melee, Krypton Pro, S Works Crux, S Works Epic Evo, SL7.
In build: SW SL8

gSporco
Posts: 949
Joined: Mon Jul 13, 2020 4:58 am
Contact:

by gSporco

sigma wrote:
Tue Apr 20, 2021 6:13 pm
gSporco wrote:
Tue Apr 20, 2021 5:39 pm
Call me crazy, but just by looking at the pictures of the detailed frame and steerer on Cycling tips.. I am wondering, if it were possible to get your hands on a new fork if it would fit on the regular Aspero.. If so all we would need is the headset asemmbly for routing.. But as I am writing this, I am thinking this maybe a NO, as the the top bearing area maybe larger to hold an insert that allows the cables and the bearing to sit in.. But maybe I am wrong..
Plus the chances of getting a stand-alone fork in this market are basically zero.
Agreed.. but one can dream :)
@gSporco - Instagram
Specialized Aethos
State All Road 6061
Retired Cervelo Aspero

gSporco
Posts: 949
Joined: Mon Jul 13, 2020 4:58 am
Contact:

by gSporco

The fact of the matter is: Yes is the new Aspero 5 beautiful.. yes I think so.. If I needed a new Aspero, would I spend $4500 vs $2500 for internal routing to save 3 Watts at 48kmh? No, for me I love my Aspero and the price and will happily stick with it.. Now if the Aspero 5 was say $500 more, then I would probably buy it.

I realize this goes out the door if you are buying a prebuilt as Aspero as the prices are within $800 of each other.
@gSporco - Instagram
Specialized Aethos
State All Road 6061
Retired Cervelo Aspero

sigma
Posts: 695
Joined: Mon Apr 02, 2018 4:12 am

by sigma

The only saving grace being these days you can sell off the components pretty easily....
Lots of bikes: currently riding Enve Melee, Krypton Pro, S Works Crux, S Works Epic Evo, SL7.
In build: SW SL8

TTRV
Posts: 30
Joined: Mon Mar 08, 2021 7:59 am

by TTRV

That's a pretty disappointing update. Apart from the internal cable routing that looks really nice and the paintjobs that are pretty cool too, there's basically no reason to spend that much money on this new one while you could upgrade a regular Aspero with much better components for the same price.

gSporco
Posts: 949
Joined: Mon Jul 13, 2020 4:58 am
Contact:

by gSporco

TTRV wrote:
Tue Apr 20, 2021 7:05 pm
That's a pretty disappointing update. Apart from the internal cable routing that looks really nice and the paintjobs that are pretty cool too, there's basically no reason to spend that much money on this new one while you could upgrade a regular Aspero with much better components for the same price.
I agree.. Currently my Aspero 51cm in road mode with Zipp 303 FS and 28mm running Sram Red AXS 2x with Power Meter weighs 7.072KG or 15.59 pounds and this is with heavier Zipp SL70 aero handlebars and heavy Cervelo steer tube expander.

With EC90 AX wheels and 38mm GK SK and SPD pedals weighs 7.75Kg or 17 pounds again with Power meter, Wahoo and bottle cages.
@gSporco - Instagram
Specialized Aethos
State All Road 6061
Retired Cervelo Aspero

StevieB
Posts: 107
Joined: Wed Apr 09, 2014 2:54 pm

by StevieB

gSporco wrote:
Tue Apr 20, 2021 5:39 pm
Call me crazy, but just by looking at the pictures of the detailed frame and steerer on Cycling tips.. I am wondering, if it were possible to get your hands on a new fork if it would fit on the regular Aspero.. If so all we would need is the headset asemmbly for routing.. But as I am writing this, I am thinking this maybe a NO, as the the top bearing area maybe larger to hold an insert that allows the cables and the bearing to sit in.. But maybe I am wrong..
The upper bearing race is larger, as is the headtube to accommodate it; all the upper bearings in the FSA integrated headsets are at least 1.5". So swapping's a no-go. I'd agree with Dave Rome at Cyclingtips that while it's a great bike, it makes for a tough proposition. Comparing GRX Di2 models to get apples to apples, for USD $1,100 extra you get a slightly lighter frame with hidden cables, proprietary bar and stem (for the cable integration), upgraded ratchet on the rear hub, a different (but not better?) seatpost and a carbon rail version of the same saddle. Offsetting that, the new bar and stem more than offset the weight savings on the frame, you lose ease of maintenance at the front end, lose wide choice of stems and expander plugs due to the c-shaped steerer, and lose easy stem height/length swapability for on/off road setups. It does look great and the new paintjobs are cool, but unless someone just can't live with visible cables and is going to ride it as is off the showroom floor I'd still go with the series model. Easier to maintain and modify. If I'm really missing those two watts of drag at 30mph, I should've bought an S5... 8)

EDIT: update/correction re: headset size. Cervelo are using a 1.25" FSA IS2 upper bearing and not an off the shelf FSA solution, made possible via the C-shaped steerer. Still bigger than the 1.125" on the series model, so the bit about not being able to retrofit the fork remains correct. I'd have preferred the 1.5" personally, since it lets you stick with a normal round steerer, and there are various stem/headset options from the likes of FSA & Deda that let you run cables through the stem, under the stem, or just into the headset top cap. The new R5 Roglic rode at Fleche Wallonne appeared to be running the std FSA setup with NS ACR stem, so they might be using it on that one.
Last edited by StevieB on Thu Apr 22, 2021 5:49 pm, edited 1 time in total.

gSporco
Posts: 949
Joined: Mon Jul 13, 2020 4:58 am
Contact:

by gSporco

StevieB wrote:
Tue Apr 20, 2021 8:03 pm
gSporco wrote:
Tue Apr 20, 2021 5:39 pm
Call me crazy, but just by looking at the pictures of the detailed frame and steerer on Cycling tips.. I am wondering, if it were possible to get your hands on a new fork if it would fit on the regular Aspero.. If so all we would need is the headset asemmbly for routing.. But as I am writing this, I am thinking this maybe a NO, as the the top bearing area maybe larger to hold an insert that allows the cables and the bearing to sit in.. But maybe I am wrong..
The upper bearing race is larger, as is the headtube to accommodate it; all the upper bearings in the FSA integrated headsets are at least 1.5". So swapping's a no-go. I'd agree with Dave Rome at Cyclingtips that while it's a great bike, it makes for a tough proposition. Comparing GRX Di2 models to get apples to apples, for USD $1,100 extra you get a slightly lighter frame with hidden cables, proprietary bar and stem (for the cable integration), upgraded ratchet on the rear hub, a different (but not better?) seatpost and a carbon rail version of the same saddle. Offsetting that, the new bar and stem more than offset the weight savings on the frame, you lose ease of maintenance at the front end, lose wide choice of stems and expander plugs due to the c-shaped steerer, and lose easy stem height/length swapability for on/off road setups. It does look great and the new paintjobs are cool, but unless someone just can't live with visible cables and is going to ride it as is off the showroom floor I'd still go with the series model. Easier to maintain and modify. If I'm really missing those two watts of drag at 30mph, I should've bought an S5... 8)
Lol agree 100%. I find it inter that hidden cables on saves 3 watts at 48kmh. So agree apart from the looks, ill save my future money on this pretty but heavier Aspero :). But ill take a free one if Cervelo would be so kind :)
@gSporco - Instagram
Specialized Aethos
State All Road 6061
Retired Cervelo Aspero

bespoke
Posts: 446
Joined: Thu Apr 12, 2007 11:58 pm

by bespoke

maquisard wrote:
Tue Apr 20, 2021 2:33 pm
Interesting statistic in the CyclingTips article on Aspero-5 - "As of March 2021, the Aspero, along with the fresh do-it-all Caledonia, made up approximately 60% of Cervelo’s global sales, a staggering fact given the company continues to be a leader in the triathlon world and is best known as a performance road brand."
That is interesting; probably skewed for cervelo given the Tri market where they are so strong has been hammered, and the R5 is now very long in the tooth.

I am sure Spez and Trek are more 'balanced' in sales per genre
But its clear gravel/all road is here to stay...
Warning - Inherently biased:
www.bespokecycling.com

by Weenie


Visit starbike.com Online Retailer for HighEnd cycling components
Great Prices ✓    Broad Selection ✓    Worldwide Delivery ✓

www.starbike.com



Post Reply