Harry Kooros
When a new frameset arrives, the excitement usually starts before the first pedal stroke. The unboxing, the first inspection of the paintwork and the build process all form part of the experience – and the Evolve CIMA made a very strong first impression from the moment it arrived.
I first came across Evolve in 2025, before getting the chance to see their bikes in person at this year’s China Cycle show. Standing alongside their fully built CIMA, the first thing that caught my attention was the weight – a 4.90kg complete build that was almost hard to believe for a modern road bike.
Founded in May 2025, Evolve is a relatively young name in the cycling world, but the brand has arrived with a clear focus on lightweight, high-performance framesets. With links to the team behind Elitewheels and Cybrei, Evolve has quickly established itself as a brand worth watching in the performance road market.
Packaging & first impressions
The CIMA arrived well protected, with the frameset and components carefully secured to prevent any damage during transit. The frame, fork, integrated cockpit and smaller hardware were neatly arranged inside the box, making the unboxing experience feel like a premium product from the outset.
It’s a small detail, but packaging says a lot about a brand – it’s the first physical interaction a customer has with a new bike. The attention to detail gave confidence that the CIMA was treated as a high-end frameset rather than simply another box moving through a warehouse.
Quality and finish
Straight out of the box, the first thing that stood out was the finish of the frame.
The quality of the finish, clean lines and overall attention to detail give the CIMA a much more premium appearance than its price point might suggest. The carbon layup looks incredibly clean, the frame shapes are modern and aggressive, and the integrated design gives it the appearance of a much more expensive race bike.
The Matte Carbon Gold finish is a real standout, with the exposed carbon weave visible beneath the subtle matte clear finish. It’s understated, but still catches the eye, especially when the light hits the frame.
The one-piece cockpit only adds to the sleek aesthetic, creating a clean front end with minimal exposed cables and a very modern race-bike appearance.
Build process
I’ve built hundreds of bikes over my time working in bike shops, from $250 kids’ bikes through to $20,000 Pinarello Dogmas, so it’s safe to say I’ve experienced the best and worst of bike builds.
The Evolve CIMA was easily one of the nicest and most straightforward framesets I’ve worked with. Even with an integrated cockpit – something that can often turn a build into a frustrating exercise when cable routing, tolerances and access points aren’t well considered – the process was surprisingly simple.
Everything lined up perfectly, the hardware was high quality, and the small details that can make or break a frameset build had clearly been considered. From the clean internal routing to thoughtful touches like the Di2 battery mount locking securely onto the seatpost, the CIMA felt like a frameset designed by people who actually enjoy working on bikes.
For the build, I opted for the components below.
Groupset: Shimano Ultegra R8170 Di2 12-speed with climbing-friendly 50/34t chainrings and an 11-34t cassette.
Wheelset & Tyres: Decadence 60mm carbon wheels with steel spokes, weighing approx. 1,360g. They are fast, smooth wheels, but with plans to tackle Taiwan KOM next year, I may swap them for a lighter climbing wheelset. Wrapped around them are the ultra-reliable Continental Grand Prix 5000 S TR 28mm tyres.
Saddle: RYET’s ultralight 3D-printed carbon saddle. The emerging Chinese brand has quickly built a reputation for producing impressively light, comfortable saddles that deliver impressive value.
Pedals: Shimano Dura-Ace PD-R9200 SPD-SL pedals. At just 228g per pair, they’re Shimano’s lightest road pedals and a fitting match this bike.
Bottle Cages: Unbranded carbon bottle cages tipping the scales at just 16g each.
Complete Weight: 7.14kg as pictured. I’m hoping to get this down to approx. 6.8kgs when I change the wheelset and a few other components.
First rides
Initial impressions are always exactly that – initial – but the CIMA immediately feels like a bike designed with speed in mind. The position is aggressive without feeling uncomfortable, the frame feels very responsive when pushing the pace, and there’s a noticeable sense of stiffness when putting power through the pedals.
Acceleration feels sharp, particularly when climbing out of the saddle or sprinting, while the overall handling gives the bike a confident feel through faster corners.
More kilometres will reveal the finer details of ride quality, comfort and long-distance performance, but the early signs are very positive.
Early verdict
First impressions count, and the Evolve CIMA has made a very good one.
From the quality of the packaging and finish through to the simplicity of the build process and the first rides on the road, it feels like a thoughtfully designed performance frameset.
With an RRP of just $3,499 for the frameset and $549 for the KREUZA integrated cockpit, Evolve offers some serious value.
A full review will follow once we’ve had more time aboard the bike, but so far the CIMA is shaping up to be an impressive platform for a high-performance build.
Specifications
Frame: Toray T1100, T800 and M40 carbon fibre layup
Claimed frame weight: 650g (size Medium, unpainted)
Fork: Full carbon, 355g claimed
Cockpit: KREUZA Apex one-piece carbon cockpit
Colour: Matte Carbon Gold
Bottom bracket: BSA threaded
Headset: CeramicSpeed SLT bearings
Cable routing: Fully internal (electronic groupsets only)
Derailleur hanger: SRAM UDH
Brake mount: Flat-mount disc
Tyre clearance: Up to 32mm
Axles: 12x100mm front / 12x142mm rear
Groupset compatibility: Shimano Di2, SRAM AXS, Campagnolo WRL
Sizes: XS, S, M, ML, L, XL
Maximum rider weight: 109kg
RRP: AUD $3,499 + ($549 for KREUZA cockpit)
