Tested: Cervélo Áspero-5 – fast and focused

Gravel bikes now come in all styles from comfortable endurance to pure racers like the new Áspero-5.

The gravel bike world has grown in every direction – some bikes now resemble drop-bar mountain bikes, others lean toward endurance roadsters with clearance. But with the 2025 Áspero-5, Cervélo continues to carve its own path, focused entirely on one thing: speed. Forget bosses for days, cargo cages, or suspension tricks – this is a lean, purpose-built gravel race machine. And that is both its strength and its greatest limitation.

I tested a 56cm Áspero-5 in Five Black, Cervélo’s stealthy colourway, paired with SRAM Red AXS and XX Eagle (mix and matched), Reserve carbon wheels (40mm front and 44mm rear), and Vittoria Corsa Pro Control TLR 42c tyres. Across the rolling fire roads and fast bitumen and varied dirt tracks of the Illawarra, the bike delivered razor-edged performance. But with that race-bred sharpness comes a narrow focus that won’t suit everyone.

First impressions

Cervélo has poured its aerodynamic knowledge into the Áspero-5, without losing the clean, minimalist silhouette that defines its design. The all-carbon frame is striking in person – dropped stays, a sharply profiled downtube, integrated front end, and that tight rear triangle that immediately brings to mind the Cervélo S5. These features all suggest a bike tuned for speed over comfort. Even the fork is sculpted more like something off a TT bike than a typical gravel rig, albeit at a slacker angle. All this results in some serious aerodynamic efficiency, but more on this later.

There’s no external cabling in sight. The brake hoses and shift wires disappear neatly into the Cervélo HB16 carbon handlebar and ST31 carbon stem, threading through the headset (FSA IS2) for a clean, aerodynamic finish. The split handlebars cleverly work towards the aero efficiency of an integrated unit but with the adjustability of separate bar-stem units. It also looks pretty schmick – but as with most fully internal systems, it’s likely not the most convenient setup to service or travel with.

Geometry: road-inspired and ready to rip

The Áspero-5’s geometry puts performance first. A lowish 71.6° head angle paired with a 51.5mm fork offset gives it a stable yet agile trail. The result? Predictable enough handling at high speed that still turns sharply when you lean into corners.

The 395mm reach and 575mm stack on my 56cm frame are reasonably long and quite low by gravel standards. It positions the rider aggressively and would work brilliantly for race days, though it may feel a bit stretched for more relaxed adventures.

On the dirt: it lives for speed

This bike loves to go fast. On compact gravel and sealed surfaces, the Áspero-5 is electric. It responds to pedal input like a road race bike and carves through corners with confidence-inspiring precision. Its stiffness and low-slung position (4mm lower than the previous Áspero at the BB) make it a perfect match for race-day efforts or tempo training on mixed terrain.

The drivetrain mirrors that intent. SRAM’s Red AXS shifters and brakes control a 1x setup with a large, aero-profile 48T chainring – a bold move on gravel, but one that pays off for high-speed efforts. Cervélo’s decision to pair it with a 10–52T SRAM XX SL cassette and matching T-Type Eagle AXS rear derailleur delivers a remarkably wide range while keeping shifts crisp and quiet. Power measurement comes courtesy of SRAM’s spider-based Red power meter, integrated cleanly into the crankset. On gravel climbs, the reasonably lightweight frame (66g lighter than its predecessor, total bike weight of about 8.2kg) and 1x setup provided efficient torque transfer. This is the first 1x system I’ve ridden where (thanks to the super large range of the cassette) I haven’t once found myself needing more gears at either end. It is worth noting that there is room for up to a 54T! Each time I ride any of SRAM’s recent groupsets, I fall in love with them, and that comes from a long-term Shimano loyalist. This setup had flawlessly reliable shifting in any terrain, and the one-finger braking ability was superb.

Back to the bike as a whole: there’s no denying the design focus. It’s fairly stiff and very fast, and on rough or highly technical trails, it can feel a little bouncy and jarring. There’s little in the way of vertical compliance from the frame or seatpost, and while the tyres help, this isn’t a plush ride by any stretch.

A quick note on the tyres: the Áspero-5 comes fitted with Vittoria Corsa Pro Control TLR 42c slicks. At first glance, this might seem an odd choice for a gravel bike, but on firm dirt and smooth fire roads, they perform far better than expected, although psychologically I didn’t want to test the limits of their grip around corners. On tarmac, they’re brilliant; in fact, the Áspero-5 feels so responsive and efficient on the road that I could easily see it doubling as my primary bike for bunch rides and fast training days. This duality is one of the bike’s most surprising strengths. While it lacks the versatility of some adventure-leaning competitors – no rack mounts, no slackened-out geometry – the way it transitions effortlessly into road mode is genuinely impressive.

Where it falls short: not built for everyone

The Áspero-5 isn’t trying to be a jack-of-all-trades. It has no cargo cage mounts, fender compatibility, and limited provisions for adventure accessories beyond the included top tube bag and clever in-frame storage rolls. Although the access hole for the downtube storage is so narrow that getting things in and out is a serious challenge. It came with two storage rolls, but I could only fit one in once I’d added my spares.

Also worth noting: while the bike can technically accommodate up to 45mm tyres, there’s not much wiggle room depending on rim width and frame tolerance. I fitted 44mm gravel tyres, and even then, you wouldn’t want to encounter much mud! Riders seeking to explore chunkier terrain might be better off looking elsewhere.

Thoroughbred gravel racer

The 2025 Cervélo Áspero-5 is uncompromising in its mission: a gravel race bike, full stop, with road-like handling, high-speed stability, and extra ability to get there thanks to its committed aero design. Cervélo claim a huge 37 watts saving over the previous Áspero and 34 watts over the fastest gravel bike currently on the market (Ridley Kanzo). These figures are super impressive, but are based on testing at about 48km/hr, not typical gravel speeds. I did some basic calculations based on the quadratic nature of drag (i.e. proportional to the square of the velocity), indicating that this figure might still be as high as 15 watts saved (over the Ridley) at 32km/hr. This is still an impressive amount. The Áspero 5 thrives when the pace is high and the terrain is smooth-to-moderate. I found myself wishing I’d been on this for the RDL GRVL earlier this year. This bike truly is the dream for those committed to racing gravel events!

But that same focus means it won’t suit everyone. This isn’t your rig if you want mounts, versatility, or cushy compliance.

For gravel racers, performance purists, and roadies looking to go fast on dirt and have a bike that happily transitions to the road, the Áspero-5 is as sharp as they come.

Having said all this, the pricing of this bike may just make this dream out of reach for many. The frameset alone is $7,900 AUD. The frame tested here with SRAM Red is a handsome $17,500, while Di2 GRX or SRAM Force models come down to $12,900. Anyway you spin it, these are large sums. Having said that, what you get for this money is an incredibly fast and no-compromise, racing-winning machine.

Even though this isn’t the adventure bike to take on long, multi-day expeditions or on rougher terrain, I still feel a twinge of melancholy at the thought of handing it back. The Áspero knows precisely what it is – and what it isn’t – and what it is, is an addictively agile, dynamic, and downright fun bike to ride on road or trail.

Performance

Blisteringly fast on hardpack and sealed roads. Road-bike-like handling and excellent stiffness make this a serious race machine.

Quality

Top-shelf components, beautiful carbon work, and an exceptionally clean integrated build. Maintenance will require more planning.

Value

This high-spec version costs north of $17,000 AUD. It’s a lot of money, but for those chasing marginal gains, it delivers.

Overall

Purpose-built, uncompromising, and laser-focused on speed. Possibly the fastest gravel bike on the market – but not the most versatile.

Available Sizes

48, 51, 54, 56, 58, 61  

Specifications

Test Build Configuration

Fork: Cervélo All-Carbon, Tapered Áspero-5 Fork

Headset: FSA IS2 1-1/4, 45° x 45° / 1-1/2, 36° x 45°

Stem: Cervélo ST31 Carbon (90mm on size 56)

Handlebar: Cervélo HB16 Carbon, 31.8mm clamp (40cm on size 56)

Seatpost: Cervélo SP27 Carbon, 0mm offset

Saddle: Prologo Nago R4 PAS NACK

Shifters/Brakes: SRAM Red AXS, 12-Speed with SRAM Paceline X Centerlock rotors

Rear Derailleur: SRAM XX SL Eagle AXS, 12-Speed

Cassette: SRAM XX SL, 10-52T, 12-Speed

Chain: SRAM XX SL Eagle, 12-Speed

Crankset: SRAM Red 1 AXS E1, 48T, DUB Wide, with power meter (170mm on 56cm)

Bottom Bracket: SRAM DUB Wide Ceramic, T47 BBright

Wheels: Reserve 40TA GR (front) / 44TA GR (rear), DT Swiss 240 hubs, 12x100mm and 12x142mm, centerlock, tubeless compatible

Tyres: Vittoria Corsa Pro Control TLR G2.0, 700x42cx

More info cervelo.com/en-AU