Cervelo Aspero Apex AXS 1 Bike

The Cervelo Aspero Apex AXS 1 Bike is the entry point into Cervelo's second-generation Aspero platform, a carbon gravel bike built around wireless SRAM Apex AXS shifting. The original Aspero, introduced in 2019, was built to chase outright pace on gravel. This update keeps that racing intent but adds comfort and versatility on top of it, so it works as well for an all-day exploration ride as it does for a timed event. At $4,550, the Apex AXS 1 sits at the bottom of the AXS-equipped Aspero lineup, which means electronic shifting without paying Rival, GRX Di2, or Force money to get it.

The carbon frame carries over the threaded T47a bottom bracket Cervelo first developed for the R5-CX, an asymmetrical, rider-serviceable design that delivers the stiffness of a press-fit BBRight shell without the creaking that press-fit setups can develop over time. Cervelo also opened up tire and mud clearance at the rear, a change informed by racing the R5-CX and by the mud-soaked 2023 Unbound Gravel. Dropped seat stays add compliance out back, and the front end was tuned to flex slightly more than the outgoing Aspero, both aimed at taking the edge off the last few hours of a long ride. A SRAM Universal Derailleur Hanger (UDH) keeps the frame compatible with SRAM's Transmission drivetrains, so it isn't locked out of where gravel groupsets are headed next. Cervelo frames the bike's aerodynamics less around raw speed and more around energy conservation — the idea that shaving drag over a five-hour gravel race saves effort more than it saves seconds, and that effort shows up as freshness late in the ride rather than a faster split time.

Shifting comes from SRAM's Apex AXS groupset, a wireless 1x, 12-speed setup built around a 46t chainring paired with an XS-1270 cassette. It runs the same electronic architecture as SRAM's higher-tier gravel groups, just with more affordable hardware underneath, so you get cable-free shifting and consistent gear changes over rough terrain without paying for top-shelf parts. Apex D1 hydraulic disc brakes with Centerline Centerlock rotors handle stopping power, holding up well whether a descent turns dusty or wet.

Reserve 30 GR AL wheels, built around Reserve's 4LD hubs, are tubeless compatible and wrapped in WTB Vulpine TCS tires in a 700x45 size — fast-rolling tread with enough volume to smooth out chatter on hardpack and loose gravel. Cervelo's AB09 carbon handlebar carries a 16-degree flare for extra control in the hoods on descents, and an SP19 carbon seatpost works alongside it to take some sting out of rough surfaces. A Fizik Vento Argo X3 saddle rounds out the contact points. The frame also integrates mounts for Cervelo's Smartpak top tube storage bag along with front and rear accessory mounts, so there's a place for snacks, tools, or a computer without bolting on aftermarket cages.

Geometry stays close to a race-oriented gravel setup across the size range, with head tube angles between 71 and 72 degrees and a 425mm chainstay on every frame size, putting the rider in a stretched, aero-leaning position rather than an upright touring posture. The Aspero Apex AXS 1 suits riders who want a capable, race-bred gravel bike that can also handle all-day exploring, without needing to move up to Cervelo's Rival or Force builds just to get wireless shifting. It's available in Dusty Unicorn and Quarry colorways, in sizes 48cm through 61cm.