While I do understand the appeal of lighter eMTBs for some purposes, I also think “Why not go big when you have a motor to help you climb?” is a valid question for those who ride rough trails. Forbidden Bike Co. decided to go big, burly, and capable with their brand new Dreadnought E… without letting the weight pile on. This is a long travel, full power eMTB that was unapologetically built for downhill domination!

A ‘self shuttle’ machine designed to tackle laps of rowdy terrain, the Dreadnought Es are all equipped with full carbon frames, offering 170/180mm travel. This bike was built specifically around MX wheels, and its geometry is similar to Forbidden’s Supernought downhill bike. Last but certainly not least, two powerful Avinox drive system options provide class-leading power output.

Forbidden Dreadnought E–Frame Features:

The new Dreadnought Es will be offered with full carbon frames only, which include a carbon rocker link. The bikes are specifically designed for MX wheels. The Dreadnought E offers 170 mm of rear travel, and all stock models come with 180mm forks.

This bike employs Forbidden’s signature high-pivot, four-bar Trifecta linkage. This design produces a rearward axle path for excellent bump absorption, yet still provides poppy, supportive ride qualities. The Dreadnought E’s linkage was designed to work well with coil or high-volume air shocks.

Forbidden’s idler pulley position also aims to keep pedal kickback very low. In fact, Forbidden gives this bike their eMTB specific 18t steel idler pulley, which has a refined tooth profile and spins on Enduro solid lube bearings.

Forbidden decided to take advantage of SRAM’s AXS Extension cord, which powers your derailleur from the bike’s main battery. All AXS-equipped models come with the cord. This add-on also allows for a unique Smooth Shift feature from the Avinox drive systems. This feature allows you to shift gears without pedalling, ensuring you can drop gears when approaching a steep climb or shift upwards as you cruise down a descent.

Moving the Dreadnought E’s rear shock to a vertical layout left lots of room for dropper posts. A size S1 frame can run a 180mm travel post, and S4 frames all come with 240mm posts.

All frame sizes can also fit water bottles. The smallest frame can carry a 26oz bottle, even with a reservoir shock. Forbidden appears to be teaming up with Fidlock, as they will be providing Fidlock mounts on the Dreadnought Es, and said Forbidden Fidlock bottles will soon be available.

Adaptable internal cable routing allows for international brake setups, and Forbidden’s cable ports are designed to prevent any rattling in the frame. Forbidden keeps the bike’s custom-made hardware simple to service, saying all bolts on the frame can be checked with a single multi-tool.

Fitments, Protection, Weight:

Frame protection includes the usual chainstay, seatstay, and downtube protectors, but the Dreadnought Es will also come with RideWrap protection pre-installed in high-wear areas. The Dreadnought E uses a Boost 148x12mm rear axle, and the frame fits 31.6mm dropper posts. Max tire clearance wasn’t specified, but the bikes come with 27.5×2.5” rear tires.

Forbidden says complete Dreadnought E builds come in at 51.6 lbs (or less) with a 600Wh battery, or 53.5 lbs with the larger 800Wh battery. I’d say that’s pretty good for such a burly eMTB!

Forbidden’s carbon frames are covered by a lifetime warranty. See their website for complete details.

Avinox Drive Systems:

There are two drive systems used within the Dreadnought E lineup – The Avinox M2S and the Avinox M2. The two higher-end builds come with the M2S motor, pumping out 130Nm of torque (150Nm in Boost) and 1300W of peak power at a weight of just 2.6 Kg. The other builds get the M2 motor, which still cranks out 110Nm of torque (125Nm in Boost) and 1100W peak power. The M2 drive system weighs 2.65 Kg.  

Each build also offers the options for either an 800Wh or 600Wh battery, so you can choose between maximum range or nimbler, lighter handling. 

The highest-end build of the Dreadnought E comes with Avinox’s 508W charger, which can top up the 800Wh battery from 0-75% capacity in just an hour and a half. All other models come with a 168W charger, which takes 4:45 to fully charge the 600Wh battery.

In addition to wireless controllers at the handlebar, the Avinox drive systems both include 2” OLED full color touch-screen Control Displays. One new feature Avinox added this year is navigation capability; You can now upload GPX, FIT, or TCX data files and use the bike’s display screen to navigate trail networks.  

Of course, the systems are also compatible with the Avinox Ride app. The app allows fine-tuning of all aspects of the drive system and display screen customization. Lastly, the Control Display includes a fast-charging 65W USB-C charge port, so you can top up your mobile devices or lights.

Geometry:

Check out the chart above for all the specs, but the Dreadnought E’s key geo figures include a 63° head tube angle, and varying actual seat mast angles, so all frame sizes wind up at an effective angle of 76.75°. Reach numbers go from 425mm-481mm across the size range. Interestingly, Forbidden’s OneRide geometry leaves the proportional rear center measurements for the S1-S3 frames a tad longer than the reach numbers. BB height remains low on all sizes at 340.8mm.

The Dreadnought E’s geometry is optimized for downhill shredding, and thoughtfully so. Not only does the geometry optimize the bike’s MX wheel setup, but it was also tuned with shorter cranks in mind (every model comes with 150mm arms) and given a higher front end. Forbidden says this all contributes to the rider winding up in a centered, tall, and relaxed position, offering maximum control over the bike.

Despite its rowdy intentions on descents, the Dreadnought E’s geometry considers climbing prowess as well. With proportional rear-center lengths and steeper seat masts on larger frames, the rider remains centered on the bike in all situations.

Model Lineup:

There will be four builds of the Dreadnought E available: Tier 1,2, 3, and 4. Tier 1 is the highest-end build. With full carbon frames and powerful new motors, none of these models come at an entry-level price, and the higher tiers stretch into the five-figure range. Check out Forbidden’s website for full build specs, but some key parts are listed below.

Dreadnought E T1 – $12,399 (800Wh) or $12,099 (600Wh)

The Dreadnought E T1 comes with a RockShox Zeb Ultimate fork and Vivid Coil rear shock. This model gets the Avinox M2S motor, a SRAM X0 AXS derailleur, and Maven Ultimate brakes, and it rolls on Crankbrothers Synthesis Carbon Enduro wheels.

Dreadnought E T2 – $10,999 (800Wh) or $10,699 (600Wh)

The T2 model runs Fox suspension, with a 38 Factory fork and a Float X2 Factory rear shock. It also runs the Avinox M2S motor and a SRAM GX AXS drivetrain with Maven Silver brakes. The T2 rides on Crankbrothers Alloy 2.0 rims and Ratchet hubs.  

Dreadnought E T3 – $9299 (800Wh) or $8999 (600Wh)

RockShox equips the Dreadnought E T3 with a Zeb Select+ fork and Vivid Select+ rear shock. At this tier, the motor steps down to the Avinox M2. The T3 goes to mechanical shifting with SRAM’s Eagle 90 shifter/derailleur, and it still gets Maven brakes in base trim. The wheels run Crankbrothers Alloy 1.0 rims and Synthesis hubs.

Dreadnought E T4 – $7999 (800Wh) or $7699 (600Wh)

Finally, the T4 model gets a Rockshox Zeb fork and a Super Deluxe rear shock. This model also runs the Avinox M2 motor. SRAM’s Eagle 70 groupset handles shifting, and their DB4 brakes reel things in. The Crankbrothers alloy wheelset is the same as the T3 model.

forbiddenbike.com

The post Forbidden Bikes Launches the Dreadnought E – Big Travel, Full Power, Zero Hesitation! appeared first on Bikerumor.

The new Specialized Levo 4 EVO eMTB isn’t entirely new. Instead, it’s really a beefed-up and stretched-out version of the Levo 4. But trust us, that’s a good thing. It takes what the carbon Levo 4 already did really well – including February’s 22% power boost, and pairs it with longer travel front & rear, gravity-tweaked geometry with an updated link, and a burly spec that pushes it firmly into the e-enduro category.

You still get Levo 4 Super Natural pedal-assist, but now the mullet Levo 4 EVO is ready for back-to-back self-shuttle gravity runs, just like you were in the bikepark!

’26 Specialized Levo 4 EVO carbon 170/180mm enduro eMTB

When Specialized first launched their 4th-generation Levo all-mountain eMTB last year with 150/160mm travel, they already knew that riders were going to beg to go longer. The Levo 4 was frankly a bit overbuilt on purpose. Specialized wanted to create an ebike tough enough to handle anything riders could throw at it. And they already had certified it for 180mm travel forks. So they weren’t surprised to hear of some aftermarket links being made to squeeze extra travel out of the rear, too.

In fact, Specialized was already doing the same thing.

The new Levo Evo was created to shred the gnarliest trails. Or maybe they were the same gnarly enduro trails Levo 4 owners were on. But now, 170mm of 27.5″ rear wheel travel paired to 180mm 29″ forks up front. So, the longer travel Evo handles them with more confidence and stability.

What’s new and what’s the same?

For the most part, the Levo 4 Evo is the same frame as the standard Levo 4. But to get an extra 2cm of travel out back, Specialized created a new linkage with a shorter shock extension to allow for longer shock stroke.

The result is slightly slacker geometry, a bit higher ride to accommodate more distance back to bottom it all out, and slightly shorter reach as it slackens. But, all the same Levo 4 geometry adjustment is still there. The geo table shows the baseline middle head angle position, the longer chainstays, and lower BB height. I personally prefer the higher position with a 1° slacker headtube for my steep, rocky, but not so ‘full gas fast’ riding. As always, set it how you prefer.

Of note: there is one fewer size available. No S1, because Specialized simply couldn’t fit the smallest riders when the travel kept getting bigger.

There is no S-Works version, meaning you don’t get the slightly more powerful S-Works motor. Just the super capable 810W x 105NmTurbo 3.1 motor (Although, with the latest OTA update, the difference is quite small.) But it’s still carbon, top-tier FACT 11m carbon in fact. Plus, some markets will get an alloy Levo Evo, too.

If you’re absolutely dead set on an S-Works Levo Evo, there is a workaround. Specialized is offering a EVO upgrade kit with the new linkage, so you could buy an S-Works Levo 4 frameset yourself and build it up with your own custom e-enduro dream build setup.

Why mechanical shifting makes sense here!

One subtle, but really interesting update in my mind, the Levo 4 Evo adds a cable-actuated derailleur option! You might wonder why I would care about mechanical drivetrains (read my separate rant, here) on an ebike, where AXS is already wired in? But this e-shredder is going to be repeatedly smashed down gnarly, rock trails. And that means any expensive electronic derailleur is gonna see tons of abuse. I’d be much happier to replace a cheaper mechanical derailleur when the time comes.

Specialized Levo 4 EVO – Pricing, availability & options

Specialized says the Levo 4 Evo is “built for riders who don’t tiptoe around terrain. The riders who point into the steep stuff, ride bike parks without a chairlift, and want a bike that stays calm when things get fast, rough, and consequential… This is Electric Enduro.”

This is Electric Enduro.

Three different Levo Evo builds with 840Wh batteries will be offered starting today, depending on where you are in the world.

• Levo 4 EVO Pro $12,300 / 11,000€ with a 180mm RockShox Zeb Ultimate fork, Vivid Ultimate Linear air shock, SRAM X0 Eagle AXS wired-in drivetrain, a BikeYoke Revive Max dropper, and Traverse HD wheels with DT Swiss 350 DEG hubs (ready for a DF anti-kickback upgrade) – claimed 24.12kg complete weight

• Levo 4 EVO Comp $9200 / 7500€ with a RockShox Zeb Select fork, Vivid Select Linear air shock, SRAM S1000 Eagle AXS wired-in drivetrain, Maven Silver brakes, Maven Bronze brakes, an Xfusion Manic dropper, and alloy Specialized wheels – claimed 25.16kg complete weight

• Levo 4 EVO Comp Alloy 6500€ (no US availability) with the same Zeb Select fork & Vivid Select Linear air shock, premium mechanical SRAM Eagle 90 T-type drivetrain, Maven Bronze brakes, the Xfusion dropper, and alloy Specialized wheels – claimed 26.92kg complete weight

Aftermarket conversion of your existing Levo 4

If you have a Levo 4 and feel like you need to go bigger, Specialized will sell a Levo Evo conversion – for just $70. It will include the EVO shock extension, which you can just swap out on your Levo 4. Then, it’s up to you to buy an appropriate new 230 x 62.5mm shock (coil or air) and then a 180mm travel 29er fork. Or if your existing fork travel can be extended, maybe just a new travel change kit. Then, it’s up to you what other burly components you should upgrade to go full-on freeride!

Specialized.com

The post Specialized Levo 4 EVO Turns Super Natural eMTB into Proper eEnduro Shredder eBike appeared first on Bikerumor.

There’s a more aggressive new Maxxis XC tire in town – called the Aspen AT, and it’s coming to 32″ wheels too, along with the original Aspen, Aspen ST, Forekaster & Dissector. The new all-terrain or is it all-mountain Aspen AT further expands on the popular cross-country race tire family, giving it more bite for wetter or looser track conditions. But it also just makes the lightweight & fast tire line-up more versatile, blurring the line to fast trail-capable tires. Plus, there’s also a significant new evolution of their single compound MaxxTerra rubber, promising 15% more grip and 30% extra durability while retaining the rolling efficiency of the previous generation.

Maxxis Aspen AT is a knobby, more capable XC tire

Maxxis’ new knobby Aspen AT “builds on the legacy of the Aspen family, long trusted at the highest levels of cross-country racing“.

It beefs up each individual block of the classic Aspen tread, specifically transforming the thin central chevrons into thicker, proper trail-ready tread blocks. But the XC race ethos isn’t gone. The new AT is a modern XC race tire, so a fast-rolling character was still at the core of creating a tire more suited for finding grip in rougher track conditions.

But with more grip and EXO-level protection, this will likely spread to marathon and even downcountry trail riding as well.

Aspen AT Tech details

• all-new taller tread block design, with increased all-terrain capability
• lightweight 120tpi single ply XC casing
• EXO-level puncture protection and E50 ebike-rated
• fast-rolling MaxxSpeed rubber compound
• tubeless-ready folding bead
• 2.4″ width only, in 29″ or 32″ diameters
• available now

5 different Maxxis 32″ tires: from Gravel to XC to Trail

This is what we’d really been waiting to hear. After kickstarting all this 32″ madness last year at Taipei Cycle with the OG Aspen, now Maxxis rolls out a well-rounded 32″ family. More than just the Aspen that was recently ridden to a Cape Epic Stage 3 win…

Aspen ST, Aspen, Aspen AT, Forekaster & Dissector

We keep hearing how 32″ wheels are going to take over the world. (And we at Bikerumor are getting sucked into the hype too, if for no other reason than our bike-nerdy curiosity.) But we couldn’t take the bigger wheels too seriously when there was only one tire commercially available. But now, Maxxis makes it official as the first tire maker with a real 32″ tire lineup.

We’ve all heard the promises of real quantifiable improvements in: “rollover capability, traction, and high-speed stability, particularly in rough terrain“. Now with a proper range of tires, we can test and see if that translates to how regular mountain bikers actually ride.

1. The Aspen ST is the fastest rolling for hardpack, gravel, and even when hard paved surfaces weigh in.
2. The Aspen is the XC race all-rounder, ideal for mostly hardpack and loose over hard singletrack, with roots & rocks, too.
3. The new Aspen AT will be the choice when deeper loam, looser or softer conditions, more rock, or when it starts to get wet.
4. Forekaster is the real blurred line between XC & trail, with fast-rolling center knobs, supportive shoulder, and open space in between.
5. And lastly, the Dissector is a solid trail all-rounder with taller, blocky knobs ideal for riding rough terrain.

Real-world 32″ Maxxis tire availability

There still are not a ton of 32″ bikes out there in the market. But more and more turn up every day. We’re finalizing 32″ test bike builds in both Europe and the US this month, so we’re very happy to see more tire options, and especially more aggressive treads. While we appreciate that much of the first wave of 32″ bikes are targeting XC, many of our home testing trails simply include a lot of loose conditions. Let’s just say that our test bikes all end up muddy, even the road and gravel ones.

Today, the 32″ x 2.4″ Aspen ST, Aspen & the all-new Aspen AT are all available now with MaxxSpeed rubber & 120tpi EXO casings.

In a pleasantly surprising update, a narrower 32 x 2.15″ (or 55mm) version of the Aspen ST is also ready now with 120tpi EXO casing and faster-rolling Hypr-X rubber. That will probably make for an excellent 32″ gravel tire!

Alas, the knobbier 60tpi EXO Forekaster with MaxxTerra rubber & 60tpi EXO+ Dissector with MaxxTerra rubber are not ready, just yet. (Even if we’ve already seen a couple on show bikes). Maxxis says these two 32″ trail tires will be available in Q3 of 2026. If we are lucky, that could be as early as July, or at least later this summer.

Better single compound MaxxTerra rubber, too!

And for a quick note about that new MaxxTerra rubber. Maxxis has reengineered their balanced fast, but grippy rubber to offer “significant gains in durability and traction while maintaining… rolling efficiency“. Mountain bikers wanted longer-wearing trail bike tires, and Maxxis figure out how to make it work:

• at least a 30% improvement in tread wear and durability over the original generation 3C MaxxTerra
• 15% improvement in traction
• all without giving up anything in rolling resistance

That’s a pretty major performance and longevity boost. And since MaxxTerra makes up a large portion of the middle of Maxxis’ lineup, that’s an improvement that many mountain bikers will start to notice soon. How soon?

Pretty much all of the popular Maxxis trail and gravity tires are offered with the new single-compound MaxxTerra rubber. Rekon, Forekaster, Dissector, Minion DHF & DHR II, and Assegai. And they are all available now, although it’s a phased roll-out depending on what retail channels still have the older stock. Tires with the new compound all get an orange “New, New, New… MaxxTerra” sticker on their packaging and just MaxxTerra on the tire sidewall (not 3C MaxxTerra) so you’ll be sure to spot the difference.

We’ll keep an eye out to try them ourselves!

Maxxis.com

The post Maxxis Aspen AT Rolls Out a Knobbier XC MTB Tire to Lead Out Wide 5 x 32″ Tread Line-Up appeared first on Bikerumor.

We spotted it at Sea Otter last year. Cane Creek had a few inverted forks, but one stood out from the rest. Clearly upside-down, clearly long-travel, and clearly different from the brand’s mountain bike fork options.

In fact, longer travel options were fairly limited in Cane Creek’s lineup. Really, for mountain bikes, there was only the Helm, which extended up to 160mm. This left quite a bit to be desired for enduro racers, bike park riders, and eMTB enthusiasts looking for more squish.

Well, it is Sea Otter time again, and, fortunately, Cane Creek has officially bridged that gap with its new Invert Enduro fork. Taking inspiration from the moto world, the little suspension manufacturer created a fork that is stiffer, longer, and significantly less expensive than similar forks from the suspension giants.

Cane Creek Invert Enduro

Okay, so let’s first take a big picture look at what Cane Creek has created. As the name implies, it is an inverted fork. And, as the second part of the name implies, it is a long-travel bike, geared more toward enduro riding.

The Invert Enduro features 38mm stanchions and 160-180mm of travel. While a comparison to the Fox Podium was not the intention of this article, that is obviously the most similar fork. And, for comparison’s sake, the Invert Enduro has 10mm more travel.

Cane Creek also offers the option of a standard 15mm axle or the larger DH 20mm axle. The Podium is only offered with a 20mm axle, meaning many will need to get a larger hub on their front wheel. Fox used the larger front axle to achieve the stiffness they are looking for in the Podium.

Despite the option to use a 15mm axle, Cane Creek claims a stiffer ride than the Podium. With a 15mm axle, the Invert Enduro is 17% tortionally stiffer than the Podium, and 40% more with the 20mm axle. The extra stiffness is achieved with their SquareLoc axle, which is, well, squared off where the axle meets the dropouts. The axle is keyed into the dropouts and secured with four pinch bolts.

Cane Creek also says that SquareLoc lets riders tune the amount of flex they want in the Invert Enduro. For example, with the extra weight of an e-bike, some might choose to make the fork as stiff as possible. On a trail or enduro bike, a little flex is perhaps okay. 

Oh, yeah, with 45mm upper tubes and 38mm stanchions, the Invert Enduro is e-bike approved. Full power, full torque.

Lastly, looking at the big picture, Cane Creek’s Invert Enduro is significantly less expensive than the competition. In a chat I had with Will Hart, the Product Marketing Manager at Cane Creek, he told me that when they began developing the Invert Enduro, they were unaware of the Podium. The fork they wanted to contend with was the Fox 38. 

A Fox 38 Factory retails for nearly $1,400. The Invert Enduro is $1,600, about 30% less than the $2,100+ Fox Podium.

Inside the Invert Enduro

One of the ways Cane Creek was able to keep costs down was by carrying over the damper. They use the same damper in the Invert Enduro that has lived in the Helm MKII for the last several years. This is a closed-cartridge monotube damper with a bladder. It features HSC, LSC, and rebound with enough damping range to meet the demands of the new fork.

Perhaps best of all is its reliability. Cane Creek claims a warranty rate of less than 1% for this damper.

Moving to the air side, Cane Creek is making things a touch easier and, they think, better. Helm forks currently require manual positive and negative equalization. For the Invert Enduro, they’ve moved to a charge-port air spring, which self-equalizes. Moving to this design makes setup easier, but, more importantly, guarantees a more sensitive spring. 

It also meant moving away from the Helm’s travel adjustment. However, Cane Creek wanted to focus on the most supple and smooth experience possible. You can still change the travel of the Invert Enduro. However, it will be more like the process of other forks, where purchasing a longer/shorter air spring is necessary.

Cane Creek will still use their onboard volume adjustment system with the new Invert Enduro. This allows you to tune progression without opening the fork and adding volume spacers.

And they have a fork tuner app to help you get everything dialed in.

Invert Enduro Quick Details

• 160, 170, 180mm of travel
• 2,770g (to be fair, a touch heavier than the Podium)
• 44mm offset
• 15mm SquareLoc axle (adapter included). 20mm axle sold separately
• 200mm rotor mount
• HSC, LSC, LSR
• Air pressure & volume bleed screws 
• Cartridge-style air spring w/ self-equalizing charge port
• Fork Tuner app
• Price: $1,599.99

canecreek.com

The post Cane Creek Invert Enduro Suspension Fork Gets Official, and it’s Competitively Priced appeared first on Bikerumor.

LOOK’s new Cezal G85 gravel bike blends road-bred sharpness with off-road style. Boasting 50mm tire clearance, suspension compatibility, integrated storage, and a ride thats built for speed without draining the fun out. Plus, our review bike came in a paint job that speaks to my (and hopefully everyone’s) inner Macho Man.

A Tale of Two Bikes

Gravel bikes are getting pulled in two directions right now. One side wants speed; race numbers, KOM’s, aero bars, you know the drill. The other wants comfort, gear mounts, big rubber, and the freedom to wander off the cue sheet. The tricky part is building something that can live in the middle without feeling confused. The new LOOK G85 Cezal walks the line and might satisfy both camps without watering down the recipe.

LOOK G85 Cezal – What Is It?

The G85 Cezal is LOOK’s new carbon gravel bike, built around a UD HM carbon frame and fork, gravel-specific geometry, full internal routing, and a downtube storage box with pouch. LOOK says it was designed for everything from long-distance adventure riding to flat-out racing.

The new frame is compatible with 700c or 650b wheels, 1x or 2x drivetrains, and up to 60mm of front suspension travel without changing the bike’s geometry. Tire clearance goes big, up to 50mm rear in 1x, 45mm rear in 2x, and more than 50mm up front (though you can fit a 57mm/2.2in if you’re pushing it). In other words, the bike has room to get rowdy if you want it to.

That is a pretty broad operating window for a single frame, which is what makes the G85 Cezal interesting.

LOOK is not trying to sell this as a hyper-specific niche bike. It is not pretending to be the ultimate pure-race gravel missile, nor is it leaning all the way into an expedition rig either. It is trying to be the bike for riders who want one good gravel frame they can tune toward whatever kind of dirt habit they are feeding this season.

LOOK G85 Geometry

LOOK says the goal was a fast bike, both maneuverable and stable, with a ride experience centered on geometry and handling. The G85 has a fairly short wheelbase and chainstays, which translate into responsiveness and fast cornering. When you pair it with a 70-degree head angle and 50mm of trail, it’s slack but playful.

The 74-degree seat angle and 5mm seatpost offset are meant to keep the rider centered for efficient pedaling, and it does (more on that later). But the stack and reach are designed to support everything from a more comfortable setup to a lower, racier cockpit position. It’s a bit of an odd horse, with feet in both camps, but it works, and it’s fun.

The short rear end gets the bike up to speed quickly and keeps it feeling alive underneath you. The slacker front end keeps things calm when the road turns loose, rocky, or generally not awesome.

How does this translate into actual riding? More in the ride notes.

Road Pedigree But Not Design

LOOK has a massive road racing heritage, and the G85 Cezal comes from the brand’s road DNA, and you can see that in the frame shape and overall intent. It looks sleek, lean, and performance-minded. But the good news is LOOK didn’t let that road background override the design. The G85 gets the details that a good gravel bike should get.

There is a T47 bottom bracket, UDH dropout, 160mm rotor compatibility, a 27.2mm seatpost, and the frame is designed around actual mixed-surface use rather than a marketing idea of it. The stock cockpit uses a LOOK LS3 stem and Deda Superzero Gravel bars, which is a smart choice, though semi-integrated, so there will be some tears if you need to swap bars.

It keeps the setup simple, practical, and easy to live with, while still allowing full internal frame routing and compatibility with aero bars. For riders who want something racier, LOOK also offers an Aero Carbon stem/bar option that saves 200 grams. The Aero Carbon bars feature a racey 13-degree stem angle and are pitched as the move for those who want to turn the G85 Cezal into a full-blown gravel race bike.

Storage And Snacks

The bike also gets something most riders have come to appreciate very quickly: in-frame storage. The downtube storage box and pouch are among the more useful features on the G85 Cezal.

The storage is large enough to hold a tube, plugs, a multitool, a CO2, and maybe a snack if you’re riding with ambition and not much self-awareness. Once you have in-frame storage on a gravel bike, it becomes one of those features you start missing almost immediately on anything without it. I used it for everything from food storage to a rain jacket stash.

It’s Already Raced & Raced Well

LOOK also has a good launch card to play here: Russell Finsterwald.

Finsterwald joined LOOK in 2026 as both a privateer racer and a development partner, and he won the Belgian Waffle Ride in February 2026 in the G85 Cezal’s first “appearance”. Russell raced the full production bike, just with some cleverly placed stickers to hide the exact bike. Hopefully, it’s a sign of good results to come.

G85 Cezal – Build Options & Pricing

LOOK is launching the G85 Cezal with three complete builds and a frameset option.

At the top is our review ride, the Speckled Purple / Neon Orange SRAM Force 1×13 model, built with a 40T crank, 10-46 cassette, Fulcrum Soniq Carbon 2WF wheels, and Hutchinson Touareg 700x45c tires. Price: €6,490

There is also a Speckled Sand/Black Shimano GRX Di2 2×12 model, with 48/31 chainrings, an 11-36 cassette, the same Fulcrum carbon wheels, and Hutchinson Touareg tires. Price: €5,730

The more accessible Petrol / White Shimano GRX 820 1×12 version lands at €3,490, and LOOK will also offer the frameset alone for €2,490.

The launch has a smart spread. The top-end builds are race-ready; the Di2 2x option should appeal to riders who want more range and a stronger road-to-gravel crossover feel; and the mechanical GRX model offers a more accessible entry point without cheapening the concept.

Tech Details – LOOK G85 Cezal

SRAM Force 1×13

• Frame/Fork: LOOK G85 Carbon UDHM
• Crankset: SRAM Force 1x, 40T
• Levers/Brakes: SRAM Force E1
• Rear Derailleur: SRAM Force XLPR E1
• Cassette: SRAM XG 1371, 10-46T
• Wheels: Fulcrum Soniq Carbon 2WF
• Tires: Hutchinson Touareg 700x45c
• Cockpit: LOOK LS3 stem, Deda Superzero Gravel alloy handlebar
• Seatpost: LOOK LS1 UD carbon
• Saddle: LOOK x San Marco Shortfit Off-Road
• Rotors: SRAM Paceline 160mm
• Color: Speckled Purple / Neon Orange

Shimano GRX Di2 2×12

• Frame/Fork: LOOK G85 Carbon UDHM
• Crankset: Shimano RX820, 48/31T
• Levers/Brakes: Shimano GRX 825-820
• Derailleur: Shimano GRX 825 Di2
• Cassette: Shimano HG710 12-speed, 11-36T
• Wheels: Fulcrum Soniq Carbon 2WF
• Tires: Hutchinson Touareg 700x45c
• Cockpit: LOOK LS3 stem, Deda Superzero Gravel alloy handlebar
• Seatpost: LOOK LS1 UD carbon
• Saddle: LOOK x San Marco Shortfit Off-Road
• Rotors: Shimano RT-CL800 160mm
• Color: Speckled Sand / Black

Shimano GRX 820 1×12

• Frame/Fork: LOOK G85 Carbon UDHM
• Crankset: Shimano RX820, 40T
• Levers/Brakes: Shimano GRX 820 mechanical 12-speed
• Rear Derailleur: Shimano GRX 820 mechanical 12-speed
• Cassette: Shimano M7100, 10-45T
• Wheels: Fulcrum Lite GR 2WF
• Tires: Schwalbe G-One Perf 700x45c
• Cockpit: LOOK LS3 stem, Deda Superzero Gravel alloy handlebar
• Seatpost: LOOK LS3 alloy
• Saddle: LOOK x San Marco Shortfit Off-Road
• Rotors: Shimano RT-CL800 160mm
• Color: Petrol / White

LOOK Cezal G85 Frameset

• Frame: LOOK G85 Carbon UDHM
• Fork: UD HM Carbon fork
• Bottom Bracket: T47
• Dropout: UDH
• Seatpost: 27.2mm
• Tire Clearance: 50mm rear in 1x, 45mm rear in 2x, 50mm-plus front
• Other Features: Full internal routing, downtube storage box and pouch, suspension-ready for up to 60mm travel

Ride Impressions

The LOOK G85 Cezal is one of those bikes that could sneak up on people, but only in the other paint jobs. Because this purple-speckled black of our review ride is something special. No, it could sneak up because it’s not screaming anything. There are no gimmicks, no weird features that will be looked at as detours in a few years. It’s just a very solid-looking (and riding) bike.

LOOK is primarily known as the French road bike company (even though they did have some time in mountain bikes); they have that road DNA. The G85 Cezal rides like it was designed by a performance road brand, but didn’t skip the off-road class. When you’re on the hoods and chugging along, you feel the power transfer and the comfort. The geometry lets the rider sit balanced within the frame, and you get a good sense of the bike.

Rides Like…

The closest I could compare the ride to would be the Colnago G4X. They are both creations of a primarily road brand, but have an ear to the ground in the off-road world. They have a similar “get up and go” to the response of pedaling and stiffness, but where the G4X missed the compliance mark slightly, the G85 Ceza nails it.

Gravel frames from road (mostly) manufacturers can come off as too stiff and uncomfortable on the actual gravel, or noodly and spongy when you need to give it the beans. The LOOK G85 Cezal gives a balanced ride of both. I could feel the thin seatstays providing support over the medium gravel on most of my rides. Paired with the round 27.2 seatpost, I felt enough support to push harder.

But if you’re not just a racer, you have the option to take the detour. A slight change in the stack and a shorter stem (it’s only a pain to swap if you need to change the bars) will drastically change the bike’s mood. However, the bike’s performance will not. The pedaling response will be there, and the same goes for the features that make it walk the adventure/race line well enough to call it out.

The practical things like the internal frame storage and the seatpost clamp are signs that LOOK didn’t just pull over parts from a previous design. They are fully committed to the gravel game, and we’re glad to see it.

Force AXS XPLR

As for a spec, the LOOK G85 Cezal nails it imo. The SRAM Force AXS XPLR group is one of (if not the best) on the market right now. I personally like the Force shifter more than the RED because the thumb bonus shifter is more pronounced and easier to use. Most, if not all, gravel riders will appreciate the smart build. It would be nice to see a power meter included, but without it, the weight is slightly down, and hopefully, a lower price translates to the rider.

Wheels For The Wind

The Fulcrum Soniq Carbon 2WF were new to me, and I have to say I was a bit taken aback by their performance. I expected a bit of a windsail, especially in the long, wide open slogging sections of the gravel world, but they were not. The engagement is solid, a mix of too much and just enough. The rim width paired well with the 45mm Hutchinson tires, and gave a nice (though slightly narrow) rolling profile. One of the best features of the wheels was how they ate up the flat and rolling miles of gravel. I felt like I had a tailwind sometimes when I got them up to speed, and in strong gusts of wind, they held steady.

I loved seeing the Hutchinson Touareg tire spec on the LOOK G85 Cezal. I’m personally a fan of the Hutchinson gravel line, and it doesn’t get enough credit (or distribution) in the USA. Hopefully, that will change now that more riders will get some time on them.

I would recommend the LOOK G85 Cezal for a rider interested in performance gravel and off-road exploration, where performance and fun are the key factors. You could be doing a two-day trip on the weekend and hitting a gravel race with aero wheels the next.

The post The LOOK G85 Cezal – Fast & Playful Gravel Bike With Real Race Intent appeared first on Bikerumor.

We first spotted the iconic red brakes on Specialized Gravity team race bikes last summer, but now Brembo is poised to offer their Gr-Pro mountain bike brake sets to the general public. Promising maximal power, easy-to-access modulation, and unparalleled control… could these highly adjustable Brembo brakes set a new mountain bike performance benchmark?

We had the chance to get some back-to-back test rides on the new brakes earlier this year, and can safely say that they offer some of the most accessible brake tuning we’ve ever used. With 3 distinct adjustments at the lever, you can truly change how the brakes perform & feel with ease. Does that mean you will dial in your braking for varying conditions, or just that you can independently adjust power & modulation to what feels best for you?

Brembo GR-PRO gravity mountain bike disc brakes

Brembo calls their race-proven GR-PRO disc brakes, a “complete high-performance braking ecosystem engineered for modern mountain bikes”. With that said, so far they’ve spent almost all of their development and fine-tuning on two types of riding – elite-level DH racing and enduro-style eMTB riding. Both are heavy bikes and high speeds, where you need maximum power to bring the bike to a stop. But just as important is adjustable modulation to control all that power.

And this is where the new Brembo MTB brakes look to stand out. With more power, modulation, fit & feel adjustability than pretty much all mainstream mountain bike brakes, Brembo hopes to bring more manageable braking power to the masses.

“Directly derived from Brembo’s racing applications, GR-PRO leverages the company’s experience in the UCI Downhill Mountain Bike World Cup, where Brembo products are already in use at the highest competitive level. This heritage ensures that the same principles of reliability, control, stability and consistency developed for elite competition are transferred into a system designed for aggressive mountain riding. These characteristics also make GR-PRO particularly suitable for today’s eMTBs and gravity bikes, which demand higher braking power and greater thermal robustness due to increased mass and higher average speeds.”

First Riding Impressions

The best way to test new brakes is repeatable laps on a known track, so I hit some of our favorite home-away-from-home trails outside Massa Marittima back in February with Bike Connection Agency. My time was limited to a single afternoon, but I really wanted to get a sense for the adjustability of the new Brembo brakes. So, I stuck to one variable – the 3-position lever ratio. And thankfully, I had an Amflow eMTB on hand with the powerful Avinox motor and a killer Öhlins suspension setup that let me quickly fly down a rough techy trail, then zip back up the hill for repeats.

Back-to-back leverage ratio tweaks

I started with the same medium setting front & rear to get a baseline, then tried soft/soft, medium/medium, then hard/hard to get a sense of the changes. Immediately, switching to soft I realized how big a shift it was and how I didn’t like the sensation at all, feeling like the braking power I wanted simply wasn’t there. Back in medium felt better. Then, in hard, it was again too stiff, feeling like I was going to tire my hands out in just over 1km of quick descending. So, next I figured I needed to mix-and-match a bit.

I tried hard front & medium rear, realizing that maybe hard would really be good when there was a lot of grip. Next, I swapped to medium front & soft rear, and got the same sense that maybe the soft setting could be nice in wet, loamy, or simply loose conditions. I still felt like medium/medium was my ideal feel. But when I looked back at my lap times, I’d actually set a personal best, shaving almost 5 seconds off a 3.5-minute descent in the medium/soft setting.

Without even getting into the dead-stroke adjustment (which is where I would really want to spend more time fine-tuning), my clear takeaway is that the Brembo Gr-Pro brakes will be perfect for mountain bikes who love to tinker with their perfect setup. These brakes harness tons of potential for anyone looking to fine-tune their setup, or adjust it as conditions change, to get more speed out of your bike.

I look forward to getting my hands on a set for long-term testing to see how far down the rabbit hole I can go!

Tech details

• big red brakes… honestly, the first thing you notice is their color
• 2-piece forged alloy 4-piston calipers with 18mm insulated pistons
• 1-piece forged alloy master cylinder body with high lever force into a small diameter piston

• 3 independent adjustments at the lever:
  ‣ 3 levels of lever ratio/modulation adjustment: soft, medium & hard
  ‣ 7 clicks of dead stroke adjustment to fine-tune ideal braking point setting
  ‣ 40 clicks of tool-free reach adjustment positions to fit any hand size or preferred lever position
• very long 65mm aluminum brake levers
• braided stainless steel brake lines with PTFE core
• 2.3mm thick stainless rotors, inspired by motorcycle rotors with trailing-spoke legs (the opposite orientation of most MTB brakes)
• rotors available in 200 & 220mm diameters, separately
• one specially-formulated semi-metallic brake pad compound, which already won 3 DH World Cups
• direct MatchMaker shifter/remote mounts, available separately

Brembo Gr-Pro MTB brakes – Pricing, options & availability

For now, the new Brembo Gr-Pro mountain bike brakes will be available just as a complete brake kit without rotors, retailing for approximately 900€, with VAT. But that does interestingly include a second set of brake pads, in addition to 2 levers, 2 calipers, your brake hoses, proprietary mineral oil, and the bleed kit. Adding a pair of rotors will add ~144€. By the time you add a caliper mounting bracket for your frame and/or fork, or an adapter to hang your shifter and/or dropper to the brake clamp, it will likely cost between 1100-1200€ to fit a complete new Brembo brakeset to your bike.

Of note, even though European consumer pricing includes tax, Brembo officially lists Gr-Pro prices exclusive of VAT since the tax rate varies slightly from country to country in the EU. Without VAT, a brake kit is 750€, rotors are 60€, caliper mounts are 21€, shifter adapters 30€, and spare pads are 33€.

The Brembo Gr-Pro brake kit will first be available in Europe only, starting in July 2026. It’ll hopefully roll out to broader international markets later in the year.

Brembo.com

The post Iconic Red Brembo Brakes Hit MTB Market with Unique Rider Adjustability: First Rides appeared first on Bikerumor.

Gravel tires are trending bigger, so Continental has just added a new size. The German tire manufacturer announced the new 50mm width option for its Dubnital line, which was originally developed for cross-country racing and has gained traction among gravel riders in its existing 55mm size.

The tire features a tread pattern designed for dry to damp conditions across rocky, hardpack, and medium-loose surfaces. The design incorporates a fast-rolling center section for straight-line efficiency, complemented by pronounced shoulder knobs that provide braking traction and cornering stability on rough terrain. The tire is Tubeless Ready and hookless-compatible to work with contemporary wheel systems.

According to Continental’s MTB and Gravel Product Manager, Alexander Haenke, the 50mm dimension targets technically demanding races such as Traka, The Rift, and Badlands. Obviously, those looking for bigger tires already have the 55mm version available, but many frames will now just clear a 50mm, making this the clear choice. The tire is available in two configurations: a Race casing with Rapid compound for speed and efficiency, and a Trail casing with Rapid compound for enhanced durability and control.

We had a chance to try out the 50mm Dubnital on a couple of rides with BMC prior to the show, and overall, it handled the mix of broken pavement, sand, hard pack, and loose gravel found on the Sea Otter Gravel Race course quite well. The tire has a nicely rounded profile to it, and in spite of the aggressive knobs, it seemed to roll on the pavement without a lot of excess noise or resistance. There were some spots on loose gravel climbs where the tire struggled for grip, but it seemed like most tires would struggle in those same circumstances. The extra grip provided by the shoulder knobs was extremely welcome in the loose, high-speed corners, however.

Weights are to be announced, and the Continental Dubnital 50mm will be available through select retail partners and Continental distribution channels worldwide, with pricing set at $86.95, €74.95, and £66.99 depending on the market.

continental-tires.com

The post Continental Dubnital Gravel Tires Get New 50mm Size to Fit More Gravel Bikes appeared first on Bikerumor.

Ritchey Logic continues to expand its cockpit options with an all-new dropper, some interesting new bar shapes, new classic silver finishes for a few of those, plus an upgraded set of flat pedals. More options and more finishes so all-rounder gravel and MTB riders can get the contact points that make them feel good without breaking the bank.

Ritchey Logic expanded gravel & MTB cockpit offerings

First up, they’ve got a WCS 1-bolt Kite dropper post with two travel options, exclusively in 27.2 to work with traditional gravel and mountain bikes. On the cockpit front, the big news is a premium mid-rise carbon SuperLogic ErgoMax dropbar that combines light weight, all-day ergonomics, and extra comfort for gravel riders. But there are more affordable alloy bars, too.

Shiny silver Ritchey alt bars add a couple more options as the popular Kyote gets a new, more dramatically flared-back El Camino flat bar sibling, also available in simple Comp series black ano. And their newest Corralitos ergo gravel dropbar also gets the Classic silver look.

Plus, the recent Ritchey plastic platforms now get an aluminum big brother too, with the new Alloy Bigfoot flat pedals.

Ritchey WCS 1-bolt Kite 27.2 dropper seatpost

The new WCS Kite is kind of a big deal as it’s the first Ritchey dropper post. And true to the Ritchey ethos, it’ll be pretty affordable at just $200 while delivering a trusted clamp, reasonable light weight, and just enough travel & traditional sizing for the type of riders who would want a Ritchey dropper.

The dropper is 27.2 only, with a zero-offset 1-bolt head for round or oval rails, and the option for either 70mm or 100mm of infinitely adjustable dropping travel. It’s a WCS post, so that means it’s made of 7075 aluminum and weighs a claimed 380g (70mm) or 410g (100mm). Since it’s targeting both drop bar or flat bar builds, the Kite dropper does not include a remote. But Ritchey will offer options for both separately.

SuperLogic ErgoMax flared carbon riser dropbar

At the other end of the spectrum is the all-new Ritchey SuperLogic ErgoMax, a dramatically shaped carbon dropbar, combining extra ergonomic comfort with premium lightweight performance. Like their other ErgoMax dropbars, this one features a compact but round bend with wider ergonomic tops. But for the top-tier carbon bar, it also adds 20mm of rise just next to the stem to put you in a slightly more upright riding position, while also introducing a flex point to create a more comfy bar for reduced hand fatigue. Plus, there’s a generous 90mm of uninterrupted 31.8 clamping width before the rise, so you should still have plenty of space to mount bikepacking bags, GPS mounts, or even a set of aerobar extensions.

The SuperLogic ErgoMax gets a big 17.5° flare to the drops, while there’s a subtle 5° backsweep for all-day comfort on those riser tops, too. It comes in 4 sizes – 38-44cm measured at the hoods, with each being 6.7cm wider at the end of their flared drops.

The carbon bars feature 113mm Drop and just 70mm Reach, plus internal cable routing including old school Di2 drilling. The drops flare 17.5°, while the ends lean out another 2°. Claimed weight is just 240g for a mid-sized 42cm bar. Pricing isn’t officially set until the bars roll out this summer, but we’re told to expect a similar price point to other SuperLogic carbon bars.

New Corralitos ergo gravel dropbar

Ritchey’s newest alt drop bar shape is the slightly riser Corralitos drop bar with a short reach & shallow drop. Designed for riding off-road on bikes that traditionally would fit a flat bar, it features a 15mm rise, just 52mm reach, and 67.5mm drop with a smooth anatomic bend. It also gets a round top, generous 24° flare to its drops, and wide widths: 44, 46, 48, 50cm measured from the hoods.

The double-butted 6061 alloy Corralitos comes in a 57€ black Comp version, and soon also in a shiny high-polish silver Classic edition, too.

New flared-back El Camino flat bar

Their newest alt flat bar is the El Camino, essentially reshaping the popular alt Kyote (also now in Classic silver) with even more dramatic 35° backsweep and less forward offset. The El Camino looks like what you would get if you remade a beach cruiser bar in a more modern, high-performance spec. The result is a comfortable, upright riding position, but still with plenty of control to tackle any terrain.

The 50-60€ Ritchey El Camino bar is made of double-butted 6061 alloy. It measures 750mm wide horizontally, with a mega 35° backsweep, 50mm rise, and 200mm wide 31.8 round clamping area offering plenty of space to mount accessories or adventure-ready bags. The 340g bar is available in Comp black now, and soon in that high-polish silver Classic look, as well.

WCS Bigfoot alloy platform pedals

Last up here are new sets of aluminum platform pedals to complement the plastic Bigfeet.

Simple burly aluminum flat pedals, Ritchey crafted 6061 alloy pedals with a 105mm wide x 110mm concave platform and 10 replaceable traction pins per side. The 17.5mm thick aluminum pedals spin on chromoly axles with a sealed outer bearing and inner bushing.
The 445g alloy Bigfoot pedals come in WCS black or Classic silver to match the rest of your Ritchey kit.

Oh wait, that bike doesn’t have any Ritchey kit on it. But it could surely use a Ritchey Classic cockpit and this new Classic Bigfoot pedals, right?

RitcheyLogic.com

The post Affordable Ritchey Kite Post Drops In, Plus SuperLogic ErgoMax, Classic Bars, Pedals Too! appeared first on Bikerumor.

Saddles are usually one of the least dramatic parts of a road bike launch.  A shape tweak here, a new foam recipe there, maybe a fresh cutout and a few big promises about comfort. Usually, you can squint at a new road saddle and more or less know what you’re looking at. Plus, it’s totally up to you whether you can use it. Saddles either work with your anatomy or don’t, no matter what carbon they adorn – that’s why it’s hard to write about them.

However, this new Prologo saddle has a unique design, and the Italian saddle maker is calling it the first integrated road saddle. So it’s a bit more than “comfort and power” for the sell line.

What Is The Prologo Choice?

At its simplest, the Choice is Prologo’s new flagship road saddle, built around aerodynamics, low weight, and a more integrated structure than the usual shell-and-rail layout.

The key detail is the Nack carbon rail, which is tucked up inside the body and hidden by two flowing side wings. Prologo says that layout helps smooth airflow around the saddle while also tightening up the structural connection between the rail and base. The whole thing is meant to work more like a single aerodynamic piece than a traditional saddle with the usual exposed hardware hanging underneath.

Visually, it looks like it came off a concept bike. Which is probably the point.

Chasing More Than Comfort

A lot of saddle launches still lean on the same language: support, relief, position, comfort. Prologo is going further down the aero rabbit hole with this one.

The company says the Choice was developed using CFD simulations and refined in the wind tunnel, with the goal of reducing drag and optimizing the interaction among rider, saddle, and bike as a complete system. That may sound like a lot of pressure to put on one component, especially one that’s hidden under a butt… but the design at least matches the ambition. The hidden rail and the covered side profile are not there by accident. This saddle is clearly trying to manage air, not just hold a rider in place.

Prologo also says the reduced stack height and tighter rail-to-shell connection add structural stiffness. They also claim cleaner power transfer and more precise handling. That’s a bold claim for a saddle, but it fits the broader direction of modern road gear, where every component is getting more integrated, more sculpted, and more system-focused than it used to be.

It’s A Saddle First

Thankfully, Prologo did not forget the obvious part.

The Choice uses variable-density foam, and the shape was refined using the brand’s Pressure Map MyOwn pressure-mapping system. The idea is to balance comfort and performance while letting riders stay in an aero position longer without the usual saddle-related negotiations.

Shape-wise, Prologo calls it a semi-round, T-shape saddle. That usually means a little more versatility than the ultra-flat, ultra-specific saddles that work brilliantly for a very narrow slice of riders and nobody else. The overall length is a modern 240mm, and it comes in two widths: 140mm for the narrow version and 147mm for the wide. Claimed weight is 152g.

Modular Maybe Smarter

The aero shape will get the attention, but the most interesting detail might be the one underneath.

Prologo says the rail can be separated from the carbon shell with two screws, meaning individual parts can be replaced in the event of damage. That is not something you hear very often in the premium saddle world, where “lightweight” and “repairable” rarely show up in the same sentence.

It’s a smart feature, especially on a product this expensive. High-end saddles are usually treated like precious objects right up until the moment a crash, travel mishap, or bad lean against a wall turns them into a very expensive paperweight. Prologo’s approach here at least opens the door to fixing part of the saddle instead of binning the whole thing.

A Bigger Idea?

The bigger story is that Prologo seems to be treating the saddle the same way it has treated the rest of the road bike over the last few years. Frames got more aerodynamic. Cockpits got cleaner and more integrated. Wheels got deeper. Seatposts got more shaped and more specialized. The rider position got lower, faster, and more system-driven. Saddles, for the most part, stayed a little more familiar. But a saddle is arguably the most important part of the bike because if it’s uncomfortable, the rider suffers greatly, making the aero gains null and void.

The Choice is Prologo, arguing that the saddle doesn’t have to stay in that lane.

It won’t be for everyone. No saddle is. Fit is still personal, and the most advanced design in the world does not mean much if it doesn’t work with your position, your hips, and your tolerance for very firm race equipment. But from a pure product standpoint, the Choice is at least doing something new in a category that usually changes in very small steps.

And honestly, that alone makes it interesting.

Prologo Choice – Tech Details

Dimensions: 240 x 140mm or 240 x 147mm
Shape: Semi-round, T-shape
Rail: Nack carbon, 7 x 9mm
Construction: Long-fiber carbon base with integrated hidden-rail design
Padding: Variable-density foam
Claimed weight: 152g
Price: €490
Availability: Available now through Prologo and authorized dealers.

Prologo

The post Prologo Choice: A Wild Aero Saddle with Hidden Rails & A Repairable Design appeared first on Bikerumor.

The latest Colnago C-Series road bike keeps the handmade-in-Italy soul intact while adding more tire clearance, cleaner integration, and a smoother ride for riders who want heritage without sacrificing modern speed.

What Is The Colnago C72?

This is the next chapter in Colnago’s storied C-Series, the line that has long stood as the brand’s handmade, high-end expression of road-bike craft. It is still built in Italy. It still uses Colnago’s signature modular construction. And it still looks like a Colnago in the way only a C-bike can. But this time around, the old-world recipe gets a few meaningful updates: more tire clearance, an integrated storage compartment, revised geometry, a new cockpit, and a noticeably more forgiving attitude toward real-world roads.

While the C-Series has always traded on prestige, craftsmanship, and ride feel, the road beneath high-end bikes has changed. Riders are going faster on wider tires.

Made In Italy – Seven Parts

At its core, the C72 is still very much a C-Series Colnago. That means the frame is built from seven carbon parts joined together rather than formed as a single traditional monocoque. It is a construction method Colnago has used for years, and it remains one of the biggest things separating the C-bike line from the rest of the premium road market.

This time, though, Colnago is leaning into that identity even more. Rather than trying to hide the joins, the new C72 makes the lugged construction part of the visual story. The transitions between sections look deliberate and crisp, giving the frame a sculpted, almost tailored look. It is one of those rare cases where the frame details feel less like an engineering compromise and more like design flex.

Still A Race Bike

It is still a race-bred road bike that carries performance geometry. It still looks fast leaning against a wall. But Colnago has clearly opened the door to a broader kind of speed here. The bike now clears up to 35mm tires, which is a big move for a flagship road model with this kind of pedigree. That is enough room to make the C72 far more versatile than older C-bikes without dragging it into gravel-bike cosplay.

That added tire room also comes with a smoother overall ride. Colnago says the frame improves compliance, especially at the rear end, to make the bike more comfortable and more composed on rough surfaces.

That sounds like marketing copy until you look around the road world and realize nearly every premium performance bike is inching in the same direction. Wider tires are faster on rough roads. More control means less fatigue. Less fatigue means you are still making power when the ride gets long and the road gets rough.

This is not Colnago going soft. It is Colnago catching up to what fast road riding actually feels like now.

Hidden Storage C-Series

Yes, the C72 has storage, and honestly, Colnago handled it better than we expected.

The new bike gets an integrated downtube storage compartment, opened via a twist-tab setup at the bottom of the tube. The bottle cage lifts away to reveal the compartment inside, a smart, clean solution on a bike that could have looked silly if the storage had been handled poorly.

Instead, it is subtle enough to stay out of the way visually, but useful enough to matter once you actually start riding the thing. Tube, CO2, tool, maybe a tiny emergency snack if you’re the type who likes to pretend you won’t need one. It is one of those features that feels slightly unromantic on a hand-built Italian superbike until you use it once and immediately decide it should be on more road bikes.

New Cockpit And More Fit Flexibility

Up front, Colnago gives the C72 a new CC.02 integrated cockpit, which replaces the previous setup with a lighter, more refined bar-and-stem combo. Colnago says it trims 15 grams over the older unit and is shaped for a more aggressive hand position and better brake control in the drops.

That sounds like a small detail until you remember how much the front end can change a bike’s feel. On a premium road bike, small front-end changes are usually the difference between “pretty good” and “this thing absolutely rips.”

Colnago has also tweaked the geometry with a higher stack-to-reach ratio, giving riders a little more setup flexibility and a slightly more relaxed fit window than the more aggressive V5Rs. That does not suddenly turn the C72 into a grand-fondo machine, but it should make it easier to build the bike into something that feels properly fast.

That is probably the smartest kind of update Colnago could have made. The riders shopping for this bike still want performance. They just do not all want to feel like they are trying out for Roubaix every time they leave the house.

Lighter Than The C68

Colnago says the unpainted C72 frame in size 485 weighs 895 grams, 30 grams lighter than the outgoing C68. The complete bike can reportedly hit 6.8kg with the right build.

Those are healthy numbers, but this is not one of those bikes that lives or dies by being the lightest thing on the sales floor. The C-Series has always been about something a little more layered than that. Ride quality, construction, feel, brand heritage, and the particular satisfaction of owning a bike that still gets built with some actual romance baked into it.

The weight drop is welcome. The bigger story is that Colnago found a way to make the bike more modern without sanding off its personality.

A Price To Match

None of this comes cheap, obviously. The C72 lands firmly in the “if you have to ask…” section of the road-bike world, with pricing that matches its handmade, Italian-built, flagship status. That is not going to shock anyone shopping for a C-Series Colnago. Exclusivity has always been part of the pitch, and Colnago is not suddenly pretending otherwise.

If anything, the C72 doubles down on that by making the bike more useful without sacrificing its uniqueness.

Colnago C72 Models & Prices

• Frame kit: £6,299 / €5,940 / $8,535
• Shimano Dura-Ace + ENVE SES 4.5 wheels: £14,999 / €15,900 / $20,324
• Campagnolo Super Record 13s + Bora Ultra WTO wheels: £14,999 / €15,400 / $20,324
• Shimano Dura-Ace + Fulcrum Sharq 57 wheels: £13,299 / €14,200 / $18,020
• SRAM Red AXS + ENVE SES 4.5 wheels: £16,299 / €16,600 / $22,085

Availability — 60 days from ordering

Colnago.com

The post Colnago’s New C72 Brings A More Comfortable Edge to Its Italian-Built Flagship appeared first on Bikerumor.