In 2019, Áspero took the world by storm by announcing a "new era of speed in gravel riding." The new Áspero stays true to those simpler early days of genuine gravel but comes with a few upgrades: a threaded bottom bracket, neater cable routing, and a derailleur hanger compatible with UDH for those wanting to use SRAM drivetrains. And of course, it’s more aerodynamic. However, for Áspero, aerodynamics is less about outright speed and more about energy savings, achieved by reducing drag. After a long, windy day, the three watts saved compared to the previous Áspero might mean one less energy gel your stomach has to process – try it to believe it!

Beyond reducing drag, we’ve also lowered the seat stays for better rear grip and slightly reduced the stiffness of the front end to make those long race hours less painful. Between the lowered stays, we’ve also added extra mud clearance, drawing from lessons learned from the R5-CX (and the 2023 Unbound mudfest). These may seem like small improvements, but together they add up. The result is a bike that closely resembles the original Áspero but is faster, more comfortable, and more versatile.