The fastest gravel bike in the world?
Combine mountain bikes and road bikes you get a gravel bike. That's the approximate recipe. Ridley has thought with the Kanzo Fast but a bit different and given a few neat pinches of racing character and aerodynamics more in the development of this particular bike. But is it really the fastest gravel bike on the market? Nic took a closer look in our latest YouTube video and today we on the blog also take a look at the Ridley Kanzo Fast:
1. Aerodynamics
Admittedly, the title "fastest gravel bike in the world" comes from Ridley himself, so a brief critical look at the bike must be. But: The Kanzo Fast is really unbeatable aerodynamic. Ridley has basically taken the best of her aero road bike, the Noah Fast and the Kanzo gravel bike and created the Kanzo Fast gravel speed machine.
The bike features truncated NACA tubes that reduce drag by controlling the airflow around the wheel. And not only when the wind hits the tubes straight from the front, at 0 degrees, but also when the wind comes from the side at angles of up to 15 degrees.
The seamless transition between fork and frame or the curved seat tube that protects the rear wheel not only look chic, but also contribute to aerodynamics, just like the d-shaped seatpost with f-surface plus technology and the fully integrated cable routing. Add to that wings on the underside of the fork to reduce turbulence caused by the wheel hub, and on the more expensive models there's also a Kanzo Fast gravel-specific aero-handlebar installed. All this allows the bike to defy air resistance to the maximum and cut through the air even faster. Especially at speeds around 25-30 km / h you really feel it.
2. Geometry.
The geometry is what you would expect on a gravel bike. A shorter reach, higher stack and longer wheelbase than a typical road bike provide more stability and control on gravel. Still, it's cut relatively aggressively and even feels like a pure road bike on the road, except it's a bit slower in corners. Which unfortunately means it struggles a bit on more technical trails, but not that it's uncomfortable. The intentionally lowered seatstays, the D-shape carbon-seatpost, the carbon frame and the tire clearance of 42 mm all allow to dampen vibrations and thus provide you with solid comfort even on rough terrain. However, once you hit rooted trails or extreme gravel, it does get a bit uncomfortable. Tire clearance is also pretty limited for a gravelbike , but that just goes to show that this bike is made for fast riding.
The frame is made of high-quality 24, 30, 50 and 60t Torayca carbon, which is why the Ridley team was able to make the bike stiff yet comfortable in certain areas without using a lot of material. This saves weight and the resulting stiffness is particularly noticeable in the area of the thick bottom bracket, which provides efficient power transfer when pedaling.
3. Weight.
Speaking of weight: The frame and the fork itself weigh 1.7 kg in size L. The entry-level version in L weighs 9.2 kg: Considering that aero bikes usually weigh much more, it is already an L size and "only" the entry-level components are installed, this weight is hardly acceptable. However, if every gram counts, you can opt for higher-quality components and reduce the weight to up to 8.2 kg.
4. Mounting and configuration options.
Surprisingly - and fortunately - the Ridley Kanzo Fast has mounting options for mudguards. This is something you hardly ever see on race-gravel bikes, but ensures that you can use this bike comfortably all year round. And three bottle cages are also available, one of them directly under the down tube.
Almost cooler? Ridley's configuration feature. Not only can you customize the color of your bike, but you can also choose from a variety of derailleur groups, wheelsets, cockpit setups, saddles, etc. The most classic model is the entry-level model and comes with a Sram Rival 1x11 mechanical groupset, which Nic tends not to be a fan of, a Ritchey Buttano handlebar, which is fine, and Vittoria Terreno Dry tires, which are mounted on Ridley's in-house Forza Norte aluminum wheelset. It's important to note, however, that your options in the configurator are limited depending on which components you choose in detail. For example, you won't be able to choose the Kanzo Fast Carbon Aero handlebar, which is basically the Noah Fast handlebar, but optimized for riding on gravel.
5. Components.
As for groupsets, the Kanzo Fast is a bit limited. It's almost only available in 1x options, so with only one chainring, which improves power transfer and aerodynamics, and also makes room for a 42mm tire in a short chainstay. But if you really want at least the feel of a front derailleur and have the cash on hand, you can outfit the bike with the Classified G30 wheelset. This is equipped with a Power Shift rear hub and rides like a 2-speed setup.
6. Price.
Price-wise, the entry-level model starts at €3,569. Now that's not the best deal on the market, and the Sram Rival groupset feels pretty cheap, but compared to gravel bikes in the same "racing" category, it's still pretty decent. At the end of the day, you're paying handsomely for the highly engineered and well-tested aerodynamic frame. If you want the aero handlebars, the cheapest option is the GrX 800 setup with the Rotor Vegas crank, which will set you back €4,539. Pretty solid deal. Prices range up to €8,219 if you choose the most expensive components.
7. Is it for you?
Road cyclists:inside who want to enter the gravel scene will especially love it because of its somewhat aggressive geometry. You could also consider a second wheelset with thinner tires and use it as a road bike as well.
If you're more interested in adventurous long-distance riding, we'd recommend a bike like the Canyon Grizl we would recommend. In the category of fast gravel bikes, are also the Cervélo Aspero 5 or the Pinarello Grevil quite in front, the Kanzo has in our opinion the best price-performance ratio.
We would not be buycycle, if we would introduce you to a bike , which you can not also find with us. If you are now on fire for the Ridley Kanzo Fast or generally looking for a new road bike, gravel or mountain bike, then take a look at buycycle.com. For questions about the Izalco our team is always there for you and if you need more tips and tricks about bicycles, take a look at the blog! Until then we wish you: Happy browsing, happy cycling!