Highlighting their new painted-in-Italy WPNT colors inspired by classic car paintjobs, 3T almost glossed over a really big update to their core RaceMax gravel bike… an Integrale shift finally gives the bike fully internal cable routing. Sure, 3T already adopted fully internal routing on their aero road bike a couple of years ago, and then incrementally on each of their premium made-in-Italy Italia models since. But now, the more affordable standard 3T RaceMax WPNT Integrale drops the annoying toptube routing port. And it’s also available as a frameset for 1/2 the cost of the Italia edition!

3T RaceMax WPNT Integrale carbon gravel bike is integrated!

For four years, the 3T RaceMax has been 3T’s best-selling gravel bike – aerodynamic, versatile with faster and wide 700c tires or even wider 650b tires for bigger adventures, and plenty of mounts for bikepacking and adventure. Now, 3T gives the RaceMax a “fresh coat of paint” by adding it to their new WPNT program, with 5 special edition metallic & iridescent colors said to be inspired by classic cars. That “We Paint” label meaning that 3T paints the bikes themselves in Italy, letting them run more special edition colors.

At the same time, the 3T RaceMax WPNT also becomes “Integrale” like their top-tier made-in-Italy Italia edition carbon road & gravel bikes…

Why does an integrated gravel bike update matter?

The 3T Exploro has been around as an aero gravel bike since 2016. And, I’ve ridden every generation since – at least 5 or 6 different Exploros with one inelegant cable routing solution. The RaceMax platform itself, has been around for 4 years, now. I reviewed this latest bike back in the summer of 2020. And all-in-all I think it’s still one of the best, most versatile but still race-ready gravel bikes out there. Well, except for one major nit I had to pick…

The cable routing into the frame just behind the headset was simply bad. Always in the way, whether mounting devices over the stem or using any toptube bag. It was annoying enough that I wasn’t bothered when it was time to return that test bike to 3T.

And I was genuinely psyched when I first rode the made-in-Italy Exploro Extrema Italia which fixed the internal cable routing issue (even if the toptube bolts didn’t exactly seem to be in the correct spot).

Sure, it meant that the new made-in-Italy bikes were only compatible with electronic shift drivetrains. And they were a lot more expensive. But, it was so much better a solution that this was a gravel bike I would like to keep around for a bit longer.

Now, that’s no longer holding it back, I can say this made-in-Taiwan RaceMax is one of the best all-rounder gravel bikes out there. It does everything the RaceMax Italia does – the same shaping, tire sizes, component standards, and geometry – just with a frameset that costs half as much built with pre-preg carbon instead of filament winding.

2025 3T RaceMax WPNT Integrale – Pricing, options & availability

The newly integrated RaceMax WPNT is now available directly from 3T in 5 special edition paint colors: Camo gray, Indaco blue, Mara blue, Malva purple & Avorio off-white. And it is offered both as a 2975€ frameset, or a complete bike build for 6150€ with a new GRX Di2 2x build and aero carbon 3T Discus 40/30 wheels. Either way featuring the 3T Fango RaceMax Integrale compact crown fork & Apto Integrale Stealth stem to route all cables (electronic shift only) through the headet.

Both new iterations of the new 3T RaceMax WPNT Integrale are painted and built-to-order, with a 6-8 week lead time.

3T.bike

The post 3T RaceMax WPNT Finally Integrates Internal Cable Routing For Popular Gravel Bike appeared first on Bikerumor.

Today is a big day for Santa Barbara’s Stinner Frameworks. Not only have they announced a new Carrizo All-Road bike, but with it, they’re introducing a complete range of approachable, made-in-the-USA bikes. Introducing the Stinner Select Program. With this new program, the Carrizo is ready to ship within days, not weeks or months.

California-based Stinner Frameworks has been building steel and titanium bicycles for over a decade, becoming a staple in the handmade frame-building world. Their continued growth and popularity put the brand in a unique and exciting position.

The “Select” program is designed to offer customers the best Stinner has to offer while “eliminating the wait time and potential confusion that’s often associated with a custom bike”. The dedicated, in-house production and manufacturing line will allow Stinner’s full custom side to continue to flourish, with “Select” bikes remaining in stock all year long.

The new Carrizo All-Road is built in the same facility, by the same team that builds Stinner’s famous custom offerings. The Carrizo will be available online and at select Stinner dealers worldwide.

The Stinner Carrizo “Select”

This new Carrizo all-road bike is handcrafted, powder-coated, and assembled in Stinner’s Santa Barbara facility. The frame uses lightweight Columbus Zona Steel tubes.

The complete Carrizo will sport a SRAM Apex AXS 12-speed drivetrain. The frame will be able to run 40mm tires, making it comfortable on paved, not-so-paved, and dirt roads.

Braze-ons for fenders and three water bottles make the Carrizo a tough cookie that’s ready for year-round adventuring. The complete will also have a full Easton cockpit and DT Swiss wheels.

Stinner Frameworks says they utilize common standards throughout the bike for easy maintenance, futureproofing, and serviceability.

Stinner Carrizo Geo

Retail, Sizes, and Specs

Frameset retail: $1695
Complete retail: $3895

Sizes: 50cm, 52cm, 54cm, 56cm, 58cm, and 60cm\

• Made in Santa Barbara, CA
• Colors: Mint and Desert (powder coated for durability)
• Frame Material: Columbus Zona Steel Tubing
• SRAM Apex AXS 12 Speed Build
• Tire Clearance: 40mm
• Easton Cockpit / DT Swiss Wheels
• Three bottle cage locations and fender mounts

StinnerFrameworks.com

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We’ll be the first to admit it: Fueling for long events is challenging, especially if you don’t have a game plan or it’s your first event. With the rise of longer and more intense gravel races and events, proper fueling is more critical than ever. If you’ve ever questioned what and when to eat on the bike, this podcast will improve your fueling game.

A Guide to Gravel Race Fueling

This conversation isn’t just for first-timers or elite gravel grinders; it’s for everyone. I’ve often gotten my fueling strategy wrong, and I still do sometimes (and I’ve been at this for years).  Whether it was not eating enough, not eating the right food, or the dreaded “I’ll eat later” followed by a dreaded BONK and vision quest for the finish line. We can all work on our fueling for training and racing, no matter how many races we have under our belt. 

For BikeRumor Podcast Episode 103, I sat down with the Fuel Good Nutrition (formerly Rider Box) team to dispel fueling myths and clarify what a race nutrition plan can look like. 

So, should I eat as many gels as I can? No, this isn’t a laundry list of 20 gels and 50 blocks for over 250k of racing. It’s a real-food and practical look at what riders can do (and stomach) to achieve the most from their training.

From Training to Race Day

We discuss what a fueling plan looks like from the very start. Please look at the week leading up to the big event (gravel race in our scenario) and forward from there. We are tackling not only what but also how to get in the correct amount of carbs and other fuels to stay robust and fresh over your ride. 

Bottle Strategy and Pack Prep

Are you going to go bottles or pack? How many? What should I put in them? These are the big questions for a longer (hot) gravel event. The last thing you want as an athlete during an event is dehydration. It affects not only your ability to perform but also your mental capacity.

Do you know what kind of sweater you are? Are you someone who needs more sodium or electrolytes? We discuss sweat rate and how to find your sweat type. Whether you jump on the scale pre and post-ride or check your rate with the NIX biosensor – knowing what you need to replenish is vital.

Post Gravel Race Recovery

After the race, you need to replenish, recover, and rebuild. We discuss re-fueling, recovery meals, drinks, and strategies so you can be stronger in the next race.

Learn more about FuelGoods.com

The post Podcast #103: A Guide to Practical Gravel Race Nutrition appeared first on Bikerumor.

From deep in the Dolomites, Alpitude lays up a new ultralight full-carbon Navene saddle with a short-fit, extra reinforcement, and new engineered flex for gravel and XC weight weenies. With weights as low as 72g, Alpitude developed the Navene to withstand the toughest off-road conditions whether you’re a full-tilt racer or just looking to lighten up your ride.

Alpitude Navene short-fit ultralight carbon off-road saddle

Alpitude calls the short-fit Navene the latest in their ultralight ‘naked’ carbon saddle line-up. As a follow-up to their ultralight split Gardena road saddle, the new Alpitude Navene shares a similar short fit, but now, reoptimized for more demanding off-road riding and racing conditions.

It’s a project that Alpitude has developed over the past 3 years with a couple of pro Italian racers – Lorena Zocca & Mirko Tabacchi – who between the two have won more than a dozen national championship titles between them in XCO, XCE, XCM, CX, Gravel & eMTB. The idea was always about creating one of the lightest possible and stiffest race-ready saddles, but also making it flex at the back where it needs to for comfort and durability.

They even teased us with the Navene last autumn. But now, it’s officially ready for consumers.

What’s new?

The most obvious difference compared to the Gardena is the connected tail of the new off-road saddle, said more to prevent snagging your shorts when hanging off the back on steep descents, rather than increasing strength. But those biggest durability & robustness improvements are harder to spot. Like wider reinforced edges all around the Navene to make the saddle stronger overall, but especially more impact-resistant.

More precision attachment of rails to shell and tougher reinforced carbon rails to handle bigger G-out forces while in the saddle. In the end, there’s about 10% more weight in the Navene vs. the Gardena. But at the ultralight levels of an unpadded, full carbon saddle, that only amounts to just a 7g difference to make this off-road-ready.

Tech details

• full carbon construction, handmade in Italy
• available in three finishes: large 3K Twill, tighter 1K weave, or UD
• 245mm long short-fit design optimized for off-road riding
• 130mm standard or wider 142mm options
• 7×9mm oval carbon rails, max 6Nm rail bolt
• 95kg max rider weight

• designed for XC, gravel, and road riding
• 72g for 3K x 130mm wide or 75g for 3K x 142mm
• add 5g extra for either UD or 1K finishes
  (all weights claimed +/-5%)

Alpitude Navene saddle – Pricing, options & availability

Alpitude’s all-new ultralight carbon Navene gravel and cross-country mountain bike saddle is available now directly from Alpitude for 320€. For that price you get to pick your ideal finish – 3K, 1K, or UD – and 130mm or 142mm widths.

Alpitude keeps some size & finish combos in stock, while others are made-to-order, with an approximate 2-week leadtime. And global shipping adds 12€.

Alpitude.cc

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Cane Creek’s latest product isn’t a groundbreaking gravel suspension fork or a colorful rim brake, but it is something that many bikes need. As far as Cane Creek’s lineup goes, this is one of their simpler products, but it looks like a cool, lightweight, and handsome stem, so let’s check out the details.

Let’s start with the weight. The GXC has a claimed weight of 96g for a 60mm stem. That’s a pretty light aluminum stem. The GXC is made from forged and machined 6066 aluminum and uses stainless steel hardware.

GXC Claimed Weight

• 60mm: 96g
• 70mm: 104g
• 80mm: 112g
• 90mm: 116g
• 100mm: 120g

GXC Details

The GXC sports “ghosted, laser etched” branding which looks low-key and attractive. Cane Creek GXC comes in polished black or polished silver. It’s a premium finish that would usually be on stems that could cost twice as much.

The new stem has an angle of +/- 6 degrees and is compatible with Cane Creek’s computer mount. It has a stack height of 42mm and uses a 31.8mm bar clamp. It comes in five length options: 60mm, 70mm, 80mm, 90mm, and 100mm.

Made specifically for gravel and cross-country mountain bikes, the GXC uses an aesthetic that “matches the overall size, shape, and proportions of modern gravel and cross-country frames.

GXC Retail and Features

Retail: $70

• Colors: Polished Black & Polished Silver
• Lengths: 60mm, 70mm, 80mm, 90mm, and 100mm
• Angle: +/- 6 degree
• Bar Clamp: 31.8mm
• Steerer Clamp Height: 42mm
• Material: Forged and Machined 6066 aluminum alloy
• Hardware: Stainless Steel
• Graphics: Ghosted, laser-etched Cane Creek Logos
• Accessories: Compatible with Cane Creek Computer Mount

Check the GXC Stem out as well as all of the cool bits at the link below.

CaneCreek.com

The post Cane Creek GXC is a Sleek, Lightweight Stem for Gravel or XC appeared first on Bikerumor.

Camp and Go Slow just landed a big one. Known for their beloved bar tape that draws inspiration from colorful wildlife, their new Trout Tape is “inspired by the tough and elusive Brown Trout”. It’s made using the same processes and durable custom-dyed nylon yarn as the brand’s Eastern and Western Rattler tape.

The new Trout Tape is said to be softer and smoother than the Rattler tape. Inspired by the Brown Trout’s gorgeous colored scales, the colors should still look fantastic with your fave leather saddle.

Retail and What You Get

Retail: $44

The new Trout Tape comes in two 3300mm long rolls for the widest bars. The rolls will be packaged in a high-quality mesh drawstring bag. This bag is great for other uses, like storing loose goodies to throw in a bigger bag.

The Trout Tape, like the Rattler tape, is backed with the same 1.5mm of foam (the perfect amount, BTW) for just the right amount o’ cushioning. The bar tape is made in Taiwan and the bag is cut and sewn in Seattle.

What You Don’t Get…

No bar end plugs are included, (I suggest going with these, so add it to your cart). And no “finishing tape”, who uses it anyway?

Just like the Rattler Tape, the Trout Tape can be cleaned and doesn’t stretch much, making it completely reusable. It’s a great product from a great lil’ brand. Click the link below and get yours before it sells out. You won’t regret it.

CampAndGoSLow.com

The post Camp And Go Slow Release New Bar Tape Celebrating the Handsome Brown Trout appeared first on Bikerumor.

Yes – you read that right, just after launching a hookless design, Dandy Horse is walking hookless back and implementing double hook rims for select 2025 models. Why you ask? Dandy Horse cites the same reasons as hookless; safety, less flats, and better ride quality. Is there any precedent or is this a whole new concept for better wheel performance? Read on and find out.

Who Is Dandy Horse?

Dandy Horse is a Polish wheel brand located in Warsaw. They are a boutique-ish style carbon wheel company that produces wheels for on and off-road riding. Their designs are focused on lightweight builds, with their own hubs and rim designs.

For 2025, Dandy Horse is upping the ante on gravel, road, and all-road riding (but curiously not MTB) with three new wheelsets. The new lineup includes the Hyperion 45 GRV, Hyperion 30, and Positron 30, all featuring a unique “Double Hook” rim design. 

Did you just say double hook? Yes, Dandy Horse says the new double hook design will give riders maximum tire security and stability at any pressure. Here’s the lowdown on what a double-hook rim offers.

What is Double Hook Rim Technology?

Dandy Horse claims to be the only manufacturer currently offering carbon rims with this Double Hook design. The design integrates an outer hook to complement the traditional inner hook.

Why Double Hooked? Dandy Horse says the new tech will improve safety and durability, particularly when riding over rough terrain with low-pressure tires—a common scenario in gravel cycling. 

Is anyone else doing this? Not exactly, but there are some brands with similar concepts. Both Zipp and ENVE have used rim profiles with extra wide rim edges that are meant to prevent pinch flats and rim damage. Both of these designs were hookless though, so it seems like Dandy Horse is combining that concept with a hooked internal to create a hooked rim that could be as durable as hookless.

Is Dandy Horse on the edge of an industry breakthrough? Maybe, though, the fact that this new tech isn’t on their carbon mountain bike line is curious. We hope to get a set in for review and see for ourselves. Until then, we’ll have to take it at what it is: a cool-sounding design that could be a game changer or the result of smart marketing.

The Double Hook design is standard across all models in the 2025 Hyperion lineup.

Dandy Horse Double Hook Rim Lineup

Hyperion 45 GRV: High-Profile Power for Gravel

Leading the off-road charge is the Hyperion 45 GRV, Dandy Horse’s premier high-profile gravel wheelset. Sporting a 45mm rim height and 27mm internal width. This gravel-focused wheelset is crafted to merge speed with comfort. Designed for those who like to go fast without compromising on comfort, the Hyperion 45 GRV is one of the lighter high-profile gravel wheels on the market.

• Weight: from 1375 g
• Price: €1 509 – €1 869

Hyperion 30: A New Take on a Fan-Favorite

The Hyperion 30 series, a long-time favorite for gravel and mountain bike riders, has been upgraded for 2025 with the introduction of hooked rims. The Hyperion 30 sports a 27mm internal width with Double Hook reinforcement, enhancing rim and tire protection. Dandy Horse says this update comes directly from rider feedback. Ensuring that the Hyperion 30 will stay secure even under the most demanding conditions on gravel and off-road riding.

• Weight: from 1445 g
• Price: €1 259 – €1 619

Positron 30: Low-Profile Versatility for Multi-Surface Riding

Finally, Dandy Horse brings versatility to the mix with the Positron 30 series, which features a 30mm low-profile rim and 23.5mm internal width. Ideal for road, cyclocross, and gravel. These wheels accommodate tires from 28mm and up and perform well on trekking and city bikes.

• Weight: from 1305 g
• Price: €1 509 – €1 869

Pre-Order and Availability

Dandy Horse is opening up pre-orders for these wheels on Black Friday, offering a promotional price for those who want to jump on 2025.

The post Dandy Horse Launches Double Hook Rim Tech On Three Wheelsets for 2025 appeared first on Bikerumor.

Meriwether Cycles has a new bike called the Ponderosa. This particular bike is a collaboration between John Watson of The Radavist and Whit Johnson of Meriwether. When John told me the two were working together, I thought this is going to be a sweet bike.

Whit already makes stellar machines. But mix in Whit’s clever frame building with John’s aesthetics, creative touches, and geometry insight, and it’s a collaboration worth mentioning.

Take, for instance, the last bike I reviewed that John collaborated on. It was the stellar Sklar Super Something. That was a great-looking bike – and this new Meriwether Ponderosa looks to be just as nice.

Details on The Ponderosa

This new Meriwether Cycles Ponderosa is a US-made steel “gravel+” bike. The Ponderosa is going to come in stock sizes, so it will get a decent turn-around time of 2 months, and be cheaper than full-custom.

The frame has the clearance to run a wide-range gravel group and has been optimized to clear a 700×50 to 58mm tire. It’s mentioned that you can run the Ponderosa with smaller tires, but you’ll risk possible pedal strikes, as the bottom bracket will be lower.

The Poderosa is not just a big-clearance gravel bike. It’s been designed for bigger tires by increasing the bottom bracket drop, ensuring the bottom bracket isn’t too high.

This usually means that the rider will feel more stable with the feeling that they are “in the bike as opposed to on the bike”. This “feeling” really comes into play when you are fully laden with gear.

The Ponderosa has all of the mounts you can need, including seatstay water bottle bosses. these come in handy when employing a full-frame bag. Speaking of full-frame bags, the Ponderosa is not void of the Meriwether Cycles signature “portage” handle that is built into the frame. This will make it easier to lift the bike while using a full-frame bag.

Choices for the Win

The Meriwether Ponderosa will be available as a frameset or with a complete build. You’ll have a choice of a Columbus steel unicrown fork with your choice of attachment points (1000g w/ uncut steerer). Or, save some weight by choosing a Wilde Wayfinder carbon fork (520g w/ uncut steerer).

The Ponderosa can also come with your choice of Shimano 1 x12 mechanical GRX 820 or 610 groups. See prices below.

Ponderosa Frameset Retail and Geometry

Frameset retail:
$2400 with Wilde Wayfinder carbon fork
$2600 with steel unicrown fork.

Stock Colors: Flatter black, Orangsicle, Sagebrush, Olive green, and Playboy Blue
Add $50 for custom decals and $50 for your custom powder coat color.

Geometry

Ponderosa Build Kits and Prices

GRX 610 Build Kit: $2400. Ritchey Comp bars, Shimano BB, Woodman EC37 headset, seatpost, and seat tube collar, WTB Saddle, Whisky no.7 alloy stem, Shimano GRX RX880 carbon wheelset w/your choice of tires. (Note: Bar, saddle, and tire models are your choice in both build kits. Choice of 10-45 or 10-51 cassette)

GRX 820 Build Kit: $3800. ENVE or Ritchey WCS bars, White Industries BB & headset, WTB saddle, ENVE seatpost or dropper, Phil Wood seat tube collar, ENVE or Paul stem, ENVE G23 wheelset w/your choice of tires.

Orders open on November 1st, so hit the link below to get your own Ponderosa and get yourself lost.

MeriwetherCycles.com

The post Check the New Meriwether Cycles Ponderosa, an All-Round, Big Clearance, Gravel/Touring Steed appeared first on Bikerumor.

Have you ever looked at your SRAM 11spd 1X shifter and thought, “I wish someone would do something with this space.” Do you have an awkwardly placed drop bar dropper lever and despise the ergonomics? Well, OneUp has a solution for you. Introducing the OneUp Drop Bar Paddle Remote.

OneUp Drop Bar Paddle Remote – What is it?

Now, 1X SRAM riders can use the open space in the left shifter with OneUp’s super-sleek dropper remote setup. The new OneUp Components Drop Bar Remote provides an elegant solution for running a dropper post using 11-speed SRAM 1X (cable) levers. The design is seamless in aesthetics, and it looks like a factory lever, with only the OneUp logo laser etched on the side giving away the secret. 

OneUp says, “The design combines top-tier ergonomics, a lightweight lever feel, and seamless integration, setting a new standard for mechanical drop-bar remotes.”

SRAM 11spd Only 

Unfortunately, if you’re a Shimano rider or have the new SRAM APEX 12-spd, you can’t use this upgrade—yet (we’re hoping). The design is only for SRAM 11spd hydraulic groupsets with cable-actuated shifters. 

The SRAM 11spd-only compatibility puts the OneUp drop bar paddle remote in a niche category. But there are so many of those levers floating around that I imagine they won’t have any problems filling the orders. 

What about mechanical APEX 12 spd? We have a review bike with the new SRAM APEX 12-speed, and the internal fitting for the shifting mechanism is slightly different. Hopefully, we will see an option for other mechanical shifting bodies in the future. 

Dropper Compatibility 

The remote is engineered for perfect compatibility with the OneUp V3 Dropper Post. For those looking to use other posts (as there are many out there), we’re guessing you should be OK. However, Oneup has this disclaimer on the Drop Bar Paddle Remote landing page. “This product should also work with most brands’ dropper posts, but we cannot guarantee fitment and performance – except the OneUp V3/V2 Dropper Post. If you buy this paddle to actuate another brand’s dropper, you do so at your own risk.”

Can I Install It Myself? 

From what we’ve seen in the installation video, the OneUp Drop Bar Paddle Remote isn’t too hard to install, and you don’t need much to facilitate a successful installation. If you’re curious, check out the OneUp video below. 

How about service? The design facilitates easy removal of the dropper post for service. The cable clamp is positioned in the remote, and the cable end is within the dropper post, similar to other OneUp lever designs. 

OneUp added an integrated cable tensioner. This integrated design eliminates the need for an in-line barrel adjuster and supports entirely internal cable routing.

OneUp Drop Bar Paddle Remote Product Specifications

• Material: 6061-T6 Aluminum Black Ano 
• Size: 80mm x 34mm
• Weight: 32 g (lever assembly only, not including cable or housing)

OneUp Drop Bar Paddle Remote Compatibility

• SRAM Red 11spd Hydro R
• SRAM Force 11spd Hydro R
• SRAM Rival 11spd Hydro R
• SRAM Apex 11spd Hydro R
• Not compatible with ETap, Apex 12spd, or Shimano

Pricing – OneUp Drop Bar Paddle Remote

USD – $69.99, CAD – $95.99, GBP – £57.99, EUR – €63.99 and ROW – $81.99

Available now at oneupcomponents.com with free worldwide shipping or from your local bike shop.

The post OneUp Drop Bar Paddle Remote Gives SRAM 1X Cockpits Extra Functionality appeared first on Bikerumor.

Festka has an all-new Spectre Gravel, a race-ready gravel bike inspired by the fastest road racing bike. While it retains the characteristic vibration damping that comes from the way Festka builds all of their carbon bikes, this new gravel bike is not meant for casual adventure rides. This is a gravel bike that wants to go fast!

Festka Spectre Grvl handmade Czech carbon gravel race bike

Festka calls their Spectre road bike the absolute “stiffest and most explosive” bike they have ever built. Created to satisfy Festka co-founder and ex-Conti Pro racer Michael Moureček’s need for speed, it features exceptional stiffness from its headtube, down through the downtube and bottom bracket, then out through the chainstays to the rear axle. On the other hand, the dropped mono-seatstay and 27.2mm seatpost combined with the unique rider-tuned nature of the frame’s robot-woven carbon tubes, means the bike still promises to eat up road buzz for all-day comfort and deliver improved rear wheel traction.

Now, the Festka Spectre Gravel does all of that but with bigger tire clearance so you rides are not limited by smooth road surfaces.

Michael always wants to ride fast. And gravel riding was no exception. So he demanded a single bike that blended that all-road style of versatility with bigger – but not too big – tire clearance.

He wanted a gravel bike that felt as fast as his Spectre road bike when he stomped on the pedals. And at the same time, a bike that he could ride with 40mm gravel tires to go fast on dirt and gravel roads… or could swap in something like 32-35mm road tires to stick to hard surfaces.

And of course, a UDH to accommodate the latest SRAM Red XPLR AXS gravel transmission groupset.

The result is this new Festka Spectre Gravel.

With a max tire clearance of 700c x 40mm tires, it might seem under-biked compared to most new gravel bikes that we talk about these days. But Festka calls this a “race-ready gravel bike engineered for maximum speed and performance”. Plus, Festka already had the Scout for a few years if you were looking for bigger tires, or more of an adventure-style ride.

Tech details

Each Spectre Gravel is produced by hand in Festka’s Prague workshop. There, size-specific Czech-made carbon frame tubes are individually mitered, assembled in a jig, and then each joint is overlaid and laminated by hand in a painstaking process. At Bespoked in Dresden’s airport over the weekend, Lenka – one of Festka’s frame builders – worked throughout the handmade bike show on one Festka frame, showcasing the time-consuming process. Building up the transition material from one tube to the next, adding layers of raw carbon fiber weave, resin, and then tape overwraps to compress & hold them in place.

• full carbon tube-to-tube construction with CompoTech robot-wound tubes
• handmade in Prague, Czech Republic
• 52mm headtube for fully integrated internal cable routing through the headset
• Enve All-Road In-Route full carbon 1.5″ tapered steerer fork

• 1x only, 46T max chainring
• electronic shift only, wired or wireless: i.e. AXS, Di2, EPS/WRL
• UDH for compatibility with all drivetrains
• 40mm max tire clearance (specifically, width as measured)
• 27.2mm round seatpost with conventional external clamp
• BB86 PressFit bottom bracket
• max 140mm rear rotor
• 1035g frame weight (albeit an unpainted size M, as claimed)
• available in 7 stock frame sizes (XXS-XXL), also custom geometry possible

Festka Spectre Gravel – Pricing, options & availability

The new Festka Spectre Gravel is available to order now direct from Festka or any of their dealer bike shops around the world. Frames are made to order, with about a 3-4 month lead time. The new gravel bike comes in a wide 7 size range, and as is typical with Festka, more custom sizing is typically possible for those that have more unique fit requirements. We’re waiting to hear back an exact number on price, but we suspect it will start around the same 7000€ that it costs for a Spectre road frameset.

This bike shows the standard paint scheme for the Spectre Gravel with the majority of the carbon structure visible through just a glossy clearcoat. But of course, Festka also creates some of the most amazing paint jobs we’ve seen on a bike, so you could always transform one of these new Spectre Gravel race bikes into a piece of art if you have the time and budget.

Festka.com

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