The 2026 Cervélo Áspero-5 in the shop, parked next to an S5. The amount of shared aero DNA between the two bikes is obvious. This is a first-look — no real ride miles on this specific bike yet, supply is tight and customer bikes come first.
Frame & Aero Updates
The 2026 Áspero-5 picks up clear aero cues from the S5: deeper head tube, aero down tube with S5-like shaping, and the rear wheel tucked in closely. It looks like the aero gravel sibling in the Cervélo family. The integrated top tube storage is included with a supplied bag, and carbon bottle cages come in the box.
Drivetrain Notes
This build runs a RED/XX Transmission mullet setup. For how gravel is ridden around here, the preference would be the 13-speed SRAM RED XPLR — tighter gear spacing, less range than you’ll actually need for mostly flat Minnesota gravel. That said, we’ve had customers convert from XPLR to Transmission and end up preferring it once they’re used to the steps. If you want an XPLR build instead, that’s a conversation we can have.
The Vittoria Corsa Pro Control 42s are interesting — a combo with Vittoria sealant that would make a great gravel setup. If supply loosens up, we’d stock these heavily for gravel builds.
Steve’s own Cervélo Áspero-5 with Campagnolo Ekar 13-speed mechanical. Stock except for tires. Ridden at the Badlands Gravel Battle and on 100-mile days. Full breakdown of the Ekar drivetrain, cockpit, braking, and where this bike sits in the gravel spectrum.
Drivetrain
Campagnolo Ekar 13-speed, almost completely stock except tires. The 13 speeds give you tight single-tooth steps in the first 5–6 gears where you’re moving at speed, then bigger jumps deeper in the cassette where you’re slow enough not to notice. The 38T chainring that comes stock is more versatile than you’d expect — around here you could run 40T, 42T, or even 44T without issue.
The Ekar carbon crank works well but limits power meter options to pedal-based units, which is fine when you’re rotating bikes constantly and can just move pedals.
Cockpit & Ekar Ergonomics
The Ekar hoods feel different from Shimano or SRAM. Upshifts are fantastic. Downshifts take a few rides to get dialed — the lever throw is different, but once you know the feel it becomes second nature. Reviewers who had complaints about Ekar shifting almost always had bikes that weren’t set up correctly. Proper setup and barrel adjuster dialing makes a big difference.
Braking
Campy brakes feel great in the drops. Over 40 mph on gravel descents and they’re predictable and secure. The one note: wet gravel tends to pack into the calipers more than other systems. In normal dry conditions, excellent.
Where It Sits
The Áspero-5 is unapologetically a race bike. It feels closest to a sporty road bike of any gravel bike ridden. Tire clearance is 42mm — not meant for big adventure tires. There’s a third bottle cage mount under the downtube, and the included top tube bag has a plastic interior plate that rattles — drop a piece of cardboard in the bottom and it’s fixed.
If a ride might be pavement, gravel, or a mix, the Áspero-5 is the bike to reach for. Fast, simple, comfortable in the drops.
One of the best gravel race bikes on the market. The Ekar drivetrain is genuinely good and underrated. Fast, predictable, made for riding rather than hauling things. If you want a bike that leans more toward race than adventure, this is it.
Interested in the Áspero-5?
We carry both the new and previous generation. Come talk to us about configurations.