Ridley

Kanzo Fast Rival1 Gravel Bike

Some gravel bikes are made to comfortably amble through off-road terrain, carrying everything you need for several days of serious snacking. This is not that bike. The Ridley Kanzo Fast is simply that: fast. Built to win gravel races, the Kanzo Fast borrows tech from Ridley's road machine the Noah Fast for a lightweight and powerful machine to get you to the top step. This Kanzo Fast pairs the aerodynamic frame with SRAM's simple and efficient Rival1 groupset, so you can spend less time fiddling with tune-ups and more time sharpening the skills for raceday.

Ridley constructs the Kanzo Fast from high-modulus unidirectional carbon fiber, which translates to a very light weight yet very stiff frame. Where the Kanzo Fast departs from other models in the Kanzo line is the use of Ridley's F-tubing and F-Steerer designs. The F-tubing is teardrop-shaped carbon tubing, which helps to move air past the frame for better aerodynamics as you race across the flats. At the front end, the F-Steerer allows for fully internal cable routing, which not only makes a more aero cockpit and fork, but also conveniently makes clean-up simpler after a muddy epic. F-Wings at the fork axle further complement the aerodynamic design of the frame, helping to reduce the turbulence caused by air flow past the hubs.

The Kanzo's geometry has a higher stack and shorter reach than Ridley's previous gravel bikes, giving you a more nimble platform from which to launch an attack. A steep seat tube angle puts you in efficient pedaling form, while the sweet-spot headtube angle makes sure you're in position to handle the rowdier descents as well.

Ridley pairs the Kanzo Fast with the ultra-capable SRAM Rival1 groupset for a wide-range cassette to get you over the punchy climbs, but an overall fast-rolling 42t chainring to ensure you'll carry speed to the finish. SRAM's hydraulic brakes help check speed coming into corners, while the WTB Venture tires provide grip on the looser terrain.