daanbr78

Hello,

So I wanted to buy a bike for the Ironman off-season and to ride now that my TT bike is in hibernation this fall/winter. I want a versatile bike that I can take onto the trails (nothing spectacular). I had my eyes set on the Cervelo Aspero GRX600, which I believe is great value for money: top end frame, decent groupset.

However, it is sold out every where in my size and color I want.

I can however get a Cervelo Aspero Apex 1 (which has SRAM Apex 1 groupset). But I am hesitant. This feels like a too much of a entry level groupset compared to the GRX600. I read that Apex 1 compares to Tiagra; and that GRX600 compares to 105.

And the Apero Apex 1 is only 100 euro’s cheaper.

Main question: Is it worth getting the Aspero Apex 1, or is it better to wait and hope for the GRX600 to become available again?

Also, and I know these are different bikes but, the Caledonia Shimano Ultegra (mechanical) is just 600 euro’s more expensive than the Aspero Apex 1.

Second question: Would I nog be getting WAAAAYYYYYY more bike with the Caledonia?

Thanks for all your thoughts!

Maelochs

In the future you might find that you get more responses if you include a little more information about the different bikes being discussed.

https://www.cervelo.com/en-US/bikes/aspero
https://www.competitivecyclist.com/c...0-gravel-bike#
https://cyclingtips.com/2020/04/cerv...g-term-review/

Excerpt:
“Of all the bikes we tested at the Gravel Bike Field Test, none strayed as far into proper road bike territory as the Cervelo Aspero. It looks the part, and feels the part, but it also boasts very generous tire clearances that raise its capability level far above what you might otherwise expect from a brand so deeply rooted in racing on asphalt.

“The Aspero may not be the most rough-and-tumble gravel bike out there, but that’s just how Cervelo wanted it — and depending on the type of gravel you’re riding on, that’s not necessarily a bad thing.”


https://www.cervelo.com/en-US/bikes/caledonia
https://www.competitivecyclist.com/c...gra-road-bike?
https://cyclingtips.com/2021/01/2021...ra-di2-review/

Excerpt:
“The Cervelo Caledonia was released in July 2020, and while it superseded Cervelo’s previous endurance road bike, the C-Series, it’s not your typical endurance bike.

“It’s actually closely comparable to the famed Cervelo R3 Mud, a pro-only bike that was built specifically with winning Paris-Roubaix in mind. That frame took the company’s all-round racing platform (the R-series) and sought to make it more stable and compliant for smashing over cobbles. In this sense, the Caledonia will be what Cervelo’s sponsored teams take to the cobbled classics.”

It seems the Caledonia is an “endurance-geometry” road bike with a little more slack, and a little more tire clearance, so people can ride well-groomed gravel or hard-packed dirt roads with a degree of comfort.

Comparing the geometries, the Caledonia has a taller stack and shorter reach, with a bit less head-tube angle (at least at smaller sizes), shorter chainstays, shorter wheelbase, and less tire clearance

The Caledonia is a comfortable road bike expanded just a bit to be a little better on rough roads. The Aspero is a fast gravel bike, designed for people who want to go fast on bad surfaces, with much wider tires, yet with racier, road-bike-like geometry.

The Caledonia is a little more compromising and comfortable (compared to a pure road-race bike) while the Aspero is for people who want to ride on gravel with the intensity of an “A-group) fast group ride on road-race bikes.

The Caledonia would probably be a more comfortable ride on almost all surfaces that were relatively smooth. The Aspero would be less comfortable on smooth surfaces, but with its two-inch-wide tires would be much better on bad or soft surfaces.

The question is, what is the job? You have two very different tools.

If you plan to ride mostly on the road and only on well-groomed trails, and want to ride mostly for fun, the Caledonia is perfect. You won’t be all stretched out (which might not be an issue for you personally, if you generally ride a TT bike) and you will be comfortable over almost all pavement and decent gravel with 30- or 32-mm tires.

If you Don’t plan on riding on the road generally, the Aspero is pretty much a pure gravel racer. With those fat and heavy wheels and tires it might be a lot of work to accelerate to keep up with the fast road riders, even though it has more race-bike geometry—the inch less stack won’t get you That much more aero. But on bad surfaces, you will be able to ride the Aspero like a road-race bike over good pavement. It might be a bit jarring (I have read that “stiff” as described in the literature actually means “non-compliant”) but the tires should take off some of the edge—and if you are focused on going fast, a little vibration won’t matter.

What should you do? Buy one of each (56 cm please) and send them to my house. I will report back in detail after extensive testing.

Caliwild

Just my humble opinion, but I had mechanical SRAM (Rival 1) groupset and hated it. IMO, GRX is a much better groupset.

phrantic09

I wouldn’t get the Apex, just my opinion.

I have an Aspero w/ GRX 810, love it. 600 is pretty solid too

surak

I have a bike with Rival 1, it's not given me any trouble in thousands of miles and other than limitations in shifting compared to Ultegra Di2 on another bike, there's nothing lacking. However, I haven't heard good things about Apex, so it would be an automatic pass for me.

There are more indications that the bike shortage is close to over. Lots of shops are advertising stock and even offering discounts. If I were you, I'd just wait a bit longer to get a bike you want with an acceptable groupset rather than compromise just because of the current stock situation.

Seattle Forrest

Apex would be a deal breaker for me.

tomato coupe

Are you sure that's a current model?

daanbr78

:-) thanks for the elaborate answer and thanks for your sacrifice in testing out both bikes so to make my life easier :-P

daanbr78

Thanks, I think I am coming to the same conclusion without the experience. I know myself, I'll forever be eyeballing other riders with GRX600/800.

daanbr78

I envy you ;-)

daanbr78

Very true. better wait or get another bike all together that has a groupset I like.

daanbr78

Thanks for your honest opinion

daanbr78

Think it was a 2020 or 2021 model

daanbr78

To all who replied. Thanks so much for the time and opinions!

All day I have had the bike, the groupset, in my mind. And I came to the conclusion that I would forever ride the bike feeling it could be better (even if that is just placebo effect). If your answers would have been in total praise of the Apex 1 groupset I might have had to rethink my subjective feeling. But I think it is best to let the Aspero pass me by.

As luck would have it, I found a new (200km) Canyon Grail CF 8.0 which has GRX800, for a bunch less then the Aspero SRAM Apex 1. I have taken it for a test ride and I think I love it. I wanted a Cervelo, but also here my conclusion is: I want t top end Cervelo, and will get one next season for road riding. For now I want a decent spec trail/gravel bike and in the Grail I think I found it :-)

phrantic09

If you can find the 2021 w/ 800 and have the wiggle room to spend the extra money, do it.

The 21 has reserve carbon wheels, carbon Easton bars and weighs about 18.3 pounds in a 56. And it’s pretty

daanbr78

looks like you just had some fun with the Aspero ;-)

Caliwild

And if you can afford it, I'd say go with the GRX800. My bike shop doesn't like the Sram mechanical stuff either. Their AXS electronic groups are pretty decent, but I'd still go Shimano.

Maelochs

Yeah, that Aspero is a definite lust object

DaveSSS 

I'd buy a frame and build the bike myself. I never buy a prebuilt bike.

tomato coupe

You may be out of luck then, because Cervelo might not have much incentive to bring back a GRX600 model if the selling price is almost the same as the current Apex 1 model.

daanbr78

Okay so….. I ended up buying something completely different…..

I could not get past the idea that I would always long for GRX

I ended up buying a Canyon Grail GRX810 with about 200km on it for a good bit less then the Aspero SRAM Apex.

Been dying to ride it but sprained my neck and could not. So what do you do with a new bike that you cannot ride? Indeed…You take a picture with it! ;-)

mstateglfr 

Sorry to see your sprained neck forces you to look to look 90deg to the left like that.
Cool bike though.

seypat

I thought he was a sales rep for International Harvester when I first glanced at the picture.