
While the Kanzo Fast falls behind the liveliest bikes on test during the first few metres off the start line, it will soon pick up speed, its efficiency allowing it to catch up with and overtake one bike after the other until it’s speeding along with the lead group. In terms of speed, the Vittoria tires ensure that the frame’s aero gains aren’t made up for in rolling resistance. However, the comfort quickly reaches its limit in the case of bigger hits. Although the seat post lacks compliance, this allows the bike to remain composed on rougher surfaces without bouncing uncontrollably over bumpy terrain. They’re able to compensate for the rather stiff frame, damping small impacts and vibrations. However, the tires underline the coherent package offered by the Ridley Kanzo Fast both in terms of comfort and speed. The tires only lack braking grip on loose gravel due to the relatively smooth tread.

Otherwise, the Campagnolo EKAR brakes and 160 mm rotors on the front and rear always provide plenty of braking power and good modulation, while the 700 x 38C Vittoria Terreno Dry Graphene 2.0 tires reliably transmit that power to the ground on asphalt and hardpack. Pants Pas Normal Studios Defend Bibs | Shoes Adidas The Gravel Shoe | Socks Adidas Sport Socks Helmet KASK UTOPIA | Glasses Alba Optics Delta | Jacket Pas Normal Studios Escapism Down Jacket But these are the only two small complaints we have regarding safety. For rough terrain, the 400 mm Ridley Aero G1 cockpit is too narrow to let you feel perfectly in control. This is especially annoying in rough terrain, causing the occasional expletives to escape your mouth. The sensitive internals of the Italian drivetrain get hung up all too often.

Like the other bikes on test featuring Campagnolo components, the Ridley struggles with the precision of the shifting. For steep climbs on all-road rides, we’d prefer the larger 10–44 t EKAR cassette, and a larger 40 or 42 t chainring would make more sense considering the bike’s high-speed character. To this end, it relies on a mechanical 1×13 Campagnolo EKAR drivetrain, offering a decent gear range with the 38 t chainring up front and 9–42 t cassette on the rear.
RIDLEY KANSO FULL
Or: never go full aero/everything goes when riding gravel! Fly along gravel roads aboard the Ridley with your down jacket working as a parachute – opposites attract.
