Last Updated on 10 July 2024 by Cycloscope
Ridley Kanzo Fast gravel bike, our review
Classified GRX VS Campagnolo Ekar VS GRX800 VS SRAM Rival 1
Frameset, geometry, tire clearance, weight, speed, groupset, specs
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Frame | Advanced-Grade Composite Carbon, 12mm thru-axle, disc |
Drivetrain | 1×11 / 1x 13 |
Brakes | Hydraulic Disc Brakes |
Tire Clearance | 700x42c |
Size | XS to XL |
Weight | 6-10 kg depending upon the size Size M: 8.56KG |
Price | from $3,299.00 |
The Ridley Kanzo Fast gravel bike provides a robust cycling experience on different terrains, gravel, and tarmacs. This allows you to have a comfortable ride on any surface with maximum comfort and resilience to stress.
The Kanzo Fast for 2022 features a Carbon 30T carbon frame and a fork with a 12mm thru-axle frame, which provides the cycle with ultimate control over different land types. The bike’s frame also includes WTB Venture tires that allow a robust grip over the land regardless of the weather conditions, although they do not offer the smoothest rolling resistance.
The bike has a higher stack and a shorter reach, providing efficient body shape and movement along the ride. The Ridley Kanzo Fast allows you to have a comfortable ride on the roughest patches.
The riding style can be adjusted as per the rider’s requirement. Including different sizes, the rider can adjust the components as per their requirements.
The bike includes a Kanzo Fast Aero handlebar which provides a proper grip and smooth aerodynamics, with hydraulic brakes and an 11-gear single chainset.
Pros
- affordable
- comfortable
- firm and compliant road grip
- fast and nimble
- multiple colors
Cons
- limited off-road capability
- single front chainset
- tires with excessive rolling resistance
- one-piece cockpit limits adjustability
Ridley Kanzo Fast
Classified VS Ekar VS GRX800 VS SRAM Rival 1
Kanzo Fast Classified GRX800 DI2 | Kanzo Fast Campagnolo Ekar | Kanzo Fast Shimano GRX800 | Kanzo Fast SRAM Rival1 | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Groupset | GRX Di2 | Ekar | GRX 800 | SRAM Rival 1 |
Drivetrain | Electronic 1 × 11 | 1 × 13 | 1 x 11 | 1 × 11 |
Cassette | Classified GRX // 11s // 11-34 | Campagnolo EKAR // 13s // 9-42 | Shimano XT M8000 // 11s // 11-42 | SRAM // PG-1130 // 11-42T |
Rims | Forza Vardar db // TA 12x142mm // Clincher-TLR // Classified hub // 17mm Internal Width // 45mm deep | Fulcrum Rapid Red 500 DB // Campagnolo N3W // Clincher-TLR | Forza Norte db // Shimano-Campagnolo 11s // TA 12x142mm // Clincher // Forza 3 Beaufort // 20mm Internal Width // 23mm deep | Forza Norte DB |
Price | €6,799 | €5,399 | €4,199 | €3,299 |
Ridley Kanzo Fast Gravel: Geometry
With the Kanzo Fast, Ridley welcomes in the rooster an aerodynamic gravel bike with race-oriented geometry.
The frame is indeed based on the Noah Fast, Ridley’s aerodynamically-optimized road bike,
With a few tweaks, the Belgian brand has adapted the design for gravel riding. The carbon frameset offers clearances for up to 700 x 42C tires and is compatible with the interesting Classified geared hub.
The bike’s competitive ambitions are ever-present aboard the Ridley Kanzo Fast with an aggressive and stretched riding position.
The 168 mm long head tube though, offers a tad of relief, allowing a relatively more relaxed rider position.
The transition between the fork and frame, the F-Wings at the bottom of the carbon fork, the fully integrated cable routing and the aerodynamic, and the one-piece carbon cockpit are great features that place this bike in a different league.
Ridley offers plenty of customization and configuration options for the Kanzo Fast. All the groupset options you could imagine (for this league), plus 42 colors, and 7 designs. One downside though, is that the frame is only compatible with 1x drivetrains.
Ridley Kanzo Fast: Riding Experience
Size | S | M | L |
---|---|---|---|
Seat tube | 495 mm | 520 mm | 545 mm |
Top tube | 547 mm | 565 mm | 587 mm |
Head tube | 144 mm | 168 mm | 197 mm |
Head angle | 71.0° | 71.5° | 71.5° |
Seat angle | 73.5° | 73.0° | 72.5° |
Chainstays | 425 mm | 425 mm | 425 mm |
BB Drop | 72 mm | 72 mm | 70 mm |
Wheelbase | 1,017 mm | 1,026 mm | 1,044 mm |
Reach | 380 mm | 385 mm | 393 mm |
Stack | 563 mm | 587 mm | 613 mm |
The Kanzo Fast is a fast (indeed) and nimble gravel rig with a sporty feel balanced by the right dose of comfort.
Thanks to its compliance and the ability to absorb small bumps and high-frequency vibrations, it’s a comfortable gravel bike for long-distance rides on mixed terrains.
Although larger bumps and rocky roads are not its cups of tea, the Ridley always remains predictable, stable, and stiff.
The Ridley Kanzo is an extremely responsive bike with a great performance in acceleration and a flowing feeling at moderate speeds.
Ridley Kanzo Fast GRX Specs
For our detailed component overview, we’ve chosen to analyze the GRX version among the many build options offered by Ridley.
Weighing in at 8.56 kg in size M, it comes with a 1×11 Shimano GRX RX815 Di2 groupset with Rotor ALDHU aero cranks, a Forza Vardar db wheelset, and Ridley’s Aero G1 cockpit.
Size compatibility is ensured at a component level by the different sizes available for the one-piece carbon cockpit and the proprietary Forza aero seat post.
The brake rotors are 160 mm front and just 140 mm at the rear and it comes with WTB Venture Road TCS tires – not the smoothest and fastest tires.
Wrap Up
For speed-lovers and competitive souls, the Ridley Kanzo Fast ambitious level will deliver an impressive performance on compact surfaces. Its stable handling and decent vibration-damping make it great for well-maintained gravel tracks but it’s not enough to make it a proper off-road machine.
Overall, this is a great bike to go fast on tar and light gravel.
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