Ridley AstrvsKanzo Adventure

Ridley offers a broad gravel lineup, and the Astr (2025-) and Kanzo Adventure (2022-) stand at opposite ends of its spectrum. The Astr, a brand-new entrant, is unashamedly a gravel race bike, born from the aggressive tube shapes and aerodynamic principles of Ridley's road race bikes like the Falcon RS. Its purpose is clear: go fast, win races, and shave every possible watt, even if that means compromising on some traditional gravel bike versatility. In stark contrast, the Kanzo Adventure lives up to its name as a rugged, adaptable explorer. It’s a bike built for multi-day bikepacking, challenging off-road terrain, and riders who demand comfort and utility above outright speed. Its design draws cues from mountain bikes, prioritizing stability and the ability to carry gear over aero gains. Where the Astr is a finely tuned instrument for competition, the Kanzo Adventure is a reliable workhorse, ready for any scenario the trail throws at it. Within Ridley's family, the Astr effectively steps in as the most progressive gravel race option, potentially making older race-focused models like the Kanzo Fast somewhat redundant due to its superior tire clearance and aero features. The Kanzo Adventure, meanwhile, firmly anchors the brand's bikepacking and extreme gravel offerings.

The ride quality of the Astr is defined by its unwavering stiffness and directness, earning descriptions like "very, very stiff" and feeling like an "aero race bike on fat tires." This translates into immediate power transfer, making it incredibly efficient under hard pedaling. However, this rigidity comes at a cost to comfort: even with 47mm tires run at low pressures, reviewers found the ride to be "firm, firm" and "quite jarring at times" on rough, rocky terrain, lacking the "buttery smooth" feel of more compliant bikes. It's a bike that demands you ride through obstacles rather than float over them. The Kanzo Adventure, conversely, makes comfort a priority without sacrificing too much responsiveness. Its ability to run massive 29x2.1" (53mm) MTB tires provides substantial shock absorption, with reviewers noting that at the right pressures, these tires can mimic the performance of some suspension elements. Coupled with a "heavily flexing carbon seat post" and overall frame vibration damping, the Kanzo Adventure "smooths out most of the bumps" on the trail. While the front end can feel "rather hard" compared to the more compliant rear, the overall ride is praised as "very pleasant" and capable of minimizing fatigue on long days. When it comes to handling, the Astr is a straight-line missile. It is "rock solid in a straight line," holding its course with remarkable stability, even hands-free, which is ideal for fast, open gravel roads and maintaining speed in a peloton. However, this stability results in steering that is "quite heavy" and "slow," making it "ponderous" in tight turns. The narrow, integrated cockpit, while aero, further reduces agility. The Kanzo Adventure, on the other hand, strikes a remarkable balance. Its mountain-bike-inspired geometry, with a slacker head angle and longer wheelbase, delivers a composed and confidence-inspiring ride on rough and technical terrain. Yet, reviewers describe it as "playful and fun," "nimble and manoeuvrable through the corners yet confidence inspiring and composed on the straights." This allows it to navigate technical sections with ease while remaining stable at speed, truly living up to its all-rounder adventure billing.