In essence, what Ridley has done is release a bike that’s more or less ideal for the majority of riders. Rather than shout about its youngest sibling with flashy marketing like its stablemate, the Kanzo FAST, the Belgian outfit has let its product in the talking and in the case of the Kanzo Adventure, it’s saying plenty. Hell, even the new Diverge gravel bike from Specialized has surprisingly civilised road manners, so when Ridley announced the Kanzo into a stacked adventure bike market, it had some mountains to climb. From the aero come endurance Cervelo Caledonia to the gravel friendly Paralane from German outfit Focus, there’s no shortage of options on offer. Quiver killer bikes aren’t a new thing the cycling industry is filled with them. The Kanzo Adventure C retails for AU$4,999, is available in Small - tested (53.5cm) Medium (55cm) and Large (56.5cm) sizes and is claimed to weigh in at 9kg for a Size Medium.

The front derailleur mount, while not in use here, has been shifted slightly whilst the drive side chainstay dips down immediately after the bottom bracket to provide the room necessary to facilitate the larger rubber. Most of this generous clearance is thanks to a revised chainstay area. With up to 47mm (700C) or 50mm if you prefer to run 650b wheels. Add in the taller headtube, somewhat slacker headtube angle and shorter reach, and it’s clear that all-day comfort and adventure riding is a priority here.Īside from the generous amount of mounts on offer across the frame and fork, the other highlight of the frame itself is the generous amount of tyre clearance on offer. Looking at the geometry and with somewhat longer 435mm chainstays and a generous wheelbase across the size range, the Kanzo has stability for days. A smattering of lugs and bosses for mounting bottles, bags and fenders also feature. At the heart of the Kanzo adventure is a carbon fibre frame that uses Ridley’s high-modulus blend that boasts a reinforced head tube and bottom bracket area to add increased strength and rigidity.

Ridley kanso