Its weight

The new frame

The 2018 Cavazzo has smoother lines than earlier models, for a more elegant look. All the features you’d expect on a modern £1800 road-cum-gravel bike are present – carbon frame and tapered fork with internal cables and hoses, a chunky down-tube, slimmer top-tube and thru-axles. This also has three sets of bottle bosses, clearance for wide tyres and mudguards, plus fittings for front and rear racks. It’s also ready for Di2, EPS and eTap.

The equipment

Shimano’s 10-speed Tiagra comes with a wide-ranging 11-32 cassette, but the biggest improvement is that this has Shimano’s Tiagra-level flat-mount hydraulic disc brakes, with a 160mm front rotor and 140mm rear. The result is impeccable braking, smooth, controlled and powerful in all weathers. The Deda cockpit and Prologo saddle are decent too. At 40mm the tyres are wide, but their small knobbles hum along nicely on tarmac.

Its all-round credentials

As specced, this Cavazzo Gravel is very versatile, fast enough for long-distance commuting over mixed surfaces, tough enough for rough riding and, with 40mm rubber, it’s comfortable. The Gravel, Adventure and Commuter models would all make fine cycletourers or bike-packing options, or you can buy the frameset for £899.99 and kit it out yourself.

ONE THING WE’D CHANGE

Apart from a weight nudging 10kg with pedals, there’s little to fault. The wheel and tyre combination is susceptible to strong side winds, and our tester would have preferred plusher bar tape.