Bike of the Week | Ridley Kanzo Fast

Ridley made headlines earlier this month with the launch of the Kanzo Fast, an aero gravel bike that, in its top spec, features an extraordinary drivetrain that combines conventional 1× components with a unique 2-speed rear hub from new brand Classified.

We covered the Kanzo Fast range in detail in our original news story, so here we’re going to focus on the test bike Ridley has sent us.

It features Shimano GRX Di2 components and that fascinating Classified hub, a build that costs £5,459 / €5,999.

Ridley’s sizing has always run a little bigger than most, and this size large bike has a towering 197mm head tube, giving a stack of 613mm, while the reach is 393mm.

However, at just 8.9kg the Kanzo Fast is reasonably light for an aero gravel bike, particularly given that it’s wearing 45mm deep carbon clinchers from Ridley house-brand Forza (or ‘4ZA’).

These, incidentally, have a rather old-school inner width of just 17mm, a little surprising on a gravel that’s fitted with 40mm tyres, with clearance to go bigger.

Of course it’s the Classified rear hub that makes this bike unique and it’s the feature by which we’re most intrigued.

Shifting between the hub’s two ratios is controlled by the left GRX Di2 lever, which connects to the Classified control module mounted in place of the left bar end. The signal is picked up by the receiver contained in the rear thru-axle assembly.

The axle also contains induction coils that cause the hub to shift, and its electronics are charged via a port hidden under a rubber cover on the lever body.

Aside from the proprietary Classified 11-34 cassette, the rest of the componentry is conventional, with Shimano’s Ultegra-equivalent GRX Di2 rear derailleur taking care of shifting, and the matching GRX flat-mount brake calipers doing the stopping.

Ridley opts for a Rotor Aldhu crank fitted with a 48t chainring. In combination with the Classified hub’s 0.7:1 ratio in its lower gear, this is roughly equivalent to a 48/34 double crank.

Another notable component is the cockpit, a one-piece carbon unit that routes cables fully internally, and is gravel-specific by virtue of its flared drops.

The headset preload and steerer clamp bolts are entirely hidden beneath aero covers, and the stem blends neatly with headset spacers that split in two to simplify fit adjustments.

An out-front computer mount attached to the underside of the bar helps on the aerodynamic and aesthetic front too.

We’ll be bringing you a full review of the Kanzo Fast in the near future – what would you like to know about this delightfully unusual and original bike?