Tour de France safety chief Thierry Gouvenou has called for measures to reduce racing speeds following the rider protests at Il Lombardia and Paris-Tours, arguing that the increasing pace of the peloton is making courses harder to secure. We, the organisers, are also calling for measures to reduce...

Believe it or not, until recently, I had never ridden a folding bike. Its not that I was actively steering clear of folding bikes; Ive just never had a reason to ride one or I didnt realize I had a reason. But I know they are not only popular, but convenient in many ways. And the Brompton C-Line proved to be exactly that.(Photos / Ron Frazelle)The folding bike world is full of passionate riders, just like every other segment of cycling. I mean, the Brompton Mafia is a thing. Its a group of rabid Brompton users/lovers effortlessly flying all over the world with their bicycles. And its pretty rad. The Sea Otter Classic Brompton race with Jordan wishing he practiced unfolding the bike moreThe Sea Otter Classic even holds a Le Mans-style Brompton race every year. Its really fun, irreverent, and quite the spectacle. In fact, our Racing Tech Editor, Jordan, competed in the Sea Otter Brompton race this year and podiumed, cause thats what Jordan does doesnt matter the bike. Fun times!!I Got to Take it to MADEAnywho, the opportunity to ride one arose this year, right before the MADE Show. I usually attend only two bike industry shows a year: the Sea Otter Classic and the MADE Show. I usually drive to both of these shows. Sea Otter is in Monterey, California, and only a 5-6-hour drive for me. And MADE is in Portland, Oregon, and is usually a 2-day drive for me 3 days if I dont want to kill myself.But for this years MADE Show, I decided I wanted to fly up to Portland. Zach, my Editor-in-Chief, and I booked our hotel for the show, and it ended up being very close to the venue.The Tern case and the Brompton case (forefront) at Portland airport.Getting in the rental car to make the short drive to the venue seemed wasteful and silly. And walking sucks, most of the time. So, Zach decided to bring his Tern BYB folder to ride to and from the show, and suggested I try to find a way to do something similar.I wanted to bring my Wilde Rambler SL, but I didnt have a proper travel case for it. And a bike that is made to easily handle navigating a crowded airport and flying with it sounded much easier. Plus, I wanted to try a folding bike, period. So, Zach suggested reaching out to Brompton, as weve never reviewed one of their bikes on the site before.So I did. Folding and Flying with the BromptonI received the 16 wheeled Brompton C Line 4-speed a few days before leaving for Portland. I also received the B&W Fold On Case. This hard-shell, suitcase-type case is the perfect size to check at the airport. And the bike fits effortlessly in that case.The case is not cheap at $269.99 on the Brompton site. If thats out of your budget, I will say there are a bunch of Brompton riders who will bring their Bromptons folded, out of a case, onto the plane as carry-ons. They just stow them in the airplanes overhead compartment (though you should definitely confirm the airline allows this before trying it). Just two folding bikes, ready to roll.I opted for the hard case, just for convenience. I packed the C Line into the case, paid the regular checked bag price, and away we went. Zero issues. Not one. Case size comparison Brompton vs. TernRecovering it from baggage claim was just as easy. The case rolled well through the airport and was easy to wield and maneuver through the crowds though one major difference between the Brompton case and the Tern is that it has two wheels instead of four. The Tern case was easier to wheel through the airport, but the Brompton case will likely be more durable. The handle also extends to a good length and is easy to manipulate up or down.Tern (left) with its 20 wheels vs 16 on BromptonThe Brompton C-Line weighs a claimed 26.1lbs. When packed in the case, it pushed the weight to a little under 44lbs. When folded, I found the included rolling rack a game changer. It made it a breeze to roll the folded and partially folded C-Line around. The rack also functions as a kickstand, it folds up to rest almost as quickly as you could kick a kickstand. Roller rackRiding the Brompton C-Line 4-SpeedBrompton C-Line in PortlandOverall, I enjoyed riding the C-Line 4-Speed. I will admit that there was a smidgen of a learning curve riding on 16 wheels. I think I wouldve preferred riding a bike with 20 wheels, like Zachs Tern. Rear suspensionBut after a very short time, I got used to its quick, albeit slightly twitchy, handling. The bike is long, so thats where, as a rider, you find your stability. I will say that I did not care for the tall gearing. Any hills? Get the 12 Speed VersionThere are two drivetrain options for the C Line, a 4-speed and 12-speed. Both versions use the same 11-18t four-speed cassette, but the 12-speed drivetrain adds an internally geared hub with three speeds. The 12-speed version also gets a smaller 50t chainring vs. the 54t on the 4-speed. Granted, the smaller wheels make a big difference when considering chainring sizes, but the easiest 54x18t combination on the 16 Brompton is roughly equivalent to a 36x20t on a 700c x 35mm tire. Hardly a climbing gear for casual rides. That means the 12-speed offers much more range: 402% vs. the C-Line 4-speeds 163%. I live in the mountains, and that 4-speed gearing up here is a no-go for me. Ive only ridden it a handful of times while home. It rides nicely, but climbing on it is no bueno. My options for review were limited with a short turn around time, but if I had to do it again, I would definitely choose the 12-speed version. The only real downside to the 12-speed version is that its 0.28lbs (127g) heavier and $200 more. Worth it. FitIm 61, and the bike felt comfy for me while not feeling cramped at all. Brompton does a stellar job of designing the bike to fit a wide variety of riders. You get your choice of low, mid, or high handlebars when ordering. This bike had the high bars, which kept the front end nice and comfortable even with the seat post extended almost to the max. The proprietary rear derailleur seemed to work fine. When paired with the shifter, they delivered reliable, snappy shifts.I liked Bromptons proprietary clamp system that is used to secure the steering mast and for the mid-frame break. Brompton C-Line 4-Speed Retail & DetailRetail: $1,950Weight: From 26.12 lbMain frame: Precision-drawn, heat-treated steel tubing with hand brazing and selected auto-brazed jointsRear frame: Hand brazed cold-formed micro-alloy steel tubingFolded size: 25.3 H x 23 W x 10.6 DFork: One-piece carbon fork and steerer with magnetic pedal holderPedals: Brompton folding left-hand and non-folding right-hand pedalsBottom bracket: Square taperDerailleur: Brompton Chain pusherTires: 16 x 35C Schwalbe Marathon Racer. A puncture-resistant tire with a reflective sidewallSpeed: 4-speedChainset: 6061 forged aluminium crank with 54T chainring and integrated chainguardRear cassette: 11-13-15-18 teethHeadset: Brompton headsetBrakes: Brompton Dual Pivot CalipersRear Wheel: Double-wall rim, 28 spoke, Brompton Wide ratio 2-speed internal gear hubFront Wheel: Double-wall rim, 28 spokes laced to a Brompton front hubFenders: IncludedRear Rack: IncludedRiding in PortlandAll in all, I found the Brompton C-Line a pleasure to bring along for the show. It rides well and packs down to an incredibly small and manageable package. And that is really the point here, right? I mean, sure, the bike rides fine, but man, does it fold down small. Perfect for flying, storing in small spaces, and bringing it along in a small car without the need for an elaborate and expensive bike rack. Itll just sit in a small truck, the backseat, or that spot on the floor between the front and back seat. The only bummer, and its a small one, is how much of the Brompton uses proprietary parts. Not all of the parts, but some pretty important parts. I get it; they have one of the smallest folding bikes on the market when folded, so some parts are going to need to be specialty/proprietary parts.And Brompton has a robust support system in place, so replacing and working on their proprietary parts when they break is not thatbig of a deal. But still, it would be great if you could use the parts that you really wanted when upgrading or repairing stuff. In ConclusionI would absolutely recommend this bike to anyone looking for an amazing folding bike that folds down in less than 20 seconds. Its easy AF to fly with, and a great, fun way to get around at your destination if you decide to fly with it. MADE Show parting shot.I cant keep the bike, and I am a little sad that I have to return it. I could really use a folding bike in my life. You know, something super easy to throw in a case and fly with, or toss it in the back of my Jeep to just bring along. No racks and locks needed; itll easily fit in the back. Well, as it turns out, after attending the MADE Show, Ive worked something out for another folding bike review/story, so stay tuned here for that tomfoolery. Its going to be pretty awesome. In the meantime, do yourself a favor and hit the link below to check out the Brompton folding bike world. US.Brompton.com

Team Visma | Lease a Bike are donating all of the prize money they earn at the 2026 Eneco Tour to the charity 'Ieder kind een fiets' ('Every Child a Bike'). The decision was taken by the riders themselves earlier in the week, with Victor Campenaerts explaining to WielerFlits after Stage 3 that the i...

Just a couple of weeks ago, we got a sneak peek at this all-new Avona Callis 32 gravel race bike at Sea Otter Europe, where it was ridden to a UCI World Series race win. About the same time, I was also able to throw a leg over a stock, consumer-friendly spec, then head out of Gironas city center for a couple of quick rides over two days. And now, it is available to buy, making this the first proper production carbon gravel bike to market on 32 wheels.Lets break down the details. Whats new, how it rides, and how you can get your own 32 carbon gravel race bike nowAvona Callis 32 is the first 32 gravel race bike you can buy(Photos/Cory Benson)We all knew 32 gravel bikes were coming. Theyve been popping up all year, winning pro gravel races. Then, back in Girona, Avona made it clear that the big Callis 32 gravel bike would go on sale on October 15th. So, now we have the full details.From a starting point, the Avona Callis 32 follows the same ethos of the original Callis they debuted just last year. Avona aims to develop high-performance bikes for everyday riders. And even though this bike was ridden to a pro-level gravel win, it was created for all gravel riders looking to go fast. Now, much of the tech in the new bike is the same as the 700c/29 wheeled Callis gravel bike that I rode last year. But Avona didnt simply scale it up and slap bigger wheels on the Callis 32. Instead, they describe their bike development process more as being holistic. In fact, they too were a bit skeptical of the jump to 32 at first, so it was digging into all of the data that convinced them to push on.Holistic bike development was ideally suited for the shift to 32 wheels To Avona, holistic design means, instead of just making a bike to be aerodynamic or lightweight or to fit bigger tires & wheels, they strive to look at all performance characteristics and even component specs together.Aero gains are great, until the point they make a bike too stiff to ride for several hours. Light bikes are nice for big mountain days, but have less of an impact if your climbing is limited. And wider tires and bigger diameter wheels can boost comfort, control, and even lower rolling resistance, as long as they dont become heavy, sluggish, or unintentionally introduce extra drag.(Studio images/Avona)When considering the jump to 32 wheels for gravel, Avona first pooled available data, and realized 32 rolling resistance gains would probably outweigh any aerodynamic losses. So once they had a design and could prototype, they built up identical 700c & 32 bikes and ran a Virtual Elevation Method rolling resistance simulation on a real-world, out-and-back section of rough gravel track to determine how much energy the bigger wheels could save by smoothing those bumps out. Their findings showed that switching to the bigger wheels saves 11.7W in rolling resistance at 35kph. Then, in the wind tunnel, the aero drag would only add an extra 1-3W penalty.32 vs. 700c in the GST wind tunnel (Composite photo/Avona)(Avona share a Whitepaper of their data analysis for those that like to nerd out on the numbers. Plus, theres also a deep look at Avonas 32 pros & cons that led to the development of the Callis 32 in the first place.)OK, so what all is new? Back in Girona, I was able to suss out pretty much all the technical similarities with its smaller 700c sibling. But really, a lot of what makes this new 32 gravel bike work is Avonas attention to refining agile big-wheel geometry. They worked hard on refining the big bikes geometry and making sure to develop light & responsive 32 wheels for it to be sure to create a proper gravel race bike without compromise on the bigger wheels.Lets talk 32 gravel race-tuned geometrySo, contrary to the recent trend of making gravel bikes slacker to go faster off road, the Callis 32 has decidedly steep angles a 70 headtube and 74 effective seattube angle. Of course to fit that big wheel in front of you with acceptable toe overlap, frame reach is a bit longer, although the 398mm of my size Large test bike wasnt extreme. Then, it was a relatively long 60mm fork offset that kept fork Trail in check. And Avona still managed to keep chainstay length surprisingly short at just 440mm thanks to a dramatically curved seattube, super thin chainstays, and 1x only compatibility.Avona admits that they couldnt really build a 32 gravel bike smaller than a size Medium frame without compromising handling, so they didnt. The Callis 32 comes in just three sizes: M-XL. But since they started with a 30mm offset seatpost and conventional stem lengths, there is still quite a bit of room for adjustment to fit smaller riders. I saw a rider less than 165cm tall test the size M with a 0mm offset post and a slammed 75mm stem, and both her and I were surprised with how well it fit, and how well the bike handled.It clear that getting bigger riders on 32 bikes is always going to make the most sense. But Avonas sharp handling and tight clearances approach proves smaller riders have a chance, too.Tech detailsBeyond the big wheels and properly tuned geometry, the Avona includes a lot of other lightweight gravel race bike technologies.lightweight carbon frameinternal frame storage & mounts to fit 2 full-size water bottles55mm max tire, with 6mm clearance (not enough for the 2.4 Aspens on adventure focused 32 bikes, but yes to the 2.15 Aspen ST)1x and electronic shift only; max 50T chainringBoost chainline, Boost rear axle spacing (12x148mm) & Road Boost front (12x110mm)UDHthreaded BSA bottom bracketproprietary D-shaped aero seatpost with hidden wedge-style clampfully integrated cable routing through the sealed headsetFM160 flat mount rear brake (160 or 180mm rotors)898g claimed frame weight (size M painted, but without any hardware like the storage door, seatpost clamp, axle, or hanger)409g claimed fork weight, painted & uncutOK, so how does it ride?Fit & First ImpressionsAt 185cm tall (+/-61), its not really a stretch to fit me on bigger wheels (like on the 750D Jumbo). Avona has me on a Large with a middle-of-the-road fit stem & seatpost wise. But still, about half of the 32 bikes I have ridden so far (~75% being mountain bikes) could be described as muted, if not specifically sluggish even if ride data suggests most were actually quicker than comparable 29ers. So, I was cautiously optimistic to try out my first carbon 32 bike, and the first real production 32 gravel bike.Even though Im quite tall, I most often size down to a Medium on dropbar bikes. But even with that in mind, I didnt feel stretched out on the Large Callis 32. The 398mm Reach isnt much more than most L gravel bikes these days, and the 598mm Stack is actually lower than almost all other gravel bikes Ive ridden this year. Chainstay length is even the same as a fast-feeling 700c gravel bike Ive been riding lately, just 10-15mm longer than most other 700c gravel bikes Ive been testing lately.Out on gravel road & trail?I had the chance to put in two different rides on the new 32 Callis during my limited time with it. First, was a pretty chill late afternoon ride, mixing city tarmac and fast, smooth gravel roads. The second, a morning ride on a mix of gravel Champagne hardpack, some choppy car-induced brake bumps & soft deep gravel outside of the center of Girona, plus a bit of bumpy singletrack along the river resulting from the remnants of muddy MTB ruts.My immediate feeling on the road then hardpack was how effortlessly the bike was to ride quickly. I cruised along the streets, drafting roadies with seemingly no effort even rolling on 50mm gravel tires. In the dirt, the wheels spun up quickly when I stomped on the pedals. And it required seemingly little effort to maintain speed. When riding gravel roads, I didnt feel like it required any additional effort to change directions. But when I ended up on twisty singletrack, it did feel like I probably had to work a little harder through the turns. That feeling was a bit more exaggerated on tight ups and downs that robbed my momentum, where I could feel it took more effort to re-accelerate and tuck through low-speed turns at the same time.But notably, I barely felt the brake bumps and just rolled over dried-out ruts & ridges. Maintaining speed on smooth tracks was nice. But the slightly rougher ones were where it felt like the bigger wheels and lower tire pressure (~5psi less than usual) really shone. And I think credit is due here for the Faserwerk wheels too, which thankfully didnt feel overly stiff (an issue I personally notice with many deeper aero gravel race wheels).Why does it feel so quick, even with bigger wheels?Avonas 32 frame at a claimed 898g (M, painted) is actually lighter than their 700c version, offsetting about +100-200g extra weight in the wheels, so their complete Callis 700 & Callis 32 bikes are effectively the same total weight. So the whole 32 bike is as light as many 700c bikes.Plus, Ive ridden 32 XC bikes with >2500g wheelsets with 1700g of additional tire weight. Avonas own Faserwerk Kornkreis 32 wheels on DT 350 hubs like I rode are said to weigh just 1567g, making them no heavier really than many aero 700c gravel wheelsets. And the 50mm Schwalbe tires add about 1300g on top of that, maybe 100g more than a 700c setup.Really, it all adds up light overall bike weight, especially light wheels, light and not too wide tires, reduced Trail, steep head angle, and a forward-leaning rider weight balance.To me the Avona Callis 32 simply felt quick, not really possessing any of the sluggishness I had felt when riding more adventure- or XC-focused 32 bikes on gravel roads. Several pro cyclists I have discussed 32 wheels with told me that the bigger-wheeled bikes felt slower, but measured faster lap times without fail. As someone not racing, that doesnt really sound appealing to me. But riding the Callis 32, which actually feels faster to my amateur rider brain, now Im coming around to the idea that 32 wheels could appeal to the average gravel bike rider, too. Not just the gravel racer. Looks like Im going to need to spend a lot more time riding 32 bikes to keep building a larger baseline of comparison. In the meantime, this new carbon Callis 32 gravel bike seems like a solid starting point for production 32 gravel bikes.Avona Callis 32 gravel bike Pricing, options & availability(Photo Lukas Ittenbach/Avona)The new Avona Callis 32 is actually available now, making it the first production carbon gravel bike you can buy on 32 wheels as far as I know. Three complete bike specs are available, in three paint colors clear over carbon, Deep Olive green, Ultra Violet purple, or primed ready-to-paint. As well as a rolling chassis frame kit that includes frame, fork, headset, seatpost, 1-piece integrated cockpit, and a set of 32 wheels starting at 4800 for you to build up with the drivetrain of your choice.SRAM Rival specSRAM Red PM w/ Newmen upgradeComplete builds start at 5800 with SRAM Rival AXS Xplr or 6600 for Force. The SRAM Red AXS Xplr build starts at 9000 including a power meter. (A GRX 1x Di2 build will come in 2027, as well.) All feature the 45mm deep Faserwerk Kornkreis wheels on DT 240 hubs standard. But can be upgraded to stiffer 62mm deep Newmen wheels with steel (+120) or carbon (+470) spokes for a bit more. All Avona builds are semi-custom, letting you choose post offset, bar width, stem & crank length, chainring size, cassette spread, and tires to get your perfectly dialed setup. Plus, all include CeramicSpeed UFO waxed chains out of the box,Order your now to either pick it up from an Avona dealer bikeshop, or to have it shipped directly to you throughout Europe, the US, and South Africa.Avona.cc

Arnaud De Lie has been told he needs to take a good look at himself this winter after bringing the worst season of his professional career to an end, with Axel Merckx questioning whether the 24-year-old has been able to sustain his best level for long enough. De Lie closed his Lotto-Intermarch ch...

"Same Same" is a video companion to Tom Powell's upcoming story about returning to New Zealand and rediscovering it with fresh eyes, which will appear in The Bikepacking Journal 17. Watch the reflective short video and become a Bikepacking Collective member to reserve your copy in print here...The post The Bikepacking Journal 17 Teaser: Same Same (Video) appeared first on BIKEPACKING.com.

UPDATED October 16, 2026 BY Olha Kurochkina IN Company no comments TDA Live Cycle Tour Q&A Session with special guest, TDA Founder Henry GoldEver wondered who decided that cycling across Africa was a good idea? And how was it possible to turn that idea into TDA Global Cycling, a company getting ready to celebrate its 25th anniversary next year? And after all these years on the road, where is he planning to ride in 2027?Youve enjoyed our general info sessions and the chance to chat live with the TDA team, so this time weve decided to treat you to a special guest: our founder, Henry Gold.With a milestone anniversary approaching, its a good time to revisit how it all began and get a glimpse of the adventures still ahead.Join Henry and the TDA team for a live online conversation about the early days, the lessons learned along the way, and his own cycling plans for 2027.Well also explore our 2027-2028 tour calendar and talk about how to take those first steps towards your own adventure. Wondering how fit you need to be, whether you can join just part of a tour, or what happens if you need a break from riding? Well cover the common questions, with our team on hand to explain the practical details.There will be time for your questions too whether theyre for Henry about his experiences or for our staff about preparation, bikes and life on tour. You can also submit questions when you register to help us shape the conversation.Event Details:When: Wednesday, November, 4th, 2026, at 1 pm EST (Toronto/New York)Where: Online via ZoomDuration: 60 minutesParticipants: Henry Gold, TDA Founder, Miles MacDonald, Operations Manager, Shanny Hill, Marketing Manager, Michael Coo, Customer Support Manager.REGISTER HERECant join us live? Register anyway, and well email you a link to the recording afterwards. Still have questions after browsing our FAQ page or TDA Starter Kit? Bring them along. From choosing a tour and getting ready to ride to the everyday details of life on the road, Henry and the team will be there to help. If youd prefer to send your questions in advance, email Olha at [emailprotected], and well include them in the conversation.Related Posts:Leave a Comment for "TDA Live Cycle Tour Q&A Session with special guest, TDA Founder Henry Gold" Cancel reply

Just a couple of weeks ago, we got a sneak peek at this all-new Avona Callis 32 gravel race bike at Sea Otter Europe, where it was ridden to a UCI World Series race win. About the same time, I was also able to throw a leg over a stock, consumer-friendly spec, then head out of Gironas city center for a couple of quick rides over two days. And now, it is available to buy, making this the first proper production carbon gravel bike to market on 32 wheels.Lets break down the details. Whats new, how it rides, and how you can get your own 32 carbon gravel race bike nowAvona Callis 32 is the first 32 gravel race bike you can buy(Photos/Cory Benson)We all knew 32 gravel bikes were coming. Theyve been popping up all year, winning pro gravel races. Then, back in Girona, Avona made it clear that the big Callis 32 gravel bike would go on sale on October 15th. So, now we have the full details.From a starting point, the Avona Callis 32 follows the same ethos of the original Callis they debuted just last year. Avona aims to develop high-performance bikes for everyday riders. And even though this bike was ridden to a pro-level gravel win, it was created for all gravel riders looking to go fast. Now, much of the tech in the new bike is the same as the 700c/29 wheeled Callis gravel bike that I rode last year. But Avona didnt simply scale it up and slap bigger wheels on the Callis 32. Instead, they describe their bike development process more as being holistic. In fact, they too were a bit skeptical of the jump to 32 at first, so it was digging into all of the data that convinced them to push on.Holistic bike development was ideally suited for the shift to 32 wheels To Avona, holistic design means, instead of just making a bike to be aerodynamic or lightweight or to fit bigger tires & wheels, they strive to look at all performance characteristics and even component specs together.Aero gains are great, until the point they make a bike too stiff to ride for several hours. Light bikes are nice for big mountain days, but have less of an impact if your climbing is limited. And wider tires and bigger diameter wheels can boost comfort, control, and even lower rolling resistance, as long as they dont become heavy, sluggish, or unintentionally introduce extra drag.(Studio images/Avona)When considering the jump to 32 wheels for gravel, Avona first pooled available data, and realized 32 rolling resistance gains would probably outweigh any aerodynamic losses. So once they had a design and could prototype, they built up identical 700c & 32 bikes and ran a Virtual Elevation Method rolling resistance simulation on a real-world, out-and-back section of rough gravel track to determine how much energy the bigger wheels could save by smoothing those bumps out. Their findings showed that switching to the bigger wheels saves 11.7W in rolling resistance at 35kph. Then, in the wind tunnel, the aero drag would only add an extra 1-3W penalty.32 vs. 700c in the GST wind tunnel (Composite photo/Avona)(Avona share a Whitepaper of their data analysis for those that like to nerd out on the numbers. Plus, theres also a deep look at Avonas 32 pros & cons that led to the development of the Callis 32 in the first place.)OK, so what all is new? Back in Girona, I was able to suss out pretty much all the technical similarities with its smaller 700c sibling. But really, a lot of what makes this new 32 gravel bike work is Avonas attention to refining agile big-wheel geometry. They worked hard on refining the big bikes geometry and making sure to develop light & responsive 32 wheels for it to be sure to create a proper gravel race bike without compromise on the bigger wheels.Lets talk 32 gravel race-tuned geometrySo, contrary to the recent trend of making gravel bikes slacker to go faster off road, the Callis 32 has decidedly steep angles a 70 headtube and 74 effective seattube angle. Of course to fit that big wheel in front of you with acceptable toe overlap, frame reach is a bit longer, although the 398mm of my size Large test bike wasnt extreme. Then, it was a relatively long 60mm fork offset that kept fork Trail in check. And Avona still managed to keep chainstay length surprisingly short at just 440mm thanks to a dramatically curved seattube, super thin chainstays, and 1x only compatibility.Avona admits that they couldnt really build a 32 gravel bike smaller than a size Medium frame without compromising handling, so they didnt. The Callis 32 comes in just three sizes: M-XL. But since they started with a 30mm offset seatpost and conventional stem lengths, there is still quite a bit of room for adjustment to fit smaller riders. I saw a rider less than 165cm tall test the size M with a 0mm offset post and a slammed 75mm stem, and both her and I were surprised with how well it fit, and how well the bike handled.It clear that getting bigger riders on 32 bikes is always going to make the most sense. But Avonas sharp handling and tight clearances approach proves smaller riders have a chance, too.Tech detailsBeyond the big wheels and properly tuned geometry, the Avona includes a lot of other lightweight gravel race bike technologies.lightweight carbon frameinternal frame storage & mounts to fit 2 full-size water bottles55mm max tire, with 6mm clearance (not enough for the 2.4 Aspens on adventure focused 32 bikes, but yes to the 2.15 Aspen ST)1x and electronic shift only; max 50T chainringBoost chainline, Boost rear axle spacing (12x148mm) & Road Boost front (12x110mm)UDHthreaded BSA bottom bracketproprietary D-shaped aero seatpost with hidden wedge-style clampfully integrated cable routing through the sealed headsetFM160 flat mount rear brake (160 or 180mm rotors)898g claimed frame weight (size M painted, but without any hardware like the storage door, seatpost clamp, axle, or hanger)409g claimed fork weight, painted & uncutOK, so how does it ride?Fit & First ImpressionsAt 185cm tall (+/-61), its not really a stretch to fit me on bigger wheels (like on the 750D Jumbo). Avona has me on a Large with a middle-of-the-road fit stem & seatpost wise. But still, about half of the 32 bikes I have ridden so far (~75% being mountain bikes) could be described as muted, if not specifically sluggish even if ride data suggests most were actually quicker than comparable 29ers. So, I was cautiously optimistic to try out my first carbon 32 bike, and the first real production 32 gravel bike.Even though Im quite tall, I most often size down to a Medium on dropbar bikes. But even with that in mind, I didnt feel stretched out on the Large Callis 32. The 398mm Reach isnt much more than most L gravel bikes these days, and the 598mm Stack is actually lower than almost all other gravel bikes Ive ridden this year. Chainstay length is even the same as a fast-feeling 700c gravel bike Ive been riding lately, just 10-15mm longer than most other 700c gravel bikes Ive been testing lately.Out on gravel road & trail?I had the chance to put in two different rides on the new 32 Callis during my limited time with it. First, was a pretty chill late afternoon ride, mixing city tarmac and fast, smooth gravel roads. The second, a morning ride on a mix of gravel Champagne hardpack, some choppy car-induced brake bumps & soft deep gravel outside of the center of Girona, plus a bit of bumpy singletrack along the river resulting from the remnants of muddy MTB ruts.My immediate feeling on the road then hardpack was how effortlessly the bike was to ride quickly. I cruised along the streets, drafting roadies with seemingly no effort even rolling on 50mm gravel tires. In the dirt, the wheels spun up quickly when I stomped on the pedals. And it required seemingly little effort to maintain speed. When riding gravel roads, I didnt feel like it required any additional effort to change directions. But when I ended up on twisty singletrack, it did feel like I probably had to work a little harder through the turns. That feeling was a bit more exaggerated on tight ups and downs that robbed my momentum, where I could feel it took more effort to re-accelerate and tuck through low-speed turns at the same time.But notably, I barely felt the brake bumps and just rolled over dried-out ruts & ridges. Maintaining speed on smooth tracks was nice. But the slightly rougher ones were where it felt like the bigger wheels and lower tire pressure (~5psi less than usual) really shone. And I think credit is due here for the Faserwerk wheels too, which thankfully didnt feel overly stiff (an issue I personally notice with many deeper aero gravel race wheels).Why does it feel so quick, even with bigger wheels?Avonas 32 frame at a claimed 898g (M, painted) is actually lighter than their 700c version, offsetting about +100-200g extra weight in the wheels, so their complete Callis 700 & Callis 32 bikes are effectively the same total weight. So the whole 32 bike is as light as many 700c bikes.Plus, Ive ridden 32 XC bikes with >2500g wheelsets with 1700g of additional tire weight. Avonas own Faserwerk Kornkreis 32 wheels on DT 350 hubs like I rode are said to weigh just 1567g, making them no heavier really than many aero 700c gravel wheelsets. And the 50mm Schwalbe tires add about 1300g on top of that, maybe 100g more than a 700c setup.Really, it all adds up light overall bike weight, especially light wheels, light and not too wide tires, reduced Trail, steep head angle, and a forward-leaning rider weight balance.To me the Avona Callis 32 simply felt quick, not really possessing any of the sluggishness I had felt when riding more adventure- or XC-focused 32 bikes on gravel roads. Several pro cyclists I have discussed 32 wheels with told me that the bigger-wheeled bikes felt slower, but measured faster lap times without fail. As someone not racing, that doesnt really sound appealing to me. But riding the Callis 32, which actually feels faster to my amateur rider brain, now Im coming around to the idea that 32 wheels could appeal to the average gravel bike rider, too. Not just the gravel racer. Looks like Im going to need to spend a lot more time riding 32 bikes to keep building a larger baseline of comparison. In the meantime, this new carbon Callis 32 gravel bike seems like a solid starting point for production 32 gravel bikes.Avona Callis 32 gravel bike Pricing, options & availability(Photo Lukas Ittenbach/Avona)The new Avona Callis 32 is actually available now, making it the first production carbon gravel bike you can buy on 32 wheels as far as I know. Three complete bike specs are available, in three paint colors clear over carbon, Deep Olive green, Ultra Violet purple, or primed ready-to-paint. As well as a rolling chassis frame kit that includes frame, fork, headset, seatpost, 1-piece integrated cockpit, and a set of 32 wheels starting at 4800 for you to build up with the drivetrain of your choice.SRAM Rival specSRAM Red PM w/ Newmen upgradeComplete builds start at 5800 with SRAM Rival AXS Xplr or 6600 for Force. The SRAM Red AXS Xplr build starts at 9000 including a power meter. (A GRX 1x Di2 build will come in 2027, as well.) All feature the 45mm deep Faserwerk Kornkreis wheels on DT 240 hubs standard. But can be upgraded to stiffer 62mm deep Newmen wheels with steel (+120) or carbon (+470) spokes for a bit more. All Avona builds are semi-custom, letting you choose post offset, bar width, stem & crank length, chainring size, cassette spread, and tires to get your perfectly dialed setup. Plus, all include CeramicSpeed UFO waxed chains out of the box,Order your now to either pick it up from an Avona dealer bikeshop, or to have it shipped directly to you throughout Europe, the US, and South Africa.Avona.cc

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