Bastions bikes have always been beautiful, with the combination of sculpted titanium lugs and hand-crafted carbon tubes. Last year, the brand combined its enviable craftsmanship with a new aerodynamic direction in the Archetype. Now Bastion has applied the same thinking to gravel with the equally striking Panterra. The Panterra has the same great looks and exquisite finish as Bastion's road-going aero bike. It also comes with a breathtaking price tag (around 14,300 / $18,594), so no matter how impressive it looks, it'll remain a dream machine for me not one to dust the credit card off for. No harm in drooling, though. No compromises In typically Bastion style, its a no-compromise design with stunning attention to detail, starting with an approach that most big-name brands simply can't take. "Most gravel bikes are built down to a price point," says Bastions CEO, Ben Shultz. "The Panterra is built up from a principle. It's gravel, done differently, because it matters." The aero Panterra is designed to be fast and versatile. But, above all else, it looks beautiful. Bastion What does that mean in reality? The aerodynamic design of the Archetype combining mirror-polished, 3D-printed titanium lugs with filament-wound carbon tubing has been applied here, too. The tubeset uses NACA (National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics) aerodynamic profiles, combined with a frame design that brings 50mm tyre clearance, a UDH dropout and compatibility with 1x drivetrains only. The Panterra uses NACA aero tube profiles. And look at those titanium lugs! Bastion When I heard a rumour that Bastion was bringing out a new gravel bike, I fully expected the brand to have moved its 32-inch machine into production, so it was something of a surprise when the Panterra was revealed as a new 700c aero-gravel superbike. For now, there's no word on whether Bastions DBM 32 will make it to production, but I wouldnt be surprised if they followed Singulars lead in bringing a 32-inch bike to market. What you need to know about the Bastion Panterra Aerodynamic design informed by the Bastion Archetype Clearance for tyres up to 50mm-wide front and rear Designed for use with electronic 1x drivetrains UDH compatible Custom frame bag by Skingrowsback included with every bike Weighs a claimed 8.5kg with SRAM Force XPLR and Zipp XPLR wheels Handmade in Melbourne, Australia Versatile... and very exclusive According to Bastion, the Panterras design brief was to bring aerodynamics to a gravel bike, while retaining the brand's ride quality, ensuring genuine versatility for all types of gravel and multi-surface riding, and, of course, doing so in a machine that looks stunning. "The challenge was balancing capability with ride feel," Bastions engineering manager, Ethan York, told me. "We wanted generous tyre clearance, modern drivetrain compatibility and genuine gravel versatility, while preserving the connected, refined ride feel that defines a Bastion. The Panterra allowed us to bring those requirements together in a very cohesive way." The Panterra uses custom, filament-wound carbon tubes. Bastion While nothing at Bastion is standard, a common build option combining SRAM Force XPLR and Zipps 303 XPLR wheels is claimed to weigh in at 8.5kg. The Panterra also comes with a custom frame bag by fellow Australian artisans Skingrowsback. Bastions yearly output is limited to only 100 bikes, with each said to be individually engineered for the customer. Each Panterra is custom-made to order. Bastion That means the Panterra is not only very exclusive, its also going to be very elusive as each bike comes with a seven-month lead time. Pricing for the Panterra starts from AUD $27,000 or approximately 14,300 / $18,594 (plus shipping/local taxes).