Ventum Racing released its new gravel bike under a pretty opaque veil — in the early going, the company offered a lot more mystery than fact.
And that could be just the way the Heber City, Utah, bike builder wants it. Ventum sent scant information about its sleek integrated, carbon gravel rig ahead of the release, other than a geometry chart and a few juicy tidbits to drum up some mystique.
Here’s what we know: The latest Ventum GS1 develops on the original by adding a little reach and overall length (for stability) and delivering massive tire clearance at 700c x 48.
Ventum calls its approach to the new GS1’s geometry “Predictable Optimized Performance,” or POP. Ventum extends the reach 10 mm over the last GS1. Additionally, the wheelbase is 10 mm longer. These changes aim at a predictable, secure feel across a wide swath of riding conditions.
Like the previous iteration, the GS1’s dual offset fork adjusts to either a 45 or 50mm offset. Effect: You can tweak it according to your steering preferences to make turns tighter or gain stability. Also, the D-shaped seat post aims to reduce force transfer to the rider’s body. And there’s also the integrated cockpit — aero gains and, obviously, clean lines.
It’s ready for a direct mount derailleur hanger or a SRAM universal derailleur hanger, plus compatibility for a 1x or 2x drivetrain. The press materials Ventum provided indicate riders will choose from a fairly broad range of componentry. Right off the bat, I see super-pricey Zipp 303 S tubeless carbon wheels paired with a (range topper) SRAM Red groupset.
Elsewhere, there’s a setup with cheaper Vision Team Aero Gravel i23 wheels with a Rival groupset.
But according to Ventum, you can’t lose a race on the GS1 because of the bike — if you fall out of the pack on “the fastest gravel bike in the world,” that’s on you.
The new GS1 goes live on Ventum’s website today. MSRP is $2,599 (frameset only) to $7,199 (before various wheel and power meter upgrades).
