The ASTR brings every quality of the ASTR RS to a more approachable price point – from the aero design language to a modern gravel geometry. This build surprises with a distinctive drivetrain concept: the Classified hub gear delivers a second shifting step straight out of the rear wheel.
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Enable Youtube videosThe ASTR frame is made of HM carbon with a BB86 bottom bracket, short chainstays and tyre clearance of 47 mm in twin-chainring operation or 52 mm in 1x mode. The heart of the bike is the Classified drivetrain: an 11–34 sprocket cluster (twelve gears) is complemented by a wirelessly shifted reduction concealed inside the rear hub – together yielding virtually 24 gears from a single chainring, without a front derailleur and without ratio gaps. The twist: gear changes succeed almost instantaneously even under full load, while the chain runs on one line and cannot drop. The SRAM Rival eTap AXS groupset handles the rear derailleur and the hub via radio. Lighting is nowhere to be found; riders travelling light stow gear in aero frame and saddle bags over the provided mounts. Extras include the integrated Forza Cirrus Pro cockpit with a 16-degree flare, the Forza Levanto gravel front wheel with 40 mm depth and a 23 mm inner width, the 4ZA Levanto G rear wheel with the Classified hub, the 47 mm Vittoria Terreno Dry tyres with light-tone sidewalls and the Selle Italia Novus Boost Superflow saddle. The Empress Grey Metallic/Anthracite Metallic paint lends the bike an elegant two-tone appearance; the XS frame size addresses more compact riders.
ASTR is the platform's own name for the entire line, pronounced "ASTor" and echoing the Latin "Aster" (star); no official long form exists. Classified designates the wireless hub-shifting system of the component developer of the same name – the so-called Powershift hub that provides a second ratio inside the rear wheel. Rival is the mid-tier classes of the SRAM catalogue, placed between Apex and Force or Red. AXS is SRAM's fully wireless shifting ecosystem. 1x12 describes the arrangement of one chainring and twelve sprockets, virtually doubled by the hub reduction. Empress Grey Metallic/Anthracite Metallic marks the two-tone grey metallic paintwork, XS the smallest frame size.
The ASTR family divides into the base model, the RS flagship and the E variant with a motor. The base ASTR runs HM carbon, a round seatpost and groupsets that can be fitted mechanically or electronically; the RS line uses elite carbon, an aero seatpost and the Nimbus Pro cockpit with electronics only. Within the base programme this build stands out: while the GRX600 works mechanically with two chainrings, the Apex XPLR version uses a wide cassette and the GRX800 Di2 build shifts electronically with twin rings, the Classified variant relies on a single chainring plus hub reduction – no front derailleur, no cables, unmatched shifting composure even in a sprint. The integrated Cirrus Pro cockpit and the Levanto wheel sets underline the well-thought-out character of this version.
The field of use is the sporting gravel segment: brisk rides, regional races and long competitive stages. The 47 mm tyres balance grip and rolling resistance, while the hub gearing shifts almost seamlessly under load – an advantage when accelerating out of the saddle or conquering descents. Unlike the Kanzo Adventure, designed for bikepacking and lighting, this bike carries no loads but instead focuses on lightness and efficiency; against the older Kanzo Fast it scores with a newer aero generation and a larger tyre window. Riders who want a gravel bike with a clear 1x philosophy, a minimum of maintenance and an unusual, innovative drivetrain architecture find in the Classified ASTR a truly distinctive partner.
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