Basso Tera Gravel Bike

The Basso Tera: A Gravel Bike with Rear Dampening

It’s a funny thing that when gravel bikes are designed by manufacturers who generally specialize in mountain bikes, the gravel options move from more MTB oriented to more road oriented. And when road bike designers start on gravel bikes, the result is bikes that progressively get more mountain bike-y. And indeed, that is the case with the Basso Tera gravel bike with a touch of rear dampening.

Basso kicked off their gravel options with the Palta first, which is a fantastic gravel bike for anyone looking to race over reasonably well-tended vineyard gravel paths or easy mountain double track. But we can only imagine some Basso designers were yearning to be able to tackle some rougher stuff once they got the taste for off-road exploring near their homes in the hills north of Treviso. Thus the Tera was born. First thing you’ll notice is that the fixed pivot of the rear triangle invites a little suspension into your gravel riding life. In fact, it is designed to inject 8mm of vertical flex. Flex is usually a word that bike brands stay away from, but in this case, it is the right type of flex since it will be pretty imperceptible, except for the fact that your butt won’t be numb after a couple hours on the rougher gravel. And because the frame and fork have been designed to accept up to 45mm wide tires, you’ll be able to run the type of big rubber that goes a long way to absorbing all that unwanted vibration.

Something else that might catch your eye about this bike is the fact that they have reintroduced the notion of having an aluminum front triangle with the rear triangle being carbon. That helps keep the price more reasonable and also uses the carbon where it will do the most good, and the same for the aluminum. Lightweight and stiff, aluminum is an ideal, cost-effective way to ensure the front end gives nothing away in terms of power transfer. Then by using carbon for the rear triangle, they save a little weight and ensure a high level of lateral rigidity that combines with carbon’s ability to absorb road vibrations, when well laid-up. The carbon fiber rear triangle is bonded directly to the bottom bracket area and using advanced layup technique that ensures it is an efficient structure with the required amount of vertical compliancy.

The setup makes for a smooth ride that doesn’t compromise on responsiveness. And Basso designers go even further in making the Tera an off-road capable bike with things like dropper post compatibility as well as bolts for up to 4 water bottle cages, bag mounts and mud guards. They have tried to think of everything that will turn this into a bikepacking buddy, if you want. The Basso Tera can accommodate 1x or 2x groupsets and has internal cable routing to keep it clean and protect any cables or wires from damage in adverse conditions. Finally, the shorter reach and taller stack compared to the Palta indicates that the bike’s geometry is also developed to suit those longer hours in the saddle, especially over rougher, unpaved roads.

Embrace Adventure with the Basso Tera: Well-Equipped and Well-Priced

However big your adventure plans, the Basso Tera has the ability to keep up and enhance your comfort levels. Well-equipped and well-priced, it’s a gravel bike that will keep all rides fun and hassle free.

Also check Colnago gravel bikes.