Wilier Rave SLR All Road Frame

Wilier Rave SLR: The Ultimate Gravel/Racing Bike

There’s no denying that most cyclists love the idea of having one bike for every type of ride we like to do. But since mixed terrain riding is becoming such a common theme, it’s highly likely that you are taking rides that feature smooth tarmac, rough roads, and gravel all within the space of 20 miles. The Wilier Rave SLR has been designed in this spirit: the go everywhere, ride everything spirit. A gravel/racing bike extraordinaire!

Finding the perfect balance between low weight and frame durability means that Wilier have used the same mix of carbon fiber materials for the Rave SLR that can already be found on the Wilier 0 SLR and the Filante SLR. The HUS-MOD unidirectional carbon combined with liquid crystal polymer results in a frame that offers exceptional stiffness and durability while keeping the weight well below 1kg, which is uncommonly light for a gravel-oriented bike.

In fact, on first glance, the Rave SLR might not even look like a gravel bike since it shares a lot of design queues from the 0 SLR beyond the composition of carbon materials. What makes the Rave exceptional for a road bike frame is the fact it can take 700x42mm tires, putting it firmly in gravel bike territory. This feature required only minor adjustments to the race-ready geometry. The chainstays are just a tick longer than you’d normally see on a pure racing bike. And they grow with the frame sizes, to ensure the smaller frames can enjoy a snappy enough ride. So the smallest size has chainstays that are 42.1cm which increases to 42.7cm for the largest size. The head tube angle is also just a touch slacker in all sizes than what you’ll find on the 0 SLR, for instance. So again, in the smallest size of the Rave SLR it’s 70° while in the 0 SLR it’s 70.5° while in the middle sizes of the Rave the angle is 71° and 72.15° on the 0 SLR.

These slight changes in the geometry numbers add a significant amount of stability to the Rave SLR especially when riding at speed over gravel sections without taking away from the snappiness we all love about the way Wilier racing bikes handle. There’s no denying, though, that this is a roadie’s gravel bike and is more at home on a dirt backroad than your local singletrack loop.

Wilier offers the Rave SLR with two different bar options. This is the point you have to ask yourself: what type of rider are you? A roadie who wants to dabble in gravel but stick to the paved roads mostly or an adventurer who wants to push yourself and your bike on long distance gravel explorations? For the first case, Wilier offers their integrated 0-Bar which has a traditional stem/bar appearance and non-flared drops. Since it weighs just 330 grams, it is more than ready to be raced in your favorite hill climb events. But if you are a dedicated gravel grinder, then the J-Bar will be the way you’ll want to go. It has an eye-catching V-shaped stem designed for gravel and includes flared drops for more control. At 390 grams, it isn’t heavy either, but perhaps just a little more able to withstand rougher riding for longer.

Wilier Rave SLR Delivers a Fantastic Riding Experience

Wilier says to expect the unexpected with the Rave SLR. But one thing definitely will not be unexpected: you will absolutely love riding this bike no matter the surface. The Wilier Rave SLR is available in six sizes, two color schemes, and a variety of pre-built options.

Also check Look All Road Bikes.