The gravel category has reached an interesting, and perhaps inevitable, point in its evolution. What began as cycling’s answer to the n-1 bike has gradually fractured into a collection of increasingly specialised subcategories. Riders are now routinely asked to choose between aerodynamic race bikes built for podiums and adventure rigs capable of disappearing into the wilderness for days at a time.
Take, for example, the evolution of the Specialized Crux. Once celebrated for its versatility and cyclocross roots, the latest version has evolved into something closer to a fat-tyred Tarmac, prioritising speed, efficiency and aerodynamics above all else. At the opposite end of the spectrum sit slacked-out bikes with suspension forks, mountain bike geometry and huge tyre clearances, to the point where they’re often little more than hardtails with drop bars attached.
In specialising, most new gravel bikes have drifted away from the all-round versatility that defined the category in the first place. Yet a handful of brands still seem interested in solving the original gravel equation: building a true all-rounder. Look believes its newest gravel platform, the G85 Cezal, is exactly that.
“The G85 Cezal is a fast and versatile carbon bike designed for all-around gravel rides, bridging the gap between amateur racing and long-distance adventure,” says the French manufacturer.
“Amateur racing” is a curious positioning. After all, Look ambassador Russell Finsterwald has spent much of the season racing the G85 Cezal at some of gravel’s biggest events, including Unbound Gravel and The Traka. He even opened the year with victory aboard the bike at Belgian Waffle Ride Arizona, so it’s clearly at home at the sharp end of modern gravel racing as well.
On paper, the G85 Cezal appears to sit directly between gravel’s increasingly polarised identities. It combines progressive geometry, generous tyre clearance and suspension-corrected design with the responsiveness and efficiency traditionally associated with Look’s road-racing pedigree. Look has not, however, placed much emphasis on aerodynamics, which are becoming increasingly important across the vast, flatter stretches of Kansas and Girona.
Is there still a place for an all-rounder gravel bike in today’s market? I rode the Look G85 Cezal for several weeks across Oregon’s fast gravel roads, chunky doubletrack, technical singletrack and long mixed-surface days to find out.
Meet the Cezal
(Image credit: Anne-Marije Rook)
At The Traka and Unbound this year, we witnessed a purposeful move away from versatility in the pursuit of all-out speed. Big tyre clearance is in, yes, but other rider-friendly features such as round seatposts, 2x compatibility, cockpit options, suspension-fork compatibility and even in-frame storage have largely disappeared from the latest race machines, including the Specialized Crux 5, unreleased Factor and Giant prototype.
The G85 Cezal, therefore, stands out because it deliberately leans into versatility. It’s also a significant departure from the French brand’s previous gravel efforts, which sat decidedly on the road side of the spectrum.
The G85 Cezal arrives with a geometry, feature set and aesthetic that place it firmly within the modern progressive gravel conversation.
There’s a slack 70-degree head angle paired with a relatively short wheelbase, a large front triangle with ample storage options, 50mm tyre clearance (57mm in the fork), integrated frame cable routing paired with a semi-integrated cockpit and boatloads of versatility built into the platform.
1x or 2x drivetrains, suspension forks, wireless or mechanical groupsets, a 27.2mm round seatpost, integrated storage and stack and reach figures that accommodate a wide range of cockpit options – the G85 Cezal is yours to configure however you see fit.
“With the G85 Cezal, we wanted to move away from the white lines and marginal gains, returning to why we ride in the first place: expression… This bike doesn’t ask you to follow a path or a trend; it adapts to your style, your terrain and your rules,” said Romain Simon, Bike Product Manager at Look.
While part of me feels this bike may be two or three years behind the curve, it’s refreshing that the Cezal was purposefully not designed for the pointy end of racing and therefore comes with features the average consumer – racer or not – will very much appreciate.
“Early on in my conversations with Look, it became clear they were serious about re-entering the gravel space. The G85 Cezal delivers on that in a big way,” said racer Russell Finsterwald. “It checks all the boxes of a modern gravel bike: generous tyre clearance, geometry corrected to accommodate a suspension fork and a racy platform.”
Specs:
(Image credit: Anne-Marije Rook)
- UDH compatible
- Internal downtube storage
- Bottom bracket: T47
- Suspension-corrected geometry
- Tyre clearance: 700 x 50 rear, 700 x 57 fork. 45mm in a 2x setup
- Wheels: FULCRUM Soniq Carbon 2WF
- Tyres: Hutchinson Touareg 700X45C
- Seatpost: LOOK LS1 UD Carbon – 27.2mm
- Cockpit: DEDA SuperZero Gravel Alloy & LOOK LS3 stem
- Drivetrain options: The test bike came with a 13-speed SRAM Force AXS XPLR groupset and retails for £6,190 / $7,500. LOOK also offers builds with Shimano‘s GRX Di2 2x option and GRX 1x mechanical set up. The latter is priced at £3,499 / $4,300. Framesets retail for £2,300 / $2,750.
The Ride
(Image credit: Anne-Marije Rook)
First things first: the G85 Cezal has presence.
The roomy front triangle, rounded lines, purple-speckled paint and contrasting red graphics make it a bike that demands a second look. Personally, I love it. In a sea of increasingly monochrome gravel bikes, the Look feels unapologetically fun.
Secondly, it’s respectably light. Despite topping out at a SRAM Force XPLR build rather than the flagship SRAM Red groupset, my test bike tipped the scales at 8.5kg ready to ride, complete with bottle cages.
I rode this bike on all my favourite local loops, as well as a big day in the Columbia Gorge where I battled the infamous headwinds from start to finish. What stood out almost immediately was how at home I felt on the bike.
Half an hour into my first ride, I knew we were going to get along. And that feeling came down largely to the handling.
The Cezal is lively.
In the pursuit of stability, tyre clearance and off-road capability, too many gravel bikes have become muted. They’re smooth and competent, certainly, but not always particularly engaging to ride. The G85 Cezal is an exception, and one that I, as a former cyclocrosser, very much appreciate.
(Image credit: Anne-Marije Rook)
The bike accelerates eagerly, carries speed well and responds instantly to rider input. There’s a responsiveness that’s clearly influenced by Look’s road-racing heritage. Yet unlike many road-derived gravel bikes, that responsiveness never comes at the expense of control.
The slacker front end and generous tyre clearance bring confidence once the terrain becomes rougher or the descents more technical. On loose surfaces, the bike remained composed and predictable, but never dull.
What impressed me most was how seamlessly it adapted to whatever ride I asked of it.
It’s steady on climbs and efficient on long drags into a headwind. It’s controlled on loose surfaces but still playful enough to encourage the occasional singletrack detour. It feels equally comfortable lining up for a gravel race, heading out for an all-day adventure or taking the long way home simply because a trail looks interesting.
In short, it’s fun and capable.
And that’s a difficult balance to strike. Most bikes excel at one thing and merely tolerate the rest. The Cezal genuinely seems to enjoy all of it.
The versatility of the platform only reinforces that impression. Thanks to the 27.2mm round seatpost, suspension-corrected geometry and generous tyre clearances, riders can tailor the bike to suit their priorities. Racers can keep things relatively lean and efficient, while riders interested in rougher terrain, underbiking adventures or backcountry exploration have plenty of room to experiment.
For those looking to race vast courses like Unbound Gravel, it is important to note that one thing the Cezal doesn’t do is chase aerodynamic gains.
There are no aero talking points, no truncated tube profiles and no obvious attempts to squeeze marginal gains from the wind tunnel.
Instead, the emphasis remains firmly on ride quality, handling and versatility. It can race, but it’s made for riding.
Whether that’s a disadvantage depends entirely on your priorities, but it feels refreshingly confident in a market increasingly focused on optimisation.
Value & Verdict
(Image credit: Anne-Marije Rook)
So is there still a place for an all-rounder gravel bike in today’s gravel market?
After several weeks aboard the G85 Cezal, I’d argue there’s more need for one than ever. While much of the category has split into increasingly specialised race and adventure machines, the Cezal is a reminder that most riders don’t neatly fit into either camp. Most of us simply want a bike that’s fun, capable and versatile enough to handle whatever ride we have planned that day.
At $7,500 for the SRAM Force XPLR build tested here, the G85 Cezal is still an investment, but it feels appropriately priced. You’ll get a lot of bike for the money, with a decent build.
What makes it so good is its refusal to chase extremes.
It’s light and lively without feeling twitchy, stable without feeling dull, fast enough to pin on a race number, versatile enough for an all-day adventure and capable enough to make questionable route choices along the way.
Riders focused purely on racing or, conversely, on multi-day expeditions will find more specialised options elsewhere. But if I were shopping for a new gravel bike tomorrow, the G85 Cezal would be on my shortlist.
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