New Look G85 Cezal RS gravel bike launched

When Look released the G85 Cezal earlier in the year, the storied French brand heralded the gravel bike as a genuine all-rounder. Given that the sector in general is continuing its move into greater specialisation – race in one direction, adventure in the other – it appeared to be rather a bold move to position a new bike at the confluence of these points.

But the G85 Cezal did what all good bikes do. It proved its worth. Noted privateer Russell Finsterwald took it and won the respected US Belgian Waffle Race, helping to establish its racing credentials. Then the reviews rolled in, including our assessment of the Look G85 Cezal, which confirmed the bike’s versatility, stability, and light, agile handling.

But no sooner did we chalk one up for the generalist than Look released the G85 Cezal RS, a dedicated gravel race machine co-developed with Finsterwald. But rather than undermine the original Cezal’s duality, the RS complements the platform, which Look says now covers 90% of gravel riding across the two bikes.

Interestingly, the difference between the two frames is found in the material rather than any tweaks to the geometry. Look has used what it describes as a “newly redesigned High Modulus (HM) carbon layup”, which it says saves 200g over the original G85 Cezal. The claimed weight for the RS frame is 1,000g for a size M, which is competitive enough for the gravel racing bracket; the internal downtube storage present in the original model has been sacrificed here, however.

The switch to the new layup has also increased stiffness, according to Look. The bottom bracket is some 19% stiffer by comparison, while the head tube is 20% stiffer. Combined, it’s designed to make the RS more efficient during sprints, climbs, and accelerations in general. Look says the head tube stiffness is greater than that of its Blade RS 3 race bike, which was raced at this year’s Tour de France.

All of this has been done without affecting compliance, according to Look; the frame features 3D Wave Flex System seatstays, designed to reduce vibrations and help to keep the wheels in contact with the trail, which in turn improves the rolling efficiency of the wider tyre; like the original model, the RS has clearance for 57mm front/50mm rear when using a 1x configuration, reduced to 45mm on a 2x setup.

As for that geometry, a size M combines a 590mm stack height with a 380mm reach. The head tube and seat tube angles are 70 and 74 degrees, respectively, with the 425mm chainstays also remaining. The frame can also accept suspension forks with up to 60mm of travel, if required.

For the RS to earn its ‘race-ready’ moniker, Look says it’s focused on real-world gains rather than obsessing over deep-section tube shapes. This means a fine-tuned front end, alongside cockpit choices that enable the rider to adopt and, vitally, hold an aerodynamically enhanced position. Combine this with the aforementioned compliance and wide tyres and you have a holistic approach that is designed to deliver greater comfort and control over challenging terrain, which in turn yields faster times.