GRAVEL
ROAD
LOOK had already laid the groundwork with the G85 Cezal, the more versatile option. What was missing was a version squarely focused on racing. Here it is: the G85 Cezal RS, a carbon gravel bike designed to go fast over medium and long distances, with a high-end build, a frame quoted at 1,000 g, and a clear performance focus.
This launch comes at a time when the gravel race scene is still pulled between three directions: aero, comfort, and ever-wider tyre clearance. LOOK does not fully pick a side. The brand prefers to talk about balance, with a strong idea: put aerodynamics where it pays most – around the rider’s position and the cockpit – rather than turning the whole frame into a disguised time trial bike.
🚀 In brief:
LOOK’s first RS gravel race bike, derived from the G85 Cezal
Carbon frame quoted at 1,000 g and 200 g lighter than the G85 Cezal
Tyre clearance of 57 mm at the front and 50 mm at the rear in 1x
The G85 Cezal RS retains the same geometry as the standard G85 Cezal. The difference lies mainly in the carbon and in the positioning. LOOK announces a new high-modulus lay-up, with 200 g shaved off compared with the standard G85 Cezal, for a frame quoted at 1,000 g in size M.
The brand also claims +19% stiffness at the bottom bracket and +20% at the head tube compared to the G85 Cezal. These are the kind of figures that will need confirming out on course, but the intent is clear: give the RS a crisper response in surges, attacks and fast sections where an overly supple gravel ends up eating watts.
The frame remains 1x and 2x compatible, with a chainring up to 50 teeth. You also get a T47 bottom bracket, a UDH hanger, 12 mm thru-axles, 160 mm flat mount brakes and a 27.2 mm carbon seatpost. Nothing exotic for the sake of being exotic. That is reassuring.
The top-spec version introduces an important detail at LOOK: a fully integrated cockpit with a LOOK Aero Carbon stem and Aero Carbon RS 3 handlebar. The brand puts a lot of emphasis on this. The aero gain is not pursued everywhere, but mainly on the cockpit and the ability to hold an efficient position for a long time.
It is a fairly realistic take on modern gravel. At 35 or 40 km/h on fast tracks, aero matters. But on rough courses, a technical descent or at the end of a race when your pedalling gets scrappier, control and comfort can weigh more than a more profiled tube.
LOOK even puts forward a simulation over a 146 km race: a more aero bike would save 137 seconds on paper, but could lose more in technical descents, on pedalling interruptions and through accumulated fatigue. It is a brand demonstration, so treat it with caution. But the argument is not absurd.
The G85 Cezal RS accepts tyres up to 57 mm at the front and 50 mm at the rear with a single chainring. With a double chainset, rear clearance drops to 45 mm. LOOK stands by this choice: keep short 425 mm chainstays and a responsive bike rather than chase absolute maximum tyre clearance.
Some will already find the rear limit a bit conservative, especially in a market where the numbers are climbing fast. But put it in perspective: not long ago, 50 mm clearance on a fast gravel was almost avant-garde. In practice, it will cover the vast majority of race use, including with 45 mm or 50 mm tyres depending on terrain.
The option to run much bigger up front is interesting. That is often where you want grip, comfort and security on descents. At the rear, too much volume can also hurt the feeling of efficiency if the casing deflects too much. LOOK therefore defends a fairly coherent compromise, even if it will not appeal to those who want a gravel race bike that can turn into a mini-MTB.
This is probably the most surprising point about this G85 Cezal RS. LOOK talks about a precise, reactive gravel, stable on descents and designed for racing. Yet the available data show a fairly high stack for a race bike.
Personally, in size L, I would end up around 3 cm higher than on several recent gravels I have tested that play in the same category. That is not a detail. The stack-to-reach ratio matters a lot when you are chasing a long, low, wind-efficient position.
That does not mean it will be impossible to get an aggressive position. The cockpit offers 50 mm of stack adjustment, with multiple stem lengths and handlebar widths. But the frame, at its core, does not naturally push towards a very low position. For a bike badged RS, it is a choice worth noting.
Useful data are also missing, notably the full wheelbase in the materials provided. LOOK mentions a short wheelbase and 425 mm chainstays, but without all the measurements it is hard to judge the actual stability and high-speed behaviour in detail.
At the rear, LOOK uses its 3D Wave Flex system, with shaped seatstays to filter vibrations. The brand claims up to 15% of vibrations filtered, without loss of lateral power transfer.
The idea is simple: limit micro-pauses in pedalling on rough ground. In gravel, that is not trivial. A bike that is too harsh can be very flattering in a short acceleration, then become costly after three hours on broken tracks. Comfort is not only about smoothness. Sometimes it is what lets you keep pedalling cleanly.
The 27.2 mm seatpost goes in the same direction. This diameter remains one of the simplest ways to retain a minimum of vertical flex without making the bike heavier or more complex. On a bike presented as race, this choice is rather welcome.
The G85 Cezal RS range starts with a frameset at €3,290, delivered with a Token T47 bottom bracket, 160 mm flat mount hardware and a LOOK LS1 27.2 mm carbon seatpost. Two complete builds are announced.
The SRAM Force XPLR 1x version comes in at €6,990, for 8.3 kg in size M, with a 40-tooth chainring, Deda Superzero Carbon / Superbox cockpit, Fulcrum Sharq C25 42 mm wheelset and Hutchinson Touareg Race 700 x 45 mm tyres.
The SRAM RED XPLR version rises to €8,990, for 7.9 kg in size M, with a 44-tooth aero chainring, a full LOOK Aero Carbon cockpit, the same Fulcrum Sharq C25 wheelset and Hutchinson Touareg Race 700 x 45 mm tyres.
We are therefore a long way from accessible gravel race bikes. To put the market in context, our selection of gravel race bikes under €5,000 shows clearly that performance is no longer reserved for builds close to €9,000. LOOK is clearly aiming at the top end, with assembly in Nevers, a lifetime warranty and a strong French identity as additional arguments.
LOOK also highlights Russell Finsterwald’s role in development. The American rider won Belgian Waffle Ride Arizona 2026 on a prototype and finished in the top 20 at The Traka 360. His feedback is said to have influenced the lay-up and build choices.
That is always hard to gauge from the outside. But in today’s gravel racing, brands need feedback from riders able to go hard, for a long time, on very different terrain. The fact that the bike has already been through racing at least lends a bit more weight to the technical narrative.
The LOOK G85 Cezal RS arrives with real personality. Not just because it is French, assembled in Nevers and positioned very high-end. Above all because it does not blindly follow the race for aero tubes or maximum clearance.
Tyre clearance is generous without being extreme. The frame chases stiffness and low weight, yet retains vibration filtering. The integrated cockpit finally gives LOOK a cockpit in line with the model’s racing ambition. On many points, the bike ticks the right boxes.
The real question comes from the geometry. For a gravel race bike, this high stack raises eyebrows. It may make the bike more accessible, easier to hold over long distances, perhaps more versatile too. But it could also frustrate riders seeking a very aggressive position without having to compensate heavily at the cockpit.
Without a field test, it is impossible to go further on the real behaviour. But one thing is certain: LOOK is not simply releasing a lightened version of the G85 Cezal. The brand is entering the gravel race segment with a confident, very high-end proposition that is different enough to deserve a close look.
| Riding style | Gravel race |
|---|---|
| Frame | Carbon |
| Electric assist | No |
| Gender | Unisex |
| Year | 2027 |
| Model | Look Cezal RS Sram Force, Look Cezal RS Sram Red |
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