The Cross-ASAP Race Bike

Some of us at Seven are really looking forward to 'cross season. (Even dreaming of planks.) The season can't get here fast enough.

'Cross ASAP, please!

$6,695 with Shimano GRX

Our Cross-ASAP is ready to race titanium at $6,695 with Shimano GRX, as shown below.

3-Week Lead Time

The ASAP means an exceptional three-week delivery!

3 reasons to choose the Cross-ASAP

Three of about forty reasons.

ONE: Optimized For 'Cross. Fundamentally, 'cross speed starts with having a 'cross-specific bike. The X-ASAP ("cross-ay-sap") is a true 'cross bike, not a warmed-over gravel bike. What's the difference? Nearly everything. Fast handling, 33 mm tire optimization, explosive acceleration, and shoulder-able are just the start — and are somehow rather scarce features these days.

TWO: Faster Lap Times. Speed comes from more than frame stiffness. Control is speed. No cycling discipline displays these tenets more clearly than 'cross racing. The fastest bike lap after lap is the one that corners more precisely, gives you traction where you didn't know there was any, stays controllable during shoulder-to-shoulder jostling, accelerates quicker, works better with your body English, and absorbs more hand-numbing back-aching abuse. All of this while riding over your limit for minutes at a time. The deeper into red you are, the more benefit Seven's design provides.

THREE: Complete Trust In The Equipment. Seven has designed and built bikes ridden to World Championships and National Championships. We've built thousands of bikes that have raced on 'cross courses around the world. Some of our employees have raced 'cross for years. 'Cross racing is a bit of an obsession for some of us.

For dozens of additional excellent reasons to race the X-ASAP, read on.

If these reasons don't align with your list of what you want in your upcoming 'cross bike, we have an endless array of other categories and designs available. Let us know what perfection is for you.

Parts Details

The X-ASAP is kitted out with Shimano's 1x GRX 810/600 groupset. Durable, popular, affordable, and easy to service. Skip the front derailleur. 1x chainring is simpler, lighter, and has less-to-no chain drop. Lots of upgrades available. Ask us for details.

Complete bike weight: This build-out has an average calculated weight of 8.83 kilos, 19.5 lbs.^[9] Lighter setups are available.

Support Package Details

Component footnotes:

9. Complete bike weight is calculated by tallying weights provided by each part manufacturer. The actual bike weight may vary slightly. The calculated weight uses a frame with a 54.0 cm top tube and average-sized components where there sizing options exist. If you'd like a lighter bike, choose a different parts kit or set of upgrades. Calculated bike weight does not include pedals or any accessories shown in images.

Frameset Geometry

Race Design: Seven's X-ASAP is a true 'cross race bike in large part because of our frame geometry. Short stays, steep front end, near-horizontal top tube, high bottom bracket, and more.

Best fit: Better fit means better performance and handling. The bike comes in 16 sizes in one cm top tube length increments and stack increments of about one cm, too. You get a better fit than any stock bike — that are typically available in 5 to 7 sizes.

General Frame & Bike Geometry Notes

All measurements in centimeters and degrees. Bike Geometry shown with 700c x 33 mm knobby tires. All specifications subject to change.

1. Top tube length is effective: Starting from the centerline of the head tube and top tube intersection measured horizontally to the ground, back to the seat tube.
2. Frame reach warning: This popular measurement is not a good gauge of proper bike fit. Also, the term is not accurate and, therefore, often causes confusion. Seven qualifies the term with "BB-HT" to help define the measurement. Regardless of these shortcomings, we include frame reach BB-HT because it has become a popular industry shorthand for comparing one bike size to another. While the frame reach numbers Seven shows here are accurate, Seven does not take responsibility for an ill-fitting bike if you rely on the frame reach number. Top tube length is much more relevant and helpful in bike-to-bike fit comparisons.

Mission: Cyclocross First

The X-ASAP is first a cyclocross race bike. No apologies. We've optimized its design for repeated accelerations through increased drivetrain stiffness. We've ensured fast handling in chaotic situations through intentional 'cross-specific frameset geometry. We provide better command of the bike in loose and unpredictable surface conditions through our tubeset's torsion control. The bike will find traction where you didn't think there was any through our unique use of titanium and material manipulation.

The X-ASAP's Capabilities Table shows that the bike is also adept at assignments that include gravel riding, a bit of mixed terrain, and long road rides. Just swap tires for the conditions, and you'll be faster than ever at whichever discipline you choose. The bike's only limitation is its maximum tire clearance of 36 mm. That's not ideal for mixed-terrain riding, but that's not its objective.

Is this bike's mission not quite ideal for you? We have dozens of other models, so if you're looking for more of a 'cross and gravel bike, or a straight-up UCI-type pure cyclocross machine (or two), we've got you covered.

Performance Characteristics

The Cross-ASAP shows its race performance in these primary ways:

• Bike Handling: Optimized for cyclocross racing
• Drivetrain Stiffness: Increased by 17%
• Torsion Control: Increased by 9%
• Smoothness & Traction: Enhances by 19%

Bike Handling: 'Cross Racing

Because this is a true 'cross bike, we've optimized the handling for tight group racing through endless turns in loose muddy, and grassy conditions. The X-ASAP features quicker handling than a typical gravel bike. You have to control this jet; no autopilot available. Cut corners faster, navigate roots more easily, and use body English more intuitively than ever before.

Seven's Handling Continuum

The Handling Marker shows the Cross-ASAP to be on the feisty side of neutral.

We accomplish this complex handling through a combination of contemporary frame geometry, tubeset selection, and 16 frame sizes, so your Seven X-ASAP will fit much better than any stock bike and thereby provide a better center of gravity. The result is a bike that naturally handles better, has better traction front and rear, and does what you tell it.

Drivetrain Stiffness: Increased by 17%

"Stiffer is better for a race bike, right?" True, to a point. In 'cross racing, acceleration is key. Watts transfer is critical. Drivetrain stiffness is a primary measure of these factors.

To that end, we've designed the X-ASAP with a 17% stiffer drivetrain than our baseline 'cross bike. This provides a balance of watts transfer and frame geometry optimization. Beware too much of a good thing. Making the drivetrain much stiffer than this requires increasing tube diameters along with other geometric tricks. The tradeoff is a loss in tire clearance, chainring clearance, or longer chainstays — or all three, not to mention a measurable increase in frame weight.

Seven's Exclusive 'Cross Frameset Features

Too much information about a very special bike.

• Titanium: The wonder metal for cyclocross
• Better fit: 16 frame sizes
• Better handling with our 'cross specific tubeset
• Better on race day: True 'cross design
• More than numbers: Who built your bike?
• Frame details

Titanium — Seven's Way

The endless wonder metal.

Why ti? A smoother ride.

• Titanium's legendary high-frequency vibration damping takes the edge off.
• Big hit control: A well-designed ti frame absorbs shock from rocks and roots and keeps you rolling in the right direction.
• Relief from hand numbness through the material's natural damping characteristics.
• No maintenance. Impervious to the elements. Won't corrode or rust.

Why Seven's proprietary 3-2.5 titanium alloy? Enhanced control & flow.

• The alloy's high strength allows us to leverage titanium's natural flex and turn it into Flow. This unheard-of smoothness and vertical compliance means more control:
• Flow keeps the wheels on the ground.
• Flow maximizes tire traction.
• Flow reduces pinch flats.
• Flow takes the edge off rock, roots, and divots.
• Flow provides body protection and reduces soreness.
• Flow lets you relax on the bike and save your energy for when you need it.
• Three times stronger than pure titanium, we use that strength to make the frame lighter and have more flow flex.
• High strength means your Seven notice rough treatment. Scrapes and scuffs mean nothing. Mud can't wear away the frame.
• The alloy's form-ability allows us to shape the stays for more tire clearance and a shorter wheelbase. Faster handling and better tire traction.

Why Seven's straight gauge (SG) titanium tubing? Stiffness & toughness.

• Stiffness where it counts. Nearly 20% stouter drivetrain and 10% stiffer front end. Accelerate faster and go where you steer.
• Toughness. It's more crash tolerant and offers the best impact resilience of any bike ever made.
• Tailored beyond expectations. We have 26 distinct titanium tube sizes in-house. This provides thousands of tubeset combinations. Our 16 frame sizes have 16 different SG tubesets tailored to our rider weight database bell curves.
• Seven's SG tubing offer our best frame value possible.

We've invested thousands of hours in titanium research, testing, material manipulation, and sourcing. The results help us build a stronger, more durable, better-performing titanium frame.

16 sizes of Rider-Ready designs

We offer two to three times more sizes than popular 'cross bikes (16 vs. 5-7 sizes) because better fit provides a lot more than just better fit:

• Size-specific geometry means each frame size has a different bottom bracket height, seat tube angle, and a number of other elements that many stock cyclocross bikes forego tailoring. Optimal geometry means the bike rides better in your specific size.
• Better handling: The right size bike has a better center of gravity. When your COG is right, the bike handles better. You're not too far over the front end or rear wheel.
• Better cornering: Lean into it harder, tighter, faster. Optimizing weight distribution provides the largest possible tire contact patches.
• More confidence: Better fit means increased dynamic feedback to bend the tape and get closer to the edge of control.
• Better traction: We've performed hundreds of tire weight distribution studies. Small differences have big impacts. The better the bike fits, the better the tires' traction.
• Better control: The bike's fit and reach are not too long or too short. This optimal fit provides increased control of the bike in chaotic situations.

The ultimate benefit of all this is faster lap times. Control is speed.

16 'cross-specific tubesets

Each of the 16 tubesets is entirely distinct and based on rider weight averages from our database of the 30,000-plus custom bikes we've built. Each frame size has a different recommended weight limit. This level of detail provides optimal stiffness, performance, and ride feel.

Cyclocross tubeset enhancements:

• Seven's Moto seat stays: Nearly 20% more flow than our standard inline stays. More than 40% smoother than popular carbon 'cross bikes. Do you want your wheels to stay in contact with the dirt for better traction and control? Go Moto!
• 17% stiffer chainstays and drivetrain for faster repeated accelerations.
• 9% increase in top tube and down tube torsion control for more cornering confidence and accurate line choosing through rocks and roots.
• Enhances traction through strategic titanium design.

'Cross-specific frame geometry & features

Discussed in depth elsewhere, here are some highlights:

• Shorter chainstays mean more weight on the rear wheel for better rear wheel traction and a lighter front end for quicker handling.
• Steeper head tube angle, shorter front center, and tailored trail mean more responsive handling.
• Higher bottom bracket height provides a higher center of gravity resulting in more agility in corners.
• Nearly horizontal top tube for easier and faster shouldering and running.
• External shift and brake routing for easy maintenance and tuning.

What makes the perfect 'cross bike?

True cyclocross race bikes are a dying breed.

When we search the interweb for the "best high-end cyclocross bikes of the year," the first three search results — all online magazines — post a total of 23 bikes. Unfortunately, a lot of duplicates leave only 9 distinct bikes to choose from. Even more unfortunate, measured by the three most basic characteristics of a 'cross race bike — 1) tire clearance optimized for 33 mm and maybe to fit up to a 38 mm maximum, 2) 'cross-specific frame geometry, and 3) easily shoulder-able — none of the bikes met those criteria. If we require any two of the three critical criteria, one bike becomes 'cross raceworthy. If we require only any one of the three basic characteristics, we have three bikes to choose from (33% of the "best 'cross bikes"). By stripping away even basic criteria that define cyclocross race bikes, there's really no distinction between a gravel/adventure bike and a 'cross bike. Hence the death of the cyclocross breed.