With simplest round 150 motorcycles in life, you’ll be able to be forgiven for now not having heard of the Catalan motorcycle logo, Guava. I will admit that I hadn’t till previous this yr, when an creation resulted in a chance to journey the Guava Spot for a weekend in Girona.
The Spot is Guava’s simplest fashion and is to be had in a handful of spec ranges, which, as you would be expecting, come at various value issues.
Along it, the emblem additionally sells clothes and a make a choice few parts. It sells by means of its site and two retail outlets located in Barcelona and Girona respectively, the latter of which is only some yards from The Church of Santa Maria, or Girona Cathedral, possibly higher referred to as the filming location of Sport of Thrones’ Nice Sept of Baelor.
Curiously, the emblem is funded through footballing legend Andrés Iniesta throughout the Spaniard’s funding company, By no means Say By no means Ventures.
Because the identify of this overview suggests, the Spot is a gravel motorcycle, designed with an inexpensive quantity of tyre clearance, a rather protected geometry, and a spec package deal that appears like very good worth for cash.
The motorcycle I examined used to be the Guava Spot GRX Carbon fashion, priced at €4.299,00 / £3,999.00, with a one-piece cockpit, carbon wheels, and a 12-speed GRX mechanical groupset coupled with a Deore 10-51 cassette. For readability, that ‘carbon’ nomenclature refers back to the wheel spec. All choices include the similar carbon fibre body.
The bottom fashion with mechanical GRX, a two-piece bar and stem, and alloy wheels is priced at simply €3.699,00 / £2,950.00, whilst the top-tier fashion with Pressure AXS, carbon wheels and the one-piece cockpit is €5.299,00 / £4,950.00.
I used the motorcycle for the two-day gravel level race, Santa Vall, and regardless of it being priced at a 3rd of one of the motorcycles along it, a few of which function in our information to the most productive gravel motorcycles in the marketplace, it held its personal extremely properly, as I will get into beneath.
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The Guava Spot is a tight having a look motorcycle with impartial geometry(Symbol credit score: Josh Croxton)
It’s dotted with neat, playful touches right through, such because the Guava ‘cranium’ brand(Symbol credit score: Josh Croxton)
In addition to this Made in Barcelona design, celebrating its Catalan heritage(Symbol credit score: Josh Croxton)
And the ‘We could get misplaced’ height cap, which the emblem additionally sells as a spare if you need one on your different motorcycles(Symbol credit score: Josh Croxton)Design and specs
As touched on above, the motorcycle’s design and geometry are rather protected, however within the spaces that topic – no less than individually – the motorcycle is revolutionary and forward-thinking sufficient to be fascinating.
One of the simplest ways I will be able to describe the motorcycle, and certainly the emblem in the back of it, is ‘playful’. In a literal sense, the motorcycle is dotted with playful slogans similar to ‘Let’s Get Misplaced’ and ‘Freedom Gadget’. However greater than that, the geometry is designed to create a a laugh and forgiving motorcycle for large adventures and singletrack trails.
In my measurement XL body, the 621mm stack and 395mm succeed in are consistent with that of a Specialised Diverge, albeit squarely between a 56 and 58cm body measurement on that motorcycle. One thing racier like a Trek Checkmate is longer and decrease, however as already discussed, that is not the Spot’s number one goal.
The body can simply transparent 45mm tyres on 700c rims on the rear, wider with 650b, and wider on the entrance too, which is on pattern with the present transfer towards wider gravel tyres being quicker.
The dropped drive-side chainstay allows this with out restricting the chainring measurement an excessive amount of, and my fashion cleared a 40-tooth 1x chainring with none hiccups.
I to start with winced on the loss of a series information and braze-on mount for a entrance derailleur, however regardless of 200+ kilometres of gravel racing, I did not endure a unmarried chain drop, so my fears had been out of place.
There is no such thing as a two-by fashion to be had however if you happen to sought after so as to add a entrance mech, the spherical seat tube is appropriate with band-on derailleurs, so there is not any limitation there both.
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The only-piece cockpit transitions from a squared-off stem right into a backsweep, rather ovalised bar, developing a pleasant indentation that are a at ease position to leisure your thumbs when using at the tops(Symbol credit score: Josh Croxton)
In addition they function a small upward push, earlier than shedding right into a compact drop. They are a little wider than I might in most cases favor, however that I think added to the motorcycle’s self belief on technical terrain(Symbol credit score: Josh Croxton)
The steerer tube inside of is spherical, however the spacers underneath the stem use an aero-considered oval form(Symbol credit score: Josh Croxton)
Up entrance, I had Guava’s proprietary one-piece cockpit fitted, and I preferred the small aero get advantages this is able to have introduced, given my aggressive endeavours.
This cockpit transitions from a squared-off stem to a small spherical phase on all sides, which then sweeps up and deepens into rather ovalised tops on all sides, earlier than curving down right into a compact drop.
Some other proprietary function of the Spot is the down tube garage compartment whole with a suave latch.
Garage within the down tube is infrequently distinctive, however the option to locking the door is one the place manufacturers have not begun to choose a standardised answer.
Guava’s method makes use of a magnetic latch from German logo Fidlock, which merely pushes into position, locking with a click on that is extra pleasing than an Ikea soft-close kitchen cupboard. A video from the emblem appearing how simple it’s to make use of may also be observed right here.
The software roll inside of used to be sufficient to with ease retailer a tube, a multi-tool, tyre levers and a couple of spare plugs, and may just simply have taken extra had I sought after.
The door to this garage housed some of the motorcycle’s 3 bottle cage mounts, which have been complemented through further mounting bolts at the height tube, in addition to mounts on the entrance and rear for full-length mudguards.
My motorcycle additionally got here specced with a couple of 28mm-deep carbon wheels from Volte, whole with a 25mm inside rim mattress. Those are in most cases specced at the Pressure AXS fashion, whilst the Shimano GRX Carbon fashion is normally specced with Hunt CGR40 wheels, however they were not to be had on the time.
I additionally swapped to 45mm Schwalbe G One RX Professional tyres clear of the 45mm WTB Riddler tyres equipped.
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The tyre clearance is rated for 45mm rubber, however the entrance may just simply transparent extra(Symbol credit score: Josh Croxton)
The motorcycle may be provided for full-length fenders, entrance and rear(Symbol credit score: Josh Croxton)
There are mounts for 3 bottles, plus a height tube bag in the back of the stem(Symbol credit score: Josh Croxton)Efficiency
In spite of its intentions now not being geared toward gravel racing, Guava does sponsor a few gravel racing privateer athletes, together with former Astana-Premier Tech rider, Ben Perry.
Given my weekend in Girona coincided with the two-day professional gravel level race, Santa Vall, I made up our minds to place the motorcycle to without equal take a look at. Complete fuel racing for as regards to 200km, together with rapid dusty gravel, steep rocky descents, even steeper climbs, technical singletrack, a few river crossings, and a complete load of the entirety else in between.
I had a subject matter on day one with a slipping seatpost, however a shuttle to the Guava retailer and a alternative put up later, day two went away and not using a hitch, and general I got here clear of the race in point of fact inspired with the Guava Spot.
It held its personal properly towards motorcycles thrice the associated fee, and the one space the place I felt the motorcycle used to be slower than the ones round me used to be on rather uphill highway / easy gravel sections, however I put that extra right down to the extra at ease using place and well-treaded (learn: slower rolling) Schwalbe tyres than the rest mistaken with the motorcycle.
I might frequently make up any misplaced time as soon as the path pointed downhill despite the fact that.
The motorcycle’s at ease geometry, paired with the responsive cockpit and broad grippy tyres used to be a really perfect mixture for confidence-inspiring dealing with, even regardless of having the brakes arrange euro-style and me getting used to using ‘moto genre’ UK brakes.
I become so assured at the descents that I used to be satisfied to let wheels cross to avoid wasting power, realizing I might make again the placement moments later.
On steep climbs, the geometry put me in a rather well-planted place. At the in point of fact steep stuff – 15% and extra – I feel the YT Szepter nonetheless units the benchmark with its steep seat tube, however the Spot coped properly, and traction used to be a non-issue, albeit aided through the dry prerequisites.
I did not spend a lot time at the tops on account of the relentless calls for of racing, but if mountaineering, that used to be my herbal hand place and the little indentation on all sides of the stem made for a in point of fact safe and relaxed connection.
With that mentioned, as I sort this on Monday night time having raced Saturday and Sunday, my arms are nonetheless lovely sore, with small blisters on the base of each index arms.
If I had been being choosy, I might ask for a rather extra compliant handlebar for the rougher roads, particularly given the motorcycle’s all-day-adventure intentions, however in fact, I feel maximum of my problems stem from the rubber at the GRX hoods that are notoriously dense and ill-suited to the form of my arms.
The equipment vary equipped through the Shimano GRX 610 groupset is improbable despite the fact that. With the 40T chainring and the 10-51T cassette, no hill used to be too steep and no descent too rapid.
Shimano’s groupsets are recognized for his or her unwavering efficiency and there used to be no distinction right here. Being mechanical, the moving is rather much less crisp and top rate than extra fashionable digital possible choices, however for the associated fee, you would be hard-pressed to bitch.
In a similar fashion, there is a small however tangible distinction in journey high quality between a body at this value level and one thing two- or thrice the associated fee. It did not be offering that ‘magic carpet journey’ form of smoothness, however I indubitably did not really feel overwhelmed up.
But even so the measurable variations similar to weight, aerodynamics and stiffness, such delicate variations simplest transform noticeable when using two motorcycles again to again anyway.
The joys – and capability – presented through the Guava Spot continues to be each and every bit as actual as what you get with competition.
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The 27.2mm spherical seatpost may just theoretically be swapped for a dropper put up too, so as to add to the motorcycle’s descending prowess, however it isn’t presented on the usual builds.(Symbol credit score: Josh Croxton)
Whilst the mechanical groupset mightn’t have the similar attract as an digital one, there is not any doubting it really works excellently. The 40T chainring paired with the 10-51 cassette made mild paintings of even the steepest of climbs. (Symbol credit score: Josh Croxton)Price
It is not easy to argue with the worth on be offering with the Guava Spot. On paper, €4.299,00 / £3,999.00 is a brilliant value for a carbon body, carbon wheels and a one-piece cockpit, and even though maximum competition’ motorcycles at a identical pricepoint boast the digital moving of SRAM Rival, infrequently do they get carbon wheels.
It’s beatable despite the fact that. On the time of writing, the Dice C:62 Race is one such instance value trying out at £3,499.00. Even if I have now not ridden it so to evaluate the 2 motorcycles’ efficiency.
Verdict
I feel in case you are studying this overview, there is a just right likelihood you are on the lookout for one thing extra distinctive than a Dice, a Specialised or a Trek.
Specifically in case you are based totally in Catalunya, Guava’s appeal is going past the worth for cash, the spec, and the suave Fidlock downtube garage door. In all probability even past the motorcycle solely.
All of the ones are promoting issues in their very own proper, however to my thoughts, Guava’s key USP is that this can be a small – albeit rising – trade, so if you happen to pick out up the telephone with a query or a subject matter, otherwise you cross into considered one of its retail outlets, you are prone to be served through some of the logo’s founders.
I may not faux that two days of racing is sufficient for a complete, long-term overview, even though the take a look at used to be relatively a critical one, however it is greater than sufficient using to get an actual really feel for the way the motorcycle plays, and the Spot is a great, a laugh, do-all-things-well form of motorcycle that meets fashionable tendencies head-on. If you are going to buy into the emblem’s tale and order your self a Spot, you will not be dissatisfied.
Positive, it isn’t a crazy-progressive aero racer just like the Ridley Astr RS or the Trek Checkmate SLR. It is not were given the tyre clearance and vibration-damping fork of the Lauf Seigla. It is not a hyper-lightweight piece of engineering magic just like the S-Works Crux, however crucially, it is not up to part the cost of the ones motorcycles whilst providing simply as a lot a laugh.
Swipe to scroll horizontallyTesting scorecard and notesDesign and aestheticsHundreds of paint choices to be had, plus customized, each and every with a smattering of playful element. The body shapes are inoffensive, and general it seems to be just right.9/10BuildThe Shimano groupset, carbon wheels and one-piece cockpit are just right choices, with ahead pondering design choices similar to downtube garage and broad tyre clearance. The intergated cabling comes with the eventual servicing headaches however that appears to be the way in which manufacturers are going. 8/10Performance, dealing with and geometryNot probably the most aerodynamic of rider positions, however for its all-day-adventure intentions, it plays properly whilst nonetheless keeping robust in a race atmosphere. The dealing with is sharp and self belief inspiring, and it climbed properly. 8/10ValueThe on-paper worth is beatable, however nonetheless excellent. 9/10OverallRow 4 – Mobile 1 34/40 (85%)
