Evolve Cima GR build / tire clearance

[jfcb]

@JR: thank you for this usefull information. It's contradicting the WW posts indeed. Would you have a chance to measure the height of both tires. It seems that that might be an important factor.

[LP119]

I have the Evolve Cima GR in Sahara Nude. I don’t fully agree with the tire clearance talking on Weight weenies forum (also the Di2 2X talk is nonsense. There is a cable port under the derailleur front hanger and a seatpost battery clip included. In don’t think they even read the manual).

Normally I don’t post on forums but will share my own measurements:

Front
Tufo Thundero 48 - 9Velo GV45 SW (iw 32mm): measured width 49,5mm with 6,25mm clearance both sides.
> This is 6mm nominal clearance for 50mm width (pretty standard)

Back
Tufo Thundero 44 - 9Velo GV45 SW (iw 32mm): measured width 47mm with 7mm clearance both sides.
> This is about 5,5mm nominal clearance for 50mm width

Thanks for the details as I was planning on using Thundero as well on my Cima GR build. I'm planning on using wheels that are 30 inner width and was wondering if I would be close to the 6mm on each side in the rear with the thundero 48? Would you have a picture you could share of your current setup front and rear? Thank you so much for the info!

[Jr]

@JR: thank you for this usefull information. It's contradicting the WW posts indeed. Would you have a chance to measure the height of both tires. It seems that that might be an important factor.

Thundero 44 - 9Velo (iw 32): 41,8mm
Thundero 48 - 9Velo (iw 32): 44,3mm

[Jr]

Thanks for the details as I was planning on using Thundero as well on my Cima GR build. I'm planning on using wheels that are 30 inner width and was wondering if I would be close to the 6mm on each side in the rear with the thundero 48? Would you have a picture you could share of your current setup front and rear? Thank you so much for the info!

I expect the clearance would be closer to 4,5 - 5mm with 48 Thundero because of the height of the tire. Tire height Thundero 48 is about 2,5mm higher than 44mm Thundero

My setup:
Front Thundero 48
Back Thundero 44

[peterpanpeter]

I expect the clearance would be closer to 4,5 - 5mm with 48 Thundero because of the height of the tire. Tire height Thundero 48 is about 2,5mm higher to 44mm Thundero

My setup:
Front Thundero 48
Back Thundero 44

Thank you for posting. Your information and pictures are greatly appreciated!

[peterpanpeter]

Thanks for your questions.

Well, I don't want to hijack the thread author's post with the details of my CIMA GR build. 

I've mounted the Pathfinder in 50mm front and rear. Running them at 1.8 to 1.9 bar, they work flawlessly in dry conditions. I've now ordered the 2.2 version as well as the Tracer in 700x50 to have alternatives for wet weather.

I should mention that this gravel bike is clearly designed as an aero race gravel bike, so in my opinion, putting an MTB tire on this frame doesn't make much sense.

The protection cover tape was included with the Evolve Kreuza Top Tube Bag and was just barely long enough.

Please let us know if the 2.2's fits! Thanks for posting.

[gbrnole]

I expect the clearance would be closer to 4,5 - 5mm with 48 Thundero because of the height of the tire. Tire height Thundero 48 is about 2,5mm higher than 44mm Thundero

My setup:
Front Thundero 48
Back Thundero 44

nice bike. that's a great looking build. given how similar the Cima road rides to an SL8 i would imagine the Cima GR is an awful lot like the Crux 5 save a hair less tire clearance.

[LP119]

I expect the clearance would be closer to 4,5 - 5mm with 48 Thundero because of the height of the tire. Tire height Thundero 48 is about 2,5mm higher than 44mm Thundero

My setup:
Front Thundero 48
Back Thundero 44

Thanks! By the way, have you had the chance to ride the bike a little? How do you like it? Lastly, how was the fit and finish on the frame, fork and handlebar? I know the Cima road bike had a great reputation in that regards and I'm hoping it's the same with the Cima GR. Big reason why I prefer it to the Tavelo Grow where fit and finish seems to be hit or miss at the moment.

[Jr]

Thanks! By the way, have you had the chance to ride the bike a little? How do you like it? Lastly, how was the fit and finish on the frame, fork and handlebar? I know the Cima road bike had a great reputation in that regards and I'm hoping it's the same with the Cima GR. Big reason why I prefer it to the Tavelo Grow where fit and finish seems to be hit or miss at the moment.

I did 4 rides on it (about 250km) and I like it a lot. It’s very light (7,6 kg with padels, combination of Sram Force and Rival XPLR 1x13), it’s stiff but also comfortable. Only 350 grams heavier than my 2025 Giant TCR Pro 0. When the bike is up to speed it maintains the speed very easy and flies over gravel and forrest roads. On normal roads the stearing is less direct/agile compared to my TCR but thats normal for a longer wheelbase gravel bike. I like the new Kreuza GR handlebar a lot. Keep in mind it’s a riser bar (15mm). In my situation I have the handlebar fully slammed without spacers which I not provided beforehand. A more agressive riding position suits the bike well.
It’s a very big upgrade to my previous gravel bike Orbea Terra M20team where I sat more upright.
The Cima GR is about 1,5kg lighter and thats a lot.

The build up en fit was very easy. I maintain my bikes myself and have all the needed tools. All components fitted without adjustments and no paint overspray was over critical positions like break mount positions and bottom bracket faces. Packaging and finish are top notch. I haven’t been able to discover any aesthetic imperfections.

I bought it direct with Evolve because I didn’t want to wait long for other resellers. It was a little bit risk/unknown (also for the long wait +/-70 days to arrive) but all communication was great.
I think it’s a great bike for the money.

Only cons:
- Inner tube storage is relative small and the opening is above the drink bottle position that is less easy to shove in the inner tube bag. The cover is also a little bit simple compared to the rest of the bike.
- Guiding brake line through fork was not easy. No good internal routing
- I ordered the Kreuza Aero bottles. Shape is nice but it has a standard spout (no squeeze like Camelbak)

I also made the decission between Tavelo Grow and Cima GR. The possitive reviews from the road Cima tipped the scales for me.

[LP119]

I did 4 rides on it (about 250km) and I like it a lot. It’s very light (7,6 kg with padels, combination of Sram Force and Rival XPLR 1x13), it’s stiff but also comfortable. Only 350 grams heavier than my 2025 Giant TCR Pro 0. When the bike is up to speed it maintains the speed very easy and flies over gravel and forrest roads. On normal roads the stearing is less direct/agile compared to my TCR but thats normal for a longer wheelbase gravel bike. I like the new Kreuza GR handlebar a lot. Keep in mind it’s a riser bar (15mm). In my situation I have the handlebar fully slammed without spacers which I not provided beforehand. A more agressive riding position suits the bike well.
It’s a very big upgrade to my previous gravel bike Orbea Terra M20team where I sat more upright.
The Cima GR is about 1,5kg lighter and thats a lot.

The build up en fit was very easy. I maintain my bikes myself and have all the needed tools. All components fitted without adjustments and no paint overspray was over critical positions like break mount positions and bottom bracket faces. Packaging and finish are top notch. I haven’t been able to discover any aesthetic imperfections.

I bought it direct with Evolve because I didn’t want to wait long for other resellers. It was a little bit risk/unknown (also for the long wait +/-70 days to arrive) but all communication was great.
I think it’s a great bike for the money.

Only cons:
- Inner tube storage is relative small and the opening is above the drink bottle position that is less easy to shove in the inner tube bag. The cover is also a little bit simple compared to the rest of the bike.
- Guiding brake line through fork was not easy. No good internal routing
- I ordered the Kreuza Aero bottles. Shape is nice but it has a standard spout (no squeeze like Camelbak)

I also made the decission between Tavelo Grow and Cima GR. The possitive reviews from the road Cima tipped the scales for me.

Great info thanks! This would be my first bike build so I hope I'm not looking forward to routing cables but happy to hear that the bikes rides well and the fit and finishes were good. I'm coming off a Specialized Crux and to me the Cima GR is like a more wallet-friendly Crux 5.

[gbrnole]

I did 4 rides on it (about 250km) and I like it a lot. It’s very light (7,6 kg with padels, combination of Sram Force and Rival XPLR 1x13), it’s stiff but also comfortable. Only 350 grams heavier than my 2025 Giant TCR Pro 0. When the bike is up to speed it maintains the speed very easy and flies over gravel and forrest roads. On normal roads the stearing is less direct/agile compared to my TCR but thats normal for a longer wheelbase gravel bike. I like the new Kreuza GR handlebar a lot. Keep in mind it’s a riser bar (15mm). In my situation I have the handlebar fully slammed without spacers which I not provided beforehand. A more agressive riding position suits the bike well.
It’s a very big upgrade to my previous gravel bike Orbea Terra M20team where I sat more upright.
The Cima GR is about 1,5kg lighter and thats a lot.

The build up en fit was very easy. I maintain my bikes myself and have all the needed tools. All components fitted without adjustments and no paint overspray was over critical positions like break mount positions and bottom bracket faces. Packaging and finish are top notch. I haven’t been able to discover any aesthetic imperfections.

I bought it direct with Evolve because I didn’t want to wait long for other resellers. It was a little bit risk/unknown (also for the long wait +/-70 days to arrive) but all communication was great.
I think it’s a great bike for the money.

Only cons:
- Inner tube storage is relative small and the opening is above the drink bottle position that is less easy to shove in the inner tube bag. The cover is also a little bit simple compared to the rest of the bike.
- Guiding brake line through fork was not easy. No good internal routing
- I ordered the Kreuza Aero bottles. Shape is nice but it has a standard spout (no squeeze like Camelbak)

I also made the decission between Tavelo Grow and Cima GR. The possitive reviews from the road Cima tipped the scales for me.

i currently have an original Cervelo Aspero. it has been a good bike but i have been considering between the Cima GR and the Crux 5. My road bike is a Tarmac SL8 in the 10r layup. Pondering the Crux 5 with the Apex build but i also do enjoy assembling and maintaining my own bikes and the Cima GR definitely has my attention. The geo on both of the Cima's is very close to that of their big S counterparts.

[Jr]

Great info thanks! This would be my first bike build so I hope I'm not looking forward to routing cables but happy to hear that the bikes rides well and the fit and finishes were good. I'm coming off a Specialized Crux and to me the Cima GR is like a more wallet-friendly Crux 5.

I recommand to use a cable routing set with magnet. Makes the work a lot easier, especially for routing through a handlebar.

[LP119]

This is the answer that Evolve gave me when mentioning my concerns about the apparent limitation of certain 50c tires:

Thanks for your message.

Actual tire width may vary depending on the tire brand, model, tread design, rim internal width, tire pressure, and installation conditions. Therefore, 50c tires from some brands work fine on our frameset when fitted to the wheelset. You may refer to the feedback shared by our customer.

However, our recommended tire size is 35–45 mm. To avoid compatibility issues, we still suggest you use tires within this range.

Please feel free to contact us if you have any other questions.

Best regards

A 45mm Hutchinson Toureg Race does fit, I think 5mm at the tightest spot. This is on your 32i rim. This is a pretty big 45c tire,  So I'm confident any 45 will fit in the rear.

For 50's, I've seen a report that a Pathfinder 50 will fit, though they run narrow and short, 47mm or so.

The tires that don't fit on a 23.5 innuendo rim:

Schwalbe RXPro 50 (measures 49.8 at 20 psi, used tire), less than 3mm

Schwalbe RPro 50 (measures 49.6 40 psi, new), clearance right at 3mm

Hutchinson Toureg Race 50, 52.2, rubs on one side, less than 2mm other side. Note, Caracal Race is the same dimensions so I'm guessing same result.

Continental Dubnital 50, 49.6, new 40psi, less than 2.75 at the chainstays, this tire is pretty tall.

Looks like they are pretty honest about the 50c clearance but I'm not exactly sure if the Cima Gr is the right frame for me as it looks like my Crux that are rated at 47c had more clearance then this frame that states 50c...not reassuring but at least they are being honest about it when asked directly.

[LP119]

I have to say that I now looking into the XM Carbonspeed GRT frame as a potential alternative to the Cima GR...Looks to be a similar price with shipping and everything added up and it looks less polished than the Cima (plus 400g heavier overall, if not more when included the cockpit) but it looks like a well designed and aero frame with tons of clearance and a modern race gravel geometry.

[jfcb]

I'm also in doubt about this frameset.
At one hand: most of the time I would be in situations where 45mm is sufficient and with the right tire, it seems that a sporadical 50mm set-up still will fit.
On the other hand: 45mm as standard clearance doesn't justify a new bike for me. Going for bikes with big clearnance like XMCS and Tavelo, result in less responsive bike handling which I also not might like.
The Winspace G5 might be an alternative, but I guess the weight is not so low for those frames.