SAVA AeroX

The AeroX SLR8 is the second road bike we’ve tested from SAVA. We raised doubts about the build quality of the AK105 they sent us last year, but we’re pleased to say they were very responsive and eager to address the issues, and we’ll be testing a revamped AK105 in the near future.

This slick aero road bike comes with a full carbon build kit, a premium groupset, and a surprisingly low price tag, so we were excited to see how it would perform in real-world testing.

Assembly and Setup

After opening the box, one of the first things I noticed was that the user manual is a generic version that covers three different SAVA models. To get the information needed to complete assembly, I had to search through the various assembly videos SAVA has published online, as there was no dedicated video for the AeroX.

I let SAVA know this was an issue, and to their credit, they had published a dedicated assembly video for the AeroX before I finished testing the bike. For future customers, we hope they’ll include a direct link or QR code to this video to make it easy for customers to find.

Assembly was straightforward, with a couple of small hiccups. The bike arrived with the brake calipers already installed, but there wasn’t enough slack in the front brake hose to get the stem onto the steerer tube, so I had to remove the front caliper to install the handlebar, then reinstall the caliper.

Additionally, despite there being no signs of damage to the packaging, the derailleur hanger was bent. SAVA supplies a spare hanger, so this was easy to fix, but that left us without the spare. With the new hanger installed, Shimano’s E-TUBE app made it easy to index the gears.

All components were greased properly from the factory, and both wheels ran true. The only other problem was some missing paint around the rear brake mount and dropout. SAVA says this happened during shipping, but given the lack of damage to the box, I don’t see how this is possible. If that is the case, it would be good to see SAVA address this with better packaging.

Bike Description

The AeroX’s elegant lines, dark colors, and an attractive metallic black and grey finish give it a sleek, premium look. The aerodynamic frame is made from T800 carbon fiber, with T1000 reinforcement. The frame has fully internal cable routing and tapered aero shapes.

Fully assembled, the bike weighs 16.64lb in size large (7.54kg). For comparison, the $6,599 Trek Madone SL 7 Gen 8 is heavier at 17.36lb. The AeroX frame comes in three colors and five sizes from XS to XL. I’m testing the size L (540) frame.

I inspected the inside of the steerer tube and frame using a borescope, and the interior of the frame looks well finished, with no noticeable inconsistencies or red flags, such as peeling carbon fiber. The steerer was also fairly well finished, though there are a few ridges and seams that I have not seen on more expensive carbon forks. To the naked eye, the quality of the carbon appears to be good.

SAVA offers the AeroX as an SLR8 with Ultegra Di2, which we’re testing, or SLR7 with Shimano 105 Di2. The Ultegra version comes standard with W45 carbon wheels. Buyers can also choose Shimano’s Dura Ace C60 wheels at checkout, but this raises the price considerably.

The W45 wheels are labeled with Knight stickers, but these have nothing to do with Knight Composites in the USA. These are YiHang carbon rims with a wavy profile, and the hubs are unbranded. The front wheel has a 45mm depth, and the rear 50mm.

The wheels are wrapped in 28mm Continental Grand Prix tires, the ‘endurance’ version of the GP 5000 racing tire. The wheelset weighs 1,595 grams, 706 grams for the front wheel, and 889 grams for the rear. The tires weigh 285 grams each, the tubes 89 grams.

The semi-wireless Shimano Ultegra Di2 group is the AeroX SLR8’s main selling point. It’s made up of a 50/34t crankset and 12-speed, 11-34t cassette. Again, tuning is done through Shimano’s app, which also handles firmware updates. This drivetrain is easy to set up and provides immediate gear shifts.

The Ultegra brakes, with a 160mm front rotor and 140mm rear rotor, are also great performers, with modulation that’s easy to love.

The cockpit is clean, with carbon drop bars, Ultegra levers, and internal cabling. The Fizik saddle sits on a carbon seatpost that contains the Di2 battery. The AeroX has two sets of bosses inside the main triangle, one on the down tube and another on the seat tube.

Riding the Bike

The AeroX’s sizing felt accurate, and I easily found a good position on the size L frame at 6′ tall with a 33″ inseam. The AeroX’s 1.46 stack-to-reach ratio means it has a low, aggressive position well suited to fast road riding or racing.

Throughout testing, I ran tire pressures of 63.5psi in the front and 69.5psi in the rear, tackling a mix of dry and wet pavement with some rough sections.

The AeroX accelerates easily, both from a stop and while rolling. The low weight and stiff frame efficiently translate rider power into forward motion. The AeroX also maintains speed well. I also found it to be a great climber, tackling hills with notable ease and rolling very fast over flats and small inclines.

Again, the Ultegra groupset is a real pleasure, and the gearing range was a perfect match for my rides. Whether climbing, cruising, or descending at speed, I easily and quickly found the right gear. That said, some riders may prefer a 52/36t chainset for pedaling at higher speeds. After enjoying the tactile feedback of the shift buttons on the levers and the fast, precise shifts of this electronic groupset, it’s pretty hard to go back to mechanical shifting.

The brakes combine excellent feel and modulation with strong stopping power, so in all conditions, I was always able to maximize braking without locking up a wheel.

Continental’s Grand Prix tires felt fast, while providing plenty of grip over a mix of wet and dry pavement. These tires, combined with the bike’s full carbon construction, mitigated road chatter well and soaked up impacts from uneven pavement and broken road surfaces. I always felt very comfortable on the bike. For a tire with lower rolling resistance and a more supple ride, these could be upgraded to Continental’s renowned GP 5000 S TRs.

Pros

Low Weight

The AeroX’s lightweight groupset and carbon fiber frame, wheels, handlebar, and seatpost help keep weight down. At 16.64lb in size L, it easily competes with aero road bikes from big-name brands like the Canyon Aeroad CF SLX 8 Di2, which costs over double at $6,199 and weighs 16.45lb in size M. The AeroX is also around 0.8lb lighter than the $6,599 Trek Madone SL 7 Gen 8.

Ultegra Di2 Groupset

Shimano’s Ultegra Di2 is excellent. It provides a premium shifting experience, and the app makes setup, adjustments, and updates easy. The shifting is clean and quick, and the click of the shift buttons is very satisfying. The 50/34t crankset and 11-34t, 12-speed cassette were perfect for my rides.

Pricing

Given the bike’s quality feel and the premium groupset, the AeroX is priced extremely aggressively. Most carbon aero race bikes with Ultegra Di2 cost roughly twice as much as this bike.

Cons

Minor Shipping Damage

This bike is substantially cheaper than similarly specced competitors, but it’s still frustrating that it arrived damaged, especially when it costs thousands of dollars. Ours arrived with a bent derailleur hanger and paint damage around the rear brake mount and dropout. These kinds of problems should be prevented with better packaging or improved quality control.

Information and Experience

It was hard to find the information needed to assemble the bike, especially as the SAVA website is so hard to navigate. The printed manual is generic and lacks vital information. For example, I had to search through other assembly videos to find out how to plug the Di2 components into the battery.

This situation is further complicated by an agreement SAVA has with one of its distributors in North America, which means a VPN is required to access the SAVA website from North America. Even with the VPN, there are two different websites showing different models in stock and listing different information.

Overall, SAVA could do a much better job of giving its customers clear information.

Conclusion

So, after spending time with the AeroX, it’s clearly a performance-oriented machine for cyclists who want legitimate speed, solid handling, and an excellent groupset without the premium price tag.

The bike rides well, and the components perform very well. Though this frame appears not to suffer from the quality-control problems I found on the AK105, it’s worth bearing in mind that the frame, fork, wheelset, and accessories are all from the budget end of the market.

The generic user manual and challenges accessing the SAVA website are not optimal for a brand that sells direct to consumers, but SAVA has promised to address these issues.

Overall, at $2,999, we feel the AeroX SLR8 delivers great value for buyers who can look past the support shortcomings and accept some risk buying from a lesser-known, direct-to-consumer brand.

Score Breakdown

• Build quality: 85
• Performance/Innovation: 85
• Design: 85
• Ride quality: 90
• Price/Value: 95

Overall: 88

Detailed Specs

Model Year 2025
Weight: Claimed (Medium): 16.18lb / 7.34kg – Actual (Large): 16.64lb / 7.54kg
Frame: Carbon Fiber T800/T1000
Fork: Carbon Fiber R22 700C
Brake Calipers: Shimano Ultegra BR-R8170
Brake Rotors: Shimano Ultegra RT-CL800 160mm (F) 140mm (R)
Shifters: Shimano Ultegra Di2 ST-R8170
Crankset: Shimano Ultegra FC-R8100 50/34t
Rear Derailleur: Shimano Ultegra Di2 RD-R8150
Front Derailleur: Shimano Ultegra Di2 FD-R8150
Cassette: Shimano Ultegra CS-R8101 11-34t, 12-speed
Rims: YiHang YH-R45/50 Carbon 700c x 24H F/V, 45/50mm depth
Front Hub: MTF091001 14G*24H M12*100
Rear Hub: MTR091002 14G*24H M12*142 12S
Tires: Continental Grand Prix – 700c x 28mm
Tubes: VEPOSS 700×25/32C Thin
Saddle: Fizik L268*W140
Handlebar: One-piece CF Drop Bar 380*90
Payload Capacity: 252.74lb / 160kg

Geometry Details

Seat Tube: 20.62“ (524mm)
S/R Ratio: 1.46
Reach: 15.43“ (392mm)
Stack: 22.63” (575mm)
Standover: 32.16” (817mm)
BB Drop: 2.71” (69mm)
Virtual Top Tube Length: 22.15” (562.8mm)
Seat Angle: 73.5°
Head Angle: 72.3°
Head Tube Length: 6.49“ (165mm)
Fork Length: 15.02” (381.6mm)
Fork Offset 1.81” (46mm)
Chainstay: 16.53” (420mm)
Front Center: 23.86” (606.1mm)
Wheelbase: 40.02” (1016.6mm)

Weight

Assembled Bike 16.64lb / 7.54kg (Size Large – 540)
Front wheel (bare) 1.55lb (706g)
Rear Wheel (bare) 1.95lb (889g)
Tires 0.63lb (285g)
Tubes 0.19lb (89g)
Chain 0.55lb (252g)