Beecroft Peninsula Gravel Mission Aboard The Latest Cervelo Aspero

Located roughly three hours from both Sydney and Canberra, Point Perpendicular is as remote as coastal wilderness gets while still being within reach of major cities.

One of the most rugged and distinctive landscapes on Australia’s east coast, it boasts towering 90-metre cliffs—the highest in New South Wales. From the cliff tops, breathtaking views stretch east and south over the Tasman Sea and southwest to northwest across the Jervis Bay Marine Park.

Standing beneath the historic 1899 Point Perpendicular Lighthouse, scanning the vast horizon for whales, schools of fish, dolphins, seals, and abundant birdlife is a truly awe-inspiring experience.

Adding to its allure, access to Point Perpendicular is strictly controlled. As part of the Army’s Beecroft Weapons Range, this 4200-hectare coastal wilderness falls under the Australian Defence Force’s jurisdiction. A strict permit system is in place, with access generally allowed from noon on Fridays until Sunday afternoon.

Point Perpendicular lighthouse at the southern end of the Beecroft Peninsula. At 90+ metres, the northern cliffs of the entrance to Jervis Bay are some of Australia’s highest sea cliffs.

A Weekend Escape with The Van & Bike

At precisely 11:50 am one Friday, I sat in my campervan behind a boom gate, watching three soldiers prepare to open the ADF-controlled land to weekend visitors.

In the van was everything needed for an adventurous weekend, including the trip’s highlight—the latest Cervelo Aspero.

Wildlife literally abounds on the Beecroft Peninsula. Here a local wallaby puts on a show at the Honeymoon Bay camping area.

Beyond the boom gate lay the Beecroft Peninsula, featuring around 40 kilometres of gravel roads, impressive bush camping, thriving wildlife, and some of Australia’s best land-based fishing spots.

After quickly setting up camp at Honeymoon Bay – a dreamy, sheltered inlet on the peninsula’s western side – it was time to ride.

The roads here could be classified as light gravel, with a fine crusher dust surface that caters to both fast, aggressive riding and smooth, relaxed cycling.

The main north/south road offers fantastic gravel riding and is highly recommended.

While the Peninsula doesn’t offer extensive kilometres of trails, it delivers memorable and unique riding experiences. Narrow-tyred road bikes wouldn’t suit this terrain, but the Aspero – with its stock 40mm rubber – felt right at home on tracks typically reserved for tanks, Bushmasters, Light Armoured Vehicles, and Army-issued Mercedes G-Wagons.

Though mostly flat, the Aspero made easy work of the gentle climb out of Honeymoon Bay. From there, it was back onto Lighthouse Road, the peninsula’s 10km main artery. Getting a feel for the slick gravel bike, I explored the various accessible side trails and had an absolute blast.

‘Haul Ass, Not Cargo’- that’s Cervelo’s tagline for the Aspero, and it sums up the bike perfectly. Designed as a fast, single-day adventure machine, it foregoes extra mounting points for mudguards, additional water bottles, or panniers in favor of speed and efficiency.

Image 3: The historic Point Perpendicular Lighthouse—a fitting backdrop for a bike review.

By 4 pm, with the sun dipping low and a gentle tailwind behind me, I flew along Long Beach N Road. Turning onto Lighthouse Road, I encountered occasional corrugations and dust holes, but the long, smooth gravel sections made for exhilarating riding.

The Aspero handled beautifully, its 40mm WTB Vulpine tyres and 44mm Reserve carbon wheels lending a road-bike-like feel reminiscent of Cervelo’s endurance-focused Caledonia.

The frame design incorporates subtle but effective features for overall efficiency: neatly concealed cabling, Cervelo’s signature sculpted steerer, a beefy bottom bracket, racy dropped seat stays, and a fast, compact geometry built for speed.

For a mid-level model, the Aspero boasts impressive components, including Cervelo / Reserve’s ‘Fillmore’ valves – high-flow, low-clog aluminum valves that simplify tubeless inflation. The Reserve 40/44mm carbon wheels, weighing 1500g, feature high-quality ZIPP hubs, an internal width of 25mm, and external widths of 33mm (front) and 31mm (rear).

The Aspero at the Beecroft Weapons Range near Jervis Bay.

Upgrading wheels is often the easiest way to enhance performance, but these Reserves need no improvement. They spin effortlessly, accelerate quickly, absorb terrain beautifully, and maintain speed exceptionally well on rough gravel.

The test bike came equipped with SRAM’s Rival eTap AXS electronic groupset. Equivalent to Shimano’s 105, but with a gravel-specific 1x setup, it delivered crisp shifting and smooth braking, complementing the Aspero perfectly. Rival’s main drawback is its weight – about 300g heavier than SRAM’s mid-tier Force – but it keeps the overall bike cost down.

Riding towards Point Perpendicular Lighthouse, the Aspero felt like the perfect partner for a late-afternoon coastal adventure. Weaved through gentle bends, short climbs, and rolling descents, encountering just a handful of cars. Reaching the lighthouse, I soaked in the breathtaking views, spotted distant whales, and felt the first gusts of an approaching 50-knot southerly buster.

The final 10km ride back to camp was pure magic … smooth gravel, a fiery sunset, a strengthening tailwind, and a thrilling, 20-minute rocketship ride back to Honeymoon Bay.

A quiet night under the stars at Honeymoon Bay on the Beecroft Peninsula.

Keen to visit the Beecroft Peninsula and Point Perpendicular region? You will need to register to camp and obtain a permit to camp – full details can be found online via this link.

Specifications – 2025 Cervelo Aspero

Handlebar: Cervelo Carbon

Groupset: SRAM Rival AXS 12sp

Wheels: Reserve 40/44mm

Tyres: WTB Vulpine 40mm

Saddle: Prologo Dimension

Weight: 8.7kg

Price: Around $8000 – Check with your local bike store.