Where the 400 leans towards road-and-gravel versatility, the Silex 500 goes the other way and borrows from the trail bike world. SRAM's Apex 1x12 transmission uses an Eagle rear derailleur and an 11-50 cassette behind a single 42 tooth ring, so the bottom gear is low enough for steep, loose fire road climbs with bags on. There is no front shifter to think about either, which is one less thing to keep clean.

The frame is the Lite II aluminium version of the platform: hydroformed and smooth welded, with internal cable routing, a threaded bottom bracket and a 142 x 12mm rear axle. Geometry follows the same MTB-derived thinking as the rest of the range, with a long top tube, a long head tube and a short stem, and that is what makes a Silex feel steady when a descent turns rocky. Rack mounts and five sets of bottle bosses are there for longer trips, and there is internal routing for a dropper post if you want one.

Reynolds G30 rims are the notable upgrade on the wheel side, laced to Shimano TC500 hubs and running Schwalbe G-One RX Performance tyres at 45c with RaceGuard protection. Apex hydraulic discs, a full carbon fork and a Comp SL saddle round it out.

Features

• Lite II 6066 triple butted aluminium frame with internal cable routing
• Silex II CF2 full carbon fork with tapered steerer
• SRAM Apex 1x12 drivetrain with Apex Eagle rear derailleur
• Apex 1 Wide 42 tooth crankset with SRAM PG-1230 11-50 cassette
• SRAM Apex hydraulic disc brakes
• Reynolds G30 rims on Shimano TC500 hubs
• Schwalbe G-One RX Performance RaceGuard tubeless ready tyres, 700x45C
• Five sets of bottle bosses plus rack mounting points
• Internal routing for a dropper post and dynamo
• Threaded bottom bracket, SRAM DUB BSA, and 142 x 12mm rear axle
• Clearance for 700 x 45c tyres, 42c with mudguards