Put the 3 words gravel, endurance and racing together and you get a 3 metre square area of the Kayapo Indigenous Territory of Brazil.
Let's try that again. Put the 3 words gravel, endurance, racing and add "on a bike", and you will get sand, gravel, shingle, flying stone chips, grinding gears, saddle sores, dehydration, frozen fingers, dust storms, caked in mud, flies, blisters, blood, sweat and all that good type 2 fun.
Racing isn't easy, racing over long distances is harder, racing long distances over crappy terrain is harder still.
So are you going to visit that square 3 metres of dense rainforest in Kayapo or race?
If big bugs are not for you then saddle up, because we have quite the ride for you. We have called it Sedona.
Sedona takes the essence of a classic gravel bike and amps it up with an aggressive edge. This titanium gravel race bike is crafted with hydroformed tubing, offering both increased stiffness and vertical compliance, ensuring efficient and smooth performance whether you're ascending or descending.
Whether transitioning from smooth roads to rugged trails, and for as long as your legs are still spinning, Sedona has been designed to maintain its fast pace effortlessly.
Merging the sleek performance of a road bike with the rugged stability of a thoroughbred gravel bike, Sedona stands out. It brings together the high-speed potential of road bikes with the unflappable control of a gravel bike.
Thanks to the comfortable qualities inherent with a titanium frame, it turns long, 200-mile races into exhilarating (sometimes type 2) experiences.
Attention to detail is paramount in Sedona's design, featuring sleek lines and exceptionally neat welds. Its internal cable routing enhances its clean aesthetic, and with tire clearance accommodating up to 45mm, it's equipped for various terrains.
Sedona is an out-and-out gravel bike, but for those short sections of tarmac you may be unfortunate enough to encounter, the Sedona is responsive and more than a match for more dedicated road bikes.
With its aggressive, steep angles, lower stack height and shorter chain stays than its Camino stablemate it gives you, well, that sort of more edgy handling.
When you are racing it is going to give you more agility at speed, allowing you to tuck into corners faster.
Did we say Sedona is a race bike? That means no pannier racks, no sir not a single one. If you are on a multi-day self-supported race, don't be shy we know that's you, you're going to be strapping lightweight bikepacking bags carrying minimal kit.
Sonder designer Neil has told us that he has snuck some mudguard mounts on the inside of the stays. Is Neil showing us a new softer side?
"They're on the inside of the stays, so they're hidden."
Fair enough.
Reliability fans will be reassured that Sedona uses SRAM's UDH, or Universal Derailleur Hanger system, a standardisation initiative by SRAM for mech hangers and axles and one we’ve adopted across all our bikes.
This means we can run direct mountain rear derailleurs which we have found to be extremely durable and reliable.
"I've been using direct mount groupsets on a couple of my bikes for a while now, and they're indestructible. They are absolutely indestructible. I've personally laid my bike on the floor and stood on the rear derailleur to show people how strong it is."
Our Neil doesn't do things by half.
