Chinese brand evolve® debuts with the launch of its ultralight aero CIMA frameset

China has always been a key component in the bike industry, but in recent years, there has been a swell building as Chinese-based brands have started to break the Western mainstream. evolve® is a brand new Chinese cycling brand making a powerful debut on the global stage with its sights firmly set on breaking the premium European markets. 

evolve® makes its debut with the CIMA, a lightweight, aerodynamic, and rigorously tested road frameset that demonstrates evolve®'s prowess in technical innovation and bold ambition.

evolve® may be a new name to many European cyclists, but its co-founders are already well-established veterans in the bike industry. Tony Tong is also the founder and product engineer of Elitewheels and Mian Chan is the founder and designer of the crank brand Cybrei, with both brands already making inroads into Europe over the last few years. evolve® is headquartered in Xiamen, China’s carbon fibre manufacturing hub, bringing in-house design and production under one roof.

Its mission? Deliver a world-class ride experience through meticulous design, premium materials, and no-compromise testing. evolve® debuts with the CIMA, a lightweight aero frameset that boasts some impressive specs, let's dig into the details.

CIMA: Lightweight, Aerodynamic, and Ready to Race

The name CIMA, Italian for “summit”, is a nod to the legendary Cima Coppi — the title given to the highest point in the Giro d’Italia. The frameset is a lightweight aero allrounder which puts it in the crosshairs of bikes like Specialized's Tarmac SL8.

Unsurprisingly for a bike named after a mountain classification, this frameset is engineered to be as light as possible. evolve® claims the CIMA weighs just 650g unpainted (size M), which is lighter than many flagship all-rounder frames from legacy Western brands. 

At the recent China Cycle Show 2025 in Shanghai, evolve® made headlines with a complete CIMA build tipping the scales at just 4.95kg. Featuring a Dura-Ace groupset and carefully selected lightweight components from Elitewheels and Cybrei, it showcased what’s possible when cutting-edge materials and elite engineering meet performance obsession. Even with more conventional builds, the CIMA comfortably stays below the UCI’s 6.8kg weight limit — a strong indication of its real-world race readiness.

Despite its featherweight status, the CIMA should deliver stiffness where it counts. The frameset is constructed from a mix of TORAYCA T1100, T800 and M40 carbon fibre. evolve® has also used a special resin formula which is claimed to increase the carbon construction rigidity by 12 percent. The bottom bracket stiffness, measured at 29.4 N/mm, ensures immediate power transfer and razor-sharp responsiveness.

Aerodynamics were also a key consideration when designing the frame profile. The front-facing area of the frame has been significantly reduced to just 635.35mm², making it one of the smallest in its category of road bikes. evolve® has also developed an aero-integrated handlebar to pair with the CIMA, more on that later.

evolve® hasn't forgotten about the small details either, home mechanics will be pleased to see the frame specced with a BSA threaded bottom bracket and a SRAM UDH derailleur hanger. The frameset also comes specced with CeramicSpeed SLT headset bearings and a carbon seatpost.

And while it won't be an important consideration for most of us, the frameset is UCI Approved; CE Certified should you need to race it.

Fit is paramount in performance cycling, and evolve® takes rider-centric design seriously. The CIMA comes in six frame sizes, accommodating riders from 146cm to 202cm, and offers two fork offsets and three bottom bracket drops to maintain consistent handling across all sizes.

Lab proven

evolve® has been sure to back its claims with real performance data. The CIMA underwent 21 in-house lab tests, exceeding ISO standards in key areas such as seatpost fatigue, where it endured 1440N loads over 10,000 cycles.

The frameset was also independently tested by Zedler Institute, in Germany, who are specialist in state-of-the-art bicycle and EPAC/e-bike testing technology and runs its own accredited lab. The CIMA passed the institute’s Advanced standard testing, giving it elite-level validation few lightweight frames can claim.

In terms of aero gains, the evolve® team tested the CIMA at the Silverstone Sports Engineering Hub (SSEH) in the UK, a trusted site for F1 and Olympic-grade cycling R&D centre and a facility Cyclingnews has used for our own independent lab testing. 

The results? At 45km/h, the CIMA is said to save an average of 4.74 watts compared to a leading international competitor, backed by a lower CdA — a metric obsessive racers will instantly recognise.

More than a frameset, evolve® launches Kreuza

To complement the CIMA, evolve® has introduced Kreuza, a new accessory line built on the same principles of lightweight performance and ergonomic precision. The flagship Apex handlebar has a svelt NACA aerodynamic design, with a quoted weight of just 305g (painted, 380×110mm) it comes in 18 size options ranging from 360mm to 400mm wide and stem lengths between 90cm and 140cm — allowing riders to tailor their cockpit for perfect fit and control.

evolve® will offer the Kreuza handlebar as an optional extra with the CIMA frame plus there's a Kreuza computer mount and bar tape to finish off your cockpit.

The CIMA is available in four subtle yet eye-catching colourways. The CIMA is available in four subtle yet eye-catching colourways. The CIMA Artist - Mist and CIMA Speed - Streams have grey and silver designs with hazy logos and flowing lines across the frame. The CIMA Artist - Emerge is a deep green with nature-inspired detailing around the headtube and fork. Finally, there is the CIMA Speed - Nirvana which at first glance appears to be plain black but on closer inspection has some splatter designs around the lower fork and rear triangle.

Graphic elements are kept to a minimum, further enhancing the premium aesthetic of the framesets.

With the launch of the CIMA, evolve® has made a real statement of intent. From materials and fit to aero gains and rigorous testing, evolve® seeks to deliver "performance with purpose". 

Learn more at https://www.evolvebicycles.com and stay tuned via https://www.instagram.com/evolvebicycles/