The Cervelo R5 isn't perfect: its lack of big aero credentials sees it fall behind other bikes in its class, and personally I would need to invest in a few tweaks to get the fit spot on.
In a bike of this size, most brands will go steeper – around 74º – in the smaller models. However, Specialzied Tarmac with SRAM Red AXS will set you back £9500 and the Trek Domane SLR 9 SRAM Red AXS eTap is £9650 – so though you might be able to save if you look at direct only brands, the R5 sits in a similar bracket to comparable offerings.
The biggest surprise comes in the weight, with the R5 Disc frame just 831g, lighter even than its rim-brake counterpart (850g).The R5’s details shine through, Cervélo has adopted Focus’s brilliant RAT system, this fast release thru-axle with its T-bar end and quarter-turn lock and unlock is among the best. So a lack of aero optimisation really doesn’t bother me – but it’s fair to say that it’s an area where the R5 is falling behind the competition.This model boasts a SRAM Red eTap groupset, with 48-35 chainset plus a DT Swiss 35 disc carbon wheelset. My 2020 Bike – not really Cervelo R5 review. Already have an account with us? Despite delivering a punchy acceleration when asked, the pockmarked lanes of winter club runs were smoothed out by this expert blend of carbon layup and skinny seatstays.My test model came specced out with Continental GP GP 4000 II S tyres in 25mm – but there is clearance for 28mm should you wish to add a little more cushioning.Handling is another area where the Canadian manufacturer boasts expertise. It's a very simple design and saves a lot of time compared with … GBP £7,299.00 RRP Sign up to receive our newsletter!
The saddle is Fizik’s well-regarded Antares, but only the base model R5.
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Features Climbing out of Caterham Valley en route to the hills of Kent, getting out of the saddle resulted in an immediate injection of pace, providing the kind of instantaneous feedback that I’m always looking for in a bike.Cervélo has long touted its ‘BBright system’, where the seat tube, down tube and left hand chainstay are all beefed up to offer increased efficiency, and this certainly shone through for me.Stiffness without compromise makes for an unyielding ride that will skit over road imperfections and beat a rider into submission rather than raise them up to success.
In the case of the My opinion hasn’t changed after a few hundred miles of testing – though I have found a couple of bugbears along the way.The ‘R’ denotes Cervélo’s ‘Classic Road’ series designed, in the case ofThe most recent redesign of the Cervélo R5 was all about increasing stiffness, without tipping the balance into discomfort, and tweaking the geometry to provide a more agressive – but still stable – ride.Beginning with the stiffness/comfort balance: the brand claims its new layup has resulted in a 13 per cent uplift at the bottom bracket, alongside a 21 per cent boost at the head tube.It was this upscale in bottom bracket stiffness which blew me away on a winter’s day in January. Cervélo has revised the geometry on the R5, making it more race orientated, with the stack dropping by 8mm and getting a little longer reach. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google I’d typically opt for a 36cm or 38cm bar, and whilst I’ve come to accept that most test bikes will require me to adapt, in this case the wider bar did negatively impact the ride for me when I wanted to get down low and feel aero. Despite thinking that Shimano will move to 12-speed on the road next year, I’ve …