Cervélo R5 and R3 relaunched

The Cervélo R5, and its R Series sibling the R3, has been updated. Both see significant changes to their fit and handling along with improvements in weight and stiffness. The updated models maintain the brand’s history of engineering innovations and have already produced the WorldTour results that we expect to see from the Toronto-based manufacturer.

The Cervelo R5 perched atop the Imagna Valley.

Cervelo's proprietary AB06 carbon bar. Notice the subtle sweepback before the bend.

The new R5 gets a full Shimano Dura-Ace 9100 build

Cervélo R5 disc

The new Cervélo R3

Ryder Hesjedal's Giro d'Italia winning Cervélo RCA

The Cervélo R5 in its happy place: on a descent

Omar Fraile winning stage 11 of the 2017 Giro d'Italia on his new R5

The engineers of the Cervélo R5 said they wanted to create a Grand Tour bike, a bike that feels good to ride even after two weeks of riding day after day. To do this, they made two important changes to the geometry: first, they extended the chainstays to 410 mm; and second, they lowered the bottom bracket to 72 mm to create a feeling of being part of the bike instead of just on the bike. The result, they say, is a machine that is less twitchy and feels smoother and more confident after miles in the saddle.

The fit of the Cervélo R5 has been adjusted as well. It’s been given what the company calls “pro fit,” which lowers the stack height of the top-end model. This design is a departure from the previous iterations of the R Series.  Before, the geometry had been kept identical between the models with the differentiation coming with the build and price, but the frames were essentially the same. This time the Cervélo R5 sees a large increase in stiffness at the bottom bracket and head tube. On the rim-brake model, stiffness at the head tube increases by 21 per cent and at the bottom bracket by 13 per cent. The disc frame sees an increase of 18 per cent at the head tube and 26 per cent at the bottom bracket compared with the 2016 R5. Matched with the more aggressive geometry, the result is a bike aimed at professionals and serious riders who have the flexibility to ride an aerodynamic position.

The new Cervélo R3 is lighter and its frame is stiffer, hitting the numbers in terms of weight and stiffness of the 2016 Cervélo R5. The frame of the Cervélo R3 comes in below 1 kg at 916 g in the rim-brake model and is now as stiff as the previous R5. The geometry and fit remain the same as previous iterations of the R Series. For those who have ridden the R Series, the new bike retains the fun and explosiveness of an out-and-out race bike but puts the rider in a more sustainable position. One of Cervélo’s engineers described it best when he said: “The R3 is for your Tuesday night racer, and the R5 is for your Grand Tour rider.”

Both of the updated models in the R Series will be available in a disc versions as well. The geometries of both the Cervélo R3 and the Cervélo R5 will be exactly the same as their rim-brake relatives. Cervélo was able to maintain this consistency because of its increased chainstay length. The results are bikes that handle and feel identical no matter what your chosen method of stopping is. The lengthened chainstays also allow for increased tire clearance. The new models in the R Series can fit tires as wide as 28 mm.

The first of the Cervélo R5 and R3 models are available at Cervélo dealers across Canada today. The R5 with Dura-Ace Di2 9150 and SRAM E-Tap options retail for $11,500. The Dura-Ace 9100 will go for $9,000. The initial R3 models available will be available with the Dura-Ace 9100 groupset and will be available for $6,500. The R3 will also be available in an Ultegra and Ultegra Di2 build. Those models will become available in fall and will set you back $4,700 and $6,000, respectively.