Reviews

Cervelo C5 road bike

Cervelo dip their toes into the endurance market but, rest assured, this is still a bike to be ridden fast

Here, we have a Cervelo…

Right, that’s your attention taken care of – now here comes the next part of that sentence.

…and it’s an endurance bike.

Oxymoron? Certainly when it comes to the Cervelo we’ve known over the years. After all, it’s the S range of aero bikes, the R range of super-lightweight machines and the P range of crazy time trial monsters that have given Cervelo their name. An endurance bike may not be in keeping with the Canadian brand’s race-focussed DNA, but that doesn’t mean the new C range has received any less attention.

This is the C5, Cervelo’s flagship endurance machine, and it features plenty of know-how brought over from the race models. One example of this is the oversized BBRight bottom bracket, which (slightly confusingly) means the BB is extended leftwards by 11mm, having the effect of almost doubling the width of the left chainstay, providing extra stiffness and strength. Endurance bike it may be, but the C5 is still a bike designed to be ridden fast.

Over the entire bike, Cervelo have applied a principle called ‘Squoval’, previously seen on the R series bikes. According to Cervelo, square shapes are best are resisting bending, while round shapes are better suited at dealing with torsion. Squoval tubes, therefore, are a combination of both, adapted according to the specific frame tube and the loads applied to it. Cervelo say Squoval offers ‘an ideal balance of stiffness, weight and aerodynamics’ – but they would, of course.

There’s real attention to detail too – where most brands installed alloy or steel dropouts to their carbon frames, Cervelo has opted to mould carbon versions into the C bikes. The only real benefit is weight but, ultimately, low weight is at the heart of the C5, despite it being an endurance bike. The whole frame itself comes in at 850g.

Not impressed? You should be – that’s mighty impressive for a disc-ready endurance frame and puts it in the company of some of the lightest frames out there.

Back to the tubes and the gently curved triangle features an offset joint at the seattube junction – a design we’ve seen in action on the likes of the BMC Roadmachine in recent times to great effect, retaining ride sharpness while keeping compliance right up there with the best.

The bottom bracket is lowered, so while the bike is one of the most compliant you’ll find, it’ll handle and corner like a proverbial housefly, responding to power inputs with aplomb as you ride out of the saddle and put the pain on.

That fastidiousness continues with a fork that gently rakes forward to gently soften the front end inputs without dulling the experience, while the commonplace chainstay protector has been joined by a full-on guard on the underside of the bottom bracket area. Fancy getting lost on gravel on your Cervelo C5? No problem – and you can rest assured your bike is unlikely to mind too. You can even slot in mudguards.

Cervelo C5

Price: £5,999
Website: Cervelo

The RCUK 100 spec C5 comes with high-grade HED Ardennes Plus LT alloy rolling stock, surrounded by Continental Grand Prix 28c tyres. Deflate those to around 60psi, and you’ll be treated to a ride that will comfort as well as exhilarate in equal measure.

Throw in a finishing kit consisting of the tried-and-tested Shimano Dura-Ace 9070 Di2 groupset, which is paired with the BR805 hydraulic brakeset, and this is a go-anywhere endurance bike worthy of the prestigious Canadian manufacturers.