Cervelo R3

portuguese mike · April 2007

Anyone got one/ridden one?

Are they actually properly compliant and comfortable, like the blurb on their website says, or are they just relatively comfy for an ultra stiff racing bike?

i want to start entering some sportive events and want something i can pedal all day whilst being as efficient as possible and making the most of my meagre power output and wondered if an R3 might fit the bill.

I can't find any reviews on it and i'm very intrigued by the thought of getting one.

pm

2oldnslow · April 2007

Only have a soloist team (the alu version) but I find the ride great Maybe try the weightweenies forum lot of R3 owners there. Having owned the soloist my next buy will either be the R3 or the carbon soloist

Down the Road · April 2007

Not bad but œ2800 for a chinese built frame?

method · April 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Down the Road

Not bad but œ2800 for a chinese built frame?
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Just as good as an Italian built frame, if not better.

Or don't the chinese know how to work with carbon fibre....

monty_dogcp · April 2007

A friend's got one, which he finds very comfortable, but he is a bike bloke. Cervelo is definitely over-priced IMO in comparison to bikes with a better pedigree and fewer quality problems - look up Cervelo R2.5 and see that they're still working on it....besides the limited colours don't make them very distinguishable

ashbyalien · April 2007

what monty dog said, we've had a couple of carbon cervelo's come through the shop. they look nice(ish) but seem to have had a bit of trouble on the quality control side of things.

maybe a look 585 or 595 would be a good consideration.

slower than freire, faster than london traffic

portuguese mike · April 2007

Thanks Ashbyalien i'll check them out.

Montdog - what would you recommend i look at?

cheers

pm

Brian B · April 2007

I would recommend a look at some Storck bikes.

Try www.poshbikes.com

Brian B.

2oldnslow · April 2007

pretty typical c+ response lots of opinions, no one (including me having ridden one) unlike WW which has a lot of seemingly informed opinion

portuguese mike · April 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by 2oldnslow

pretty typical c+ response lots of opinions, no one (including me having ridden one) unlike WW which has a lot of seemingly informed opinion
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

i'll give them a go, thanks

pm

Jonathan Allan · April 2007

I've got one, I can honestly say it's the best all round bike I've ridden in twenty years, it climbs better ,it decends better, on the flat it goes like stink!!On one of my usual training rides i got round feeling less knackered than I normaly do. I have recently seen the R3 at œ1700 , at that price I think it's a bargin. I had the R2.5 last year & it was returned on a warranty issue & I got the R3 in return. Fantastic bike, I love it.

portuguese mike · April 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Jonathan Allan

I've got one, I can honestly say it's the best all round bike I've ridden in twenty years, it climbs better ,it decends better, on the flat it goes like stink!!On one of my usual training rides i got round feeling less knackered than I normaly do. I have recently seen the R3 at œ1700 , at that price I think it's a bargin. I had the R2.5 last year & it was returned on a warranty issue & I got the R3 in return. Fantastic bike, I love it.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Where? thats sounds very tempting

pm

Jonathan Allan · April 2007

Sigma Sport in London & Primera in Bournmouth have them at œ1700.

portuguese mike · April 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Jonathan Allan

Sigma Sport in London & Primera in Bournmouth have them at œ1700.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

ta, primera are only 30 miles away i'll pay them a visit

pm

pliptrot · April 2007

Cervelo are made in China? I'm in the market for a new bike, and was considering this brand.

grimpeurcp · April 2007

What is wrong with something made in China? Most of the ASICs and the motherboard inside the computer on which you are typing this post were made in China / Taiwan. I'd rather have a bike made at a sophisticated plant in China rather than a Colnago 'hand made' in Italy by someone who probably has less expertise in carbon fibre layout. Why not have a moan at Look as well, their top of the line frames are made in Tunisia.

valleyboy74 · April 2007

I'm also thinking of getting one of these, seen it recently in Climb On Bikes in Hereford, very nice, huge downtube which I like. Have a Cannondale at the moment and like the oversized downtube, gives a sense of robustness.

Holding off on the test ride though as can't afford it yet, will probably not be until Xmas time.

Also like the Derosa Avant, BMC Team Machine and Pinarello F4:13, any comments? Will mostly be using it for hilly sportives, so want something fast but suitable for 7 hours in the saddle! Anybody with recommendations?

pliptrot · April 2007

I wasn't indicating that I thought Chinese goods were inferior to those made elsewhere, merely enquiring as to the origin of the goods. I'd would like to see how a company could justify high prices for goods made in low cost countries.

pliptrot · April 2007

I wasn't indicating that I thought Chinese goods were inferior to those made elsewhere, merely enquiring as to the origin of the goods. I'd would like to see how a company could justify high prices for goods made in low cost countries.

grimpeurcp · April 2007

Giro charge œ100 for an Atmos helmet costing about œ5 to make. You're neglecting the massive budget spent on R&D, Cervelo frames are renowned for their good design. Design costs are the same no-matter the country of manufacture and given the complexity of the frame. The facility in China might also be the only place that can perform that process and might not necessarily be cheap!

Unknown · April 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by grimpeur

What is wrong with something made in China? Most of the ASICs and the motherboard inside the computer on which you are typing this post were made in China / Taiwan. I'd rather have a bike made at a sophisticated plant in China rather than a Colnago 'hand made' in Italy by someone who probably has less expertise in carbon fibre layout. Why not have a moan at Look as well, their top of the line frames are made in Tunisia.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">Whilst agreeing with much of what you've said on China I can't let this statement pass without comment. All it needs is a simple question - who pioneered the usage of carbon fibre in cycle frame manufacturer? I'll give you a clue, it's the same people you've just accused of inexperience.

Really, some people make some comedic statements on here...

Langenberg · April 2007

@ Grimpeur, I think it is Time who make some of their frames in Tunisia. As far as I know, Looks are made in France.

=====================
Pas de progrŠs sans peigne.

llllllll · April 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by grimpeur

What is wrong with something made in China? <hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Their human rights record for a start.

Then there's the environmental impact of shipping the frame from further afield than necessary.

Eat My Dust · April 2007

One of my best friends was made in China, he's a great laugh!![:D]

SNAPS

pliptrot · April 2007

Trek licensed a previously secret technology for their OCLV frames. I understand that the facility in which Trek frames are made is still a very secure building, with very limited access. Given the Chinese records on intellectual property theft and patent infringement, not to mention the widespread counterfeiting problems the rest of the world must suffer with, it seems odd that "cutting edge" products be made there. Unless, of course, the profit margin from, and the level of technology in, these frames is similar to those of the helmet described above. I can quite imagine how the 1900% profit indicated for the Giro helmet is soaked up by the R&D effort, I really can.

bill poster · April 2007

In theory China is streets ahead of the west for manufacturing in carbon fibre. They have invested heavily in the latest tooling etc. But there are some rogues too(taiwan/china)- broken frames have revealed newspaper and clay fillers(!)

PhilthyPhil · April 2007

What are people's opinions of the Cervelo soloist carbon? LBS say they can do it for 3k all in which seems a bargin considering the frame retails for œ2500, I'm certainly very tempted.

celbianchi · April 2007

Like Johnathon I had the r2.5 and got an R3 as the warranty replacement. Also like Johnathon it is by far and away the best bike i have ever ridden. It is very light, very stiff at the bottom bracket, in my opinion has a great power transfer. When I take it abroad or to races in the UK it always attracts admiring glances and comments. It is a joy to race on.

Whilst people can have an opinion on the price of the frame, unless they have ridden one then I can't see how they can objectively comment on the original question, which was not "Are Cervelo frames priced competitively?" but more about how they ride.

Ben

fenlandplodder · May 2007

There is a review in the latest 220 magazine comparing it to a Look 585. They are very enthusiastic about the Cervelo. It supports Cervelo's claims that is stiff, comfortable and light. Sounds almost to good to be true. I must get one to find out [:D]

simmocp · May 2007

To try to answer the original question, I think you need to ride one to decide, and if you want to spend that much on a bike I'm sure you'll be delighted with it. My friend has just got one to replace his alu Bianchi and is amazed by the difference. It depends what you have now how big a difference it will make but it's not going to make you into a cycling God if you're not already.

simmo

fenlandplodder · June 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by fenlandplodder

I must get one to find out [:D]
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
So I got one. It was finally ridable yesterday. I was not in the best of form. However the ride quality is far far better than I had hoped.

I can't wait to get it to the Marmotte :-) Probably still climb like an asthmatic sloth but the descents of the Galibier and
Glandon will not be as terrifying :-) The bike it replaces had a
worrying lack of rigidity which made such descents a nightmare.

The R3 has already shown that it does not have any of those problems.

Cervelo R3

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