Cervelo S5 VWD DA Di2 & Cervelo P5 Six Red

Bagggers

Well after a whole load of saving my hard earned, selling off half my existing bikes and having to spend money I didnt have on specific tools for the builds, here are my Cervelos.

Cervelo S5 VWD Dura Ace 9000 Di2 51cm

Cervelo P5 Six RED 51cm

They are both still unfinished as I need the steerers cut on both but now they are built I will have a few weeks on them before setting the correct steerer and bar height. They are both self builds as I saved a small fortune on buying both at frame then component level and also had the fun of building them myself. The P5 was a nightmare due to the hydraulic brake system and supposedly 100% hidden cables and in hind sight and had I not been forced into a financial decision, it should have been Di2.

I kind of expect a bit of stick for posting bikes that arent completely finished but they are almost there and both ride like a dream. P5 ended up with a Campag Bullet front basically because I ran out of money but I will get a 404 on at some point.

BikeSwan

Very nice pair of steeds you have there! Very aeroeeeeeeeey. And thanks for supporting a Canadian brand!

trek_dan

They look awesome. How do you find the hydraulic rim brakes?

Flâneur

Nice, I also admire the attempts to keep within budget and sacrificing as you go. Too often easier said than done.

Bagggers

The jury is out at the moment with the Rim Brakes Dan. I need to get some miles in before knowing how I will get on with them I know installation was a nightmare and to get to the steerer when I cut it, I will have to completely disassemble them so pound for pound, I think a good set of DA orSRAM Red calipers at less than half the price would have been a better bet. We will see though and I think they feel absolutely solid and stop on a sixpence. Its always on my mind though that it only takes a leak and Im without the ability to stop. Ill update in a month or so.

Cheers Sa0u, I think its easy like you say, to get carried away with yourself and I could quite easily have done that but I tried to come up with a value that I would be ok with and then, not go over that at any cost. Completely agree with you too, its easier said than done. Some of the decision was made up front because the wheels etc and I dont like the thought of owing my bikes anything so it was important to me that I got whatever components I could afford as I went and not get into any debt with either of them.

DKay

Lovely. You must be very happy to add the pair of them to your stable.

tim_wand

I ve always dreamt if the money was no object then my Stable would be Cervelo heavy.

P5 the very fast one.
S5 the fast one
RCA the light one.

I know you have talked about working to a budget and sacrifices made. But can I ask why the S5 and the P5.

If I could have only two from my list I d probably go S5 and Rca, but I suppose the type of riding I do is probably different from that which you have chosen these two beauties for.

Don't get me wrong I m not criticising they are both Fantastic bikes, I just thought that maybe an R5 and P5 combination would offer more flexibility or even a R5 , S5.

l ve never ridden a P5 so maybe I m not that well informed!

Bagggers

Thay are absolutely fair comments Tim. I did have an R5 and P5 for a while but I tend to compete at a few different Tri events and whilst the P5 is great for a flat course, its not great on technical or hilly courses. The R5 is just an amzing ride but not fantastic on short distance or hilly tri's for pretty much the opposite reasons to the P5 so the S5 was a happy medium and gives me a little faster ride over all under the right conditions than both the P5 and R5. Its also a lot of fun to ride. If I had the money I would have kept the R5 too but I had to sell it to fund the S5 build. That was a far more difficult decision than it ever should have been but Im hoping it was the right one. Im doing Lakesman 140.6 next June so the P5 should be fine for that but if it were for example Ironman Wales, the S5 would be perfect. R5 below but I sadly (Very sadly) had to let it go.

tim_wand

Yes I can see your logic. And as I thought your riding requirements are different to my own.

I do the odd sprint Tri . But mainly ride sportives, Club rides and moderately fast chain gangs.
I also like as much as possible to get to the Alps and Pyrenees ( but admittedly more aspiration than realisation at the moment)

From what you ve said , I think the S5 would be the Jack of All trades to best suit my needs ( I doubt I could ever justify or run to a 3 Cervelo Stable).

I initially had issues with S5 design, but seeing the newer ones such as yours ( and surprisingly a mate's S3) I really love them now.

I m not the Worlds greatest climber , so that's what puts me off a little, But I ve certainly been out climbed by guys on both S5's and S3's so it aint the bike. Seeing One Pros bikes at Tour of Britain convinced me the S5 is a great all rounder.

Any way great to see your bikes, Good luck in your competitions and riding.

Captain Fagor

Well done on the build. I know what you mean about the requirement for new tools etc. I recently built a 56cm S5 (same year as yours, but non-VWD), which was a trip into BBRight and the various tolerance issues (grease or bond, etc), epoxy bonded steerer plugs, seatpost trimming/chamfering/wedge fixing and (for me) also SRAM set-up/cable routing.

Looking forward to riding it now, but might have to bite the bullet and buy a low-range torque wrench for the seatpost wedge before I do.

Bagggers

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19715943#p19715943]Captain Fagor[/url] wrote:

Well done on the build. I know what you mean about the requirement for new tools etc. I recently built a 56cm S5 (same year as yours, but non-VWD), which was a trip into BBRight and the various tolerance issues (grease or bond, etc), epoxy bonded steerer plugs, seatpost trimming/chamfering/wedge fixing and (for me) also SRAM set-up/cable routing.

Looking forward to riding it now, but might have to bite the bullet and buy a low-range torque wrench for the seatpost wedge before I do.

Completely with you there mate. I had a real nightmare with the seatpost as I assumed, incorrectly that 6nm would be fine. In fact I was convinced that I had read it but its actually 8nm for the wedge. I dont think I had put quite enough Carbon Assembly Paste on either which didnt help. Its all sorted now and just needed that extra 2nm on the wedge and its fine. Its all worth it in the end and you will love it I think. For me its a happy compromise and to be perfectly honest, I think its great an 15% + climbs which was one of the things that put me off. I also dont think you are missing anything at all with the None VWD frame set and I wouldnt have bothered either other than I got a really good deal on it. Hope you are enjoying it and Id love to see the finishsed build.

Captain Fagor

Pleasantly surprised about your thoughts on the S5 climbing ability. Also interesting about the sensitivity of the seatpost to precise torques. I ordered a low range torque wrench yesterday, so will revisit when that arrives.

Laziness normally stops me posting pictures, but seen as you asked...pictured this morning.



I will probably drop the bars 5-10mm once I have ridden it. Quite happy with some cheap UD carbon spacers I bought on ebay, which match the frame well. Position wise, it's borderline as to which seatpost hole to use. I opted for the -40mm offset hole with a 110mm stem. If I move to the forward 0mm offset hole, my saddle will move forward 10mm and I'll switch to a 120mm stem.

Anyway, this thread isn't about my bike: back to yours. Enjoy the ride!!

Bagggers

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19716371#p19716371]Captain Fagor[/url] wrote:

Pleasantly surprised about your thoughts on the S5 climbing ability. Also interesting about the sensitivity of the seatpost to precise torques. I ordered a low range torque wrench yesterday, so will revisit when that arrives.

Laziness normally stops me posting pictures, but seen as you asked...pictured this morning.



I will probably drop the bars 5-10mm once I have ridden it. Quite happy with some cheap UD carbon spacers I bought on ebay, which match the frame well. Position wise, it's borderline as to which seatpost hole to use. I opted for the -40mm offset hole with a 110mm stem. If I move to the forward 0mm offset hole, my saddle will move forward 10mm and I'll switch to a 120mm stem.

Anyway, this thread isn't about my bike: back to yours. Enjoy the ride!!

Thats an absolute stunner mate. Wheels finish it off just right. It looks fast just stood there.

BikerPanda80

Great bikes.. planning on getting a new road bike shortly and it will be a Cervelo

mallorcajeff

Lovely bikes, i have the same for road duties. Such a lovely ride and very quick too

napoleond

Good builds but I can't help thinking that the most important aero component on the P5, your body, will be almost sat upright. Unless you're really stretched out.

johnnymcg259

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19728984#p19728984]NapoleonD[/url] wrote:

Good builds but I can't help thinking that the most important aero component on the P5, your body, will be almost sat upright. Unless you're really stretched out.

i ditto this thought

Bagggers

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19729111#p19729111]johnnymcg259[/url] wrote:

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19728984#p19728984]NapoleonD[/url] wrote:

Good builds but I can't help thinking that the most important aero component on the P5, your body, will be almost sat upright. Unless you're really stretched out.

i ditto this thought

Completely agree guys. The P5 still has stock steerer and will be cut down once Im sure of where. Still havent ridden it yet but it will be done through the winter. Its a proper ball ache with the magura hydraulic lines running through the steerer housing so realistically it all needs pulling apart at the front end then cutting down and rebuilding. Ill pop some pictures up when I get it done but you are right, at the moment, im more upright on the P5 than I am on the drops of the S5

Bagggers

Finally had the P5 Steerer cut today. Still some room for maneuver but feels great so far