The R5 is an iconic bike. It has always been the epitome of a bike dedicated to cycling uphill. I remember sitting in front of the screen in the 2010s, admiring the Cervélo TestTeam riders during the Tour de France on the lightest and fastest bike. I specifically remember Ryder Hesjedal riding an R5 CA for the Giro d'Italia.
A special edition of that bike handcrafted in California and even lighter.
At the time 675g for the frame, Pros had to add weights to it in order to be UCI compliant. Weight weenies got stunningly light bikes out of the R5 over the years and it has established itself as an icon for climbers road bikes.
The new Cervélo R5 comes in at 5,95kg in size 56 in its top spec with SRAM Red E1 1x setup and Reserve 34|37 SL Turbulent Aero Wheels.
A bike that deserved a worthy climbing challenge
So now you might say I am biased and you are right:
I am an athlete for Cervélo and I got the bike before launch. In fact I had the unique chance to be in California at the HQ in June and talk to the engineers. However, I think you will get the feeling I am trying to describe here and trust me, it’s genuine.
When the people at Cervélo told me about the new R5 and its ridiculous weight I proposed to go for the Triple Everesting World Record. That is right: 3 times the height of Mount Everest in one go. Jokes on me, everyone always asks me if I am related to famous mathematician Adam Riese, but trust me I’m not. I am poor at maths. Still I managed to calculate the needed meters of climbing to 26544m.
The meeting was a bit in shock. In between being speechless and wanting to laugh, but they liked the idea and we agreed that I would do this project and give this bike the ride it deserves.
Why Triple Everesting? A lot of people asked me why not double. And honestly, I don’t know. I wanted to do something so absurd it was just about right for this bike. I estimated the time needed to be somewhere between 30 and 35 hours. So manageable without sleep, but hard.
Also I wanted to do something where people could join me and cheer on me easily without massive logistics.
The mountain behind my house is my training ground multiple times a week. Gaisberg is Salzburg’s city mountain. A smooth tarmac road all the way to the top where an antenna and two restaurants are waiting. The last 2,5km averaging 11,6% gradient and a bus loop at the top and the bottom. The famous “Gaisberg Killer Final” from Zistelalm to the top.
Many scratched their heads when I told them where I’d do it, but steep is fast in this case. Less distance, still at a very consistent gradient, that I felt comfortable pushing in Z2 pace.
When the lovely people at Posedla heard about my project, they instantly agreed to send a film crew.
But first, let’s talk about the bike and how I set it up!
The stock R5 setup
Interestingly, there weren’t any technological breakthroughs needed to achieve this weight. Talking to the engineer, he very calmly told me about how he listed every single component in an Excel spreadsheet and went through, piece by piece, to save weight!
The biggest savings were made in the new One-Piece Cockpit, and I have to say that while I cursed a lot guiding the brake hoses through it, I absolutely love the ergonomics and ride feeling of it. Well, and it looks super slick.
The engineers told me that for the first time they used titanium screws and hardware all over, revamping the seat clamp and other parts. Noticeable is also that the front brake gets bolted through the fork, which saves weight for the missing rivets in the carbon but surprisingly has little to no effect on aerodynamics in the wind tunnel.
In fact I was told the new R5 was a few watts faster than the previous model. I can’t check that and have no reference, but it definitely feels fast and slick.
When I pulled it out of the box, I obviously had to put it on the scale right away. No pedals, no bottle cage, just the pure bike as advertised. And it was true:
5,95kg. Insane. The lightest bike I ever got my hands on.
Out of the box, it came with a 40cm wide handlebar and 100mm reach. I changed that for a 38cm bar with 80mm reach. I prefer this position for climbing and long hours in the saddle.
The chainring? A massive 48t single aero chainring from SRAM with Quarc Powermeter. Guess what: I changed that to a 44t for this challenge. Combined with the SRAM Red E1 XPLR 13 speed derailleur in the back and a 10-46t cassette it was a dream and just the right gear ratio.
By the way, I was very pleased to see the UDH / universal derailleur hanger on this bike. It allows for crazy setups like using the E1 XPLR derailleur and its large range of gears. And as a nice side effect, it is also the lightest groupset on the market at the moment.
The new Red E1 Brake Leavers are a dream. Exceptional brake modulation, amazing ergonomics, allowing me an aggressive position on the bike without discomfort.
The Reserve 34|37 Turbulent Aero SL wheels are the first in a long while I rode with such a low profile, but the acceleration and ride feel are amazing. No need to change anything here. What I did change was the tires. The Vittoria Corsa Pro Speed TLR G2.0 700x26c are crazy light and they looked very cool, but even with optimal tire pressure I felt I got rattled to death and I had to check the pressure before every ride, as the pressure decreased quite quickly.
My tire of choice was a Maxxis Highroad SL with 28c. That added nearly 140g to the bike, but I felt way more comfortable and in control afterwards.
The last and most important change was exchanging the stock Prologo Nago R4 PAS LIGHTWEIGHT NACK saddle for my beloved Posedla Joyseat Ultra. This saddle also added a few grams, but it’s the best saddle I ever had and the only one I trust for being in the saddle for really long and ridiculous rides.
As a final touch, I set up the bike tubeless with Silca Ultimate Sealant and added the included Arundel Carbon cage (What a nice touch), the integrated computer mount plus GoPro Mount for the small BBB Strike headlight and some Wahoo Speedplay Nano pedals.
The result was a still very nice 6,5kg including everything for my ride except the 500ml ELITE Fly bottle and my Coros DURA. Time for a first ride!
First ride impressions with the 2025 Cervélo R5
I don’t even know how to describe it. Maybe this will give you an impression:
It has been a long time since I got on a bike and had a giant smile on my face like with the new R5. It’s agile, it’s nimble, it accelerates effortlessly.
The cornering is so precise, I wonder if I will get too comfortable with it at some point and exceed the traction of the tires.
The new R5 uses the same geometry as the S5. And well… that bike is winning a lot. As it should be for a Cervélo, the bike has pure racing genes. It is not a comfortable bike, but it’s not a wild, stiff machine you can’t ride anymore.
Oh and if you’re afraid a bike this light would sacrifice ride characteristics, the R5 does not. It rides like a normal race bike. Not sketchy, no wiggles at speed or in the wind. Very stable and predictable.
I was thinking about how to describe it and the best metaphor is a scalpel. Super lightweight, filigrane, and most of all precise. It feels like a machine that has an exact purpose and it serves that exceptionally well. I did a few test rides and settled into my planned Zone 2 effort up my segment. Surprisingly I felt very comfortable holding 1000VAM. The downhills? It feels like you’re on rails. Braking late as the new SRAM brakes feel so powerful and well modulated, leaning into the corner without hesitation and accelerating out like a rocket.
It is pure fun!
For the position on the bike, I actually settled into a more aggressive position than usual. A bit lower in stack (two spacers left), saddle slammed forward and 1-2° downwards, levers slightly tilted in so I can grab the hoods on the outside. It forces me to engage all my core muscles and therefore saves my back from bumps. I also feel that I can push “back” on the 170mm cranks I am using and it feels just super efficient.
I needed little time to adjust the R5 and I feel right at home with this bike. It is a modern geometry, super lightweight race bike built with a clear purpose. Not an “It’s aero, but it’s light” bike, no “It is a race bike, but it fits really wide tires and it’s comfortable”. This bike is exactly what it says it is. A lightweight climbing bike with pure racing genes.
This bike is exactly what it says it is.
Is the Cervélo R5 for you?
That naturally means it is not meant for everyone. It is very stiff and has super direct steering, it is very expensive and you can probably get more aero bikes for less money.
It is not exactly the bike you want to bring to your local Gran Fondo or Coffee Ride, and it is not meant for bikepacking either.
I wouldn't hesitate a second taking the R5 on some rough or even light gravel roads, but it will not be a comfortable ride.
If you ride your bike because you love climbing and this is what you usually do, then the R5 is the bike for you, and it is a true statement piece.
In the more affordable versions, it is still one of the lightest bikes on the market. And definitely eye-catching with the classy paint job and its nimble silhouette. Those straw like seat stays are iconic and will catch a lot of eyes as you pass riders uphill!
But as I said, it is definitely a premium bike with a premium price. You will have to want it and you need to be able to afford it!
Things I’d love to see
It is very clear I am excited about this bike. Not only because of the weight. The Scott RC Addict Ultimate already delivered a disc brake bike in the weight category and trust me, more will follow!
However, the R5 doesn’t use any sketchy tech like Schwalbe Aerothan tires to achieve this.
Still, there would be some ideas to make the R5 even better in the future.
Cervélo already changed the stock width of the handlebars, however, for a 54cm frame I’d love to have 38cm wide bars per default. It just makes a lot of sense. We all have tiny shoulders as cyclists.
A longer version of the integrated GPS mount would be nice. The computer sits quite tight to the handlebar and sometimes, I like to charge it from a toptube bag in ultras. But well… That is a special need!
The internal cable routing for the integrated cockpit could be a bit easier. It was ok. But still, I cursed a lot and there must be a way to make friends with the mechanics who set up (and ultimately the shops that sell) your bikes!
I had problems with the stock saddle and had back issues through it. The Posedla Joyseat changed my position issues, but I am also quite experienced in setting up my bikes.
For a premium brand that even lets you exchange your cockpit AFTER you bought the bike to fit the bike right, the same thing might be a good idea for saddle and cranks.
The logistics would be difficult, but what is the difference between a premium bike like Cervélo and a Canyon in the end? A lot of it will be the service around and getting a more customized experience to make this your perfect bike.
Small nuances to a bike that really blows my mind.
How can I prove my point? Oh yeah, that Everesting project…
Did I get the Triple Everesting Record?
Yes, I did! 37h 37min. A few hours slower than I wanted, but it wasn’t the bike's fault.
I set out at 4:00am with my planned pace and it worked pretty well. Around 1000VAM in the uphills, shooting down the descent with up to 94km/h.
In the afternoon, it got very hot and I should have adjusted my nutrition strategy. I planned to have 60g of carbs in my bottle plus one gel or bar to reach 90g of carbs per hour. Every 3 hours I would eat a sandwich to have solid food.
I should have included an electrolyte drink for the hot hours every hour, too. I felt the power decreasing through this and carried tiredness into the night, where I also faced some rain.
I battled hard against not falling asleep in the morning hours, and through the time lost I got in a biblical rain storm during the last two hours. I made my life hard for sure, but in the end I got the record by nearly 3 hours. Chapeau to the previous record holder Jakob Wagenhofer from Graz, Austria. You made me work very hard for this record.
The R5 took it without any mishaps. I will wax the chain and continue to ride it like before. A record breaking bike already.
Although Pauline Ferrand-Prevot clearly stole the show from me by winning the Tour de France Femmes before! What a performance and what a display for a bike that is made to win races and break records.
