The geometry of the RS frameset is revolutionary: What other race-obsessed company dares to tweak the geometry of their signature bike in order to reduce the saddle-to-handlebar drop? And not only has Cervélo dreamt up this radical design -- one that allows you to ride faster through more comfortable positioning -- but then they offer it up as an option for their sponsored team. It will be a delight for Team CSC's taller riders such as Allan Johanson, but it'll also be a delight for you if you suffer from inflexible hamstrings or a problem back/neck that makes it a struggle to reach down to your handlebars.

Elsewhere on our site we offer the RS as a frameset so you can custom-build it with suitably ProTour-caliber components -- Record, Dura Ace, Red, etc. But here we offer the RS as a pre-configured complete bike comprised of top-of-the-line Shimano Dura-Ace components in order to provide you with maximum value. At a complete bike cost only 10% more than an R3 SL frameset alone, you get a race-ready machine unmatched by any other bike in the $4,000 range.

When you put an RS and an R3 side-by-side, the first difference you'll note is the head tube length. The RS isn't just an R3 with a headtube extension. Rather, Cervélo moves the top tube upward in the RS frame by 2cm in comparison to the same-sized R3. Consequently, the head tube and seat tube both increase in height by 2cm. The upside of this heightened headtube is clear: It allows you to position your handlebar 2cm higher than what you can do with an R3. Most bikes in the marketplace force you to accept a certain minimum saddle-to-handlebar drop. For riders with limited flexibility, this minimum drop can oftentimes be too great. It's why companies like Serotta and Pegoretti build all of their stock bikes with extended head tubes, and why Colnago does so on all bikes bigger than 60cm: Here's a fact you can take to the bank: If you can reach the handlebars more comfortably, 90% of good bike fit is nailed. Conversely, if you can't reach your handlebars comfortably, you'll never be satisfied with your bike fit. Please note that there is no functional difference in position between the RS and R3. The top tube for a given size is the same length, and your reach will be the same. But what you'll feel will be a difference in where you're reaching -- it'll feel like you're reaching a hair further outward, but significantly less downward, and for many folks this will be the key to riding more comfortably than they've ever before felt.

The RS carries on the legacy of the R3 and R3 SL in terms of their lightness and stiffness-to-weight qualities. You get the same Squoval downtube and Smartwall carbon fiber lay-up technology, but Cervélo chooses less costly carbon in order to bring the price of the RS to a new level of affordability. It offers nearly a 25% cost savings over the R3, but it nevertheless weighs in at a scant 1050g -- a mere 10% more than the R3. It's available in 6 sizes between 48cm-61cm. It comes in Nude Carbon with Red panels -- the flagship colors of Team CSC. It requires the use of a braze-on front derailleur and an English bottom bracket. Please note that the 48cm frame requires the use of 650c wheels.

RS/Dura-Ace Complete Bike Price:  $3400.00  (Was $4000.00)

2008 Cervélo RS/Dura-Ace Complete Bike Geometry

Size	Top Tube	Head Tube	Head Tube Angle	Seat Angle	Standover
48 (XS)	51.5	17.5	72.0	73.0	73.2
51	53.2	14.0	71.0	73.0	74.2
54	54.6	16.0	72.0	73.0	76.4
56	56.5	18.0	73.0	73.0	78.7
58	58.0	20.0	73.0	73.0	80.5
61	59.2	22.0	73.0	73.0	81.6