Competitive Cyclist

CERVÉLO S2

We remember the first time we ever rode a set of Zipp wheels. They were 404 tubulars, and after a 10-second big chainring acceleration our lives changed forever: We unequivocally knew that we could never ever do another serious ride again without wheels like those. Part of our amazement was weight-related -- going from aluminum Open Pro rims to full carbon shed a pound from our bike. The other part of it was aerodynamics. Every wheel we'd ridden up 'til then was built on aerodynamically deaf-and-dumb box section rims. Zipp's 58mm deep lenticular design gave us the punch of an F1 car. The advantage was as subtle as a face full of pepper spray and it seemed insane to us that anyone seriously dedicated to training wouldn't mortgage their house if necessary to get their hands on a set for race day.

Our 404 revelation took place a decade ago. We experiment with new equipment constantly and in the time since we've never had a similarly powerful experience. That is, until we had our first ride on the Cervélo S2. Simply put, it's the bicycle equivalent of Zipp's divine wheels, and in many ways serves as Cervélo's ultimate aero road racing frame. Why? Because it offers weight advantages no less amazing than its aerodynamics. Despite the sizeable surface area of its sculpted tubes, the S2 weighs little more than the Cervélo R3 -- the wonderbike preferred by Thor Hushovd and Heinrich Haussler for the cobbled northern classics like Paris-Roubaix, but no less often seen under other members of the Cervélo Test Team on mountain stages of the Grand Tours.

The most visually distinct feature of the S2 is its cable routing. As with the cost-is-no-object S3, the S2's derailleur cables route through the top of the top tube, right behind the headset. The housing feeds into cable stops on the top tube, then naked wires run down the headtube, through the down tube, into the BB shell. This is an aerodynamic improvement, yes. But we appreciate it just as much for practical reasons: You'll no longer have to cope with the dreaded cable housing rub on the sides of your head tube. And since there's no more housing slap against your frame, your bike is certain to be quieter.

Every tube of the S2 has been designed to optimize its aerodynamics. Its headtube is only 1mm wider than what you'll find on the Cervélo P3 time trial bike, with a downtube virtually identical to the supremely aero design you find on the P3. The sloping top tube has an airfoil cross section in the direction of the airflow. The asymmetric design of the seatstays promote an optimal airflow over the thin stay and across a rotating rear wheel.

And beyond weight and aerodynamics is the ever-critical requirement of stiffness. The S2 has a visibly overbuilt BB area to provide you with a frame that won't waste a single watt of your power. Its substantial volume and smooth contours don't just eliminate frame flex, it adds strength to the frame as well. One other important detail is the design of the chainstays: They're specifically engineered to complement the stiffness of the BB area.

The S2 comes with a one-position aero carbon seatpost that gives you an effective seat angle of 73 degrees. Cervélo's two-position reversible seatpost (standard on the S1) will fit in the S2, in case you'd like the option to give it an effective seat angle of 76 degrees for time trial applications. The S2 also comes standard with a 3T Funda Pro Carbon Fiber Fork and a Cane Creek integrated headset. It requires a braze-on front derailleur and an English bottom bracket. It's available in 6 sizes between 48cm-61cm.

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2010 Cervélo S2 Pricing

2010 Cervélo S2 Geometry

Size	Top Tube	Head Tube	Head Tube Angle	Seat Angle	Standover
48	51.5	10.0	72.5	73.0	70.9
51	53.0	12.0	73.0	73.0	72.9
54	54.5	14.0	73.0	73.0	74.6
56	56.5	16.0	73.0	73.0	76.4
58	58.0	18.0	73.0	73.0	78.1
61	59.2	20.0	73.0	73.0	80.0